What's with the CB talk @ 23?

I'm just not seeing it happen. I'm not Belichick by any means but I really don't see why Alphonso Smith and Darius Butler are being considered in some of these mocks at pick 23. I believe the needs are elsewhere considering we have Springs,Hobbs and Bodden along with 2 players we just drafted last season in Wilhite and Wheatley. I realize that the first 3 are under short contracts, regardless I do not see CB as that much of a need as some do.

Even if the Patriots decide to go best player available I wouldn't rate these cb's ahead of some of the DE's,LB's,Safeties and O-lineman that are sure to be there when we draft. The weak QB class will ensure that imo.

The only situation I could see CB is if Malcolm Jenkins falls to us. I'm not ruling out a CB at 23 because the Patriots value is not my value. I am an armchair Gm after all.

I agree that #23 may be too high, but I wouldn't be surprised at #34 or #47.

It's all a guessing game to us, my friend

I wouldn't rule it out because our pass defense was an embarassment last year plus Hobbs and Bodden are FA after this season.

Patriot Missile said:

I'm just not seeing it happen. I'm not Belichick by any means but I really don't see why Alphonso Smith and Darius Butler are being considered in some of these mocks at pick 23. I believe the needs are elsewhere considering we have Springs,Hobbs and Bodden along with 2 players we just drafted last season in Wilhite and Wheatley. I realize that the first 3 are under short contracts, regardless I do not see CB as that much of a need as some do.

Even if the Patriots decide to go best player available I wouldn't rate these cb's ahead of some of the DE's,LB's,Safeties and O-lineman that are sure to be there when we draft. The weak QB class will ensure that imo.

The only situation I could see CB is if Malcolm Jenkins falls to us. I'm not ruling out a CB at 23 because the Patriots value is not my value. I am an armchair Gm after all.

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I totally agree, I would take a flyer on Joe Burnett from Central Flordia. I think he can be had in the 5th round and has excellent return skills to replace Hobbs if he leaves. BB took care of corner in FA and the draft last year IMO with Springs being a swing guy from FS and corner. I have said it before but we all know how important it is to have three good corners and four or five would be nice for depth. That is what we have right now going into the draft so if a DB is picked I see it as a safety. If Sean Smith was still around at #47 would be the highest I would go for a corner as we have more pressing needs elsewhere. If a corner is the BPA at #23 for eg Jenkins we all know BB will due his thing and make the right decision

Patriot Missile said:

I'm just not seeing it happen. I'm not Belichick by any means but I really don't see why Alphonso Smith and Darius Butler are being considered in some of these mocks at pick 23. I believe the needs are elsewhere considering we have Springs,Hobbs and Bodden along with 2 players we just drafted last season in Wilhite and Wheatley. I realize that the first 3 are under short contracts, regardless I do not see CB as that much of a need as some do.

Even if the Patriots decide to go best player available I wouldn't rate these cb's ahead of some of the DE's,LB's,Safeties and O-lineman that are sure to be there when we draft. The weak QB class will ensure that imo.

The only situation I could see CB is if Malcolm Jenkins falls to us. I'm not ruling out a CB at 23 because the Patriots value is not my value. I am an armchair Gm after all.

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I don't see it either, and completely agree.

In my first mock draft of the season from January 15, I suggested that CB was a position of need but that I thought the Pats would go the FA route rather than the draft, even though, at the time, Alphonso Smith and DJ Moore looked like prototypical Pats CBs. My reasoning was that we had just drafted 2 CBs in 2008 with Wheatley and Wilhite, and that I thought the FO would rather fill holes with veteran leadership than with more rookies, and that both Wheatley and Wilhite had showed at least flashes of promise.

Since that time, the FO has gotten Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs, and Smith and Moore have looked less athletic than anticipated. We currently have 5 solid CBs with Hobbs, Bodden, Wheatley, Wilhite and Springs. It is t rue that Hobbs and Bodden are currently only signed through 2009, but in an uncapped year Hobbs is an RFA and there is no reason to believe at this point that we can't sign at least one of the two long term.

I just don't see the rationale for drafting a rookie CB in the top 100. The rookie would either sit or would push one of our promising 2nd year guys out of more playing time, which they need to develop. Neither option makes much sense to me. Darius Butler looks like a terrific Pats CB prospect and Sean Smith, intriguing size and athleticism, and Alphonso Smith's ball skills can almost make me forget that he short, can't jump, and isn't very fast. But even giving them the most optimistic view possible, I just don't see us going CB first day when there are other more pressing needs, and lots of players of comparable talent likely to be available. I could understand a 2nd day guy like Joe Burnett or Lardarius Webb, but not using a top pick when it could mean missing out on a Barwin, Beatty, Delmas or Gilbert.

Patriot Missile said:

I'm just not seeing it happen. I'm not Belichick by any means but I really don't see why Alphonso Smith and Darius Butler are being considered in some of these mocks at pick 23. I believe the needs are elsewhere considering we have Springs,Hobbs and Bodden along with 2 players we just drafted last season in Wilhite and Wheatley. I realize that the first 3 are under short contracts, regardless I do not see CB as that much of a need as some do.

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All depends on your evaluation of the current corners on the team and the value of the guys in the draft.

Me I have the heretical view that you can never have too many good corner backs. Against the passing attacks in the NFL and 3 and 4 WR sets, you need guys that can cover.

The team last year barely could stop the forward pass last year. The guys that were added are a good start, but I would hate to leave an upgrade on the draft table.

Give Springs the backup FS spot and the roster and the "draft a corner" mentality makes more sense.

My problem is that I don't think that any of the corners in the draft are better prospects that Wheatley and Wilhite (given what we already seen of them). BTW, Hobbs will likely be an RFA next year.

We've been saying for months that this is one of the worst group of corners in a very long time. That's why Belichick is paying Springs $4.55M this year as part of a 3-year contract AND is paying Bodden. As another poster indicated, when the draft is poor at a position and you need the position filled, look to free agency. Belichick did just that.

CORNERS
Hobbs, Bodden, Wheatley, Wilhite

SAFETIES
Meriweather, Sanders, Springs, Williams

DEVELOPMENTAL/UTILITY DEFENSIVE BACK
Richardson/Spann

There is room for a corner and a strong safety, or for two safeties. The choice really does depend on Belichick's evaluation of the players available.