My thoughts on what positions the Patriots should draft.

Gabriel_p94 said:

Im looking at this draft as one that could potentially make either our defense or our offense truly elite. I'm saying this because if BB were to draft fully defense especially with how deep this draft it can set up our defense to be even better than it already is. The same goes for the offense but I don't think our offense really needs that much help as it is though.

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Agree. Really hard to see where they go on offense. A future LT and current OT backup. A RB if they don't re-sign Blount. A TE if they don't re-sign Marty B. A day 3 WR perhaps.

Do we re-sign Logan Ryan? I've written him off as a likely player to hit FA but I've just started to think that his value to us might be greater to us than to other teams. I think it's safe to say that Ryan isn't a shutdown cormer and for that reason, he's probably not going to get the big big bucks. But for us, he's versatile, playing both outside and the slot, he's an excellent tackler which is a huge component of our DBs and to be honest, even though this is an excellent CB draft class, keeping Ryan pretty much ensures we can focus on other areas in this class because our CB unit is pretty much locked up save, perhaps, a nickel back in the later rounds.

PFF graded our secondary as the 3rd best group in the NFL. I wouldn't mind keeping that group together.

Ranking all 32 NFL secondaries this season

Edit: I'm just envisaging potential picks for us and it becomes much easier if I don't need to worry about a CB in the first two rounds.

I think bb let's Ryan walk. Which means we will draft a CB. Either kid from Colorado or Clemson could be available in the third round.

manxman2601 said:

Do we re-sign Logan Ryan? I've written him off as a likely player to hit FA but I've just started to think that his value to us might be greater to us than to other teams. I think it's safe to say that Ryan isn't a shutdown cormer and for that reason, he's probably not going to get the big big bucks. But for us, he's versatile, playing both outside and the slot, he's an excellent tackler which is a huge component of our DBs and to be honest, even though this is an excellent CB draft class, keeping Ryan pretty much ensures we can focus on other areas in this class because our CB unit is pretty much locked up save, perhaps, a nickel back in the later rounds.

PFF graded our secondary as the 3rd best group in the NFL. I wouldn't mind keeping that group together.

Ranking all 32 NFL secondaries this season

Edit: I'm just envisaging potential picks for us and it becomes much easier if I don't need to worry about a CB in the first two rounds.

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Hello Logan Ryan.

On a serious note, if the Pats trade a QB, should they use a late pick on another?

ctpatsfan77 said:

On a serious note, if the Pats trade a QB, should they use a late pick on another?

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I would use a 7th rounder or sign one as an UDFA. I think we will only carry 2 QB's on the 53, but it can never hurt to have another camp arm and practice squad guy.

I'm all for a defense focused draft with some mid/late round picks on O. Maybe a Switzer or that TE shaheen. If we trade Jimmy the G we have a lot of ammo in a loaded draft. We could really put together a D we haven't seen in a long time.

If there's a position I would focus on on offense it would be center. I like Andrews but he is upgradeable and there seems to be some pretty decent centers in this draft.

A te, coverage lb, a fs (buda baker?) with range, possibly a cb if ryan or butler leave (not sure why butler hasnt been re-signed). A rb and a backup t.

Oh and a defensive end and a penetrating type dt.

Thats about every position.

In this order
DE, CB, RB, OLB, FS, G/C, DT, WR

This is a loaded draft class for pass rusher and with Sheard and Long FAs, we need competition at DE. C. Jones is looking like a bust so I would take a corner early. We also need competition for the power back position. Competition is needed for the LB position as well. With the potential departure of Harmon, FS is a need. Based on Andrews play last night, G/C competition is also needed. IF Branch is not brought back DT becomes a higher need, but Brown, Valentine, Kilgo, Hamilton are all young. Our top WR grouping (Edelman, Hogan, Mitchell and Amendola) is under contract for 2017, thus making WR a low priority depending on whether we release Amendola.

MSPatsFan28 said:

In this order
DE, CB, RB, OLB, FS, G/C, DT, WR

This is a loaded draft class for pass rusher and with Sheard and Long FAs, we need competition at DE. C. Jones is looking like a bust so I would take a corner early. We also need competition for the power back position. Competition is needed for the LB position as well. With the potential departure of Harmon, FS is a need. Based on Andrews play last night, G/C competition is also needed. IF Branch is not brought back DT becomes a higher need, but Brown, Valentine, Kilgo, Hamilton are all young. Our top WR grouping (Edelman, Hogan, Mitchell and Amendola) is under contract for 2017, thus making WR a low priority depending on whether we release Amendola.

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I always thought bb would take a dt at #32, but I can not see any worth taking unless McDowell falls to us.

I am pretty sure whatever de falls to us at #32 will not appeal to bb either.

I think I really good CB like jones of Washington will fall to us, but bb can pick up a quality CB later in the draft.

So with all that being said, I look for bb to trade out of the first and pick up an extra second and third.

Ive always been a Ryan fan but the guy is very underrated here. He'll always have his flaws but he's very solid. He's physical, versatile and a very good tackler.

If Rowe can be a solid #2 outside/boundary cb than I have no problem over paying Ryan slightly to keep the group in tact.

If that's the case CB might not be a early pick.

Des King is being strictly looked at as a S. Im told Humphrey is too. I hearing some see some B. Jones in him.

McDowell is a rush guy that will play edge/rush in the pros. He was out of position in college and his hands are a big issue. I don't think he makes it right away inside early on. Rather a guy who can kick inside on obvious passing downs.

That said McDowell is a rush guy playing out of position

BaconGrundleCandy said:

Ive always been a Ryan fan but the guy is very underrated here. He'll always have his flaws but he's very solid. He's physical, versatile and a very good tackler.

If Rowe can be a solid #2 outside/boundary cb than I have no problem over paying Ryan slightly to keep the group in tact.

If that's the case CB might not be a early pick.

Des King is being strictly looked at as a S. Im told Humphrey is too. I hearing some see some B. Jones in him.

McDowell is a rush guy that will play edge/rush in the pros. He was out of position in college and his hands are a big issue. I don't think he makes it right away inside early on. Rather a guy who can kick inside on obvious passing downs.

That said McDowell is a rush guy playing out of position

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For this team I love Desmond King as a CB.

Because we run a multiple defense that changes depending on matchup and game situation, we need CB's that can play both zone and man and tackle well. King is arguably the best zone CB in this draft and in my opinion the best off man corner as well. The way he moves, keeps his eyes in the backfield and diagnoses plays to runs routes for WR's reminds me so much of Darelle Revis. He isn't as athletic as Revis but has the same toughness and competitiveness.

The biggest questions about him are his ability to play press-man coverage and his deep speed. He hasn't had to play much press coverage at Iowa but his physicality, technique in all other areas and his competitiveness give me reason to believe he should be able to do it pretty well. I think part of the reason he played so much off coverage last season is because nobody would even try and throw at him so they trying to bait opposing QB's. His deep speed isn't really an issue to me because of the way we use our safeties. We don't really leave our corners alone to potentially get beat deep because of the way McCourty is used over the top.

For some teams I wouldn't like him as much, but his fit here I love. Butler takes the opposition #2 WR while King takes the opposing #1 WR with safety help over the top. Eric Rowe is your matchup guy against bigger WRs and hopefully Cyrus Jones can develop as a slot CB. King also adds some versatility with his return skills.

Wilfork#75 said:

For this team I love Desmond King as a CB.

Because we run a multiple defense that changes depending on matchup and game situation, we need CB's that can play both zone and man and tackle well. King is arguably the best zone CB in this draft and in my opinion the best off man corner as well. The way he moves, keeps his eyes in the backfield and diagnoses plays to runs routes for WR's reminds me so much of Darelle Revis. He isn't as athletic as Revis but has the same toughness and competitiveness.

The biggest questions about him are his ability to play press-man coverage and his deep speed. He hasn't had to play much press coverage at Iowa but his physicality, technique in all other areas and his competitiveness give me reason to believe he should be able to do it pretty well. I think part of the reason he played so much off coverage last season is because nobody would even try and throw at him so they trying to bait opposing QB's. His deep speed isn't really an issue to me because of the way we use our safeties. We don't really leave our corners alone to potentially get beat deep because of the way McCourty is used over the top.

For some teams I wouldn't like him as much, but his fit here I love. Butler takes the opposition #2 WR while King takes the opposing #1 WR with safety help over the top. Eric Rowe is your matchup guy against bigger WRs and hopefully Cyrus Jones can develop as a slot CB. King also adds some versatility with his return skills.

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The thing w/ King isn't necessarily his long speed but more his make up, acceleration and chase.

I just dont know if he can stay w/ rec's w/out a jump on them first.

I agrer w/ your line of thinking about bringing in someone like him for what we do

Im a Rowe guy n want him to take the #2 spot. Ryan in the slot w/ McCourty could make a great secondary.

BaconGrundleCandy said:

Ive always been a Ryan fan but the guy is very underrated here. He'll always have his flaws but he's very solid. He's physical, versatile and a very good tackler.

If Rowe can be a solid #2 outside/boundary cb than I have no problem over paying Ryan slightly to keep the group in tact.

If that's the case CB might not be a early pick.

Des King is being strictly looked at as a S. Im told Humphrey is too. I hearing some see some B. Jones in him.

McDowell is a rush guy that will play edge/rush in the pros. He was out of position in college and his hands are a big issue. I don't think he makes it right away inside early on. Rather a guy who can kick inside on obvious passing downs.

That said McDowell is a rush guy playing out of position

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I am a huge McDowell fan. In our defense, bb would have someone he can use inside or outside. Someone who can rush, set the edge and tackle.

At the beginning of the year I had him up there with Garrett and allen. Now I see a lot of people have dropped him to the mid 20's.

But if he or Adams of auburn us there at #32, we need to jump on that.

@OJ

MM is very intriguing for so many reasons.

I think he drops down to around 260-265 for the combine.

He'sa perfect fit for Cincinnati and the typeof DE's they usually go for. Big, long, athletic guys.

Big Adams fan.