So how do you grade this year’s draft?

50-yard-line said:

Could be three with a flip of Harry for Isabella, if speed is the metric being used.

Give Harry and a 6th for Isabella and a 7th - Pats basically RECEIVE about $700k on the CAP for the price of a 1-round, late-round drop.

That's worst case, even if Isabella doesn't make the team.

Cards worst case is moving up a round for under a million $. Both teams get rid of players they don't want and who don't want to be their.

Makes too much sense.

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Why would we drop a round by trading a more productive player? I'm not opposed to them both getting fresh starts, but why lose draft capital in order to do it? That makes no sense to me. Believe it or not, Harry has been the more valuable player of the two thus far.

WaterfallJumper said:

Why would we drop a round by trading a more productive player? I'm not opposed to them both getting fresh starts, but why lose draft capital in order to do it? That makes no sense to me. Believe it or not, Harry has been the more valuable player of the two thus far.

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Both these guys are getting cut if trades can't be found and everybody knows it. And honestly, 6th and 7th round picks are crapshoots with about equally dismal hit rates. Watching the draft board guys losing their sheet over the players taken in Round 6, 7, and UDFA makes me giggle, because almost all of them can be had after cutdowns or swiped from another team's PS (or traded for a low-round pick, like Wade last year).

Cutting Harry saves $433k, trading him saves $1.1 million. They need a trade partner and might have to sweeten the deal to get one. Money is tight right now; I'd rather push $700k less into next year. And it's not just about production with Harry - he openly wants out. He'll be a cancer if they have to hold onto him.

PATSNUTme said:

You have the user name of Sam Bam. That would lead me to believe that you might be old enough to remember when the Patriots during the 70s,80s, and until the early 90s were justifiable laughing stocks. This is not even close.

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I was there. The Pats were successful at times in every decade of their existence. If not for the Ben Dreith steal in 76 the Pats would have gone to a SB in every decade until the 2020's, which just started, and won their first almost a half century ago. The laughing stock angle is something that fans started to believe after hearing it so often. I'm waiting for @Actual Pats Fan to come out with his book to set the record straight on that.

TheRainMaker said:

I like the speed they got on offense. I could see Strong and Marcus Jones on kickoffs.

Only complaint is they didn’t address the front 7. Their D-line and LB’s are among the worst in the league and get exposed against good teams. I now expect Bill to sign Akiem Hicks and/or Trey Flowers. We’re probably stuck with the LB’s they have.

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Well from those that played at the end of the season only Bentley is back (who was somewhat good against the run), HT and Collins are gone and won't come back, McGrone, McMillan are highly regarded and should be starters for the Pats in 2022.
Both of them are very smart and way faster than HT and probably last years Collins as well, with less freelancing.

The RunD still worries me, but hope they can land Hicks that would be great!

mgteich said:

whining about a 6th rounder is normal, I guess.

We took a flyer on a developmental RB because we are likely to lose White and Harris after the season.

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That would be a shame about White.

I like more picks most of all and that's why I don't mind the Pats moving back so much. This draft they ended up with 10 picks and another next year.

Sam Bam Cunningham said:

C-. I like th Strange, Jones, Strong and Harris picks

Hate the Thornton, Zappe and Jones from ASU picks

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You hate that they picked the fastest WR in the draft.

doesntmatter1 said:

I had a feeling that ship sailed when we re-signed Bentley.

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McGrone.

Not grading the draft, but will give a grade of the pleasure it gave me D-

Joker said:

Raekwon McMillan runs official 4.61 40-yard dash - NFL.com...pedestrian...ZERO sacks in his 4 years in the league​

McGrone? hasn't even take a snap in preseason yet and on the mend from an ACL..a 5th round pick meant for ST's is suddenly going to START for the Pats at LB this season?​

Peppers is a SAFETY...not a speedy LB says hi​

Wilson ran a 4.71 40-yard dash at his pro day. Jamie Collins is 20 pounds heavier and ran a 4.67...​

LOOK at the top 15 teams in the NFL and their LB corps...and then look at THIS group of question marks...not good​

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So McMillan running a 4.61 is pedestrian but Collins running a 4.67 is great. Plus, McGrone is no longer on the mend, he is mended.

1960Pats said:

I was there. The Pats were successful at times in every decade of their existence. If not for the Ben Dreith steal in 76 the Pats would have gone to a SB in every decade until the 2020's, which just started, and won their first almost a half century ago. The laughing stock angle is something that fans started to believe after hearing it so often. I'm waiting for @Actual Pats Fan to come out with his book to set the record straight on that.

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Even when they had a successful season something would happen like the cocaine scandal right after the Bears SB. The Micheal Jackson tour. Firing of Raymond Berry. And Chuck Fairbanks walking out on the team to coach Colorado. Just to name a few.
Yes, we were the laughing stock not only of the NFL, but all of sports.

50-yard-line said:

Both these guys are getting cut if trades can't be found and everybody knows it. And honestly, 6th and 7th round picks are crapshoots with about equally dismal hit rates. Watching the draft board guys losing their sheet over the players taken in Round 6, 7, and UDFA makes me giggle, because almost all of them can be had after cutdowns or swiped from another team's PS (or traded for a low-round pick, like Wade last year).

Cutting Harry saves $433k, trading him saves $1.1 million. They need a trade partner and might have to sweeten the deal to get one. Money is tight right now; I'd rather push $700k less into next year. And it's not just about production with Harry - he openly wants out. He'll be a cancer if they have to hold onto him.

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You're ignoring Isabella's contract (trade pre June 1st):

Harry: cap hit is $3.21M
Dead money: $1.34M
Savings: $1.87M

Isabella: cap hit is $1.47M
Dead money: $0.35M
Savings: $1.13M

So:
Pats: 1.34M + 1.13M = $2.47M
Cards: 0.35M + 1.87M = $2.22M

Pats save about $0.74M.
Cards cap increases by $0.75M.

Not sure why Cards would want to do this given they just got Hollywood Brown. I think they want to trade him not swap players. At least not another receiver.

1960Pats said:

I was there. The Pats were successful at times in every decade of their existence. If not for the Ben Dreith steal in 76 the Pats would have gone to a SB in every decade until the 2020's, which just started, and won their first almost a half century ago. The laughing stock angle is something that fans started to believe after hearing it so often. I'm waiting for @Actual Pats Fan to come out with his book to set the record straight on that.

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Local Boston media had their own agenda. Patriots=laughingstock. Mission Accomplished.

The fact that 20 or more other NFL franchises better fit the label is mentioned less than the possibility that Drew Bledsoe wasn't that good after all.

What should be my working title?

The New England Patriots And The False Laughingstock Narrative

A History Of Prejudice Against The New England Patriots

To Local Boston Media: It's Not My Fault You Suck

The New England Patriots' Opponents, The NFL And The Media Are All Full Of Sh*t

Corruption, Racketeering, Fraud & Villainy: The Cornerstones Of Roger Goodell And The National Football League

The New England Patriots Are The Real America's Team


Looks like I may have to publish multiple volumes. I better get to work.

For intention I give it a B

Needs going into the draft
LG- Check. Say what you want about where he was drafted but he was the 3rd or 4th ranked pure G (not OT projected to G) left after Green & Johnson went.
CB- Check. Got 2 scheme versatile guys.. 1 that definitely helps with speed in the secondary especially on the inside (Myles Bryant vs Isiah McKenzie flashback nightmares) and the other who is your typical outside sticky-man cover CB. People say his speed and size are his negatives but just go watch his tape. Stop looking at numbers on a screen that were taken out of football play context
Speedy Deep Threat WR- Check. I mean that's one of the things people were whining about, right. No more big bodied possession WRs, right?
Punt Returner- Check. Got probably the best one in the draft
OL Depth- Check
RB Depth- Check. Harris in his last year. White coming back from injury on a 1 year deal. You saw a few times when either Harris or Stevenson was out why there is a need for quality depth and with their recent history of rookie RBs coming right in Strong could be an impact guy his rookie year. 10 TDs of 50+ yards in college. He's a home-run threat and if he comes in and picks up the passing game, i'll say it Pats could have their version of Alvin Kamara

Future things no-one considers
Backup QB- I know some don't think this was a need but this is a thing this team has done since Belichick got there. Drafting a backup QB in the mid-rounds. Stidham is gone after this season, maybe won't even make it out of camp and Hoyer is like 37 and could retire after this year

Triumph said:

Execution.

Better blocking to give Jones time.
A bonified down field threat.

Buffalo has the Pats number. They play their defense close to the LOS because they do not respect the Pats passing game. By the time a NE player gains separation its too late.

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Parker, Strange, and Thornton will help a lot on offense.

Peppers and Wilson will help a lot on defense.

Of course, Buffalo also improved with Miller, Elam, Shakir, and Saffold. But they've been rebuilding for the last twenty years. We're only in year 3. I don't think we'll necessarily be in first place next year but we can compete in 2023.

venecol said:

You're ignoring Isabella's contract (trade pre June 1st):

Harry: cap hit is $3.21M
Dead money: $1.34M
Savings: $1.87M

Isabella: cap hit is $1.47M
Dead money: $0.35M
Savings: $1.13M

So:
Pats: 1.34M + 1.13M = $2.47M
Cards: 0.35M + 1.87M = $2.22M

Pats save about $0.74M.
Cards cap increases by $0.75M.

Not sure why Cards would want to do this given they just got Hollywood Brown. I think they want to trade him not swap players. At least not another receiver.

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That's exactly why i added the picks.

50-yard-line said:

That's exactly why i added the picks.

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Yea, I get that but they already have 8 WRs incl. Hopkins, AJ, Hollywood & Moore. That's a solid group. Whether they cut or trade Isabella, they save $1.1M, so why would they absorb +$750k for Harry + a 2023 6th for 7th round swap? They only have $3.2M (not incl. UDFAs).

For Harry? Maybe, I just don't see it. If you were the Cards GM, would you do it?

venecol said:

Yea, I get that but they already have 8 WRs incl. Hopkins, AJ, Hollywood & Moore. That's a solid group. Whether they cut or trade Isabella, they save $1.1M, so why would they absorb +$750k for Harry + a 2023 6th for 7th round swap? They only have $3.2M (not incl. UDFAs).

For Harry? Maybe, I just don't see it. If you were the Cards GM, would you do it?

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I forgot about Hollywood going there.

So no, I wouldn't.

Have we received a grade from @captain stone?

TheRainMaker said:

Have we received a grade from @captain stone?

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F-------------.

I think he gave them the grade on Wednesday.

To be honest, I have no idea what I think of the Patriots draft other than to sit on my hands and wait and see. If the Pats had intelligence other teams were targeting the players they "reached" on then fine as clearly, they took players in position of need.