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My Ridiculously Early Start on a 2026 Offseason Plan

My current draft preferences, always subject to who is available, finding values, and avoiding reaches.

31. OT or EDGE. OT my preference: Monroe Freeling (pipe dream) > Max Iheanachor, Blake Miller, Caleb Lomu. EDGE (Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk) and BPA (Caleb Banks, Jermod McCoy, Dillon Thieneman) are options.

63. EDGE or offensive skill players. DDS, Gabe Jacas, Malachi Lawrence, Derrick Moore. S Treydan Stukes or Chris Bell if they slip.

95. Offensive skill. Any of WR Ted Hurst, RB Mike Washington, TE Sam Roush, TE Eli Stowers, TE Oscar Delp, TE Max Klare. DB (Devin Moore, Zakee Wheatley) also options.

125. Versatile LB. Kyle Louis or Kaleb Elarms-Orr. CB Devin Moore if he slips.

131. DB. VJ Payne, CJ Demmings, Tacario Davis, Bud Clark.

171. OL. Keagan Trost, JC Davis, Travis Burke, Jalen Farmer, Billy Schrauth, Micah Morris.

6th/7th. Value/upside/developmental picks. Depends a lot on what has been taken sooner, but would be happy with some combination of:

- Offensive skill: RB Adam Randall, WR DeZhaun Stribling, WR Jeff Caldwell, WR Josh Cameron, WR Reggie Virgil, TE Eli Raridon, TE Daylen Bentley, TE Jaren Kanak, TE Dan Villari, TE Matthew Hibner, WR J. Michael Sturdivant

- Slot WR: Eli Heidenreich, Cyrus Allen, Noah Short, Kaden Wetjen

- DB: CB Ceyair Wright, S Cole Wisniewski, S Lorenzo Styles, S Kapena Gushiken, S Michael Taafe

- LB: Justin Jefferson, Jack Kelly, Red Murdock

- DT: Damonte Capehart, Kaden Procter, Skyler Gill-Howard, Jordan van den Berg

- EDGE: Trey Moore, Mason Reiger, Bryan Thomas, Nadame Tucker

I'm sure I've left out some. There are a lot of good options, the key is to be flexible and not over-reach for need.

Not every need will be great, but this is a great draft to add foundational and developmental talent.
 
Last edited:
mayoclinic said:
My current draft preferences, always subject to who is available, finding values, and avoiding reaches.

31. OT or EDGE. OT my preference: Monroe Freeling (pipe dream) > Max Iheanachor, Blake Miller, Caleb Lomu. EDGE (Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk) and BPA (Caleb Banks, Jermod McCoy, Dillon Thieneman) are options.

63. EDGE or offensive skill players. DDS, Gabe Jacas, Malachi Lawrence, Derrick Moore. S Treydan Stukes if he slips.

95. Offensive skill. Any of WR Ted Hurst, RB Mike Washington, TE Sam Roush, TE Eli Stowers, TE Oscar Delp, TE Max Klare. DB (Devin Moore, Zakee Wheatley) also options.

125. Versatile LB. Kyle Louis or Kaleb Elarms-Orr. CB Devin Moore if he slips.

131. DB. VJ Payne, CJ Demmings, Tacario Davis, Bud Clark.

171. OL. Keagan Trost, JC Davis, Travis Burke, Jalen Farmer, Billy Schrauth, Micah Morris.

6th/7th. Value/upside/developmental picks. Depends a lot on what has been taken sooner, but would be happy with some combination of:

- Offensive skill: RB Adam Randall, WR DeZhaun Stribling, WR Jeff Caldwell, WR Josh Cameron, WR Reggie Virgil, TE Eli Raridon, TE Daylen Bentley, TE Jaren Kanak, TE Dan Villari, TE Matthew Hibner

- Slot WR: Eli Heidenreich, Cyrus Allen, Noah Short

- DB: CB Ceyair Wright, S Cole Wisniewski, S Lorenzo Styles, S Kapena Gushiken, S Michael Taafe

- LB: Justin Jefferson, Jack Kelly, Red Murdock

- DT: Damonte Capehart, Kaden Procter, Skyler Gill-Howard, Jordan van den Berg

- EDGE: Trey Moore, Mason Reiger, Bryan Thomas, Nadame Tucker

I'm sure I've left out some. There are a lot of good options, the key is to be flexible and not over-reach for need.

Not every need will be great, but this is a great draft to add foundational and developmental talent.
Click to expand...
This.
 
mayoclinic said:

Patriots Should Trade For $14 Million Forgotten Giants First Rounder | NESN

The New England Patriots had just 35 sacks as a team last season, and they need to improve their pass rush before the start of next season.
nesn.com

I still think this makes sense, if the price is not too high (95, 125 or 131).

Add Thibodeaux and EDGE is solid for 2026. It frees the team up to go BPA.
Click to expand...
I agree with this one. Id do 95 just to make sure the deal gets done. Someone else with a higher 4 would pull it off.

Getting a starting caliber edge for a late 3 is a win. It would be a very good 3 man rotation, giving Ponder and Swinson more time to develop. It gives you a leg up on seeing if hes a long term answer, as well. And frees up the first two rounds to help elsewhere.
 
This is just me reading the runes. However, a) I could be totally wrong and b) there's much more info to come so it could all change.

The way I see things right now is:

First Round - Preferred EDGE rusher.

I'm not clear on who although I lean in Jacas' direction.

Second round - Safety

I'm hoping for Stukes but it could be any 2nd-3rd round graded safety. Wheatley? Kyle Louis would be a novel choice. could potentially fill two roles.

Third round - Travis Burke

Fills the swing tackle need and may have the upside to be a future starting RT. At 6'9", 325lbs with 34.5" arms, he's borderline planet theory.

Fourth round - TE

Best TE that falls to the fourth.

WR? - Stribling would be nice here. Josh Cameron is another possibility.

Rest of Day 3

Linebacker - Elams-Orr, Khalil Jacobs or Justin Jefferson would be my guess currently.

RB - There's interest in Adam Randall

RG - A day 3 RG looks possible.
 
manxman2601 said:
This is just me reading the runes. However, a) I could be totally wrong and b) there's much more info to come so it could all change.

The way I see things right now is:

First Round - Preferred EDGE rusher.

I'm not clear on who although I lean in Jacas' direction.

Second round - Safety

I'm hoping for Stukes but it could be any 2nd-3rd round graded safety. Wheatley? Kyle Louis would be a novel choice. could potentially fill two roles.

Third round - Travis Burke

Fills the swing tackle need and may have the upside to be a future starting RT. At 6'9", 325lbs with 34.5" arms, he's borderline planet theory.

Fourth round - TE

Best TE that falls to the fourth.

WR? - Stribling would be nice here. Josh Cameron is another possibility.

Rest of Day 3

Linebacker - Elams-Orr, Khalil Jacobs or Justin Jefferson would be my guess currently.

RB - There's interest in Adam Randall

RG - A day 3 RG looks possible.
Click to expand...
I would be surprised if we take a Safety in the 2nd.
Obv we need to dedicate time scouting the position, but I would think that's just due diligence.
If one of the top 3/4 get to 63.....maybe.
You gotta spend time with all positions, you never know how the draft will go and who will rise and fall and maybe a guy falls to 63 that we just can't pass, but again, I think that's just more of us being prepared for every possible draft outcome.
 
DoubleDeluxe said:
I would be surprised if we take a Safety in the 2nd.
Obv we need to dedicate time scouting the position, but I would think that's just due diligence.
If one of the top 3/4 get to 63.....maybe.
You gotta spend time with all positions, you never know how the draft will go and who will rise and fall and maybe a guy falls to 63 that we just can't pass, but again, I think that's just more of us being prepared for every possible draft outcome.
Click to expand...
We'll see.
 
I agree with DD.

Unless Dillon Thieneman goes into free fall, or Treydan Stukes slips, there is no safety I would take at 63.
 
manxman2601 said:
This is just me reading the runes. However, a) I could be totally wrong and b) there's much more info to come so it could all change.

The way I see things right now is:

First Round - Preferred EDGE rusher.

I'm not clear on who although I lean in Jacas' direction.

Second round - Safety

I'm hoping for Stukes but it could be any 2nd-3rd round graded safety. Wheatley? Kyle Louis would be a novel choice. could potentially fill two roles.

Third round - Travis Burke

Fills the swing tackle need and may have the upside to be a future starting RT. At 6'9", 325lbs with 34.5" arms, he's borderline planet theory.

Fourth round - TE

Best TE that falls to the fourth.

WR? - Stribling would be nice here. Josh Cameron is another possibility.

Rest of Day 3

Linebacker - Elams-Orr, Khalil Jacobs or Justin Jefferson would be my guess currently.

RB - There's interest in Adam Randall

RG - A day 3 RG looks possible.
Click to expand...

Right now I have 2 main directions, always subject to BPA, values, amd not over-reaching:

Plan A:

31. OT - Max Iheanachor or Blake Miller
63. EDGE - DDS or Gabe Jacas
95. Offensive Skill - Mike Washington, Ted Hurst, Sam Roush, Oscar Delp

Then get safety in the 4th, and LB or whoever falls.

Plan B:

31. EDGE or BPA, possible trade-back.
63. Offensive skill, S, or LB. Add Treydan Stukes, Jake Golday, Jacob Rodriguez, Chris Bell and possibly Caleb Banks to ghe mix.
95. OT Travis Burke, or offensive skill if not targeted round 2
125. Whoever slips. Travis Burke a priority if still available and OT not addressed.

Plan A is my preference, but I'm warming to Travis Burke as a 2026 swing tackle and 2027 starter at RT.
 
mayoclinic said:
Right now I have 2 main directions, always subject to BPA, values, amd not over-reaching:

Plan A:

31. OT - Max Iheanachor or Blake Miller
63. EDGE - DDS or Gabe Jacas
95. Offensive Skill - Mike Washington, Ted Hurst, Sam Roush, Oscar Delp

Then get safety in the 4th, and LB or whoever falls.

Plan B:[/b]

31. EDGE or BPA, possible trade-back.
63. Offensive skill, S, or LB. Add Treydan Stukes, Jake Golday, Jacob Rodriguez, Chris Bell and possibly Caleb Banks to ghe mix.
95. OT Travis Burke, or offensive skill if not targeted round 2
125. Whoever slips. Travis Burke a priority if still available and OT not addressed.

Plan A is my preference, but I'm warming to Travis Burke as a 2026 swing tackle and 2027 starter at RT.
Click to expand...
Both are good plans although it will be no surprise that I’d lean plan B. I’m not opposed to Miller or Iheanachor in the first and I’d be OK with the pick. I do think we’d have to trade up from 63 though to be sure of getting the right EDGE. For me that’s Jacas in that situation although Moore, DDS and even Crawford would be fine for me.
 
The biggest problem I have with plan B is that I'm not 100% sold on the EDGE options at 31. Akheem Mesidor, if he slips. It seems a tad high for DDS or Jacas to me. But if ghe team is sold on them, sure - IIRC, Chandler Jones was a projected 2nd round pick going into the 2012 draft. And if we traded back from 31. we could potentially trade up from 63 ot 95.

If Iheanachor and Miller are with gone, that could be the way to go.
 
mayoclinic said:
Right now I have 2 main directions, always subject to BPA, values, amd not over-reaching:

Plan A:

31. OT - Max Iheanachor or Blake Miller
63. EDGE - DDS or Gabe Jacas
95. Offensive Skill - Mike Washington, Ted Hurst, Sam Roush, Oscar Delp

Then get safety in the 4th, and LB or whoever falls.

Plan B:[/b]

31. EDGE or BPA, possible trade-back.
63. Offensive skill, S, or LB. Add Treydan Stukes, Jake Golday, Jacob Rodriguez, Chris Bell and possibly Caleb Banks to ghe mix.
95. OT Travis Burke, or offensive skill if not targeted round 2
125. Whoever slips. Travis Burke a priority if still available and OT not addressed.

Plan A is my preference, but I'm warming to Travis Burke as a 2026 swing tackle and 2027 starter at RT.
Click to expand...
If we defer RT till later in the draft to develop a year behind Moses, I would very much be in favour of taking a LB in the 1st (this assumes we can get DDS in the 2nd) if the value is there.
So many wants.....
It's been far too long since we had a really good LB.
I'm not suggesting LB is the only position to target if we defer RT, I would just very much like to come away from this draft with a difference making LB.
Maybe we can do that later with Louis, Orr, Elliot...etc.
I just know I want one!
 
mayoclinic said:
The biggest problem I have with plan B is that I'm not 100% sold on the EDGE options at 31. Akheem Mesidor, if he slips. It seems a tad high for DDS or Jacas to me. But if ghe team is sold on them, sure - IIRC, Chandler Jones was a projected 2nd round pick going into the 2012 draft. And if we traded back from 31. we could potentially trade up from 63 ot 95.

If Iheanachor and Miller are with gone, that could be the way to go.
Click to expand...
Mesidor and Lawrence can be taken comfortably at 31. We might still be able to get Jacas with a trade back although it’s risky. I think he’s similar to Nic Scourton who went 51 so maybe there’s some leeway.

A plan I like.

1. Trade back for Jacas.

2. Use that extra pick to trade up for Stukes or Rodriguez.
 
manxman2601 said:
Mesidor and Lawrence can be taken comfortably at 31. We might still be able to get Jacas with a trade back although it’s risky. I think he’s similar to Nic Scourton who went 51 so maybe there’s some leeway.

A plan I like.

1. Trade back for Jacas.

2. Use that extra pick to trade up for Stukes or Rodriguez.
Click to expand...
Things will change a lot until draft day.

Right now, Im feeling trade down from 31 and up from 63, roughly giving and receiving the same. Give me Jacob Rodriguez and Malachi Lawrence and Im going to be happy with the rest of the draft.
 
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