11/4 Pats' needs positional rankings and big board

[patchick]

Mayo, I really appreciate this workup, it's a great guide to players to watch. But I'm really surprised that you put OT near the top of the "needs" list. IMO the OT depth right now is the best it's ever been under BB, and all 4 players are under contract for next year, 3 of the 4 through at least 2011. An all-world tackle might be a value/luxury pick you couldn't pass up in the first, but nowhere near a priority to me. (Interior linemen are another story, though I'm always loath to spend a top pick on a RG prospect.)

 

[mayoclinic]

Mayo, I really appreciate this workup, it's a great guide to players to watch. But I'm really surprised that you put OT near the top of the "needs" list. IMO the OT depth right now is the best it's ever been under BB, and all 4 players are under contract for next year, 3 of the 4 through at least 2011. An all-world tackle might be a value/luxury pick you couldn't pass up in the first, but nowhere near a priority to me. (Interior linemen are another story, though I'm always loath to spend a top pick on a RG prospect.)

My initial positional rankings listed OT first, but that wasn't intended to prioritize OT above other areas.

My priorities for the Pats for this offseason would be:

1. The pass rush, the pass rush, the pass rush. By far our greatest need.
2. The running game - OL and RB. Interior line is a much greater need than OT, but I think there is still plenty of room for improvement if a top prospect at tackle becomes available. I do feel that a top tackle is one of the best values you can get. Either way, I'd like to see more of a power running game to complement our passing attack.
3. Stopping the run.

 

[patchick]

My initial positional rankings listed OT first, but that wasn't intended to prioritize OT above other areas.

My priorities for the Pats for this offseason would be:

1. The pass rush, the pass rush, the pass rush. By far our greatest need.
2. The running game - OL and RB. Interior line is a much greater need than OT, but I think there is still plenty of room for improvement if a top prospect at tackle becomes available. I do feel that a top tackle is one of the best values you can get. Either way, I'd like to see more of a power running game to complement our passing attack.
3. Stopping the run.

Thanks, sorry if I misinterpreted your rankings.

I'm with you on the pass rush, but I'm also feeling a little learned helplessness. We've been saying the same thing since at least 2006, yet BB has never in all his years with the Pats spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a pass rusher. I have zero idea what he's looking for, since we have no history to go on. I'm sure I'll catch the draft bug come January, but for now I just feel like giving it a big :confused2:

 

[BelichickFan]

Defense
WR
OG

Is how I see it. Lots of defense and a good OG are my priorities, with an eye towards a high upside WR with Moss getting older and Tate unproven.

I think we're set for a while (like it or not) at OT with Vollmer, Kaczur and LaVoir.

 

[Marqui]

with an eye towards a high upside WR with Moss getting older and Tate unproven.

I think it would make sense to wait for 11s draft for that. We have the Raiders (likely high) first round pick and could take one of the Elite WR prospects coming out then.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think it would make sense to wait for 11s draft for that. We have the Raiders (likely high) first round pick and could take one of the Elite WR prospects coming out then.

I agree. Right now it looks like there may be 4 WRs coming out in 2011 all of whom would probably be considered the best prospect to come out since Calvin Johnson in 2007:

- AJ Green, Georgia. 6'4" 210# with terrific hands. A bigger, faster Larry Fitzgerald. Makes plays all over the field.

- Julio Jones, Alabama. 6'4" 212# with top end speed. Moss-like big play capability. Under-utilitized in 'Bama's offense.

- Michael Floyd, Notre Dame. 6'3" 220#. An Andre Johnson bull combining speed and strength, who was unstoppable before getting injured earlier this year.

- DeAndre Brown, Southern Mississippi. 6'6" 230#. A giant in the Plaxico Burress mold.

Of WR prospects to come out since Calvin Johnson, only Michael Crabtree arguably compares as a prospect with those 4 guys. If you're looking for a long term successor to Randy Moss as an elite WR, 2011 is far superior to 2010. At least 1 if not more of those guys should be available with the pick from the Raiders.

 

[mayoclinic]

Thanks, sorry if I misinterpreted your rankings.

I'm with you on the pass rush, but I'm also feeling a little learned helplessness. We've been saying the same thing since at least 2006, yet BB has never in all his years with the Pats spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a pass rusher. I have zero idea what he's looking for, since we have no history to go on. I'm sure I'll catch the draft bug come January, but for now I just feel like giving it a big :confused2:

I hear what you're saying, Patchick. But I'm a little more optimistic than you.

I think BB learns from his mistakes. He got a bit burned with the success of plugging players into the secondary in 2004-2006 and I think he thought that he could succeed with Jags in the secondary as long as his front 7 was first class. That theory got burned badly, especially last year when we couldn't cover anyone and had to play a soft zone. So he made the secondary his #1 priority in the offseason, added Bodden/Springs/McGowan in FA and Butler/Chung in the draft, and now we have the best secondary we've had since 2003 with a bunch of athletic young playmakers flying around giving us tremendous defensive flexibility.

I think BB also got burned a bit with the 3-4 OLBs and the pass rush. I think it's fairly obvious that our defense is becoming very could, but that the lack of a pass rush is the major factor holding it back from becoming dominant. I think he'll make the pass rush the major priority in the offseason.

I don't see this happening through FA, for several reasons. First, we have a lot of FAs of our own, and I think the money will all be spent keeping as many as possible. Second, if it is an uncapped year then we will be limited as a playoff team on signing outside FAs. Third, pass rushers cost a premium, and the money can be better spent elsewhere. Fourth, the only interest pass rushers likely to be available are Peppers (who will cost a fortune) and Merriman (who has major questions post-steroids and injury). With a ton of talented rushers likely to be coming out in the draft, I see that as a cheaper and more likely option.

I've given up predicting what BB is looking for after Connor Barwin last year. But with so many talented guys of totally different types coming out, I can't imagine that there would be a better chance to find whatever it is that he wants. I have no clue as to whether he'd rather have Sergio Kindle or Jerry Hughes, or Ricky Sapp or Von Miller, or Greg Hardy or Derrick Morgan or Everson Griffen, or whomever. But there will be a lot of guys out there, and many will be available or within reach.

 

[State]

I love your work. I'm very, very high on the 'Bama backer McClain too. I'm drooling in fact. His leadership and brains and size make him an elite-looking NFL prospect.

But that goes to what I think our priority is: linebacker.

For crying out loud, we cut two O-linemen this year who are starting for other franchises right now: O'Callaghan with the Chiefs and Hochstein with Denver, I think.

But we've got a need to have Junior Seau help us out at LBer? Isn't he ready to receive AARP benefits pretty soon?

I'd really like to see us get McClain and the Kansas Jayhawk QB, Todd Reesing, as an eventual replacement for Brady.

 

[Marqui]

replacement for Brady.

There's no such thing!

 

[State]

There's no such thing!

Ha! All good things must come to an end, alas.

One of the painful truisms of life, I'm afraid.

Like Larry Bird retiring. It was an end of an era.