2014 draft priorities

[supafly]

I'm guessing we may have another Dennard playing in the secondary, but this one--a cousin of the Patriots player--pronounces his name a different way, denNARD. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

That will be weird, having to have two pronunciations for the same name.

How in God's sweet name are we going to be able to snag Darqueze Dennard, who clearly looks to be going in the top 10-15 picks, and is arguably the #1 CB coming out?

Boy I hope you're right about that, because we'd instantly be dominant at the CB position.

 

[supafly]

Why not bring back Nick McDonald, who was so capable as a do-everything reserve? Is there an injury to him? I heard the Pats brought him back several weeks ago to look at.

Many here thought that N.McDonald would be coming back when healthy, so it's quite possible that they felt his injury hadn't sufficiently healed enough. I'm certainly no expert at attempting to grade the offensive line position though, so maybe his talent just isn't as good as some think.

 

[ATippett56]

Draft Priorities:

1. Offensive Center
2. Defensive Tackle
3. Tight End
4. Cornerback/Strong Safety/Offensive Guard

Ryan Wendell has become expendable as well as Kelly, Sopoaga.

 

[varjao]

We thought this sopoaga trade would move us down 15 spots on the draft more or less, turns out that will be a full round most likely with the Eagles going to the playoffs and I can see them winning a wild card game.

 

[Jimke]

I expect some of the Patriots needs will be filled from young developmental players already on the roster, practice squad, injured reserve list, and reserve/injury list.

The Patriots made a major effort this year to get developmental players
after the draft, after the 53 man cutdown, and throughout the season.
Many had been projected as late round draft picks.

The players who have contributed this year were the following: Kline,
Thompkins, Jones, Siliga, Vellano, and Allen.

Next year, I think Barker G, Grissom DT, Moe WR, Cave C, Devey T,
Wood RB, Armstead DT, and Harrison WR have a shot at making the
team. With offseason workouts, OTAs, and a full training camp, they
should be able to compete against the late round draft picks.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Next draft priorities

Wendell sucks who has consistently been a weak link in the O-line, he ought to be a backup at best. I'd much rather sign Alex Mack in Free Agency and pay Wendell like a backup, if he doesn't like it I'd show him the door.

The biggest problem with Wendell as a backup, IMO, is lack of positional flexibility. If you're going to be a backup C, you need to be a backup G as well, and he isn't big enough (same basic reason why Koppen was cut)

 

[Snake Eyes]

The biggest problem with Wendell as a backup, IMO, is lack of positional flexibility. If you're going to be a backup C, you need to be a backup G as well, and he isn't big enough (same basic reason why Koppen was cut)

So he's not flexible enough to be a backup and not good enough to be a starter, sign Alex mack and cut him.

 

[SalemPats]

I like our team next year a lot better than this year.

Draft priortities:
1. Physical WR - A Mike Evans type would be great
2. Offensive Lineman - my guess is that we'll have to move up
3. Nose Tackle - may Louis Nix, Wilfrok will be back, but coming off an injury it would nice to have someone else to rotate in

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Can we draft a new training staff to hopefully prevent all these injuries?

 

[SalemPats]

Can we draft a new training staff to hopefully prevent all these injuries?

Get the guys from Pheonix, the Cards and Suns work magic with their players.

 

[unoriginal]

The biggest problem with Wendell as a backup, IMO, is lack of positional flexibility. If you're going to be a backup C, you need to be a backup G as well, and he isn't big enough (same basic reason why Koppen was cut)

Wendell has definitely played guard in the past. Pretty sure his first start was at left guard against Buffalo in the last game of the season a few years ago.

 

[manxman2601]

How in God's sweet name are we going to be able to snag Darqueze Dennard, who clearly looks to be going in the top 10-15 picks, and is arguably the #1 CB coming out?

Boy I hope you're right about that, because we'd instantly be dominant at the CB position.

Because that ranking is far from locked in. There's a chance Dennard doesn't perform fantastically at the combine and isn't 6' plus. He's also better suited as a press corner so doesn't fit every teams scheme. I don't think the #1 CB in this years draft in in anyway locked in with Dennard, Roby and Gilbert battling for that rank and maybe Exum, Purifoy and Ekpre-Olomu as long shots too.

 

[PATRlOT]

When's the last time we drafted offense with our first pick? (aside from o-line)

It's been like 10 years

Draft a TE first please. I really like Eric Ebron or Seferian-Jenkins. Perhaps trade up to get one of them. I think it would be worth it. A couple TEs after that seem very questionable to me. They both seem like a perfect fit for us.

Then O-Line, CB, DT

 

[manxman2601]

When's the last time we drafted offense with our first pick? (aside from o-line)

It's been like 10 years

Draft a TE first please. I really like Eric Ebron or Seferian-Jenkins. Perhaps trade up to get one of them. I think it would be worth it. A couple TEs after that seem very questionable to me. They both seem like a perfect fit for us.

Then O-Line, CB, DT

Someone's forgetting Laurence Maroney

 

[PATRlOT]

Someone's forgetting Laurence Maroney

My bad

But either way, in the past 10-11 years we've only taken 2 offensive guys (minus OL) in the 1st round. And 1 was a huge bust. We're due for drafting a TE this year.

 

[manxman2601]

My bad

But either way, in the past 10-11 years we've only taken 2 offensive guys (minus OL) in the 1st round. And 1 was a huge bust. We're due for drafting a TE this year.

Welker, Moss, Brady, Gronk and Hernandez go some way to explaining this. You want a first round pick to contribute almost immediately and unless you consider a WR vacancy, there really hasn't been a position available for a first round pick.

 

[Joker]

They took Ben Watson in the 1st round in 2004 draft and they didn't have a 1st round pick in 2009. By omitting O line players , you are skewing the result to favor this obvious need you have to make some kind of point about the draft always being defense heavy in the 1st round.

This team needs to spend its' high picks this year on the trenches. They need a stalwart center and a dominant defensive tackle IMO. Drafting some gaudy WR with their 1st round pick will not only NOT HAPPEN ,it is not a pressing need like the lines are.

 

[woolster22]

All this te/wr/rb talk is a joke. Sure these might be the sect picks, but the big uglies are where this team is short going forward. Oline, dline anyone? How many people worried about these positions prior to week one?

As many here will acknowledge, it starts and ends in the trenches. Just because we won going away this afternoon does not mean current depth, let alone future depth should be considered acceptable.

 

[woolster22]

Re: Re: Next draft priorities

My bad

But either way, in the past 10-11 years we've only taken 2 offensive guys (minus OL) in the 1st round. And 1 was a huge bust. We're due for drafting a TE this year.

Why exclude ol? Hell, my pop Warner coach used to yell "we could have Barry Sanders running the ball, but if the line can't block it, it doesn't matter." It starts and ends in the trenches, anyways has, always will.

 

[TonyTucker]

WR and RB, sure, but TE is definitely a need. We're at a point now where you can expect Gronk to get hurt at some point during the season, and the other TE's are Hooman, Matt Mulligan, and DJ Williams.