We could really benefit from another sequence of drafts like the Chandler Jones/HT/Collins drafts that set the front seven for years.
In this past draft it seems like we hit on Wise Jr, so let's see if we can double dip at LB or DE/LB in the next one. The problem is that there's not much draft capital and ideally you draft the 1st rounders first, and then the stud 2nd/3rd rounder in the following year, so you have a 5 year window with these players.
I'm calling it now the bomb/surprise trade for the next free agency, Rob Gronkowski for a 1st rounder.
Taking into account all the players who the Pats currently have under contract on the active roster, IR, NFI and PS who seem likely to be part of the 2018 off-season, 90-man roster at the start of the new League Year, there are already 11 who could (hypothetically, at least) be candidates for an edge defender role (43-DE/34-OLB types), even if only situationally, or as rotational depth or emergency reserves.
T.Flowers
Wise
Lee
Hightower (on IR)
Rivers (IR)
Reilly (ST)
M. Flowers (ST)
Grissom (PS)
McClellin (IR)
Davis (NFI)
Langi (NFI)
Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying that all of these guys are of equal value, much less that all of them are candidates to start, just that they're likely to be on the initial "menu" of players that BB/Caserio/MP will have from which to select players to plug in to various roster slots (+ new free agents and draft selections). Among those slots to be filled are the ST/reserve guys who, like Bademosi among DBs, could start a couple of games on an emergency basis without being a liability.
For Interior LB, there may be only five:
Van Noy
Roberts
Harris
#M. Flowers
#Hightower
Even adding in safety types who might play an in-the-box role fairly frequently, there are only five more:
Chung
McCourty
Richards
Travis? (PS)
D. Jones? (PS)
All of the above forms the basis for my agreement that it would seem helpful to acquire another potential "lead" player - a Collins (without the freelancing) or a Mayo (without the injuries).
And I say this while acknowledging that Roberts has become a much more well-rounded player this season, and that Van Noy has dramatically emerged as a high-quality LB during his time in NE. In just a half-season in 2016, Van Noy matched his 2.5 year stat production in Detroit, and in just 10 games so far this year, his stats have already nearly surpassed the total from his previous three seasons.
However, with HT's health/availability perhaps being an ongoing concern, Harris being 33, and M. Flowers still being a bit of an unknown (and a UFA), it seems to me that attempting to add at least "another Van Noy" to the mix would be prudent, and possibly of somewhat greater need and long term value than a high-end edge-rusher.
OTOH, with both Chung and McCourty turning 31 next season, acquiring another potential high-end, in-the-box safety (soon) also seems fairly prudent.
So, while acquiring both another ILB type and another SS type would be wonderful, it seems to me that acquiring one or the other is nearly a "must have" now.
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The "Gronk trade", though ... LOL! Nope, I'd be extremely surprised if that happened this cycle.