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Didn't see a thread here on this presser, and now the transcript is up:
www.patriots.com
It also got dissected by Curran and Perry on their podcast:
www.stitcher.com
Bill has his usual communications style, not say anything if he can avoid it, so it becomes an exercise in reading the tea leaves. The way I read them, he isn't tremendously interested in changing his offensive scheme for someone who can't be a pocket passer, and he isn't tremendously interested in giving up the kind of draft capital needed move up high enough to get a young QB, he seems to dwell just as much on the possibility of moving down.
At one point he gave a great explanation of how he views draft position:
Sorry BSPN draft industrial complex fans, BB just isn't as concerned about draft value relative to other players as you are, he's interested in how the players available at a given draft position fit into his team and his style of play. He doesn't really care much if he "over-drafts" or "under-drafts" based on how other people rank players. He's not losing sleep over the Michel or Harry picks the way many people on this board are. Once they are on the team, they all put on uniforms and go out and compete.
Transcript: Bill Belichick Press Conference 4/15
Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick addresses the media via video conference on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
It also got dissected by Curran and Perry on their podcast:
Tom Curran’s Patriots Talk Podcast - Belichick: The Patriots don’t really have a QB “type” on Stitcher
Tom Curran and Phil Perry react to Bill Belichick’s press conference, and break down what his answers might mean for the Patriots draft strategy. 1:00-After listening to Belichick, is Trey Lance a realistic option? 3:00-Are the Patriots willing to adapt their style for a new QB? 8:00-Would...
Bill has his usual communications style, not say anything if he can avoid it, so it becomes an exercise in reading the tea leaves. The way I read them, he isn't tremendously interested in changing his offensive scheme for someone who can't be a pocket passer, and he isn't tremendously interested in giving up the kind of draft capital needed move up high enough to get a young QB, he seems to dwell just as much on the possibility of moving down.
At one point he gave a great explanation of how he views draft position:
Ultimately, it doesn't really matter what round you take the player in. Once he walks in the door, he's a New England Patriot player. He puts on the uniform and goes out there and competes. It doesn't matter if he's in the second round or fifth round. That doesn't matter once he's on your team. So, whatever his positives and negatives are, whatever he brings to the table, whatever weaknesses you think he might have or all the other things you brought up, whatever those things are or aren't, they're the same no matter where that individual player gets selected. Ultimately you want to maximize the value of the picks, but the player is the player. Whatever his strengths and weaknesses are, that's what they are and you try to put a value on that. You try to figure out what that player will do for your team when he's on your team. What his role will be, what his level of performance will be. That's part of the process that you use to select him. It's important with every pick. It doesn't matter what number it is or what round it is. It's kind of each pick is its own process, the level of talent of the player certainly changes as you go through the rounds of the draft but I'd say from a process standpoint, it's pretty much the same. If you get into a later round you might want to take a shot on a player, a Julian Edelman-player that's maybe, you know there's some development in that player because he's going to play a position he hasn't played before or whatever the circumstances happen to be. But, as far as the other parts of it – the work ethic and the aptitude and character and so forth, commitment to football and that type of thing – those are part of every conversation and every draft pick.
Sorry BSPN draft industrial complex fans, BB just isn't as concerned about draft value relative to other players as you are, he's interested in how the players available at a given draft position fit into his team and his style of play. He doesn't really care much if he "over-drafts" or "under-drafts" based on how other people rank players. He's not losing sleep over the Michel or Harry picks the way many people on this board are. Once they are on the team, they all put on uniforms and go out and compete.
