& it's fun to do so. I was just writing about this idea that we have something to offer in terms of player evaluation.
Belichick rode Brady's arm and basically invested very little for WRs and TEs over the years--because it enabled him to build a more complete team.
He won 3 Super Bowls doing it this way.
I don't consider this a fault of his. It was a good strategy with great results.
I know it's reopening a can of worms, but I compared the Patriots WR/TE drafts of the last decade to other teams, and we just expend fewer picks than other teams. Some teams expend 3x as many as we do. And I know we've had a lot of busts, and really only Mitchell seemed like a good pick who would've panned out if not for injuries. But in terms of evaluation, one more success would have put us above the league average success rate (which is roughly 1 good WR for every 3 picked).
Over his entire tenure, BB has only hit on Branch, Givens, Edelman, and maybe Mitchell--if you can count him as being properly scouted. We've had a lot of high profile misses on Jackson, Boyce, Price, maybe Tate, Dobson, and now likely Harry. FAs have worked out a little better with Caldwell, Gaffney, Stallworth, Lloyd, LaFell and Hogan. Draft pick trades have been mostly a good deal with Moss, Welker and Cooks, with Sanu being the big bust. Again--we just don't have volume of resources expended to make a real difference.