DRAFT Cole Strange-Welcome to the Pats

[cupofjoe1962]

NONE of those guys are better than Bourne or Parker at this point. End of Story.

What about Meyers?

I would take everyone I listed over Meyers

 

[XLIX]

They saved $7min cap space trading Shaq

Yes but they have to pay Strange $3 million per year. Obviously they can structure it to keep the initial cap number low, but it ain’t like they get him for free. They will save about $10 million or so over the next 2 years, which is not exactly some sort of massive cap savings.

 

[DaBruinz]

Info From who? Come on man, really?

Are you serious? Do you HONESTLY believe that teams don't talk to each other, particularly about who they are looking to draft in a trade?

There have been at least 3 different tweets from Football Beat Reporters / NFL Insiders addressing the subject after BB mentioned it last night. They confirmed from different sources the following:

- TB and TEN had 1st round grades on Strange
- That Strange was rated as a 2nd rounder by many teams.
- That Strange wasn't making it to 54

I pointed out that there were 8 other teams that have OG needs that pick from 33-53. So, the likelihood of Strange being there was nil.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

I am so grateful to BB because we are totally a guard away from making a SB run again!

A guard could have helped us prevent the Bills blowing us up! A guard that could play on defense and shut down the likes of Allen!

So you think we were a guard away from beating Buffalo last year in the playoffs?

 

[DaBruinz]

What about Meyers?

I would take everyone I listed over Meyers

What about Meyers? I said in the other thread I hoped someone would sign him away. Just like I said I was happy with trading Agholor away.

 

[DaBruinz]

So you think we were a guard away from beating Buffalo last year in the playoffs?

You missed his sarcasm..

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

My immediate concern would be him getting overpowered by stronger D linemen. Do you think he can step in and start day one?

With Scar beside him, yes, 100% He's one of those guys where coaching, a good strength/conditioning program etc makes a big difference. I had a 3rd on him - "impact depth / chance to start" so I definitely think he can get there.

But yes like I mentioned in my op he's got to get stronger. Core strength is lacking but that's easily fixable. He's got a few other things to clean up but no major holes besides the strength issue.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

What about Meyers? I said in the other thread I hoped someone would sign him away. Just like I said I was happy with trading Agholor away.

We finally found common ground.

The other guy said that there were no receivers left after the first round who would start for our team.

I disagreed, because I think Meyers & Agholor are both replaceable

For the record…. I have been a Bourne believer & I think he is a great team player

I also don’t dislike STRANGE, I just would not have picked him at #29. If he wasn’t going to be there at #54, give up a 4th to move into the 40’s.

We had multiple 3rd & 4th round picks after moving back to #29.

We had the picks to move up in the second if we wanted.

 

[upstater1]

No. Not everyone. Because you don't have the first clue what teams are thinking in regards to Woolen. And no. Neither do I. That's the point. Especially since it's come out about how teams viewed Strange higher than the "Draftnicks".

That's not relevant to the conversation. That's what you're failing to comprehend.

Stingley just went 3rd overall. How many years did he have as a starter?
How many years did Mac Jones have as a starter when the Pats drafted him?
How many GAMES did Tom Brady have as a starter in Michigan?

The whole "he's got only a year at the position" argument for Woolen doesn't hold up very well when you look at other players who have had as much or less experience than him and have succeeded.

Every single scout says he's raw. show me otherwise. All the articles on him say it. 4.29 40, big, huge speed. If he was as skilled as you say, he'd be the #1 pick in the draft.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I agree with you and your friend BCG. Don't allow people to bully you off a valid opinion derived from studying hundreds of prospects over the years. As far as I can tell you put a lot more hours into your scouting than any of the other forum posters.

The key to the gut reaction that this is a bad pick is the value is not there, it's as your friend put it, the opportunity cost. The Patriots had the opportunity to take the best remaining of premium positions and instead took a guard in the first, a position that is very fungible, and just how much difference will there be between the 2nd best guard of this class and the 4th or 6th best guard? Probably not a lot.

Meanwhile as the analyst and media reactions also point out, the Patriots could have taken a more premium position such as edge, corner, or even linebacker. Not only that despite what BB insisted in his press conference, to save face no doubt, many draft odds calculated that strange had a 93% chance of lasting until pick 54. If the Pats had gotten antsy on day 2 they could have easily moved up a few spots to ensure getting 'their guy' strange in round 2 while securing the premium asset in round 1.

The other thing we can't ignore is that the 'need for a guard' was a self-inflicted wound created by Belichick the GM. We had an all-pro guard locked up for the next 2 years for at least 2022/2023 and could have easily just held onto him and let him walk in free agency. Instead we flipped him for a 5th round pick, and then compounded the wound by fixing it with a 1st round selection of an interior lineman, passing over other more premium needs such as cornerback, edge, linebacker, etc.

Just look at who was taken immediately after the Strange pick - George Karliftis Edge, Daxton Hill DB, and Lewis Cine DB. Those 3 picks and all the players taken before the Patriots take their 2nd player on Day 2 will be compared to Strange as the cost of taking a guard in round 1. OOF.

The other problem is that 2021 draft aside, BB has pulled this crap before, and has lost the, oh we'll give him the benefit of a doubt. There have been too many 1st and 2nd round busts who were reaches that elicit a bad reaction from BB on draft day. It feels like oh, why was he the good GM in 2021, but the arrogant reacher every other draft? I suspect it might come down to the person stacking the draft board. In 2021, the Patriots employed, Dave Ziegler. He has since left to join McDaniels with the Raiders. Before 2021, it was Nick Caserio who was DOP. Was this the main difference in the 2021 draft and all the other BB drafts?

As for Day 2, the Patriots have plenty of picks to maneuver. And they might yet find a 'Barmore' level prospect who helps us forget that Strange was a bad reach. But it doesn't change the fact that round 1 was a wasted opportunity, and BB was properly roasted for overreaching by the media and the draft analysts.

Appreciate it. Yea Mike (@midwestpatsfan) is a good writer and more articulate than me. Thought he summed up a lot of people's feelings.

yea really like the prospect but I can't lie. I had a 3rd on him. Which isn't a big deal, who am I? The Pats obviously had a high grade on him.

I believe Travis Jones is still available ...

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yes but they have to pay Strange $3 million per year. Obviously they can structure it to keep the initial cap number low, but it ain’t like they get him for free. They will save about $10 million or so over the next 2 years, which is not exactly some sort of massive cap savings.

Why are you comparing Shaq to Strange?

Compare Shaq to Ownenu and Strange to Karras

Position for position

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Why are you comparing Shaq to Strange?

Compare Shaq to Ownenu and Strange to Karras

Position for position

Because he's an idiot

 

[rads2005]

I was disappointed in this pick based on my Fan Sitting On A Couch Surfing the Net knowledge, but this is something at least.



Similar tweet re: Tyquan Thornton:

 

[rochrist]

You can shut up too stupid dog

Ok, that was actually funny.

 

[XLIX]

Because he's an idiot

 

[XLIX]

Why are you comparing Shaq to Strange?

I hate to answer a question with a question, but I am going to: Where is the logic in saying I shouldn't?

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

This is rubbing salt into the wound, but did anyone else watch the Logan Hall clips on the NFL channel right after his selection. It was of Hall beating Cole Strange twice during the Senior Bowl practices..... Ouch, and just when I was starting to accept Strange, we get to watch this.

 

[captain stone]

I'm hoping for a redemption pick. We've seen it before. Get a rated 2nd Rounder in the 3rd. Realistically, once it's over the round no longer matters. They can play or they can't. Hoping for the best.

Little Billy Notgoat had the Perfect redemption pick staring him in the face - Travis Jones - and he ****ing blew it, again.

What a ****ing horrible ****ing sh!tshow of a ****ing draft it's been.

 

[captain stone]

Those folks want the Pats to make bad picks so that Bill looks bad and they can point the finger at him and say it was all Tommy...it's been happening for the past 2 years

That's complete ****ing Garbage.

 

[XLIX]

This is rubbing salt into the wound, but did anyone else watch the Logan Hall clips on the NFL channel right after his selection. It was of Hall beating Cole Strange twice during the Senior Bowl practices..... Ouch, and just when I was starting to accept Strange, we get to watch this.

You raise a very valid concern. If I am not mistaken, in the past 5 years, TN-Chattanooga played all of 4 FBS games. Simple fact is that Strange spent his entire career beating up on the Association of Future Lawyers and Accountants.