Consider The Whole Draft

[mgteich]

Last year, we drafted 3 fine players, and 5 more, some of which MIGHT become contributors. And that was a great draft where we started at 15.

So, let's see where we are after SAT this year, after starting at 21. So far, we are VERY LIKELY to have a contributor at OG, and a backup center. If Strange starts this year, or even next, he will be one of the SUCCESSES of the draft. We had a need at OG, and we started to fill that need.

This exercise is about finding solid players who will help us win games, not about meeting some fan standard of value.

I expect us to draft another OG in the next two days. We had a huge need at OG (and backup center).
=================
I sincerely hope that we fill needs as well with our next FIVE picks in the 2nd through 4th rounds. Given the depth of the draft because of COVID, the 5th rounder might even be valuable (more likely, Bill will just move the pick to 2023 if he can). And yes, Bill may find some help in the last FIVE picks, or not.

 

[Brotherblues]

I already did the 5 stages of grief and I'm now fine with the pick. Also, I feel bad that he seems like a really great, top notch kid and he's getting an awful welcome.

 

[n6249c]

Consider more than just the draft. Consider the whole team building process. Players under contract, including red shirted players that may not have been seen by anybody outside the coaching staff. Free agents, signed or yet to be signed. Draft picks.

and consider that it is team performance that matters. Not just the sun of individual talent. Like, right now there’s a lot of talk about OL needs created by letting players go after last season. Those players may have been talented, but how did the OL perform last season? Was there more talent than performance? And will a new rookie with attitude make for better performance than the old guard that may have lost the edge they once had?

 

[Joey007]

Let’s just draft another 10 guards. Everyone knows that’s a modern winning formula

 

[n6249c]

I already did the 5 stages of grief and I'm now fine with the pick. Also, I feel bad that he seems like a really great, top notch kid and he's getting an awful welcome.

I’m seeing some real crappy reactions from folks I previously had developed much respect for. I’m disappointed in a lot of the fans and how they’re reacting to this. Honestly it makes me feel they don’t deserve a successful team.

 

[Guts]

I just want the team to get faster.

 

[Boomer B]

I don’t think anyone is disappointed Cole Strange is a Patriot, it’s just where he was picked.

We had a really good guard and traded him for a 5th, then we come into rd 1 and pick a guard? It’s a head scratcher. This team has to get faster and add talent on D, particularly at LB, DL, and CB. We also need to get Mac a true weapon.

Trading down and bypassing Jermain Johnson who many thought to be a top 10 guy could bite them in the *** if he turns into a stud for the JETE.

 

[masterbouncer]

With Zion at Guard in the first it would have been a great pick, Cole Strange in the first is a reach, you could have had him in the 2nd but ok it is what it is, lets see what surprise 6th rounders or UDFAs they'll get today. Maybe Slade Bolden in the 2nd, gonna make sure no one picks him in 7th round

 

[50-yard-line]

I just want the team to get faster.

Peppers, McGrone, McMillan, and Wilson say hi.

 

[StanleyGrogan]

Wrong thread>Sorry

 

[cupofjoe1962]

I’m seeing some real crappy reactions from folks I previously had developed much respect for. I’m disappointed in a lot of the fans and how they’re reacting to this. Honestly it makes me feel they don’t deserve a successful team.

You obviously need to take their Pom poms away.

I believe fans have the right to be objective, and naive fans have the right to carry the Pom poms.

 

[zimmy]

I'm still hopeful we will get some good players today. This is the meat of the draft and we've picked up extra capital to move about. I'll obviously feel a lot better about the draft as a whole if we are able to get three highly rated players. It won't take away from the strategic mistake of the 1st round though.

 

[Username]

I don’t think anyone is disappointed Cole Strange is a Patriot, it’s just where he was picked.

We had a really good guard and traded him for a 5th, then we come into rd 1 and pick a guard? It’s a head scratcher. This team has to get faster and add talent on D, particularly at LB, DL, and CB. We also need to get Mac a true weapon.

Trading down and bypassing Jermain Johnson who many thought to be a top 10 guy could bite them in the *** if he turns into a stud for the JETE.

I'm not particularly concerned about missing on Jermaine Johnson. I think he's a very good pass rusher but I don't think he fits what we do.

But there's no doubt that we could've strengthed our team at 21, but if Strange turns out to be as good as Shaq Mason, then we've stood still and watched Kansas, Miami, Buffalo and NYJ strengthen with players we could've used

 

[Nunchucks]

The division got faster, the patriots did not. The patriots are in trouble in 2022. The talent gap is widening.

Jets got a cb and a wr....the patriots got a guard. Patriots won't stop a nosebleed next year. It's gonna suck

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

I'm not particularly concerned about missing on Jermaine Johnson. I think he's a very good pass rusher but I don't think he fits what we do.

Why? He would be our best run defending DE right away and potential to be a good pass rusher ? That’s sounds really valuable to me . He is a fit for our Scheme imo

But there's no doubt that we could've strengthed our team at 21, but if Strange turns out to be as good as Shaq Mason, then we've stood still and watched Kansas, Miami, Buffalo and NYJ strengthen with players we could've used

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

No matter how you slice it, this pick is indefensible! Strange can be the second coming of John Hannah and it won't help the Pats one bit! If you wanted an interior lineman take Linderbaum at 21. They passed on CB, LB, DT, Edge rushers and Safeties that all would have started on day one, for a team that has still not made Buffalo punt outside of playing in a hurricane in the last two years.

the only ones left at 54 and beyond will be JAGs. This team could go winless unless they can beat the Jets (who got alot better last night!)

 

[Bill Lee]

I already did the 5 stages of grief and I'm now fine with the pick. Also, I feel bad that he seems like a really great, top notch kid and he's getting an awful welcome.

Unfortunately there are seven stages, so you have two more to go. Prepare for incoming!

 

[Brotherblues]

Unfortunately there are seven stages, so you have two more to go. Prepare for incoming!

Oh crap

 

[Scotty]

Hopefully we will see a happier forum over the next couple of days.....still time

 

[upstater1]

I'm still hopeful we will get some good players today. This is the meat of the draft and we've picked up extra capital to move about. I'll obviously feel a lot better about the draft as a whole if we are able to get three highly rated players. It won't take away from the strategic mistake of the 1st round though.

I'm already resigned to our fate.

Here's a really frightening thought: the fact that they had Strange so high on their board relative to the other players means that the Patriots value this draft very, very little. It likely means that the 2nd-3rd round guys here are more like 3rd and 4th rounders. This doesn't mean we can't find players but Belichick is not liking this draft, nd the guys left on their board are not nearly as good as Strange. If they were, he would have found ways to maximize taking 2 or 3 of them in the 2nd.

He didn't do that.

This is why I'm not holding out hope. Here we are talking about McDuffie and Nakobe Dean and Belichick is over there thinking, you can't play football with mini-me these days, no matter how competitive they are.