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This offseason, the Patriots lost 2 top CBs and 2 top RBs but no DEs or LBs (at least none they had started the season with). Their biggest free agent move was for a starting-caliber DE, while they filled in the CB and RB rosters with bargain-bin shopping.
So naturally, in the draft they focused on DE & LB. What else?
I think there's a clear takeaway lesson for draftniks: we have to stop looking at who was lost from the previous roster, and focus only on how to improve the current roster.
Replace Revis with the 14th CB off the board at #97? Not freakin' likely. But why were we even thinking "replace Revis" at all? He was irrelevant. What was relevant was the giant void on the depth chart behind Collins & Hightower. Would adding yet another middling corner prospect to compete with Arrington, Butler, Chekwa, Dennard, Fletcher, Green, McClain, Ryan, and Swanson have upgraded the roster more than adding OLB Geneo Grissom?
This is not to say we shouldn't criticize the picks or strategy. I have plenty of quibbles myself. But matching up departed talent with arriving talent is the wrong way to do it. Even Malcom Brown as "Wilfork's replacement" is just a matter of coincidence, IMO -- I think he would have been the pick even if Vince were still here.
So naturally, in the draft they focused on DE & LB. What else?
I think there's a clear takeaway lesson for draftniks: we have to stop looking at who was lost from the previous roster, and focus only on how to improve the current roster.
Replace Revis with the 14th CB off the board at #97? Not freakin' likely. But why were we even thinking "replace Revis" at all? He was irrelevant. What was relevant was the giant void on the depth chart behind Collins & Hightower. Would adding yet another middling corner prospect to compete with Arrington, Butler, Chekwa, Dennard, Fletcher, Green, McClain, Ryan, and Swanson have upgraded the roster more than adding OLB Geneo Grissom?
This is not to say we shouldn't criticize the picks or strategy. I have plenty of quibbles myself. But matching up departed talent with arriving talent is the wrong way to do it. Even Malcom Brown as "Wilfork's replacement" is just a matter of coincidence, IMO -- I think he would have been the pick even if Vince were still here.