Heh

[Off The Grid]

My outrageously late Full Service BackDraft, which isn't even complete!!

Here at PatsFans.

Here at FanaticalYankee.com.

This is of course the worst possible Time to publish this, if one is looking for Huzzahs...I get it out there, above all Motivations, for The Record, before extensive Training Camp has compromised its Prescience too too much...and even though I plan on revising it somewhat, a month hence!!

If you're inclined to bash, please feel free...I enjoy sharing FootBall Thoughts with my Patriots Fan Brethren, whatever the Spirit of the Conservation happens to be!!

***
This is of course being posted well beyond the actual Draft, and at The Worst Possible Moment: At the Break of Camp, when Fans are at their collective Peak of Fidelity to The Moves that their Team actually made...

And this, hilariously, is not my Final Version, as I'ave many Prospects lef to peruse...

But of course my Purpose is merely to Get It On The Record.

***

Any Mock Draft ~ even a Back Draft ~ must in practical terms be discounted if it comes after the Draft, as my BackDrafts do.

But I believe that more Value is gained than is lost...for Mock Drafts are riddled with Picks picked hopefully, but proven to be far too optimistic in terms of when the Prospect would've actually been available to Draft!!

BackDrafts, on the other hand, score 100% in drafting Prospects that would've actually been available at those Spots, yes?

As always, please allow me to acknowledge that everything that follows ~ particularly the order in which Prospects were drafted ~ benefits from 100% Crystal Clear HindSight...but is written with none of Mad Bill's Insider Knowledge!!

Regarding Continuity ~ "Roster Stability"

The Crippling Effects of The Infernal Salary Cap compel every General Manager ~ real and Phantasmagorical ~ to manage Professional Teams very much like College Teams, where Talent is continuously departing and must therefore be relentlessly sought out by every means possible. I have corresponded with those who endlessly blathered on about Continuity, oblivious to this Reality that the Salary Cap inflicts upon us all. Continuity is of real Value, but both the Tactical and the Strategic LandScape are in constant Turmoil, and one must either drive Change...or face Extinction.

I am an American Infantryman ~ not Active, mind you, but there are no "former" American Infantrymen. When I Served, my best Battalion Commander and his Subordinates always preached "Pushing It DownField." That was a Tactical Philosophy, but one that applies Strategically, as well: It would be wonderful if we could plan and prepare our Conflagrations and have Events & Enemies comply with our Visualizations. But it doesn't work that way.

The Fog of War disrupts all The Best Laid Plans of Mice & Men.

Or as General Douglas MacArthur put it:
Brandin Cooks Trade. For one thing: He's a SlotBack. Julian Edelman is arguably the greatest SlotBack on the Planet when it matters ~ in the Winter ~ and while I'm an huge Fan of doubling down on Players whose composite Talents can provide a diabolically dramatic Advantage...I don't consider SlotBack that kind of Role.

2nd, this is a guy who squawked about not getting enough Targets after an enormous Win, when the Saints were fighting for their Lives. FootBall is a Team Sport, the last I heard, and I've got absolutely no use for the kind of Player who puts himself before the Team...And I could've sworn that Coach Belichick felt exactly the same way!!

3rd, we have, what with Christopher Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, and, should Mad Bill have taken a Chance, Michael Floyd, an extraordinary Crew of young, talented, potential Stars...whose Development is going to be crippled by having Brandin Cooks around, gobbling up Practice Reps all Year long. What an incredibly foolish, asinine Mistake.

4th, and above all the others: What in Hell was Mad Bill thinking of, trading a 1st Round Draft Pick and giving up additional Draft Value by swapping a 3rd for a 4th, for a young Veteran who's gonna soak up at least $10,000,000 a Year out'f the Salary Cap in the very near Future, unless Mad Bill simply cuts'm loose??? That's how Dynasties are destroyed.

Hey, I gave Cooks a Top 10/SuperBeast Grade & Rank a few Years ago, when he was rated as a borderline 3rd Rounder, and he and the Saints have proven all'f us correct...But to make this Move??? Horrible, horrible Trade.

02 ~ Malcolm Butler. I've always been concerned that Butler ~ who is built like a Slot Corner, after all ~ might not hold up to the Rigors of playing as a Boundary Corner forever...But the time to Cut Bait with such High Risk Players is usually when they're up for their third Contract, not their second. Butler is entering the Prime of his Career. Pay the man.

03 ~ Stephon Gilmore. An excellent Move. I do not approve of paying Top Dollar for CornerBacks, because I find their Value tends to be overrated, as I see things, relative to the Trench Gorillas, in who I am always happy to invest...But this is an unusual OffSeason, in that the Salary Cap is lurching violently upward...and so, consequently, is the Salary Floor.

If you've got to spend a few Bucks to meet Minimums, it might's well be on Top Shelf Players entering their Primes...and Stephon Gilmore, who I gave a 1st Round Grade to, back in 2012, is most definitely that.

04 ~ Dwayne Allen. Oh, boy. It's not the kind of Move that I necessarily would've made, but it's one that I definitely applaud. Allen's Contract may horrify many, and I can't blame'm. But I value Players differently than most. Allen hasn't racked up much Yardage in his Time, but he hasn't been deployed to do so, nor do I think that he ought to be.

Allen is a Tight End ~ not a Flex End like Aaron Hernandez but a classic Tight End like Rob Gronkowski ~ who possesses a remarkably compact Frame that is built to last...and the Power and Motor with plenty of Agility to develop into one'f the best Tight Ends in the Game, a bruising Blocker and a reliable and formidable Receiving Weapon.

And he's entering his Prime, tied up for all'f it.

His ostensibly Bloated Salary may in short order get revealed to be the startling Bargain that it already actually is.

05 ~ Martellus Bennett. Consequently, cutting loose Bennett, who looks like he's wearing out, is looking smart.

06 ~ Donta HighTower. Oh, Boy. I dunno...He's entering his Prime, and he's a great Leader with an extraordinary Mind and an excellent Motor...But he's got a Dragon's Frame, being asked to play MidFielder...That ain't natural, and I simply don't know how long he's gonna last. He's already missed a lot of Snaps, and I don't see that situation improving.

07 ~ Alan Branch. Terrific Deal. Branch is 32, so there's Risk, but he's been phenomenal, the last 3 Years, in a Rotational Role, and makes the other 10 Players far, far better, when he's out there, crushing the Trenches.

08 ~ Kony Ealy. Good Trade. Moving back from 64 to 72 for a 1 Year Flyer on Ealy? Not, again, what I would've done, but not a Trade that I'll squawk about. Ealy has some Talent, and it's a cheap Flyer that could pay off Big.

09 ~ Rex BurkHead. Magnificent Move. I split HalfBacks into SpeedBacks and PowerBackss because it's asinine not to, but BurkHead actually lies at that beautiful Confluence of Skill Sets where you could label'm as either...and where he exhibits the very best Aspects of both: Speed, Fluidity, and Power...and awesome Intelligence and Drive!!

Rex BurkHead is a Top Shelf Talent, capable of racking up 2000 Yards a Year as a Lead Back, were the Patriots foolish enough to take that approach...and we've got'm at classic Bargain Basement Pricing!! Woot!!

10 ~ Lawrence Guy. Not a bad Signing at all at 3.3 or so a Year...but it doesn't get me all Hot & Bothered.

But enough Commentary on what Bill The Mad (Genius) did.

Onward with my Twisted Vision!!

 

[Off The Grid]

To Begin: The Purge!!

01 ~ Let LeGarrette Blount find Greener Pastures. A poor Blocker, poor Receiver, a PowerBack with mediocre Power who was remarkably agile for a big guy, but who couldn't Move The Chains when it mattered, and a Bad Seed. He was gentlemanly here in New EngLand, but I'll never forget his abandoning his TeamMates in PittsBurgh.

02 ~ Jabaal Sheard. He's worth the Money, but there're better Options.

03 ~ Duron Harmon. Most Average CenterFielder in the Game. Far better Options are available for only a few Bucks more.

04 ~ Logan Ryan. This one stings, because I was one'f the few remaining Souls declaring Confidence in Logan Ryan two Years ago when he was almost universally scorned...And I hope he has a great Career. But while I believe that he is actually worth the $10,000,000/Year that he got on The Market, Greatness in The Era of The Infernal Salary cap is not attained by paying Fair Market Value to everyone possible, of course, and this is one of those Tough Decisions.

I believe that I've remembered the only major Divestitures I'd make.

Next...Free Agency!!

01 ~ OC Steven Wisniewski. 3 Years/$9,000,000 + $6,000,000 possible Incentives. Wisniewski is a solid Guard and an excellent Center, and his inexplicably low Market is something that we should absolutely pounce on. Just an absolutely amazing Value: He's Agile, Strong, very Smart, in the Prime of'is Career and Dirt Cheap. Pounce on'm. David Andrews needs to be upgraded. He's not horrible, but for about the same Money, Wisniewski is a massive UpGrade.

02 ~ OT Ricky Wagner. 5 Years/$47,500,000. I'm a huge Fan of Wagner, who the Ravens brilliantly stole in the 5th Round of the 2013 Draft and then foolishly let go this OffSeason, just as he's hitting his Prime. He's brings an excellent combination of Power, Agility, and WingSpan. This makes'm the Game's top-paid Right Tackle, and he's worth it. And obviously this Signing means that I intend to trade Marcus Cannon. Cannon enjoyed a spectacular BreakOut 2016 Campaign, and the huge Extension that the Team gave'm in November indicates that they believe in'm. I'm loath to Disagree with Dante Scarnecchia, and won't do so, but I believe that Wagner'd be an enormous UpGrade.

Yeah...Did I mention that I believe in investing heavily in the Offensive Line??

03 ~ WB Kyle Juszczyk. 4 Years/$21,000.000. Once an enormous Proponent of Tight Ends and Flex Ends, I have come to perceive Flex Ends as suspiciously indicative of Offenses that can't Move The Chains when it matters, and Tight Ends as being either one-dimensional, or ~ if they're featured in the Passing Game, as Rob Gronkowski is ~ as being highly susceptible to Injuries. Consequently, I'ave evolved, philosophically, towards building an Offense around Players who provide both the Blocking Prowess that Tight Ends do and Flex Ends don't, combined with a far more Compact Frame, thus dramatically improving their Chances of reducing the frequency of Injuries crippling our Team: WingBacks.

Kyle Juszczyk, I believe, is a vastly underrated Offensive Threat in the Passing Game and an excellent Blocker. Perhaps far more importantly, though: His Presence on the Field would give absolutely nothing away, tactically, as he can RunBlock, PassBlock, Split Out in a Spread, or fake the Block only to slip DownField, catch the Ball, and rack it up.

He's entering the Prime of'is Career ~ 2nd Contract ~ and is spectacularly underpaid.

04 ~ WB Lance Kendricks. 4 Years/$10,000,000 plus Incentives. He actually signed for 2 and 4, but I want to wrap this guy up. Lance Kendricks is a Starting Quality WingBack who's been miscast as a Flex End for several Years. He brings exceptional Agility and Field Vision and tenacious Blocking to the Field of Battle, and is, yes, entering his Prime.

He is Dirt Cheap, and would enable us to seamlessly drop into my beloved Double WingBack Attack any that Gronkowski needs a break or misses Time, and the tactical Possibilities with him and Juszczyk out there'd be vast.

05 ~ SB Tyrannosaurus Rex Burkhead. 3 Years/$10,000,000. There's no way in Hell I settle for the 1 Year Contract that the Patriots accepted, if I can help it. I'm philosophically opposed to 1 Back BackFields, but if we were stupid enough to run this guy ragged, he'd have genuine 2000 Yard Potential. His Speed, Power, and Receiving Prowess is that.

Heh. I see that I originally listed'm as a PowerBack!! At 216, you really are an Hybrid.

Seriously, though: Mad Bill's bringing'm in was brilliant.

06 ~ BT Zachary Mangy Kerr. 3 Years/$5,000,000. 2 Years/$3,000,000 is what he signed for, but I want to wrap'm up. Bear Tackle. Very raw but very talented when he was inexplicably not drafted in 2014, Kerr has been growing into his tremendous Frame and mastering his Game. He's entering the Prime of his Career ~ notice a Theme, here?? ~ and would have the Potential to vastly outperform his Contract as the Wilforkian Heart of our Defense.

07 ~ WT Will Sutton. 3 Years/$7,500,000 on Team Option, basically 1 Year/$750,000. Sutton seems to get screwed over by Circumstance everywhere he goes, but I believe that there is a lot of Talent, there, and that if he can actually get put in a Position to succeed for a Change, he just might do so!! He's available Super Dirt Cheap at 1/690K.

08 ~ DE Datone Jones. Formerly what I call a Lion, Jones dropped 16 Pounds to register at 270 when the Packers flipped him to what you Earthlings call "Outside LineBacker", and even though he only closed 1 Sack, his Pressure Production increased substantially. Yet after 3 only moderately effective Years and that 4th as a 1st Rounder, Jones is reasonably considered a Bust and scored only a 1 Year/$3,750,000 + Incentives Deal with the Vikings. Me, I'd look to negotiate something more substantial, like a 3 Year/$13,500,000 + Incentives Deal. That's more'f a Win/Win.

09 ~ DE Devin Taylor. 3 Years/$7,500,000 + Incentives. What he actually got was 1 Year/$775,000, but I want to lock'm up!! Taylor will perhaps always be a better Athlete than FootBall Player, but he brings a sensational combination of Speed and WingSpan to the Field of Battle, and he evidently has at least a Clue as to how to play FootBall, as he managed to tally 7 Sacks on 550 Snaps in 2015 ~ that's a Pro Bowl Rate ~ before sliding into Mediocrity as a Starter, last Year. There is enormous untapped Impact Potential, here, if our Coaching Staff can help'm find the way to unleash it.

10 ~ MF Daryl Washington. Minimal, but you can be damned sure that I'd insist on keeping the Option to tie'm up Cheaply, as with all these Deals. He's turned 30, hasn't played since 2013, and has 1 Domestic Abuse Citation along with all the Booze, so he'd obviously be on a Hair Trigger Deal. But his Talent is magnificent, and I believe in Hope.

11 ~ RB Johnathan Cyprien. 4 Years/$25,000,000. Ascending Potential Star, just entering his Prime. He's a Late Bloomer for whom it all started clicking in 2016. A Beast against the Run, and better in Coverage than perceived.

12 ~ RB Dayario Swearinger. 3 Years/$13,500,000. Nominally a CenterFielder, but very much a Hard Hitter with a Rover's Mentality, and, like Cyprien, a Later Bloomer who improved substantially in 2016 and is entering his Prime.

13 ~ CB Stephon Gilmore. Not my kind of Move, but he's a Top Shelf Corner entering his Prime. I love it.

Regarding our guys...

14 ~ Extend CB Malcolm Butler if he's reasonable, but let'm flirt with the Saints if he isn't. But make it clear to him that we'd love to have'm back. I'm not privy to what passed, but quite possibly all of that Drama was unnecessary. I say that we look to extend'm and pay'm in'is Prime. When it's time for the 3rd Contract, though, it might be time to part ways. Smaller CornerBacks tend to wear down faster and peak earlier. But lock'm up in'is Prime?? Absolutely.

15 ~ DE Donta HighTower. I'm concerned about HighTower's enormous Size as a MidFielder much as I am about Butler's tiny Size as a CornerBack: His Long Term Health. Indeed, he's missed Time in each'f the last 3 Years, and I must admit that I'm a bit concerned about his 2nd Contract, much less his 3rd. But he's an integral part of this Team. I'd risk it.

Some Reserves with Potential to be much more...

16 ~ OG Amini Silatolu. Minimum. A former 2nd Rounder who I've always been very high on, Silatolu's a Long Shot to start, as he's injury-riddled and has blown out both ACL's. However, he brings a rare and excellent combination of Power and Agility, which means that he could excel at either Right Guard or Left, and now that he's had an entire Year off, it's not impossible that not only his ACL's will be 100%, as they should be, but that the rest has restored all of his Health. Additionally, if he's a Swing Reserve, as I foresee, the lack of Wear & Tear should help'm sustain his Health.

17 ~ SE Mitchell Mathews. Minimum. Tremendous Height/Agility Combo.

18 ~ MF Christian Jones. Being a Heathen, I don't necessarily cotton to Christians, but this one's always been a Favorite.

19 ~ MF Jordan Tripp. Always been intrigued.

20 ~ MF Jelani Jenkins. Tremendous Coverage MidFielder and all right in Run Defense. Looked bad, last Year, playing through Pain, and comes at The Minimum, astonishing for a MidFielder good enough to start and excel.

21 ~ MF Michael Mauti. Yeah, I'm a Sucker for MidFielders. Mauti's always interested me, and the fact that he's perhaps finally put his Problem ~ an Ulcer ~ behind'm leads me to speculate that his best Year may be Dead Ahead.

X ~ MFC Michael Nolan. Nolan is an utterly brilliant Coach who's made spectacular Impacts in several Stops, clearly one of the best FootBall Minds in the Game, yet has to go scraping for a Job. I'd hire'm and pay'm a Ransom. Mad Bill appreciates Brilliance, and would gain a tremendous Collaborator and Coordinator.

 

[Off The Grid]

And, then....Pre-Draft Trades!!

01 ~ 2018 7th Rounder to the Jaguars for DE Christopher Smith, beating the Bengals' conditional 2018 Draft Pick Trade. Smith hasn't done much at all since the Jaguars drafted'm int the 5th Round back in 2014, but his Squat, Beefy Frame, lengthy WingSpan, and Raw Power and Agility are too much for me to ignore at such a crucial Position.

02 ~ RB Patrick Chung to the CowBoys for #246. I like Chung, but he's a Veteran, about to hit 30, poised for a Decline, and was never a dominant Player. And there're such Ascending Talents at RoverBack on The Market that it feels like Time to Make a Move!! I hope that I don't offend anyone by suggesting such a low Return on his Contract and Services, but the Reality of the Salary Cap Era is that you're not just trading Capital for a Player: You're also trading the Capacity to sign someone else for his Salary Cap FootPrint, so what you're really acquiring is the Difference, hence the 7th Rounder.

03 ~ Sign SB Michael Gillislee off the Bills for #163. I'm tagging Gillislee as a SpeedBack because I generally do so with HalfBacks under 220 Pounds, and it'd feel silly even for me to create a third HalfBack Category, but, having said that, I'm going on The Record to say that I believe that Gillislee's 216 Pounds ~ the same Weight as Rex Burkhead ~ is what I consider to be the unchallenged Sweet Spot for HalfBacks: Those guys often have just enough Beef to play effectively Between The Tackles while also being light enough to play effectively Outside The Tackles. And indeed I believe that Gillislee exhibits an extraordinary Fusion of Power and Agility, highly underrated Pass Catching Skills, and awesome Blocking Skills. I'm reading that he's likely to take on Blount's Short Yardage Role, and indeed I consider him to be a spectacular UpGrade in that regard, but I believe that, far from being a "BackUp" level Talent ~ frankly, I reject the entire concept of "BackUp" Backs, as I believe Rotations are the only way to go ~ that this is a guy, given the Snaps, entirely capable of racking up 1500 Yards on the Ground on 4.8 YPC, and another 500 through the Air. I **** you not.

04 ~ Right. So, having signed one who I consider a potentially vastly superior Right Tackle in Free Agency, my Next Move is to trade Marcus Cannon, and while there'd be several Bidders for the Services of a guy who appears to've Broken Out in Coach Scarnecchia's Scheme as he heads into his Prime at a Nice Value, I'm thinking that the Best Match would be Beefalo, desperately in need of a Right Tackle, and indeed having already ~ retroactively ~ proven that they'd've been willing to pay a hefty price indeed to acquire the Services of a Prospect who might Fill the Bill...Well, my Thinking is that they'd've been very happy to pay that exact Price ~ and a sliver more ~ for a young, established Veteran, heading into his Prime, playing for a Bargain Contract: OT Marcus Cannon to Beefalo for #75, #149, #156...and WB Nicklaus O'Leary!!

05 ~ The Big One. I like Jimmy Garrapolo very much, but not so much more than what he can ~ speculatively ~ fetch in a Trade, one Year before he commands a $20,000,000 Salary, contrasted with the admittedly utterly unknown Shelf Life of Tom Brady's Greatness, but also contrasted with the Possibilities of who else is currently out there and might yet develop, to pass on what might be a very bountiful King's Ransom!! Pure Speculation, but: QB Jimmy Garappolo to the CleveLand Browns for #12, #65, #108, and #175...And, yes: Maybe we could've gotten #33, as well, or their 2018 1st Rounder...or both!! Or far less...Who knows??? I'm just trying to be reasonable in the light of Vast and sprawling Possibilities!!

Draft Day Trades!!

Those'f you who've read my Prattle before know that I go ApeShit on Draft Day Trades.

There're very few Trade Down Scenarios that I reject.

But I'm also always looking to Move Up.

The Draft ain't no Crap Shoot, not if you do your Research and have an Eye for Talent and Good Judgement...I flatter myself that I have all'f that, so I try ~ theoretically ~ to amass as many Picks as possible, as long as I'm getting Good Value in Trades, of course, because I want to pick off as many of my Binkies as I can, given the Chance to!!

To spare The Reader an excess of SideNotes: All of the following Trades either actually happened, and with the other guy getting a lesser Pick than I ended up ~ theoretically ~ trading to'm, or were very reasonable Equivalents.

In other Words: I didn't go on any Flights of Fancy with these theoretical Trades.

They were either perfectly equitable to Trades that actually happened, with Teams that actually made them...or they actually offered Better Value than the Teams that made the Trades received, in the Trades that actually happened.

Once more and With Feeling: Every one of these Trades was based on what actually happened:

#12 to Planet Hoosten for #25, #57, #130, and #169!!

In Reality, Planet Hoosten gave up #25 and their 2018 1st Rounder.

#96 + #108 to the Cardinals for #77!!
#103 + #131 to the Lions for #85!!
#77 + #149 to the Jets for #70!!

All based off'f Real Trades.

#137 to the Chiefs for #170 + #180!!
#183 to the Giants for #207 + #241!!
#207 to the Titans for #217 + #227!!

All directly based off'f Real Trades, with the last one exact, and the first 3 giving up a Premium on what actually happened!!

I've actually now amassed 3 more Picks than I'm gonna deploy right now...but that's because I've only got all the way through the Offensive Tackles, and'll probably pick up more than 3 Binkies in the weeks ahead!!

The Picks!!

25 BX Trent Watt

SuperBeast ~ Top 10 Grade!!

32 CB Kevin King

SuperBeast ~ Top 10 Grade!!

57 OG Dion Dawkins

Beast ~ 1st/2nd Round Grade!!

64 CB Ahkello Witherspoon

SuperBeast ~ Top 10 Grade!!

65 FB Cooper Kupp

SuperBeast ~ Top 10 Grade!!

70 FB Taywan Taylor

Beast ~ 1st Round Grade!!

75 FB Carlos Henderson

SuperBeast ~ Top 10 Grade!!

85 PB Kareem Hunt

Beast ~ 1st Round Grade!!

130 DE Deatrich Wise

No Report, Yet, but based on my Notes, this seems a likely Binky!!

156 OT Roderick Johnson

Hail Mary ~ 3rd Round Grade!!

169 QB Nathan Peterman

Beast ~ 1st Round Grade!!

170 CB Brian Allen

No Report, Yet, but based on my Notes, this seems a likely Binky!!

175 OT Jylan Ware

Warrior ~ 2nd/3rd Round Grade!!

180 SE Noah Brown

Beast ~ 1st Round Grade!!

217 OC Aviante Collins

Hail Mary ~ 3rd Round Grade!!

227 OT Maximilian Rich

Hail Mary ~ 3rd/4th Round Grade!!

...And of course there're 5 More Picks to come...more'r less!!


Analysis

Obviously, if I could snag 5 SuperBeasts ~ Top 10 Grade and 6 Beasts ~ 1st or 1st/2nd Round Grades ~ I'd be pretty happy.

Of course: We're just talking about the Prospects's Prospects...There're always many FlameOuts.

 

[Off The Grid]

How's The Team Look??

QuarterBack

Trading Jimmy Garappolo is obviously a DownGrade, but I have just about the same Trajectory ~ Prospective Value ~ for Nathan Peterman. Peterman's very cerebral, very cool, and athletically underrated, I believe. He is stacked with the Processing Speed, Pocket Poise, Field Vision, and Diagnostic Acuity that it takes to succeed at the next level.

He's the kind of QB that doesn't dazzle you...but Moves The Chains consistently and well...and when it matters.

Center

Dramatic UpGrade, going from David Andrews to Steven Wisniewski.

My Man Shaq Mason is also a very strong Candidate/SwingMan.

Offensive Guard

Big Fan of Ascending Warrior Joseph Thuney at Left Guard.

And I believe that Dion Dawkins has sensational Potential at Right Guard.

Mason, too, has tremendous Potential as a Right Guard. Optimally, I'd love to see Dawkins win the starting Right Guard gig with Mason and Amini Silatolu winning the Interior Reserve jobs, though Jamil Douglas has Reserve Potential.

Offensive Tackle

Nate "Universal" Solder isn't my kind of Left Tackle ~ too tall ~ but he's effective.

Ricky Wagner I of course believe to be an Ascending Star at Right Tackle.

Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle are serviceable Reserves, while Antonio Garcia and Conor McDermott are decent Prospects, but I want far better Potential than any'f'm, and I believe that Jylan Ware, Roderick Johnson, and Maximilan Rich all bring tremendous Potential. Rich is raw, so we'd likely be able to stash'm on the Taxi Squad.

Our Depth of Talent there would be flat out amazing.

Offensive Line

Tremendous Improvement, with UpGrades at Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle, and overall Depth!!

Tight End

Big Step Back, just the way I want it, with Injury-prone Towers being phased out by compact, resilient WingBacks!! Rob Gronkowski would be the only Tight End that I'd carry, and I wouldn't carry any Flex Ends at all.

Flex End

Yes, I no longer carry Flex Ends, but must give Props to Mad Bill for the phenomenal Trade for James O'Shaughnessy!!

WingBack

Spectacular UpGrade, of course, with Kyle Juszczyk and Lance Kendricks tearing things up, and James Develin might well prove to be an excellent Reserve. My Idea would be to see that Juszczyk and Kendricks get a Ton of Snaps, thus allowing Gronkowksi to get regular Breathers, including a lot of Double WingBack Attack Formations!!

And Nicklaus O'Leary is my X Factor, though I seem to be the only Soul high on'm!!

Slot End

We carry none, nor did we, since that Tampa Bay guy from the Mankins Trade got kicked loose.

Split End

An ancillary Gig on this Team, which Values Fluidity, wisely, over Size. Floyd is gone, and that is well done.

Noah Brown is a Project with Potential. Could be a Taxi Squad Guy.

Christopher Hogan is a remarkable and phenomenal Story.

He cannot get too many Snaps.

Flanker

Vastly upgraded, with Cooper Kupp, Taywan Taylor, and Carlos Henderson being added, in order of Selection, but quite possibly in reverse order of UpSide/Speed to Impact. In any case, I'm very high on all 3, and wouldn't've dreamed of amassing so much Talent at one particular Position, except that the Law of Supply and Demand opened up these spectacular Opportunities to get Top 10 Talent Dirt Cheap, and I'm damned if I'm gonna pass that up!!

With Julian EdelPerson and Danny Amendola Rock&Rolla already around, we hardly needed that many additions, but I'm the kind of guy who believes in OverLoading when Opportunity knocks ~ with a Mind towards letting our Foes frantically try to figure out how to deal with us!! Injuries happen, and one can never possess too much Depth of Talent.

And Malcolm Mitchell may very well turn out to be the greatest of this entire Crew!!

WideOuts

With Julian EdelPerson to lead the way, the ascending Talents of Christopher Hogan + Malcolm Mitchell, and the rather remarkable Danny Amendola around, it was ~ with all due Respect to Brother Bill Belichick ~ asinine to add Brandin Cooks, much less give up a 1st Rounder form. He'll just get in way of ~ and potentially cripple ~ the Development of potential Stars in Hogan and Mitchell, whereas adding these 3 Top Shelf Talents would allow those 2 to develop and flourish while developing these 3...and thus develop the deepest, cheapest WideOut Corp in History!!

PowerBacks

LaGarrette Blount was technically a PowerBack ~ you can't call a 250 or whatever Pounder a SpeedBack, right?? ~ but had **** for Power when it mattered: Gaining 2 or 3 Yards on his own against Strong Fronts when we needed it.

Kareem Hunt, on the other hand, has a bit'f that kind of Power...even 40 Pounds lighter!!

Oh...And he can catch the Ball...and Block...and is therefore 1000 Time more effective as a PowerBack!!

Brandon Bolden is almost certainly on the outside looking in, but I've always like his Catch/Run Versatility.

SpeedBacks

With Dion Lewis, James White, and Darryl Foster already here, I'm ecstatic to add Rex Burkhead and Michael Gillislee!!

These are 5 supremely talented SpeedBacks as effective in the Passing Game, all f'ive'f'm, as in the Running Game, and in BurkHead's and Gillislee's particular cases, with enough Power to run Inside The Tackles, too!!

I have no Idea how we're gonna keep all 5...But as Problems go, that'll do just fine!!

BackField

The most dynamic and explosive HalfBacks are those who weigh in at about 216, which is in that murky region in between
SpeedBack and PowerBack ~ Jay Ajayi, baby!! ~ and who therefore might very well produced enough Power to excel Between The Tackles and enough Speed to excel Outside The Tackles...But pure SpeedBacks, if they offer a genuine Pass/Run Hybrid Threat, are also very valuable...Well, every one of these 6 offers that genuine Hybrid Threat, and Burkhead, Hunt, and Gillislee all offer genuine Power and Speed...This Crew is dramatically UpGraded!!

Core Defensive Line ~ Bears, Wolves, Lions, and Yetti

Our Core, Thank Jesus, doesn't actually look so bad, as BT Malcolm Brown and YT Alan Branch are returning, both here and in Real Life...and in my Version of Reality, we're actually adding BT Zachary Kerr and WT Will Sutton, both'm whom offer tremendous, young Talent that might very well get developed and unleashed in the right Setting!!

Hybrids ~ Dragons & Bandits

Here, we have of course gotten gutted, with DE Chandler Jones, our #1, having been traded away a Year ago, with Bandit Jamie Collins haven been inexplicably ~ and oh by the way: brilliantly ~ given away in MidSeason ~ Mid-Championship Season, for those'f you scoring at Home!! ~ and with the additional defections of Jabaal Sheard, Christopher Long, and, just today, Rob Ninkovich, it's fair to say that we've lost more Hybrid FirePower in 18 Months than most Teams dream of having on their entire Roster...Our Hybrid Depth has been gutted...Fortunately, Fanatical Yankee is relentlessly striving to build and develop Depth of Talent, for he presumes Nothing of the Future...And around Trey Flowers, who I mocked to us in 2014, thank you, and Donta HighTower, who is currently described as a MidFielder, but who has no earthly place, there, as his multitudinous Injuries, which'll very likely only escalate as he grows older, playing way out'f Position, will attest, I have theoretically brought in young, ascending DE's Datone Jones and Devin Taylor, both entering their Primes, and drafted DE Deatrich Wise ~ well done, Coach Bill!! ~ and, above all: Bandit Trent Watt, who oozes Greatness. And Christopher Smith brings a very intriguing Frame/Power/Agility Combination to the Field of Battle!!

MidFielders & Bandits

They way that I've ~ theoretically done it, we are of course outrageously overloaded with MidFielders...and that's just the way I like it!! I've always been an enormous Fan of Shea McClellin, and believe that his best FootBall is dead ahead. I'm intrigued by Kyle Van Noy, as well, and believe that both have exceptional starting Potential.

Elandon Roberts is a bit linear for my Tastes, but I really like this explosive kid. I would've liked to've brought back my man Barkevious Mingo, but there were other MidFielders out there that I liked even more, so there's no way that I would've matched what Indy gave'm, nor would he likely have come back even if I ~ theoretically ~ did!!

A big part of the whole Idea of Mock Drafts ~ or Full Service BackDrafts!! ~ is to match Wits with one's Team's Management, of course, and I love to do so...But I must give particularly amazed Props to Mad Bill for acquiring the likes of McClellin, Roberts, Van Noy, Mingo, and Jonathan Bostic for practically nothing over the last couple of Years!! Amazing.

To McClellin, Van Noy, and Roberts, I would be adding Daryl Washington, Christian Jones, Jordan Tripp, Jelani Jenkins, and Michael Mauti, with the Idea being that the last 6 are competing for 2 or 3 Spots, with any'm having a legitimate Opportunity to win a spot and earn Snaps. If Washington in particular were to work out, our Defense would improve dramatically, and in any case these moves would improve our Depth of Talent dramatically.

I guess I say that a lot, huh? But of course that's the Goal!!

RoverBack

A big Change, of course, trading Patrick Chung and signing Jonathan Cyprien. Obviously, I believe that it's an UpGrade, and potentially a substantial one, with Chung hitting 30 and Cyprien hitting his Prime.

In Reserve, I'd be looking at Nathaniel Ebner and Jordan Richards ~ yet another tragic 2nd Round Defensive Back Pick, Oy!! ~ duking it out. But then Dayario Swearinger is a hybrid Rover/CenterFielder.

CenterFielder

Devin McCourty returns, to our general Rejoicing, and Swearinger as his hard-hitting Reserve, replacing Duron Harmon.

With both Cyprien and Swearinger, I believe that our Secondary would be substantially improved.

CornerBack

Much as I loved and continue to love Logan Ryan, and loathe as I am to expend Big Money at CornerBack, I believe that it is sometimes wise to do so, and I believe that signing Stephon Gilmore for Big Bucks as he enters his Prime was the Right Move. With him and Malcolm Butler both entering their Prime, taking on the best 2 WideOuts, and with the additional Benefit of being able to mix and match between the two, with Butler talking the Spry Fly and Gilmore taking the Towering Beast, the compound effect on the rest of the Defense's ability to implement all sorts of disruptive Tactics increases exponentially ~ the compound effect being far greater than if one or the other played on different Teams.

Likewise, piggybacking on Mad Bill's MasterStroke, I would not sit idly by and assume that Eric Rowe, Cyrus Jones, and Justin Coleman would suffice as Reserves ~ though they bring considerable Potential, themselves!!

The 2017 Draft being festooned as it was with cheap yet highly talented young Corners, I would've dipped into that crowded Sea of Corners not once, not twice, but 3 Times, bringing in Kevin King, Ahkello Witherspoon, and ~ unless I change my mind, later!! ~ Brian Allen!! You can never have too much Depth of Talent at CornerBack, I've heard, and once King and Witherspoon get Operational, you'll be looking at the most dynamic Top 4 Corner Cartel in the Galaxy!!

***

That's my Team, SuperBeast 8.0, albeit with Updates to come by the end of August!!

 

[Joey007]

But can he rush the passer?

 

[oldrover]

My outrageously late Full Service BackDraft, which isn't even complete!!

Here at PatsFans.

Here at FanaticalYankee.com.

This is of course the worst possible Time to publish this, if one is looking for Huzzahs...I get it out there, above all Motivations, for The Record, before extensive Training Camp has compromised its Prescience too too much...and even though I plan on revising it somewhat, a month hence!!

If you're inclined to bash, please feel free...I enjoy sharing FootBall Thoughts with my Patriots Fan Brethren, whatever the Spirit of the Conservation happens to be!!

***
This is of course being posted well beyond the actual Draft, and at The Worst Possible Moment: At the Break of Camp, when Fans are at their collective Peak of Fidelity to The Moves that their Team actually made...

And this, hilariously, is not my Final Version, as I'ave many Prospects lef to peruse...

But of course my Purpose is merely to Get It On The Record.

***

Any Mock Draft ~ even a Back Draft ~ must in practical terms be discounted if it comes after the Draft, as my BackDrafts do.

But I believe that more Value is gained than is lost...for Mock Drafts are riddled with Picks picked hopefully, but proven to be far too optimistic in terms of when the Prospect would've actually been available to Draft!!

BackDrafts, on the other hand, score 100% in drafting Prospects that would've actually been available at those Spots, yes?

As always, please allow me to acknowledge that everything that follows ~ particularly the order in which Prospects were drafted ~ benefits from 100% Crystal Clear HindSight...but is written with none of Mad Bill's Insider Knowledge!!

Regarding Continuity ~ "Roster Stability"

The Crippling Effects of The Infernal Salary Cap compel every General Manager ~ real and Phantasmagorical ~ to manage Professional Teams very much like College Teams, where Talent is continuously departing and must therefore be relentlessly sought out by every means possible. I have corresponded with those who endlessly blathered on about Continuity, oblivious to this Reality that the Salary Cap inflicts upon us all. Continuity is of real Value, but both the Tactical and the Strategic LandScape are in constant Turmoil, and one must either drive Change...or face Extinction.

I am an American Infantryman ~ not Active, mind you, but there are no "former" American Infantrymen. When I Served, my best Battalion Commander and his Subordinates always preached "Pushing It DownField." That was a Tactical Philosophy, but one that applies Strategically, as well: It would be wonderful if we could plan and prepare our Conflagrations and have Events & Enemies comply with our Visualizations. But it doesn't work that way.

The Fog of War disrupts all The Best Laid Plans of Mice & Men.

Or as General Douglas MacArthur put it:
Brandin Cooks Trade. For one thing: He's a SlotBack. Julian Edelman is arguably the greatest SlotBack on the Planet when it matters ~ in the Winter ~ and while I'm an huge Fan of doubling down on Players whose composite Talents can provide a diabolically dramatic Advantage...I don't consider SlotBack that kind of Role.

2nd, this is a guy who squawked about not getting enough Targets after an enormous Win, when the Saints were fighting for their Lives. FootBall is a Team Sport, the last I heard, and I've got absolutely no use for the kind of Player who puts himself before the Team...And I could've sworn that Coach Belichick felt exactly the same way!!

3rd, we have, what with Christopher Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, and, should Mad Bill have taken a Chance, Michael Floyd, an extraordinary Crew of young, talented, potential Stars...whose Development is going to be crippled by having Brandin Cooks around, gobbling up Practice Reps all Year long. What an incredibly foolish, asinine Mistake.

4th, and above all the others: What in Hell was Mad Bill thinking of, trading a 1st Round Draft Pick and giving up additional Draft Value by swapping a 3rd for a 4th, for a young Veteran who's gonna soak up at least $10,000,000 a Year out'f the Salary Cap in the very near Future, unless Mad Bill simply cuts'm loose??? That's how Dynasties are destroyed.

Hey, I gave Cooks a Top 10/SuperBeast Grade & Rank a few Years ago, when he was rated as a borderline 3rd Rounder, and he and the Saints have proven all'f us correct...But to make this Move??? Horrible, horrible Trade.

To Begin: The Purge!!

01 ~ Let LeGarrette Blount find Greener Pastures. A poor Blocker, poor Receiver, a PowerBack with mediocre Power who was remarkably agile for a big guy, but who couldn't Move The Chains when it mattered, and a Bad Seed. He was gentlemanly here in New EngLand, but I'll never forget his abandoning his TeamMates in PittsBurgh.

02 ~ Jabaal Sheard. He's worth the Money, but there're better Options.

03 ~ Duron Harmon. Most Average CenterFielder in the Game. Far better Options are available for only a few Bucks more.

04 ~ Logan Ryan. This one stings, because I was one'f the few remaining Souls declaring Confidence in Logan Ryan two Years ago when he was almost universally scorned...And I hope he has a great Career. But while I believe that he is actually worth the $10,000,000/Year that he got on The Market, Greatness in The Era of The Infernal Salary cap is not attained by paying Fair Market Value to everyone possible, of course, and this is one of those Tough Decisions.

I believe that I've remembered the only major Divestitures I'd make.

Next...Free Agency!!

01 ~ OC Steven Wisniewski. 3 Years/$9,000,000 + $6,000,000 possible Incentives. Wisniewski is a solid Guard and an excellent Center, and his inexplicably low Market is something that we should absolutely pounce on. Just an absolutely amazing Value: He's Agile, Strong, very Smart, in the Prime of'is Career and Dirt Cheap. Pounce on'm. David Andrews needs to be upgraded. He's not horrible, but for about the same Money, Wisniewski is a massive UpGrade.

And, then....Pre-Draft Trades!!

01 ~ 2018 7th Rounder to the Jaguars for DE Christopher Smith, beating the Bengals' conditional 2018 Draft Pick Trade. Smith hasn't done much at all since the Jaguars drafted'm int the 5th Round back in 2014, but his Squat, Beefy Frame, lengthy WingSpan, and Raw Power and Agility are too much for me to ignore at such a crucial Position.

02 ~ RB Patrick Chung to the CowBoys for #246. I like Chung, but he's a Veteran, about to hit 30, poised for a Decline, and was never a dominant Player. And there're such Ascending Talents at RoverBack on The Market that it feels like Time to Make a Move!! I hope that I don't offend anyone by suggesting such a low Return on his Contract and Services, but the Reality of the Salary Cap Era is that you're not just trading Capital for a Player: You're also trading the Capacity to sign someone else for his Salary Cap FootPrint, so what you're really acquiring is the Difference, hence the 7th Rounder.

03 ~ Sign SB Michael Gillislee off the Bills for #163. I'm tagging Gillislee as a SpeedBack because I generally do so with HalfBacks under 220 Pounds, and it'd feel silly even for me to create a third HalfBack Category, but, having said that, I'm going on The Record to say that I believe that Gillislee's 216 Pounds ~ the same Weight as Rex Burkhead ~ is what I consider to be the unchallenged Sweet Spot for HalfBacks: Those guys often have just enough Beef to play effectively Between The Tackles while also being light enough to play effectively Outside The Tackles. And indeed I believe that Gillislee exhibits an extraordinary Fusion of Power and Agility, highly underrated Pass Catching Skills, and awesome Blocking Skills. I'm reading that he's likely to take on Blount's Short Yardage Role, and indeed I consider him to be a spectacular UpGrade in that regard, but I believe that, far from being a "BackUp" level Talent ~ frankly, I reject the entire concept of "BackUp" Backs, as I believe Rotations are the only way to go ~ that this is a guy, given the Snaps, entirely capable of racking up 1500 Yards on the Ground on 4.8 YPC, and another 500 through the Air. I **** you not.

How's The Team Look??

QuarterBack

Trading Jimmy Garappolo is obviously a DownGrade, but I have just about the same Trajectory ~ Prospective Value ~ for Nathan Peterman. Peterman's very cerebral, very cool, and athletically underrated, I believe. He is stacked with the Processing Speed, Pocket Poise, Field Vision, and Diagnostic Acuity that it takes to succeed at the next level.

He's the kind of QB that doesn't dazzle you...but Moves The Chains consistently and well...and when it matters.

Center

Dramatic UpGrade, going from David Andrews to Steven Wisniewski.

My Man Shaq Mason is also a very strong Candidate/SwingMan.

Offensive Guard

Big Fan of Ascending Warrior Joseph Thuney at Left Guard.

And I believe that Dion Dawkins has sensational Potential at Right Guard.

Mason, too, has tremendous Potential as a Right Guard. Optimally, I'd love to see Dawkins win the starting Right Guard gig with Mason and Amini Silatolu winning the Interior Reserve jobs, though Jamil Douglas has Reserve Potential.

Offensive Tackle

Nate "Universal" Solder isn't my kind of Left Tackle ~ too tall ~ but he's effective.

Ricky Wagner I of course believe to be an Ascending Star at Right Tackle.

Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle are serviceable Reserves, while Antonio Garcia and Conor McDermott are decent Prospects, but I want far better Potential than any'f'm, and I believe that Jylan Ware, Roderick Johnson, and Maximilan Rich all bring tremendous Potential. Rich is raw, so we'd likely be able to stash'm on the Taxi Squad.

Our Depth of Talent there would be flat out amazing.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Love it or hate it, @Off The Grid is one of the only posters you'll see who does a thorough examination and breakdown of draft prospects, year after year. He has unconventional methods, but I find that he's been right more often than not. I might make different moves if I were in charge, but I applaud the effort, time, and strategic thought that went into this process. Great read!

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Cheers on a complete plan well thought out
I love the idea of buying cheap for high ceiling players.

 

[jah]

I'm not sure whether I'm more confused by the content of the posts, or the EcCentric Capitalization.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

I'm on the opposite end Of the spectrum on cooks and gilmore. Love the cooks trade getting a proven player at 32 seems to be a no brainer to me. And Im leery on the money given to Gilmore, hope he proves me wrong. Would've preferred to pay Malcolm and try to resign Ryan.

 

[BTTA]

OTG is the Van Gogh of the message board.

And perhaps the only one of us whose avatar is his selfie.

I'm in downtown DC this afternoon and just bumped into a stumbling guy dressed in Gucci, mumbling a vulgar psychiatric diagnosis as he went into the bar of an elite hotel. Man, I miss New England.

 

[TB_Helmet]

I've been on here for 2 years [just checked and anniversary was yesterday!] and I don't know any backstory but OffTheGrid is one of the most consistently entertaining posters on this board.

This thread might take me a couple days to get through

 

[Tunescribe]

 

[neuronet]

I'm so confused. Brilliant?

 

[Clonamery]

I'm at a Nola bar and on my 2nd sazerac and it is confused brilliance.

 

[BTTA]

I'm at a Nola bar and on my 2nd sazerac and it is confused brilliance.

My dog, with half a jaw missing and hence a perpetually exposed tongue, is name Sazerac.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Love OTG
Does anyone have an English translation of his posts?

 

[Clonamery]

My dog, with half a jaw missing and hence a perpetually exposed tongue, is name Sazerac.

After 3, I probably feel like the dog looks.

 

[Joker]

I'm so fired up I'm gonna go to OTB and bet Gridlock in the 7th!

 

[Tunescribe]

Love OTG
Does anyone have an English translation of his posts?

WeLl, You mIghT be hArd-presseD to Find SucH a tHing, Since hE is thE onLy oNe usIng the OriginaL OTG styLe.