I´m the Pats GM Vol. 2

[Box_O_Rocks]

i picked roman harper because there was no 3rd round value at other need positions. the next best tight end is tony sheffler, perhaps he is there with my next pick. i would have loved a back-up for vince, too, but the guys worth a 3rd round pick are all to small to play in a 3-4 defense. there were two offensive linemen i could have landed, but i think both are too heavy and not speedy enough to fit in patriots system. i also thought about another wr (martin nance, gone 1 pick after mine to the giants), but i hope to land a quality player (with additional return skills) later.

so i think roman harper was the right choice. a very instinctive player who is allways around the ball. he´s great in run support, but lacks coverage skills a bit, so i think he would fit great at strong safety. with the unknown situation of rodney harrison (who won´t get younger, too) he is a decent back-up/replacement. i think he won´t be an all-pro, but a solid starter at pro level.

Tut tut, why do think I had Stanley and Cofield there? Both are third round value for the Pats and both can play DE or NT in the Pats scheme creating depth at more than one position and competition with players like Wright and Klecko.

Regarding earlier exchanges with Mike - I was looking for a DE to play OLB, or in Kudla and Gocong's case, they could play ILB too, both are solid 3rds in my book. If you like Nance better that's fine, but I've seen the other two play in All-Star games and know what they can do against top competition and working with shoddy QBs.

Can't give you any points for Harper, S is currently one of our deepest areas on the roster and any Special Teams value he may have could just as easily be matched by a LB. Your desire for Wilkinson is going for the athletics of a too light player, who most likely wouldn't hold up well in the Patriots version of the 3-4 - Lawson is borderline too light at 240-245, but at 6'5" he can probably add an additional 10 pounds and still keep the quickness and speed he uses.

Don't get too hung upon how draftniks grade a player, Logan Mankins was considered a 3rd rounder by most when he was taken in the 1st last year. New England isn't afraid to "reach" for a player who fits their system, so a fourth round OL wouldn't have hurt anything if you felt they had the quickness and speed the Patriots like. Another thing to think about, you can rarely go wrong picking a trench warrior, they are more likely to have some value BB can exploit.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Can't give you any points for Harper, S is currently one of our deepest areas on the roster and any Special Teams value he may have could just as easily be matched by a LB.

"Deep", yes, inasmuch as there are plenty of them who can contribute, but after Geno and Rodney (big question mark) there is a pretty sharp quality drop-off. How would you feel about Tebucky and the Hawk as your safeties? It could easily happen if Rodney isn't ready at the beginning of the season and Geno gets hurt.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

"Deep", yes, inasmuch as there are plenty of them who can contribute, but after Geno and Rodney (big question mark) there is a pretty sharp quality drop-off. How would you feel about Tebucky and the Hawk as your safeties? It could easily happen if Rodney isn't ready at the beginning of the season and Geno gets hurt.

Gus Scott played well behind Rodney, Sanders was okay and should be improved. Chad Scott and Hawkins can both play at safety. Mitchell reportedly was competing for a starting slot before his knee injury. Frankly, Tebuck is the only one on the roster I have reservations about, and who knows, he was a RB converted to safety, the travel may have improved him (wistful expression). Another rookie S isn't really significant for creating depth at this juncture, while other depth concerns such as DL, LB, WR, OL, TE could be addressed with more impact.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Gus Scott played well behind Rodney, Sanders was okay and should be improved. Chad Scott and Hawkins can both play at safety. Mitchell reportedly was competing for a starting slot before his knee injury. Frankly, Tebuck is the only one on the roster I have reservations about, and who knows, he was a RB converted to safety, the travel may have improved him (wistful expression). Another rookie S isn't really significant for creating depth at this juncture, while other depth concerns such as DL, LB, WR, OL, TE could be addressed with more impact.

I see your point that we don't just want more of the same, but ...

Apart from the quality of his play, Rodney has been so important in making sure that the DBs went where they should (see the bewildered looks on DB faces after we lost him last season). We need a new, dominant defensive back to play that role and it seems sense that that should be the Strong Safety.

I haven't watched the tapes like you, but I wonder if Gus Scott will be that "defensive quarterback". Does he have the size to be the run support player that Rodney is?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I see your point that we don't just want more of the same, but ...

Apart from the quality of his play, Rodney has been so important in making sure that the DBs went where they should (see the bewildered looks on DB faces after we lost him last season). We need a new, dominant defensive back to play that role and it seems sense that that should be the Strong Safety.

I haven't watched the tapes like you, but I wonder if Gus Scott will be that "defensive quarterback". Does he have the size to be the run support player that Rodney is?

Gus is better suited for FS then SS, but he did okay until he had to take Antonio Gates on alone. My preference would be to bring in a coverage LB like Jon Alston or Brian Iwuh to learn behind Rodney and play STs. Both are former SS so they have something going for them. The trouble will be finding them or others like them on the second day with room on the shopping list.

 

[AzPatsFan]

"Deep", yes, inasmuch as there are plenty of them who can contribute, but after Geno and Rodney (big question mark) there is a pretty sharp quality drop-off. How would you feel about Tebucky and the Hawk as your safeties? It could easily happen if Rodney isn't ready at the beginning of the season and Geno gets hurt.

Not quite true. If you mean proven quality, I would agree but rhese are youngsters still in their diapers; let's see them behave as other than rooks, (or may as well be rooks), before passing that judgement.

 

[GermanGilbert]

Tut tut, why do think I had Stanley and Cofield there? Both are third round value for the Pats and both can play DE or NT in the Pats scheme creating depth at more than one position and competition with players like Wright and Klecko.

Regarding earlier exchanges with Mike - I was looking for a DE to play OLB, or in Kudla and Gocong's case, they could play ILB too, both are solid 3rds in my book. If you like Nance better that's fine, but I've seen the other two play in All-Star games and know what they can do against top competition and working with shoddy QBs.

Can't give you any points for Harper, S is currently one of our deepest areas on the roster and any Special Teams value he may have could just as easily be matched by a LB. Your desire for Wilkinson is going for the athletics of a too light player, who most likely wouldn't hold up well in the Patriots version of the 3-4 - Lawson is borderline too light at 240-245, but at 6'5" he can probably add an additional 10 pounds and still keep the quickness and speed he uses.

Don't get too hung upon how draftniks grade a player, Logan Mankins was considered a 3rd rounder by most when he was taken in the 1st last year. New England isn't afraid to "reach" for a player who fits their system, so a fourth round OL wouldn't have hurt anything if you felt they had the quickness and speed the Patriots like. Another thing to think about, you can rarely go wrong picking a trench warrior, they are more likely to have some value BB can exploit.

regarding the safeties, i´m more with mike the brit. of course the pats have already 8 safeties on their roster, but after rodney and with questionmarks scott i can´t see quality players at strong safety. perhaps i´m really the only one that thinks stanley is not worth a 3rd roun der. he went off board a few picks after mine to the niners and the jets would have picked him with their compensation pick. cofiled is also off board but i could have picked him with #106 (he went #107 to arizona). but i think he´s way to small to play nt in a 3-4 defense.

ok, here is my next pick

With the 106th Pick of the 2006 NFL Draft the New England Patriots select ....

i hope b_o_r can give me points for this one i was disappointed that my preferred pick for #106 went at #104. the packers took te tony sheffler, so i picked offensive line.

do you like this pick?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

regarding the safeties, i´m more with mike the brit. of course the pats have already 8 safeties on their roster, but after rodney and with questionmarks scott i can´t see quality players at strong safety. perhaps i´m really the only one that thinks stanley is not worth a 3rd roun der. he went off board a few picks after mine to the niners and the jets would have picked him with their compensation pick. cofiled is also off board but i could have picked him with #106 (he went #107 to arizona). but i think he´s way to small to play nt in a 3-4 defense.

ok, here is my next pick

With the 106th Pick of the 2006 NFL Draft the New England Patriots select ....

i hope b_o_r can give me points for this one i was disappointed that my preferred pick for #106 went at #104. the packers took te tony sheffler, so i picked offensive line.

do you like this pick?

Decent value in the 4th round, he can play OG & OT, I liked him in the Shrine Game. Reportedly he is a bit of a loafer, but I think the coaches and vets can handle that with little trouble. Good solid pick in the 4th, that gets you some points back!

 

[GermanGilbert]

ok, last, but not least

With the 118th Pick of the NFL 2006 Draft the New England Patriots select ...

with a better senior year he would have been a clear day one pick. i hope he stays healthy, then he could be a decent addition to the patriots te-corps.