A look at the numbers from 2009 shows three areas where the New England Patriots need help in the draft. - ESPN Boston
He cites three weaknesses:
- # of long offensive plays
- Defensive yards per carry between the tackles
- Defensive passer rating downfield between the hash marks
From that he concludes the Pats need to draft
- A young, fast offensive playmaker
- A Richard Seymour replacement
- A new free safety
I think he's fried on the third one. What the Pats really need is a pass rusher to get to the QB before slow-unfolding plays downfield have a chance to happen.
I don't care so much about big offensive plays; I just want drives to end frequently in TDs, and those that don't to end frequently in FGs. If those are clock-eaters, I'm fine with that.
Replacing Seymour is highly desirable, but of course not totally easy ...
Interesting. I know this is out of the box but a few moves can help our defense immensely. None of them will be popular on this site (.....really?).I am all for having the biggest D-Line as possible with talent and flexibility. If you can be one of the best Teams in the NFL against the run, you can concentrate on the pass by design.
We have the chips to get this done. We have Teams like the Redskins and more who are desperate for Draft picks.
I think our back seven speed last year was an issue other than Mayo (and Butler in the sets he played). I think Guytons speed is wasted at ILB. AD with all of his presumed speed looked very slow last year...what happened there? Bodden is adequate, Wilhite has blazing straight line speed but in no way does it translate to the football field. Merriweather is mediocre and takes bad angles. McGown is about like Merriweather in speed and Sanders is extremely slow.
Vida makes a good point. Big plays are the result of bad tackling and lack of game speed. Other than VW who was doubled every game, our end play regressed with Warren having a bad year and Green was just bad. Burgess did not help at all and TBC was our real only pressure.
I would like to see a full rotation D-Line. I say we start by Drafting NT Cody at #22?...what!!!!!!??? As I have mentioned before in a very stout SEC conference, no running back went over a hundred yards when he was in the game.He is THE ONLY PLAYER in this NFL Draft that you have to game plan differently for. Wilfork played DE very well last year upon occasion.
Now I want to take pick #53 and AD (why would the Skins take him? He would be the only LB on their Team with 3-4 experience and could play opposite Orakpo and they can move their player in return) and Trade for Haynesworth and stick him at DE (Did you know at Tenn.,
Haynesworth ran a 4.82 40 and had a 39" vertical? Seymour was quick but ran a 4.9). Haynesworth was 317 them and high 340lbs now. Yes a few lbs lighter would be ideal but the motivation of both Seymour and Haynesworth have prevented them from pounding hard on the Hall of Fame doors. Harynesworth is still young (two years younger than Seymour). His contract works now. The Skins want a 2nd round pick. Swap #53 and AD for Haynesworth and their 4th (very early at #103 so at the end of the Third round almost).
Now you could have a line of Haynesworth at DE, Cody at NT and Wilfork at DE. Who does the opponent double team? Now you have a great rotation of Warren to work with Wilfork at NT and Haynesworth at DE.
If you notice we play some of the largest DEs of all 3-4 Teams other than the Ravens (and they can clog it up). This could then be the best 3-4 D-Line package in the NFL.
At #103 you can then have a shot at Spikes. He started this Draft season as a first rounder. He is your Ted Johnson SILB we have not had since TJ retired. Our middle run defense has now been upgraded.
If you remember Eugene Wilson was a CB conversion that gave us an athletic FS for our Super Bowl Teams. He was not my favorite but the NFL trend some six years later to go for this type of Safety. Akwasi Owus-Ansah of little Indiana PA could be a steal. "Scouts note his size, speed and hands on the corner and his versatility to return kicks. Owusu-Ansah lined up at safety quite often to take advantage of his centerfielder skills and could be used there in the NFL. Whether teams view him as a cornerback or safety, they'll value his skills. Defensive backs with size, speed, hands and return skills aren't easy to find." 4.32 speed and a 6.84 cone. He is 6' and 207lbs."With eight interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 2008, teams stayed away from Owusu-Ansah last fall".
He is rated somewhere around #70 with a bullet. He can be a Pats pick. He solves our return issues from last year as well.
Now we still have #44 and #47 and #119 before you get to, as one poster put it "the Hails Mary's" at the sixth and seventh (we have no fifth).
I swap #47 to the Eagles for their #70 and # 87 both in the third. It has been said the Eagles want to move back into the first. With three second rounders it would not be an issue. The Draft value chart is just about right if the Birds throw in a 6th at #200.
Use #44 for an outside rusher like Saap or Hughes. Take #70 and Draft Gerhart for a long term solution at RB and at #85 you can go for Ansah or perhaps a Eric Decker who is steal there and a big time future playmaker (McClusker?).
I am not done. "Waste not Want not". I have mentioned this before as well. It has appeared on the Bears site that TE Greg Olsen is still a candidate to be moved. He is young, talented with 70 receptions. They have made mention they want a vet Safety for their Team in 2010 and I have even seen Sanders name mentioned. I say we can work a Trade with the Bears and get a move TE and we have solved the blocking TE part. As you all know I would not shed a tear, but seriously it would work for both sides.We need a more athletic Safety and they need a stabilizing Safety. I will give James his due, He can be that for the Bears.
These are just IMO(DISCLAIMER) but it does respond to Vidas weaknesses and I would love watching that front seven in 2010.
DW Toys
