Yeah I get where you coming from but let's be honest here ... It's been dire for the last 5 years. The last Pro Bowler (not even mentioning All-Pros) the Pats drafted was Jamie Collins. M. Butler certainly played at that level but just didn't get in. That's the next huge problem the Patriots had the last years. They can't resign their star players.
Out of the big 4 that should've been our core by now (C. Jones, Collins, Hightower and Butler) only Hightower is still with the team. If you look at every individual and their reasons you can see why it didn't work out or why BB just went with a superior player in Gilmore. But lets say Flowers has the break out season we all know he is capable of. Can they keep him?
So I don't have problems with not hitting on some draft picks but it's been years since the Pats really hit a home run draft pick and if they do can they extend him?