My Blueprint For the Pats

[TFB*]

I think either Dowling or Simon could move to safety, with the other being the #3 outside CB. That would give the Pats terrific depth and playmaking capability in the secondary.

I would be very happy with a defense that looked something like this:

DL: LDE Armstead/Ninkovich - DT Wilfork - DT Love/Armstead - RDE Jones; reserves: Cunningham, Francis, Bequette, Deaderick, Pryor, Forston/rookie

LB: SAM Hightower/Ogletree (or Jordan) - MLB Spikes/Hightower - WLB Mayo; reserve: Fletcher (?White)

S: McCourty - Dowling (?); big nickel: Gregory/Wilson; ST/reserve: Ebner

CB: Talib - Dennard; nickel: Arrington; dime/ST: Cole; 3rd outside CB/reserve: Simon

I think that could be an extremely talented and competitive defense.

Reading your posts get me way too excited for the draft/near future.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I'm surprised they didn't even bother to keep Carpenter around. I'm starting to think Belichick would rather just go dime and put a big DB on the field, like Wilson, to cover TEs instead of a cover LB. That may be why he's been passing on the Sean Lees and Lavonte Davids of the world.

Do we have the dime package in if we're anticipating a run?

The problem is that they might show run but instead pass and then we have Spikes appempt to cover and we wind up getting burnt.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Reading your posts get me way too excited for the draft/near future.

We're getting close to having a pretty good defense if we keep Talib. We started 3 rookies; Jones, Hightower and Dennard. Also, Tavon Wilson and Justin Francis had their moments. My guess is they will improve in their 2nd year. Like Ahern and Gronk did in 2011 and Solder and Ridley did this year. You get a whole off-season conditioning program and more time to refine your techniques and learn the system.

McCourty - FS - Looks really good.

Talib - LCB - Shutdown corner if we can keep him in check.

3 Mashers at LB; Mayo, Spikes and Hightower. Would like to add a little speed to supplement their brute strength.

Vince - dt - Heart and soul of the defense

C. Jones - DE - Could develop into an elite pass rusher

Deaderick/Love - DT - Meh

Ninko - DE - Has always exceeded expectations. Armstead if we sign him and Francis could form a nice compliment. Still have Bequette and Cunningham.

Dennard - RCB - He's shown he can play. Always need 3 cb's and can't count on Dowling.

Gregory/Wilson - S - Meh. If rest of defense is good. Can live with.


That's why I have DT, OLB and CB depth as our biggest needs.

 

[TFB*]

We're getting close to having a pretty good defense if we keep Talib. We started 3 rookies; Jones, Hightower and Dennard. Also, Tavon Wilson and Justin Francis had their moments. My guess is they will improve in their 2nd year. Like Ahern and Gronk did in 2011 and Solder and Ridley did this year. You get a whole off-season conditioning program and more time to refine your techniques and learn the system.

McCourty - FS - Looks really good.

Talib - LCB - Shutdown corner if we can keep him in check.

3 Mashers at LB; Mayo, Spikes and Hightower. Would like to add a little speed to supplement their brute strength.

Vince - dt - Heart and soul of the defense

C. Jones - DE - Could develop into an elite pass rusher

Deaderick/Love - DT - Meh

Ninko - DE - Has always exceeded expectations. Armstead if we sign him and Francis could form a nice compliment. Still have Bequette and Cunningham.

Dennard - RCB - He's shown he can play. Always need 3 cb's and can't count on Dowling.

Gregory/Wilson - S - Meh. If rest of defense is good. Can live with.


That's why I have DT, OLB and CB depth as our biggest needs.

Armstead lessens the need at DT i believe because Love is a solid run stopper and Armstead can shift inside for interior pressure on passing downs. Not saying we won't look to improve the rotation.

In todays day and age you can never have enough DEs, CBs and space players.

What I am interested in is if D. McCoil (220 pounds) or if this Richmond safety Cooper(230), both of whom are 6'4" could put on 20 or so pounds and play a hybrid backer/safety role on obvious passing situations. If they could, we'd get great value from a late round pick.

I, as well, am hoping for great strides made by these rookies in there second year. Im looking for Tavon to step up next year and start next to DMC.

 

[mayoclinic]

Priorities:

1. Fix the secondary
2. A stud LDE opposite Chandler Jones
3. Youth/depth at OL
4. Speed at WR to stretch the field
5. Depth at DT/penetrating DT/successor to Vince Wilfork
6. Depth at H-back/"move TE" to spell/complement Aaron Hernandez
7. An eventual true successor to TB

Time to revise this "blueprint" based on the playoff woes of the 2010-2012 Patriots:

Priorities:

1. Fix the secondary, including getting more physical at CB to play press-man coverage, with physical safety play that doesn't sacrifice coverage ability

2. Get more physical on both lines, including the ability to run the ball in short yardage situations effectively, and to generate more effective pressure with a 4 man front

3. Get bigger, more physical and also faster at WR with the capability to stretch the field and to work the field outside as well as in the middle, and also to match up with big DBs and physical teams. More explosiveness would also be useful - the Pats' offense has been very efficient, but not particularly big play

4. Address the fact that we constantly get shredded by RBs and TEs

5. Find an eventual true successor to TB

The Next 3 Months:

1. The secondary:

- Re-sign Aqib Talib if possible (under $7M/year). Continuity is good, but don't break the bank. If Talib can't be re-signed, Keenan Lewis would be a good alternative

- Re-sign Kyle Arrington if cheap (under $1.5M/year). Marquice Cole could be re-signed as well, or as a cheaper alternative to Arrington, with a nickel/slot CB picked up in the draft

- Assess whether Ras-I Dowling is likely to make a full recovery in 2013, and whether he fits better as a press-man CB or as a hybrid CB/S

- Keep Devin McCourty at FS and don't move him around

- Sign UFA FA SS Kenny Phillips. He would provide the physical safety complement to McCourty that we need, while still being good in coverage and not compromising the deep threat

- Let Patrick Chung walk

2. The DL:

- Armond Armstead has already been signed. The Pats' still have Myron Pryor's rights for 2013, and Marcus Forston has been promoted from the PS. Those 3 alone will be a significant infusion of talent on the DL.

3. The OL:

- Re-sign Sebastian Vollmer if it can be done for reasonable cost (under $6M/year), and hopefully Donald Thomas. If the Pats' can't sign Vollmer to a reasonable deal, they might consider using the franchise or transition tag on him. The franchise tag is estimated at $9.66M, the transition tag at $8.56M. Not my preferred route, but it might allow the Pats to keep Vollmer for another year while developing other options.

4. The WRs and RBs:

- Let Wes Welker walk and sign UFA FA Brian Hartline. It hurts, but the difference in money might free up enough to pick up someone like Kenny Phillips.

- Re-sign Julian Edelman and Danny Woodhead.

5. Miscellaneous:

- Possible extensions for Brady and Wilfork that might free up some cap space

- Sign RFAs Dane Fletcher, Jake Ballard and Michael Hoomanwanui. Tracy White is a possibility, but is a lesser priority.

- Possibly sign a veteran QB like Matt Cassel or Brian Hoyer, if the price is right


The Draft:

*** Trade: Cleveland trades #6 to St. Louis for #16 and 22. Rams trade up for Eric Fisher. Not a trade directly involving the Pats, but ...

*** Trade: Cleveland trades #16 to New England for QB Ryan Mallett. A last minute draft day trade, with the Browns deciding they don't like the available QB options. They still have a 1st round pick at #22.

*** Trade: New England trades #16 to Tennessee for #40 and their 2014 1st round pick. Bud Adams is impatient, and wants to get better now.

29. DJ Fluker, OL, Alabama. 6'5" 350. Currently NFL DraftScout #28.

Beast! Fluker plays RT for Alabama, but would probably move inside to RG, with Dan Connolly moving to center. An OL of Solder-Mankins-Connolly-Fluker-Vollmer would be incredibly powerful. Fluker has the power of Chance Warmack, but he is nimble footed enough to get out in space. He also has incredibly long arms, and the versatility to move to RT in a pinch.

40. Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia. 5'9" 175#. Currently NFL DraftScout #30.

Stud Greyhound! It's evident that the Pats' offense needs more of a speed threat at WR. Austin would be a Percy Harvin/DeSean Jackson kind of weapon: a dynamic speedster who can get separation and accelerate on a dime and take it to the house at any time. Guys like Austin and Jeff Demps could be great weapons in the Pats' up-tempo offense, especially given the blocking TEs and the power running game to balance things out. If defenses go big to try and stop the TEs and the running game then the Pats can shred them with speed.

After the West Virginia-Texas game Bucky Brooks wrote:

Teams searching for a Percy Harvin clone will love Austin. The 5-foot-9, 174-pound jitterbug is lightning in a bottle in the open field. Whether he was catching bubble screens on the perimeter or running slant routes over the middle, Austin was nearly impossible to contain when he touched the ball. He possesses rare stop-start quickness, and his ability to reach top speed in a hurry allows him to routinely outrun defenders to the corner of the end zone. He's also one of the most electrifying return men I've seen in recent memory.

West Virginia's Geno Smith shows poise of NFL quarterback - NFL.com

Austin would immediately provide a lot of what the Pats' got from Welker, plus more explosiveness and versatility. Couple him with a couple of bigger outside receivers, and the WR group would look much different.

60. Justin Hunter, WR, Louisiana Tech. 6'4" 200#. Currently NFL DraftScout #66.

Stud Horse! Hunter is the kind of big, physical WR that the Pats have lacked for a long time. Along with Brian Hartline, he would give the Pats' WR corps a very different look from what they have had over the past 3 years. They would still have the TEs and the move-based weapons (though with much more explosiveness), but also legitimate outside receiving threats who can move the chains and work the sidelines in Hunter and Hartline. Hunter would also be an excellent red zone threat.

This pick could also be Marcus Wheaton, Quinton Patton or Da'Rick Rogers.

*** Trade: Pats trade #91 and #218 to Cleveland for #101 and #132.

101. Menelik Watson, OT, Florida St. 6'6" 320#. Currently NFL DraftScout #95.

Sleeper Beast! Reid Fragel would also be an option. Either one has a ton of athleticism and upside, and could conceivably be a starting RT in 2014 after a year under Scar's tutelage. I've listed Watson because he is more physical and powerful, and paired with DJ Fluker would give the Pats an incredibly brutal right sided tandem for the future. He's raw as hell, but he's only been playing football for 18 months. Give him another 18 months in Dante's Dancing Academy, and he could be something.

*** Trade: Pats trade #132 and 202 to Minnesota for #149 and 166.

149. Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU. 5'9" 178#. Currently NFL DraftScout #181.

Fallen Beast! If he lasts this long, this is where I would take a flier on a scrappy player like the Honey Bader. We could use some toughness in our secondary. I'm tired of being soft. We need a few thugs in our secondary. This is an about-face for me, but right now, I want some bad asses who will take some shots and send some messages.

Mathieu is undersized and doesn't have elite man coverage skills. But he is a heat seeking missile and ball hawk par extraordinaire who can be moved all around the secondary to create disruption. He's a big risk without a true position and multiple off field issues leading to his dismissal from LSU, but right now we need someone like him. He could excel in a nickel back/slot kind of role.

166. William Campbell, DT, Michigan. 6'5" 318#. Currently NFL DraftScout #202.

Sleeper Beast! Campbell has Michael Brokers/Akiem Hicks size and athleticism, with great strength, and enough quickness and explosiveness to play point guard in basketball games. He also played offensive line for a season for Michigan.

Note that the Pats would have an extra 2014 1st round pick, in addition to their full complement of draft picks.

The 2013 Team:

QB(2): Brady, veteran/Kafka
RB(5): Ridley, Vereen, Woodhead, Bolden, Demps
FB(0-1): [Fiammetta/Larsen/Develin]
TE(4): Gronkowski, Hernandez, Ballard, Hoomanawanui
WR(6): Hartline, Lloyd, Austin, Patton, Edelman, Slater
OT(4): Solder, Vollmer, Cannon, Watson
OG/C(5): Mankins, Fluker, Connolly, Wendell, Thomas/McDonald/Zukevics

DT(5): Wilfork, [Armstead], Love, Deaderick, Pryor/Forston, Campbell
DE(6): Jones, Ninkovich, Armstead, Cunningham, Francis, Bequette
LB(5): Mayo, Hightower, Spikes, Fletcher, White/Tarpinian
S(5): McCourty, Phillips, Gregory, Wilson, Ebner
CB(5): Talib/Lewis, Dennard, Dowling, Arrington, Mathieu

ST(3): Gostkowksi, Mesko, Aiken

That's around 56 players, with some room to trim.

 

[Wilfork#75]

I like the Fluker pick as RG. I don't think he is a 1st round OT, but OG I have no problem drafting him that high. I'm not a huge Austin guy but I understand the pick. I love the Hunter pick and think he is most athletic WR since Megatron. I said in my earlier mock that his style reminds me of part Randy Moss, part AJ Green, while the way he attacks the ball down field reminds me of Torrey Smith. I'm a bit concerned about how quickly Watson is rising and at what point he loses the sleeper status. I've seen some mock him in the 2nd round and even has high as late 1st. I personally prefer Terron Armstead, but I like the pick if he is there at that stage. Overall, I certainly think its a major upgrade and puts us in a great position to compete for a super bowl next season.

 

[Marqui]

Time to revise this "blueprint" based on the playoff woes of the 2010-2012 Patriots:

Great job, I agree with pretty much everything. Hartline is a guy I didn't think about but would be more cost effective/realistic than someone like Bowe.

Also, Kevin Williams is a guy I would sign to start next to Wilfork if he's cheap. Could give the team some more pass rush up the middle. Or I might even consider drafting a DT in the first round instead of OL, depending on who's still on the board.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I'm astounded by the lack of respect Marcus Cannon gets on this site. The kid was an all-american at TCU and rated to be a 2nd round pick. Played LT in college, He's a road-grader 350lb, so he doesn't fit some schemes. Many think ours. Find out he has cancer. We steal him in the 5th. Beats it. Has had 2 years of training under Scar. He needed it. Started one game this year and he destroyed Calvin Pace. Pats had 475 yards against Jets without Gronk and Vollmer on Thanksgiving Night. On one of Ridley's td runs he made young Jets lb Demario Davis look like a bowling pin. Got to the 2nd level and croaked him. IMO the difference between drafting any RT at 29 and Cannon is marginal. A resource better used on a WR or defensive help.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm astounded by the lack of respect Marcus Cannon gets on this site. The kid was an all-american at TCU and rated to be a 2nd round pick. Played LT in college, He's a road-grader 350lb, so he doesn't fit some schemes. Many think ours. Find out he has cancer. We steal him in the 5th. Beats it. Has had 2 years of training under Scar. He needed it. Started one game this year and he destroyed Calvin Pace. Pats had 475 yards against Jets without Gronk and Vollmer on Thanksgiving Night. On one of Ridley's td runs he made young Jets lb Demario Davis look like a bowling pin. Got to the 2nd level and croaked him. IMO the difference between drafting any RT at 29 and Cannon is marginal. A resource better used on a WR or defensive help.

First, I didn't draft Fluker for RT, I specificially said it was to move him inside to guard, and that's where I listed him on my projected roster. Second, I drafted 2 WRs in the top 60 picks, so I think I addressed WR help.

As for Cannon, when have I ever given Cannon no respect? I've defended him more than once, and also suggested the possibility of moving him to guard. But I'm not yet ready to anoint him our starting RT or our starting RG based on this year's play. He could be either, and he has tons of potential. The coaching staff will have a better appraisal of him, and they may feel he can be one, or both of those options. But until I see more, I'm still looking for more physicality and depth at the OL.

A lot depends on Vollmer's situation. If he's signed to a long term extension, then we need a swing tackle, as Cannon does not qualify to play LT. If Vollmer walks or is tagged, then we need a long term successor. That could be Cannon, but we would still need long term depth. I addressed that with an OT taken at 101, who could compete for the RT spot or be a swing tackle.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like the Fluker pick as RG. I don't think he is a 1st round OT, but OG I have no problem drafting him that high. I'm not a huge Austin guy but I understand the pick. I love the Hunter pick and think he is most athletic WR since Megatron. I said in my earlier mock that his style reminds me of part Randy Moss, part AJ Green, while the way he attacks the ball down field reminds me of Torrey Smith. I'm a bit concerned about how quickly Watson is rising and at what point he loses the sleeper status. I've seen some mock him in the 2nd round and even has high as late 1st. I personally prefer Terron Armstead, but I like the pick if he is there at that stage. Overall, I certainly think its a major upgrade and puts us in a great position to compete for a super bowl next season.

Thanks. Some thoughts:

Thoughts on the Pats' priorities and needs:

- In October, it seemed like we were very close to being a Super Bowl team, and the secondary was likely to be our Achilles heel. While I still believe that fixing the secondary is critical, I believe that our playoff experience from 2007-2012 suggests that this team needs to get more physical, and go back a bit to the mold of the 2001-2004 Pats: a tough, physical team that played great situational football. I don't think it's a coincidence that every playoff loss has been to a more physical team.

- Since 2009 we've loaded up on team captains and leaders. But there's some benefit to having a bunch of thugs, too. James Harrison and Bernard Pollard have a role in today's NFL, even with the modified rules.

- On offense, it seems to me that our skill players are really lacking in 2 key areas: foot speed and size. Other than Gronk we don't have anyone really big who can overpower the other team's DBs. And we don't have a lot of guys who are breakaway threats. We're good at moving the chains, but not a ton of big plays, and when Gronk was out our red zone execution clearly suffered.

- We also seem to suffer from an inability to simply overpower teams on a consistent basis and move the pile. San Francisco did that to Atlanta, and it changed the course of the game. The Ravens won the battle of the trenches on both sides last week. I also wonder whether we should carry a true fullback. I hate the idea of carrying a "one dimensional" guy, but there is a lot of value to being able to open holes for backs and move the pile. Tony Fiammetta was a very good blocker. A good fullback also sets the tone for a tough, physical offense. Vonta Leach has done that for Baltimore. I'm still divided on this one.

Thoughts on the revised blueprint/mock:

- I went by NFL DraftScout rankings, but I expect prospects to rise and fall. It's quite possible that with the same picks it might end up making sense to take Tavon Austin at 29 and DJ Fluker at 40, for example.

- I included a Mallett trade, with Cleveland trading #6 to St. Louis first for #16 and #22 and then trading #16 straight up for Mallett, leaving us with #16 and #29. #16 later turned into #40 (Tavon Austin) and a 2014 1st, so if you want to be more "realistic" and leave the Mallett trade out you could cross those off.

- I think that DJ Fluker projects best to RG for us. A 1st round pick on an RG might be something of a stretch, but I think it would be worth it to us to get more physical on the LOS and be able to power up against the big, bruising defenses. Fluker would have some versatility at RT as well. I think that it's quite possible that Fluker could slip back to around the 40 range, so he could have been an option there. Without the Mallett trade, a possible scenario would have been a trade back for Fluker in the 2nd and then getting someone like Stedman Bailey, Ryan Swopes or Connor Vernon to be the slot WR in addition to Edelman. Barrett Jones would be a good alternative with more positinal versatility than Fluker if her were available in the same range, though I went with Fluker based on the potential for pure physical dominance.

- I was sorely tempted to mock Matt Elam at 29, as the kind of physical safety that would fit perfectly in our defense. But I think that if we could pick up Kenny Phillips as a FA we would be better off with a veteran, and that Phillips probably has better coverage range than Elam. But I'm tempted.

- Tavon Austin fits perfectly with the "move" based offense that we have now, and adds a dimension of speed and explosiveness that we don't have. He could be better than Percy Harvin. I think that big play threat aspect is important.

- I think there will be some very good WRs at 60. Marcus Wheaton, Quinton Patton, Aaron Dobson, Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers are all in that range. One of Robert Woods, Cordarelle Patterson and DeAndre Hopkins could slip a bit. I went with Hunter in this mock as perhaps the most physical of the group. At 6'4" he would provide a big red zone target, and would have the height to go up for the ball - something that Brady hasn't had since Randy Moss left in 2010. and that we've missed. Add one of those rookies and Brian Hartline, and I think the WRs would have a dimension that we've been missing.

 

[patsfaninpa]

First, I didn't draft Fluker for RT, I specificially said it was to move him inside to guard, and that's where I listed him on my projected roster. Second, I drafted 2 WRs in the top 60 picks, so I think I addressed WR help.

As for Cannon, when have I ever given Cannon no respect? I've defended him more than once, and also suggested the possibility of moving him to guard. But I'm not yet ready to anoint him our starting RT or our starting RG based on this year's play. He could be either, and he has tons of potential. The coaching staff will have a better appraisal of him, and they may feel he can be one, or both of those options. But until I see more, I'm still looking for more physicality and depth at the OL.

A lot depends on Vollmer's situation. If he's signed to a long term extension, then we need a swing tackle, as Cannon does not qualify to play LT. If Vollmer walks or is tagged, then we need a long term successor. That could be Cannon, but we would still need long term depth. I addressed that with an OT taken at 101, who could compete for the RT spot or be a swing tackle.

Until we fix our defense and get younger at wr, I think too much money and capital(draft picks) on the OL doesn't improve us enough. We've scored 500+ points in 3 straight seasons.In theory, we could be better in 4/5 slots on the ol next year. Solder will be stronger and more experienced, Mankins healthier than the last 2 years, Wendell - see Solder, Connolly has another year at g. Only downgrade is RT. Defense consistently comes up small when needed. My post isn't at you. I said this site. Meaning everyone. Vollmer will be missed against teams with edge pass rushers like Pittsburgh(of old) and maybe Houston. But, we used to chip those guys with our te and were fine with Tom Ashworth at RT. Basically, I'd rather see M. Cannon at RT and Talib at cb instead of Seabass at RT and Dowling or another rookie at cb. Both have issues. Talib's conduct and ability to stay healthy. Vollmer's back. We have an option at RT. None at cb.

If we drafted Fluker to play RG, do you really think we would become a power running team? I don't see that happening.

Rodney Harrison said we need a thumper at safety, edge pass rusher and lb who can cover in space. Also, need an elite cb if we lose Talib. You've said the same thing. I've said it. I want to fix those issues first and get some speed at wr before I worry about the OL.

 

[mayoclinic]

Until we fix our defense and get younger at wr, I think too much money and capital(draft picks) on the OL doesn't improve us enough. We've scored 500+ points in 3 straight seasons.In theory, we could be better in 4/5 slots on the ol next year. Solder will be stronger and more experienced, Mankins healthier than the last 2 years, Wendell - see Solder, Connolly has another year at g. Only downgrade is RT. Defense consistently comes up small when needed. My post isn't at you. I said this site. Meaning everyone. Vollmer will be missed against teams with edge pass rushers like Pittsburgh(of old) and maybe Houston. But, we used to chip those guys with our te and were fine with Tom Ashworth at RT. Basically, I'd rather see M. Cannon at RT and Talib at cb instead of Seabass at RT and Dowling or another rookie at cb. Both have issues. Talib's conduct and ability to stay healthy. Vollmer's back. We have an option at RT. None at cb.

If we drafted Fluker to play RG, do you really think we would become a power running team? I don't see that happening.

Rodney Harrison said we need a thumper at safety, edge pass rusher and lb who can cover in space. Also, need an elite cb if we lose Talib. You've said the same thing. I've said it. I want to fix those issues first and get some speed at wr before I worry about the OL.

Where have those needs not been addressed in my blueprint:

- Kenny Phillips at safety complements McCourty nicely, just as he did Antrel Rolle
- Armond Armstead adds a big, physical lineman who can pressure both outside and in
- Tavon Austin and Justin Hunter add speed, size and playmaking ability at WR, plus veteran Brian Hartline

As for the "LB who can cover in space", that's a bit harder to find in this draft. I badly wanted Lavonte David, and I don't see his ilk in this draft. I'm all for getting Alec Ogletree or Dion Jordan if the price is right. I'm not convinced about Arthur Brown or Khaseem Green. I wanted Anthony Barr or Kyle Van Noy, but they stayed in school.

Philosophically, however, we fundamentally disagree. I fundamentally believe in buiding in the trenches. You don't think OL is a priority, and think we were fine winning with JAGs. We're not going to agree.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Philosophically, however, we fundamentally disagree. I fundamentally believe in buiding in the trenches. You don't think OL is a priority, and think we were fine winning with JAGs. We're not going to agree.

We have first round picks at LT and LG. Cannon would have been a 2nd rounder if healthy. I'm fine with a Wendell or Connolly at C. If you want to upgrade RG, that's good. But, not worth a 1st round good. It's much easier to find very good RG's outside the 1st round than LDE's in a 4-3. I've wanted Hightower there. But, doesn't look like BB feels the same. He's a lot smarter than me. I'm beginning to think Hightower is a thumper to replace Spikes. Slide Mayo back to the Mike and play Donta at SAM. I'd be ok with a G in the 3rd or 4th. I like Winters whom you've mentioned. Quessenberry sould good there. Just want to keep Talib and then get a de,wr, olb and safety before RG

 

[mayoclinic]

We have first round picks at LT and LG. Cannon would have been a 2nd rounder if healthy. I'm fine with a Wendell or Connolly at C. If you want to upgrade RG, that's good. But, not worth a 1st round good. It's much easier to find very good RG's outside the 1st round than LDE's in a 4-3. I've wanted Hightower there. But, doesn't look like BB feels the same. He's a lot smarter than me. I'm beginning to think Hightower is a thumper to replace Spikes. Slide Mayo back to the Mike and play Donta at SAM. I'd be ok with a G in the 3rd or 4th. I like Winters whom you've mentioned. Quessenberry sould good there. Just want to keep Talib and then get a de,wr, olb and safety before RG

We just signed my 4-3 LDE: Armond Armstead.

 

[patsfaninpa]

We just signed my 4-3 LDE: Armond Armstead.

I think he's going to play tackle. Already weighs 300lb and just turned 23. Great signing. I'm praying Lombardi makes that trade for Mallett. I'd like to trade down if we have the 6th pick, but if we don't sign Talib. Have to go Milliner don't we? Then, I'm thinking trade down for Hunt and pick up an extra pick. 3rd or 4th. WR at 59. Winters in the 3rd with our pick. And, with the traded down pick an olb.

I don't think it's out of the question we let all 3 go; Welker, Vollmer and Talib. Allows you to be quite flexible in free agency; starting wr and starting safety. Nickel back at cb. I've already drafted; cb, de, wr, ol and olb.

 

[Jimke]

Where have those needs not been addressed in my blueprint:

- Kenny Phillips at safety complements McCourty nicely, just as he did Antrel Rolle
- Armond Armstead adds a big, physical lineman who can pressure both outside and in
- Tavon Austin and Justin Hunter add speed, size and playmaking ability at WR, plus veteran Brian Hartline

As for the "LB who can cover in space", that's a bit harder to find in this draft. I badly wanted Lavonte David, and I don't see his ilk in this draft. I'm all for getting Alec Ogletree or Dion Jordan if the price is right. I'm not convinced about Arthur Brown or Khaseem Green. I wanted Anthony Barr or Kyle Van Noy, but they stayed in school.

Philosophically, however, we fundamentally disagree. I fundamentally believe in buiding in the trenches. You don't think OL is a priority, and think we were fine winning with JAGs. We're not going to agree.

I wonder why they haven't tried Tarpinian as a cover linebacker. He
started off as a defensive back.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think he's going to play tackle. Already weighs 300lb and just turned 23. Great signing. I'm praying Lombardi makes that trade for Mallett. I'd like to trade down if we have the 6th pick, but if we don't sign Talib. Have to go Milliner don't we? Then, I'm thinking trade down for Hunt and pick up an extra pick. 3rd or 4th. WR at 59. Winters in the 3rd with our pick. And, with the traded down pick an olb.

I don't think it's out of the question we let all 3 go; Welker, Vollmer and Talib. Allows you to be quite flexible in free agency; starting wr and starting safety. Nickel back at cb. I've already drafted; cb, de, wr, ol and olb.

Again, we disagree. I've wanted that "power" LDE for a long time. A big 6'5" 290# guy who can set the edge with authority, clog the passing lanes, chase down runners, rush the passer, and also move inside. I think that's Armstead. Ninkovich can be the edge guy on 3rd down, or we can get an athletic sub rusher on like Cornelius Washington on day 3 of the draft. We don't need to use a 1st round pick on one anymore.

Also, IF the Pats believe that Cannon is capable of being their starting RT, then it's easy: let Vollmer walk. Draft Fluker, and put him at RG with Cannon at RT, and you have 700+ lbs. of power on the right side of your line, with good athleticism and footwork. Fluker can also be your backup RT. Then you draft someone like Menelik Watson or Reid Fragel to be your swing tackle, with Markus Zusevics as your 4th tackle/guard. And you save a heck of a lot of money.

I want no part of using the #6 pick (even assuming the pipe dream that we'd ever get it) on a CB. Milliner will probably be a fine player, but we don't need another rookie. If we don't sign Aqib Talib then we need an experienced big CB who can play press-man. Kennan Leiws would be my choice.

Here' Troy Brown on that issue:

Brown: Have to bring back Talib

Again, we disagree. I would never use the #6 pick on a DB. Only on a QB, OL or DL. Those are the only positions I value highly enough to take with a pick that high.

 

[manxman2601]

Re Fluker.

Pic from his weigh-in:

That's a good build for a guy of his weight. And he could crush a lion with those arms.

Edit: Just thinking. Whilst he might not have the feet to play ot OL for the Pats, the fact that he does play Tackle now, might mean he's got enough movement to play at OG. He could be an outstanding OG in the NFL with that size and powerful arms. Just starting to think that he could be another first round possibility. Thoughts anyone?

Time to revise this "blueprint" based on the playoff woes of the 2010-2012 Patriots:

Priorities:

1. Fix the secondary, including getting more physical at CB to play press-man coverage, with physical safety play that doesn't sacrifice coverage ability

2. Get more physical on both lines, including the ability to run the ball in short yardage situations effectively, and to generate more effective pressure with a 4 man front

3. Get bigger, more physical and also faster at WR with the capability to stretch the field and to work the field outside as well as in the middle, and also to match up with big DBs and physical teams. More explosiveness would also be useful - the Pats' offense has been very efficient, but not particularly big play

4. Address the fact that we constantly get shredded by RBs and TEs

5. Find an eventual true successor to TB

The Next 3 Months:

1. The secondary:

- Re-sign Aqib Talib if possible (under $7M/year). Continuity is good, but don't break the bank. If Talib can't be re-signed, Keenan Allen would be a good alternative

- Re-sign Kyle Arrington if cheap (under $1.5M/year). Marquice Cole could be re-signed as well, or as a cheaper alternative to Arrington, with a nickel/slot CB picked up in the draft

- Assess whether Ras-I Dowling is likely to make a full recovery in 2013, and whether he fits better as a press-man CB or as a hybrid CB/S

- Keep Devin McCourty at FS and don't move him around

- Sign UFA FA SS Kenny Phillips. He would provide the physical safety complement to McCourty that we need, while still being good in coverage and not compromising the deep threat

- Let Patrick Chung walk

2. The DL:

- Armond Armstead has already been signed. The Pats' still have Myron Pryor's rights for 2013, and Marcus Forston has been promoted from the PS. Those 3 alone will be a significant infusion of talent on the DL.

3. The OL:

- Re-sign Sebastian Vollmer if it can be done for reasonable cost (under $6M/year), and hopefully Donald Thomas. If the Pats' can't sign Vollmer to a reasonable deal, they might consider using the franchise or transition tag on him. The franchise tag is estimated at $9.66M, the transition tag at $8.56M. Not my preferred route, but it might allow the Pats to keep Vollmer for another year while developing other options.

4. The WRs and RBs:

- Let Wes Welker walk and sign UFA FA Brian Hartline. It hurts, but the difference in money might free up enough to pick up someone like Kenny Phillips.

- Re-sign Julian Edelman and Danny Woodhead.

5. Miscellaneous:

- Possible extensions for Brady and Wilfork that might free up some cap space

- Sign RFAs Dane Fletcher, Jake Ballard and Michael Hoomanwanui. Tracy White is a possibility, but is a lesser priority.

- Possibly sign a veteran QB like Matt Cassel or Brian Hoyer, if the price is right


The Draft:

*** Trade: Cleveland trades #6 to St. Louis for #16 and 22. Rams trade up for Eric Fisher. Not a trade directly involving the Pats, but ...

*** Trade: Cleveland trades #16 to New England for QB Ryan Mallett. A last minute draft day trade, with the Browns deciding they don't like the available QB options. They still have a 1st round pick at #22.

*** Trade: New England trades #16 to Tennessee for #40 and their 2014 1st round pick. Bud Adams is impatient, and wants to get better now.

29. DJ Fluker, OL, Alabama. 6'5" 350. Currently NFL DraftScout #28.

Beast! Fluker plays RT for Alabama, but would probably move inside to RG, with Dan Connolly moving to center. An OL of Solder-Mankins-Connolly-Fluker-Vollmer would be incredibly powerful. Fluker has the power of Chance Warmack, but he is nimble footed enough to get out in space. He also has incredibly long arms, and the versatility to move to RT in a pinch.

.....................

Oy! See my post above

I was actually thinking that Fluker at OG would be a cheaper version of Chance Warmack. I started watching him back, especially in the running game and he looks potentially dominant. Alabama also use the zone blocking scheme so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. I'd still prefer Cooper there, but Fluker is a very good replacement.

I like the Austin pick, but I'm not very keen on the Justin Hunter one. Yes there's upside, but a WR that lacks concentration is a pretty big red flag.

As you know I'm an Armstead fan so I'd take him over Watson and I like the Campbell pick.

You never commented on my last mock. Would appreciate your thoughts sometime.

 

[mayoclinic]

Oy! See my post above

I was actually thinking that Fluker at OG would be a cheaper version of Chance Warmack. I started watching him back, especially in the running game and he looks potentially dominant. Alabama also use the zone blocking scheme so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. I'd still prefer Cooper there, but Fluker is a very good replacement.

I had been thinking about Fluker to guard for a bit, and when his Senior Bowl measurements came out plus your post, I decided to go for it. Cheaper than Warmack with more positional versatility. Cooper is more athletic, but Fluker is more powerful, and I'm assuming Cooper will be gone, or that BB would view Fluker as more cost-effective.

I like the Austin pick, but I'm not very keen on the Justin Hunter one. Yes there's upside, but a WR that lacks concentration is a pretty big red flag.

I see a group of WRs clustering around 60, so it's a matter of who is available plus who the Pats prefer. I originally had Quinton Patton, then decided to shake it up a bit with Hunter. He's a big target which we haven't had in a while, wich would help in the red zone and giving Brady someone big to throw outside to. The drops are an issue to be addressed. Hunter, Rogers, Patton and Wheaton are all strong possibilities in the 60 range. There will be a lot of prospect movement between now and April, so it was more of a placeholder than anything else. The idea was to add a speedy move receiver in Tavon Austin plus two legitimate outside receivers in Hartline and a rookie that would add another dimension (or even two) to the offense: more explosiveness, more verticality, more outside threat, and more physicality.

As you know I'm an Armstead fan so I'd take him over Watson and I like the Campbell pick.

You never commented on my last mock. Would appreciate your thoughts sometime.

I'll try to make a note of commenting. My bad. All of your mocks are damn good, it's just a matter of nit picking and personal preference.

 

[manxman2601]

I had been thinking about Fluker to guard for a bit, and when his Senior Bowl measurements came out plus your post, I decided to go for it. Cheaper than Warmack with more positional versatility. Cooper is more athletic, but Fluker is more powerful, and I'm assuming Cooper will be gone, or that BB would view Fluker as more cost-effective.



I see a group of WRs clustering around 60, so it's a matter of who is available plus who the Pats prefer. I originally had Quinton Patton, then decided to shake it up a bit with Hunter. He's a big target which we haven't had in a while, wich would help in the red zone and giving Brady someone big to throw outside to. The drops are an issue to be addressed. Hunter, Rogers, Patton and Wheaton are all strong possibilities in the 60 range. There will be a lot of prospect movement between now and April, so it was more of a placeholder than anything else. The idea was to add a speedy move receiver in Tavon Austin plus two legitimate outside receivers in Hartline and a rookie that would add another dimension (or even two) to the offense: more explosiveness, more verticality, more outside threat, and more physicality.



I'll try to make a note of commenting. My bad. All of your mocks are damn good, it's just a matter of nit picking and personal preference.

You don't have to comment, it's just nice to get some feedback is all.

In the Mallett thread, I suggested using the #6 on Fisher, not re-signing Vollmer and switching Solder to the right side. Where would you stand on that out of interest?