Fencer
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 14,293
- Reaction score
- 3,986
1. DB. 4 of the Patriots top 8 DBs will be FAs after 2007, assuming Asante is locked up long-term. Otherwise it's 5. 1-2 of the others (Harrison, maybe Sanders) are short-termers. There's plenty of opportunity to upgrade.
2. LB. The only youth-and-speed at LB is Thomas and the developmental players, and all the latter could be upgraded. Colvin's toughness is a little disappointing, and he could be gone in a couple of years. The only proven LBs who will obviously be here for more than two years are Thomas and Vrabel, and there has to be a little doubt even about Vrabel.
3. DL. It's not known whether Warren will be resigned. Green and Wright may need to be replaced soon too, as they eventually leave for starting jobs. There's a definite upgrade opportunity at backup NT, as Wilfork can't go the whole game. And if there ever really were an excess at NT, Wilfork could probably take a few reps outside anyway.
4. OT. Light's the only completely proven one, and all the top guys are a bit fragile.
I don't know how to rank RB, P, etc. after that.
This analysis is meant to be independent of considerations like "Well, chances are we won't get the needs for NT or OT met in this weak draft at those positions unless we happen to get lucky," whether or not that's actually an accurate assessment of the draft pool.
2. LB. The only youth-and-speed at LB is Thomas and the developmental players, and all the latter could be upgraded. Colvin's toughness is a little disappointing, and he could be gone in a couple of years. The only proven LBs who will obviously be here for more than two years are Thomas and Vrabel, and there has to be a little doubt even about Vrabel.
3. DL. It's not known whether Warren will be resigned. Green and Wright may need to be replaced soon too, as they eventually leave for starting jobs. There's a definite upgrade opportunity at backup NT, as Wilfork can't go the whole game. And if there ever really were an excess at NT, Wilfork could probably take a few reps outside anyway.
4. OT. Light's the only completely proven one, and all the top guys are a bit fragile.
I don't know how to rank RB, P, etc. after that.
This analysis is meant to be independent of considerations like "Well, chances are we won't get the needs for NT or OT met in this weak draft at those positions unless we happen to get lucky," whether or not that's actually an accurate assessment of the draft pool.