Needs PreDraft

[Ring 6]

I don't remember a year when the patriots went into the draft so tale yes and deep.
Here are the needs I see by position.

QB set

RB set. Really no room to add a player because gillislee Lewis white and burkhead are going no where.

WR set. We could add amendola competition and honestly any young player who has a great camp would have a chance to take the WR5 spot.

TE set at 1 and 2 and probably 3 with Williams but probably a late round pick and/or UDFA added for competition

OL. Starting unit is set. Depth is big weakness. Fleming and waddle are ok depth at OT but surely could be upgraded. With solder in last year of contract its very possible we draft the future LT this year.
At IOL behind the starters the cupboard is bare. Karras might be Jordan decry 2.0 and we have no one else. Need to add at least 2 IOL preferably one being a solid veteran.

DE. Deep but uninspiring after flowers. Nink is on his last legs and ealy is intersting but we really need one more guy here ideally one that is one the smaller pash rusher end of the patriot de spectrum.

DT Pretty solid here but a good spot to add some late round or udfa guys since they often turn into decent role players at the spot.

LB. Everyone back from last year plus freeny. It worked but feels like an addition might make sense. Considering we are a nickel base team and use 3 LB together almost never depth seems fine.

CB deep and loaded.

S everyone back. Could add a youngster who can play sts and has some upside.

STs. Set

The rest of draft and FA seems to be about IOL depth finishing the DE rotation then adding whatever talent is there and adding competition for the bottom of the roster.

 

[Kontradiction]

Interior OL depth, DE, DT, LB. LB and OL depth seems to be getting addressed even before the draft with the visits they've had today.

 

[BadMoFo]

Biggest need is finding a bigger trophy case.

Oh, the draft ... I don't know, defensive line?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

My roster thoughts over the last few weeks, along with brief player breakdowns for draft prospects:

Roster Review / Big Board (incomplete)

 

[Uptown]

Not really a need at the moment, but if he's CLEARED this could be set up perfectly for us.

Report: Ohio State CB Gareon Conley May End Up Dropping To Third Round - NFLTradeRumors.co

Gareon Conley To Fall To Round 3?

 

[maineman209]

I don't remember a year when the patriots went into the draft so tale yes and deep.
Here are the needs I see by position.

QB set

RB set. Really no room to add a player because gillislee Lewis white and burkhead are going no where.

WR set. We could add amendola competition and honestly any young player who has a great camp would have a chance to take the WR5 spot.

TE set at 1 and 2 and probably 3 with Williams but probably a late round pick and/or UDFA added for competition

OL. Starting unit is set. Depth is big weakness. Fleming and waddle are ok depth at OT but surely could be upgraded. With solder in last year of contract its very possible we draft the future LT this year.
At IOL behind the starters the cupboard is bare. Karras might be Jordan decry 2.0 and we have no one else. Need to add at least 2 IOL preferably one being a solid veteran.

DE. Deep but uninspiring after flowers. Nink is on his last legs and ealy is intersting but we really need one more guy here ideally one that is one the smaller pash rusher end of the patriot de spectrum.

DT Pretty solid here but a good spot to add some late round or udfa guys since they often turn into decent role players at the spot.

LB. Everyone back from last year plus freeny. It worked but feels like an addition might make sense. Considering we are a nickel base team and use 3 LB together almost never depth seems fine.

CB deep and loaded.

S everyone back. Could add a youngster who can play sts and has some upside.

STs. Set

The rest of draft and FA seems to be about IOL depth finishing the DE rotation then adding whatever talent is there and adding competition for the bottom of the roster.

OL ...
... In addition to Solder, Fleming and Waddle are both UFA at the end of the season. Finding an OT in this draft who could start in 2018 or at least be a backup upgrade would seem prudent.
... IOL is where Scar has really excels in turning sow's ears into silk purses. Besides Karras, they still have two other young prospects on the roster from last season, and others can be easily acquired on Day-4.

LB ...
... Given how often the Pats have only 2 LB on the field, they better both be very good, especially with how much they get into 2-LB sets by having HT drop down to the LoS. With Van Noy being UFA at the end of the season, with McClellin and Freeny being just adequate and Roberts being (thus far) only a two-down run-stopper type, acquiring a prospect who could have rookie impact and become an every down starter in 2018 would seem to be a good idea.

CB ...
... Butler is UFA in 2018, as is Coleman (a decent backup, but not long-term starter quality).
... Jon Jones seems to be exclusively a core special-teamer at this point (only 64 defensive snaps in 2016), and Cy Jones is still an unknown.
... Acquiring a CB from this draft who could become a starter in 2018 (especially at LCB) would also seem prudent.

Special Teams ...
... Mingo was 2nd in ST snaps last season and 4th in ST tackles and he's gone now.
... Five of the remaining top six ST coverage specialists are UFA in 2018, and Slater is already 31.
... There are at least 3-4 backups at various positions who don't contribute much on ST. Upgrading those backup slots with prospects who ARE better special-teamers would also seem prudent.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Not really a need at the moment, but if he's CLEARED this could be set up perfectly for us.

Report: Ohio State CB Gareon Conley May End Up Dropping To Third Round - NFLTradeRumors.co

Gareon Conley To Fall To Round 3?

More and more information is coming out that makes it seem like he is not guilty, but I still could never take that risk. It's too serious of a crime. And I say that as someone who wrote several pages worth of notes this season profiling why I thought Conley was potentially the best cover corner in the draft.

 

[Username]

It's pretty much all depth, with an eye to future starting reps down the line. But in descending order I think our needs are:

OT
LB
C
DE
G
DT
SS
TE
CB
RB
QB
K
WR
FS
P
LS

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

OL depth is the critical need. Spend your better picks there.
Pass rush OLB/DE tweener. Someone like Bruschi who doesn't fit the conservative GM mold, but can play a role here.
I'd look for a punt returner and ST talent. Try to upgrade ST members who are at their ceiling with no positional upside.
LB, I'd like to see someone young, better than Freeney.

 

[patchick]

Every year BB & co. try to enter the draft with a hole-free roster, but this year with the unusual infusion of young vets is pretty extraordinary. That said, even the deepest roster has needs, given that the draft is really about building for 2018 and beyond. My priority list:

1. As everybody seems to agree, OL depth looks like the one true need. Not only is depth suspect for this year, but so is the starting lineup for 2018. Like many teams, the Pats lack bona fide backups at LT and C. Unfortunately, those are two of the weaker positions in a generally deep draft -- and looking ahead to that, teams overpaid for average free agents. There are some uncommonly athletic small-school prospects if we have the patience to let Dante work his magic.

2. DE. Plenty of NFL bodies, but enough quality for a starting rotation? Lots of room for 2018, too.

3. LB. Pretty much ditto of #2. Hightower is a stud but injury-prone, Van Noy has a chance to establish himself with a full offseason and training camp, but there's plenty of room for competition. A coverage specialist/Chung insurance would be especially welcome.

4. TE. A "need"? Nah, but a heck of an opportunity. This year looks like 2010 redux for tight ends, and the Pats should have a chance to pick up a real talent at a high-impact position in the middle rounds. I wouldn't pass on that.

5. CB. My stance is that every team needs CBs every year. In today's NFL you need a ton of good cover guys, and it's an injury-prone position. A starting job also projects to be open for 2018 -- and this year's CB class is stacked.

 

[Tony2046]

Not really a need at the moment, but if he's CLEARED this could be set up perfectly for us.

Report: Ohio State CB Gareon Conley May End Up Dropping To Third Round - NFLTradeRumors.co

Gareon Conley To Fall To Round 3?

Gareon Conley is a tough one. Rape allegations. A video that contradicts the accuser's story. These things are always messy.

Alleged Surveillance Video Appears to Contradict Gareon Conley's Accuser's Story

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Biggest need is finding a bigger trophy case.

 

[mgteich]

I revised my post to include King.

OL ...
...Upgrading those backup slots with prospects who ARE better special-teamers would also seem prudent.

Folks use this backwards logic every year. Belichick has 5-7 positions for special teams players who are at best emergency players at a position. Last year we had
SLATER
BOLDEN
GRISSOM
EBNER
KING
J JONES

Some would add RICHARDS as an inactive backup special teamer.

Special teamer FREENY was out injured. (The #4 and #5 LB's need to be top special teamers).

 

[Tony2046]

"Roger that" hahaha I love that.

 

[BobDigital]

Top 2 needs are clearly DE and LB.

Who do they have have next to Hightower that you believe in? The correct answer is no one. They really should try to address that with one of their first 2 picks and ideally their first pick if the right guy drops. It is a huge need IMO.

DE is okay for starters with Flowers and Ealy but you need depth and Nink and whoever else doesn't cut it. You need at least 1 more player and maybe 2 here.

Those are the 2 must fill needs and should both be addressed before the end of the 4th round.

After that I would say OL depth is the next most pressing. The extra spot is questionable. Also maybe you want to take a swing at improving the Center position but who knows. You could also go OT here but i think the IOL is the more important depth issue.

Besides that I'd just just take best player available.

 

[maineman209]

I revised my post to include King.



Folks use this backwards logic every year. Belichick has 5-7 positions for special teams players who are at best emergency players at a position. Last year we had
SLATER
BOLDEN
GRISSOM
EBNER
KING
J JONES

Some would add RICHARDS as an inactive backup special teamer.

Special teamer FREENY was out injured. (The #4 and #5 LB's need to be top special teamers).

The top special teamers in terms of snaps played per game active were (in descending order) ...

Grissom (2017) - 23 snaps/GA, 11 games active
Ebner (2017) - 22 snaps, 16 games
Mingo (gone) - 20, 16 games
Jon Jones (2018) - 19, 16 games
Bolden (2017) - 19, 14 games
King (2017) - 19, 16 games
Slater (2017, and age 31) - 17, 13 games
McClellin (2018) - 16, 14 games
Richards (2018) - 14, 11 games
Harbor (gone) - 13, 3 games
Chung (2018) - 13, 16 games
Freeny (2018) - 10, 5 games

The fact remains that the contracts are up at the end of the season for five top special teamers. I'm not saying that it's something to panic about, just that it's something to pay attention to - especially in terms of how the Pats manage the situation with regard to roster-end backups and their potential replacements (upgrades) from this draft.

Not sure how that's "backwards" in some way.

 

[maineman209]

Top 2 needs are clearly DE and LB.

Who do they have have next to Hightower that you believe in? The correct answer is no one. They really should try to address that with one of their first 2 picks and ideally their first pick if the right guy drops. It is a huge need IMO.

DE is okay for starters with Flowers and Ealy but you need depth and Nink and whoever else doesn't cut it. You need at least 1 more player and maybe 2 here.

Those are the 2 must fill needs and should both be addressed before the end of the 4th round.

After that I would say OL depth is the next most pressing. The extra spot is questionable. Also maybe you want to take a swing at improving the Center position but who knows. You could also go OT here but i think the IOL is the more important depth issue.

Besides that I'd just just take best player available.

IIRC, they used HT at DE a fair amount in 2016. If they plan on continuing to do that, it probably makes LB upgrades even more important.

 

[Tony2046]

Top 2 needs are clearly DE and LB.

Who do they have have next to Hightower that you believe in? The correct answer is no one. They really should try to address that with one of their first 2 picks and ideally their first pick if the right guy drops. It is a huge need IMO.

DE is okay for starters with Flowers and Ealy but you need depth and Nink and whoever else doesn't cut it. You need at least 1 more player and maybe 2 here.

Those are the 2 must fill needs and should both be addressed before the end of the 4th round.

After that I would say OL depth is the next most pressing. The extra spot is questionable. Also maybe you want to take a swing at improving the Center position but who knows. You could also go OT here but i think the IOL is the more important depth issue.

Besides that I'd just just take best player available.

I agree partly although I would put OL depth ahead of DE. I think if Butler stays the secondary will be at an elite level which by default helps our current DE crew. I'm basing that off of a coverage sack vs pressure sack mentality.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I'm looking forward to the UDFAs as there's usually a gem in there somewhere.

 

[Dagg]

I think a Center (run blocking need improvement) would be my top need and depth or development at Tackle. From there TE, LB/DE and always have to take one corner. I love the RB crop this year I hope we grab someone but as others mentioned where would they fit in...