Patriots Gamble on Reed or Sheard Being There at 56

[State]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

 

[borisman]

So the thought of trading up never entered their mind?

 

[Water Boy]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

I think the Pats have a pretty realistic sense of where players will come off the board. I doubt they were surprised to see Sheard and Reed go before 56.

It shocks me that the Pats did not trade back a few slots from 33.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

Yup they screwed up and they screwed up so badly they just gave up at the end last night and traded their remaining picks.

The Patriots got too cute with the trade downs. If they had taken Wilkerson or Heyward and then Ras-I ...it would have been a solid draft. Instead the Saints made them an ridiculous offer and BB seemingly can never refuse a juicy trade-down offer; I am sure he figured that Wilkerson or Heyward would be available at 33 just like McCourty lasted through two trade-downs.

Jimmy Johnson warned about being too cute with the trade downs; if your guy is there then you have to take him.

 

[bucky]

I think the Pats have a pretty realistic sense of where players will come off the board. I doubt they were surprised to see Sheard and Reed go before 56.

It shocks me that the Pats did not trade back a few slots from 33.

Trading back from 33 to 36 would get you a 5th rounder. Why would BB want another 5th rounder in a draft he doesn't like?

My feeling is that BB had a substantially higher grade on Dowling than either Sheard or Brooks. Otherwise, the need would have trumped the grade.

What's also interesting to note is the little speech BB gave at the end of day 1 about drafting BPA and giving examples of drafting Carl Banks and Joe Morris. It's almost like he was saying - "get ready to see us draft another CB".

 

[dryheat44]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

Just Mike's speculation. He really doesn't have any information that we don't. In his view, like many others on this board, the Patriots' lack of pass rush was going to cause Belichick to draft guys with third-round grades in the #28-#33 range.

 

[sbpatfan]

We don't know if the Patriots gambled on that or not, my guess is no. Mike says:

It is my view that the Patriots were banking on either Sheard or Reed sliding through to 56.

Big difference between Mike Reiss' view and the actual team view.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

I think the Pats have a pretty realistic sense of where players will come off the board. I doubt they were surprised to see Sheard and Reed go before 56.

It shocks me that the Pats did not trade back a few slots from 33.

They tried, and the trade fell through.

 

[skinnydog]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

If this was what they were thinking the draft was an epic fail.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

I think this is Reiss's attempt at rationalization. Reiss needs to man up and admit, that when it comes to this particular position, BB is not going to:

A.) Draft a projections selection and
B.) Trust his coaching staff to properly develop a projection selection.

 

[VJCPatriot]

According to Reiss, the Pats took Ras-I--sounds like a Jedi knight--at 33 with hopes that Brooks Reeds or Pittsburgh's Jabaal Sheard falling to 56.

Quick-hit thoughts from Day 2 - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Seems like a silly gamble that was bound not to work if what Reiss says is true.

Any thoughts?

"But the Patriots instead selected cornerback Ras-I Dowling, a solid player and solid "character" guy who could form a dynamic long-term pairing with Devin McCourty if he stays healthy. It is my view that the Patriots were banking on either Sheard or Reed sliding through to 56."

That's just his opinion. It's based on his Presumption that the Pats were targeting those two players. The Pats passed on them at #33 and took Dowling instead. The Pats also made the Vereen pick with no hesitation. So it's quite possible the Pats weren't looking to target ANY linebacker in the picks between 33-56 range. They had ammunition to move up (In the form of extra 3rds and a 4th before the Raider trade) if they had really felt like it, which they obviously didn't.

 

[DW Toys]

Yup they screwed up and they screwed up so badly they just gave up at the end last night and traded their remaining picks.

The Patriots got too cute with the trade downs. If they had taken Wilkerson or Heyward and then Ras-I ...it would have been a solid draft. Instead the Saints made them an ridiculous offer and BB seemingly can never refuse a juicy trade-down offer; I am sure he figured that Wilkerson or Heyward would be available at 33 just like McCourty lasted through two trade-downs.

Jimmy Johnson warned about being too cute with the trade downs; if your guy is there then you have to take him.

Great post.
DW Toys

 

[BeauSox]

The math here is simple logic!

The pats could have gone and traded down with Cincy to 35 and picked up an extra pick, or another team even lower. The thought was that the Bills were going to select a QB at 34 and the team trading up would get first choice at the remaining ones.

But Buffalo diddnt pick a QB...BB must have figured that out when talking to them about the 33 pick.(when Buffalo wasnt interested in securing that 33 pick for a QB). Buffalo was going to take a DB and Bill valued Rowling better than any other DB, and took HIS GUY!

Does this make sense? If we dont choose Rowling at 33, Buffalo likely does, and we get an extra 6th round pick in a draft BB doesnt like, along with losing out on a player he wants, that now plays against us in our division!

 

[randomk1]

I think this is Reiss's attempt at rationalization. Reiss needs to man up and admit, that when it comes to this particular position, BB is not going to:

A.) Draft a projections selection and
B.) Trust his coaching staff to properly develop a projection selection.

I hate the idea of us looking for this perfect "Patriots OLB". Is Cunningham the prototype? They have to be 6'3 260+ pounds,rush the passer,cover the pass,stop the run? At this point i'd be fine if we get a guy that can be just let loose and go after the QB and cause some havoc in the backfield.

Dumervil,Harrison neither have prototypical size for OLB yet they are among the best 3-4 OLB's in the league.

 

[Synovia]

Jimmy Johnson warned about being too cute with the trade downs; if your guy is there then you have to take him.

How do you know they didn't do exactly that (with Ras-I)?

 

[Sciz]

Reiss is nothing short of delusional when it comes to the pass rush. He has no concept of the type of pass rusher than fits the Patriots' scheme. Love him as a reporter, but at least half of the posters here are more football smart than he is.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I think this is Reiss's attempt at rationalization. Reiss needs to man up and admit, that when it comes to this particular position, BB is not going to:

A.) Draft a projections selection and
B.) Trust his coaching staff to properly develop a projection selection.

With no genuine need at D-line and your correct assessment of BB's unwillingness in most cases to spend two or three years grooming an OLB candidate, he addressed the older Offense, and initiated a comprehensive rebuild.

BB has batted 5 for 7 in acquiring OLBs via veteran FA, who can help immediately. He succeeded with Pfifer, Vrabel and Colvin. He had partial success with AD Thomas and TBC and Ninkovitch is an INComplete. BB failed with Carpenter and Burrow, who were both about done when he got them.

 

[TealSox]

With no genuine need at D-line and your correct assessment of BB's unwillingness in most cases to spend two or three years grooming an OLB candidate, he addressed the older Offense, and initiated a comprehensive rebuild.

Agreed.

Personally, I like the vote of confidence by Belichick for his defensive line and have high hopes for the younger guys like Darryl Richard, Brandon Deadericks and Myron Pryor. With Ron Brace, I'm losing faith but I remain hopeful.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

How do you know they didn't do exactly that (with Ras-I)?

I don't of course. Just an educated guess. I think that they figured that either Heyward or Wilkerson would fall to 33. They should have taken one of them at 28 but they gambled and ended up at 33 with no pass rusher worthy of the pick. They even hesitated on Ras-I but I suspect that they did not want to be burned again.

Hopefully they have learned their lesson and draft their guy if he is there although it is too late this year.

Can you imagine if they drafted Heyward/Wilkerson at 28 like they should have and got Ras-I at 33? That would have made this a great draft. Instead it became the most disappointing draft day I have seen long while....

 

[Synovia]

Can you imagine if they drafted Heyward/Wilkerson at 28 like they should have and got Ras-I at 33? That would have made this a great draft. Instead it became the most disappointing draft day I have seen long while....

Assuming that Heyward or Wilkinson turns out fine. There's a good chance that Dowling is a better player than either, and its almost a certainty that the Saints pick next year WILL BE.