Patriots Plan is become clearer each day

[marcus]

The more you see what they are doing and more importantly NOT doing...the clearer it becomes.
The patriots are making many spots available for younger players acquired through the draft in 4 weeks or the up and coming unrecognized free agent talent that they will sign between now and June.
There still are enough top quality character veterans on both sides of the ball to help transition in the new talent.
This will help the Patriots VERY quickly go from one of the oldest teams in the league to one of the youngest.
This will allow the Patriots over the next year to make a big transition in terms of youth and speed, while still remaining competitive.
The huge payoff will be in 2007-2009, when all of this infusion of youth and speed becomes seasoned and they will be able to make another extended run.

They will still focus on doing everything they can to keep the few true core players (Brady, Seymour, Branch, Watson, Wilfork). But other than those few guys they are prepared to let any other player walk if the price is not right.


The big difference for the Patriots' darft in 4 weeks relative to many other teams (whoa re locked in at many postions with high priced free agents) is that it is likely that 4-5 of teh Pats draftees will have major chances at starting or becominfg key backups right away.


Yes, the past month has been hard to sit by and watch all tehse big names go off teh board. But Belicheck and Piolo know better than John clayton, Michael Felger or Borges...what system they want to
play and what type of player will fit in and can play it.


Lastly, because Mangini, Crennell and others are now on other teams within the AFC...The Patriots have to make major changes in personnel and philosophy to stay a step ahead of the other teams with ex patriots players.

The best way to do that is big time changes on offense and Defense both with Philosophy and personnel. Scouts will not have a great read on capabilities of palyers taken through teh darft or these lower tier free agents.


I think Pioli and BB's plan is brillliant and NECESSARY. They ahve to chnage into a comletely new team. THe old ways will likely not work as well as teams are very prepared for the old ways.

2006 will be a good year...But look for 2007-2009 to be MORE GREAT YEARS.
BB and Pioli are brilliant and are light years ahead of the rest of teh predictable GM's and coaches in the league.

NE PATS fans are so lucky to have BB and Pioli!

 

[JDSal45]

This is a good post. My take on what the Pats are doing is taking into consideration this is somewhat of a unique offseason and the ground rules have changed.

With the new CBA, the cap is way up and will be even further up next year. What the Pats aren't doing is repeating the mistakes other teams are repeating when the cap first came into existence, i.e. rushing up to the new high level as quickly as possible, all in one year, with long term deals.

There will be other offseasons. There are the Pats own players to sign. The Pats are maintaining flexibility not just for this year, but for future years. I don't think every team can say that. They have a competitive team now, but want to in the future too. By avoiding long-term deals with the current crop of free agents, which to be honest really wasn't that impressive, they'll have less dead money in the future and more room to add true difference makers, as well as keep their own core. Meanwhile, some of the guys who were "big signings" this year will be unproductive, cut in 2 years and leave teams cashed strapped like the old days. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Its just at a new cap level now and teams have room to screw up again. Its history repeating.

We'll be thankful in a few years the Pats were smart and thought it all out while other teams are against the cap and cutting guys. We can compete this year and we will sign more guys. But it will be to smart deals. And we'll be well-positioned next year to re-sign our many free agents and add some guys as well.

J D Sal

 

[BradyisGod]

Lastly, because Mangini, Crennell and others are now on other teams within the AFC...The Patriots have to make major changes in personnel and philosophy to stay a step ahead of the other teams with ex patriots players.

The best way to do that is big time changes on offense and Defense both with Philosophy and personnel. Scouts will not have a great read on capabilities of palyers taken through teh darft or these lower tier free agents.


I think Pioli and BB's plan is brillliant and NECESSARY. They ahve to chnage into a comletely new team. THe old ways will likely not work as well as teams are very prepared for the old ways.

This is a great point that NO ONE is talking about. With the Belichick coaching tree branching out, you have to change, or everyone knows your secrets...

 

[pats1]

Right on. And the players that will comprise this year's team when camp breaks will be set to overachieve, à la 2001.

This is a great point that NO ONE is talking about. With the Belichick coaching tree branching out, you have to change, or everyone knows your secrets...

Which is completely evident even outside of his tree. Marvin Lewis' "just do your job" philosophy can be heard 10,000 times in 3 GTG. Or, take as an example the influx of teams using the 3-4 now.

 

[Feep_FLA]

I liked the post and the follow-up as well. I think there is much food for thought here. I get the distinct feeling Scott and Bill know EXACTLY what they are doing this off-season. I agree that they are, in fact, positioning the team to get "younger" very quickly. By 2007 TC will be as much younger team. Talent and youth is a longterm winning combination....... :rocker:

 

[Krugman]

Amen

I like your reasoning,its right on,IMO.

 

[RayClay]

I liked the post and the follow-up as well. I think there is much food for thought here. I get the distinct feeling Scott and Bill know EXACTLY what they are doing this off-season. I agree that they are, in fact, positioning the team to get "younger" very quickly. By 2007 TC will be as much younger team. Talent and youth is a longterm winning combination....... :rocker:

Also, the Pats are quietly signing a core of useful, affordable players.

Hawkins, Gus Scott, 5 of their OLine signed long term.

A good special teams guy and backup DB in Mel Mitchell.

Brown and Caldwell.

I know these aren't exciting signings, but they allow us to play ball if our dream free agent/draft pick doesn't come through.

That's how we get so "lucky" with late cuts etc.

We find players like Phifer for cheap that are better than the LBs signed for big money in the early phase.

It's not just about depth, it's about having players that can do the job available, allowing us to be patient and get great value.

By contrast, some teams that signed big names will scramble to fill holes at the last minute.

They will overpay and under analyze leaving big gaps especially when injuries strike.

 

[PWRxWLF]

I liked the post and the follow-up as well. I think there is much food for thought here. I get the distinct feeling Scott and Bill know EXACTLY what they are doing this off-season. I agree that they are, in fact, positioning the team to get "younger" very quickly. By 2007 TC will be as much younger team. Talent and youth is a longterm winning combination....... :rocker:

I hope BB and PIOLI always know what they r doing.....

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I absolutely agree. Hopefully, this draft will make the team younger and contribute to many good years down the road. BB cannot afford to "stand pat" and let the team all go old at the same time and crash. We have to constantly get younger and find the replacements to Drew Bledsoe, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Damien Woody, David Patten, David Givens, Ted Washington, Keith Traylor, Bobby Hamilton, Phifer, Ted Johnson, McGinest, Tebucky Jones, Otis Smith, Terrell Buckley and of course, Adam, while in the meantime, locking up the key cornerstone players, like Brady and Seymour, and maybe Branch and Watson and Bruschi.

 

[Newtonian]

While the players may change significantly (but coaching strategy less so IMHO), I think the one major constant is an unwavering commitment to quality depth across-the-board as the best way to stay consistently competitive through the rigors of an entire season (and post-season). Their use of this depth to compensate for injuries over the long haul has been remarkable. They have been gradually becoming younger for the last couple of seasons, starting with the defensive line, then to the secondary which will continue but with the next emphasis being at LB.

 

[Feep_FLA]

While the players may change significantly (but coaching strategy less so IMHO), I think the one major constant is an unwavering commitment to quality depth across-the-board as the best way to stay consistently competitive through the rigors of an entire season (and post-season). Their use of this depth to compensate for injuries over the long haul has been remarkable. They have been gradually becoming younger for the last couple of seasons, starting with the defensive line, then to the secondary which will continue but with the next emphasis being at LB.

I believe this is precisely what will happen. I expect 2 LB's drafted this year, maybe 3. Thing is with me, if Bobby Carpenter, Deangelo Williams AND Mannie lawson are all available at 21 how do you decide?!? I'd love to have Bobby C. but Williams looks like stealing at 21 and everyones drooling over Lawson.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Freep, I know what you mean. How do you decide!!??? They are all good picks.

 

[CrazyDave]

Good post. It's important to look at the long haul. I see teams spend big on big names to "win now", but they seldom do. The goal should be to be at or near the top of the heap FOREVER.
I can't wait for draft day.

 

[fluoropolymer]

FINALLY - a discussion thread that's got it right!!

Congratulations. This is so much better than the doomsayers and short timers. Robert Kraft has always espoused strategic thinking, and the Patriots are going to take the steps necessary for both short and long term success. I, for one, will sit back and enjoy watching and learning how true football professionals operate.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I'd say Lawson, because we're fresh out of legal-profession themed defensive players. And I will also continue to bang the drum about Brad Kassel, available from the Titans, unless and until I hear he's too expensive.

But great post - there's been a couple of them today! A very nice way to say "rebuilding" without saying it. But perpetual rebuilding is what it's all about, unless you plan a 49ers-style firesale and the years in cap jail.

I only take exception to the idea of this being so much a plan as a process, as one other poster put it on another thread here. I think this is just the logical outcome of the value approach.

And, with that in mind, I would not be quite so fast to say this offseason will be without "oomph". It depends what opportunities present within the Pats' range, and some of those tend to come along as the second or third tiers of free agents (and trades) get picked up after the panic buys are gone.

PFnV

 

[CrazyDave]

But great post - there's been a couple of them today! A very nice way to say "rebuilding" without saying it. But perpetual rebuilding is what it's all about, unless you plan a 49ers-style firesale and the years in cap jail.

.

PFnV

Exactly. Rebuilding is an odd word. Replenishing is more like it.
Perpetual Replenishing - The Difference between being on top, and STAYING on top.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I like the sentiment of the post, but here's something to consider.

The Patriots wanted to upgrade at WR LAST YEAR, trying to work a deal for the best FA WR available. I don't think that's become less of a priority to get veteran WR help now with Givens gone, and drafting WRs involves a lot of luck.

Credible reports suggest that the Patriots wanted to offer AV something in the area of a $3 mil bonus as well but never got the chance when the Colts swooped in. This doesn't sound like a situation where they'd planned on letting AV walk right from the start.

Maybe the theory of this thread holds water generally, but there have been more than a few curves the team has been thrown in this FA period.

 

[pats1]

I can't wait for draft day.

I hear ya. Ourlads.com has a draft countdown clock, which I sometimes stare at for minutes on end.

27 days, 20 hours, 51 minutes, and 8 seconds until the 2006 NFL DRAFT April 29-30th!

 

[Feep_FLA]

Good point, Joesixpat, well taken too. Aweful lot of moving parts in a pro football team. Losing AV probably wasn't a "planned" event. But my gut tells me he was gone so long as he got a few $$$'s more somewhere else whatever his reasons were. No respect, etc. etc. I think Adam was gone no matter what.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

The Patriots wanted to upgrade at WR LAST YEAR, trying to work a deal for the best FA WR available. I don't think that's become less of a priority to get veteran WR help now with Givens gone, and drafting WRs involves a lot of luck.

Not just a lot of luck, but, in most cases, a year or two of wait-time before you know how you did. What's interesting is that Givens' numbers are a horrible indicator of "how he did" in any given year, since he always came on so strong in the post-season - he and McGinnest both. Coaching or talent? Will the buying team really even get the benefit of that "extra gear?"

With names like Moulds, TO, and Keyshawn out there, it's hard to get excited about Reche Caldwell, which frankly, would be identified by 80% of NFL fans as a real estate brand. But he's pretty much where the Pats like them - high value, high upside, proven ability, some production. I think Price offers some of that same mix, potentially. It depends on whether something really "broke" since 03 or so. If not, we only need a piece of our offense from him.

I think the point is, they want to have their cake and eat it too on the WR front. But the upside is, we only need so much from each WR contributor.

PFnV