Poll: Grade our draft:

[Thelonious]

They tried but the Bills said no. It's great to think of theoretical trades but if you don't have a willing partner it means nothing

Or it means you are a lousy or timid negotiator.

 

[mrbean]

My biggest problem with Maye is that he looks like YouTube douchebag Jack Doherty, so I just want to punch him in the face.

 

[mrbean]

Or it means you are a lousy or timid negotiator.

I think maybe you’ve watched ‘Draft Day’ one too many times…

 

[slash83]

My biggest problem with Maye is that he looks like YouTube douchebag Jack Doherty, so I just want to punch him in the face.

Whoever this person is he looks a lot more like McCarthy than Maye.

 

[mrbean]

All three of ‘em are doppelgängers as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Thelonious]

I think maybe you’ve watched ‘Draft Day’ one too many times…

If this observation reflects the quality of your "thinking," you have my condolences on your limitations.

FWIW, I have no idea what "Draft Day" is. Judging by your post, I will assume it is a children's show.

 

[gobesmug]

Or it means you are a lousy or timid negotiator.

 

[Pape]

Many arguments here take as gospel the GM/HC's assertions, post-draft, that they got just the men they wanted. Surely we ought to see this as self-serving drivel on their part, entirely irrelevant to the actual, empirical merits of the players drafted.

Yeah, I get it... At the same time, taking player b because player a was already gone, equates to them still getting their guy... there are 31 other teams working the draft as well... it's a dynamic exercise... one pick, a reach or snagging a falling player can impact every other pick down the line... is it self serving to say you got the guy or guys you wanted? Maybe, but it's better than them saying we weren't prepared and just took random guys...

Sometimes you just gotta drink the Kool aid and have faith the brain trust knows what they are doing... It's a new day in Foxboro and the new guys deserve the chance to show us what they can do...

 

[Wozzy]

Many arguments here take as gospel the GM/HC's assertions, post-draft, that they got just the men they wanted. Surely we ought to see this as self-serving drivel on their part, entirely irrelevant to the actual, empirical merits of the players drafted.

Anyone who believes Caeden Wallace was their left tackle of choice is sniffing the glue and drinking the koolaid at the same time.

They fell asleep at the wheel on left tackle in the second round and were playing catch up the entire draft.

This caused them to reach for players from that point on. Javon Baker was the only prospect taken at a good position of value in the draft afterwards.

Maye raises the grade of this draft, take away the first pick of all 32 teams and grade them and the Pats get one of the worst grades in the NFL.

 

[Steve102]

Javon Baker is a Steal in this Draft.

Can't wait for the endless ball washing for the next three months.



EDIT: I share your excitement on Baker. Such an Anti-Belichick type of pick.

 

[Thelonious]

Yeah, I get it... At the same time, taking player b because player a was already gone, equates to them still getting their guy... there are 31 other teams working the draft as well... it's a dynamic exercise... one pick, a reach or snagging a falling player can impact every other pick down the line... is it self serving to say you got the guy or guys you wanted? Maybe, but it's better than them saying we weren't prepared and just took random guys...

Sometimes you just gotta drink the Kool aid and have faith the brain trust knows what they are doing... It's a new day in Foxboro and the new guys deserve the chance to show us what they can do...

I agree with this, and I think there is some reason for hope. I also think fans are within their rights to express reservations re the team's decisions. I know you do as well. i would have preferred a more aggressive and creative approach both to the draft and to free agency, and I suspect the sort of sappy happy talk "collaborative" approach of Mayo et al does not promise the kind of toughmindedness a rebuild of this extent will require. If all a nice guy offers is a pleasing manner and ingratiating gibberish, if his core skill is kissing up to the boss, that's a problem.

 

[gobesmug]

I agree with this, and I think there is some reason for hope. I also think fans are within their rights to express reservations re the team's decisions. I know you do as well. i would have preferred a more aggressive and creative approach both to the draft and to free agency, and I suspect the sort of sappy happy talk "collaborative" approach of Mayo et al does not promise the sort of toughness a rebuild of this extent will require. If all a nice guy offers is a pleasing manner and ingratiating gibberish, if his core skill is kissing up to the boss, that's a problem.

Unfortunately we won't know for a few seasons if Mayo and Wolf were purely yes men to the Krafts or if the team they are building is based on their philosophies.

I'm personally going to give them the benefit of the doubt this offseason, especially because they locked in their top FAs this offseason and paid them.

I don't expect the Playoffs this year and think next year is the time frame to see a significant improvement. Maye will have a year under his belt and the Oline situation will be resolved

 

[mrbean]

If this observation reflects the quality of your "thinking," you have my condolences on your limitations.

FWIW, I have no idea what "Draft Day" is. Judging by your post, I will assume it is a children's show.

You didn’t get the joke, so the first thing you do is go with insults. Yeah, let’s talk about my limitations…

 

[Joey007]

Whoever this person is he looks a lot more like McCarthy than Maye.

the kids call that the "broccoli cut"

 

[Wozzy]

Unfortunately we won't know for a few seasons if Mayo and Wolf were purely yes men to the Krafts or if the team they are building is based on their philosophies.

I'm personally going to give them the benefit of the doubt this offseason, especially because they locked in their top FAs this offseason and paid them.

I don't expect the Playoffs this year and think next year is the time frame to see a significant improvement. Maye will have a year under his belt and the Oline situation will be resolved

I think they could make the playoffs, if they stay healthy and the coaching can gel these guys into a coherent offense quickly there's no reason they can't.

Honestly, if they left this draft with Maye, a stud LT, and these two WR's I'd give this draft an A+.

I just see Caedan Wallace in the 3rd and Layden Robinson the 4th as squandered picks that could have been combined to move back up into the second round to get that stud left tackle.

If they signed a better free agent left tackle, and drafted his heir apparent in the 2nd round... I'd give this entire offseason an A+.

Left tackle is my only major gripe with the collaboration station in 2024.

This is a really talented team, if healthy and executing at a high level.

 

[reflexblue]

And where's the evidence of any of this? It all happens behind a curtain. You guys are literally just making stuff up.

Evidence, LOL, this is PFF, we don't need no stinking evidence. Its conjecture, its based on wolfs saterday afternoons press conference (i believe) were he speaks about so many OTs coming off the board so quickly that he had to make a move just to get wallace before another team grabbed him. I'm not going to spend time looking for the article which from NBC, its an opportunity cost for me.

 

[condon84]

Gave them an A.

We needed a QB in the worst way and they got a guy who was #2 in a lot of draft evaluations.

Everything else is gravy if we hit on the Maye pick.

Would have preferred MHJ and then a trade up for Penix, but that was never going to happen.

 

[Wozzy]

Gave them an A.

We needed a QB in the worst way and they got a guy who was #2 in a lot of draft evaluations.

Everything else is gravy if we hit on the Maye pick.

Would have preferred MHJ and then a trade up for Penix, but that was never going to happen.

Truthfully, I started pairing down the 90 man roster to a projected 53 and I'm pretty pleased overall with the job the collaboration station has done... especially with the news of Barmore's extension.

This is a really talented team, even with the big hole at left tackle. I've always liked Calvin Anderson the prospect so I can't complain they have at least a potential player there with a couple semi talented young guys in the chute.

They can get by with one average offensive lineman if everyone else stays healthy, and the rookies from last year have spent this offseason getting stronger and improving.

As usual, after the hangover from the draft subsides and I get to look at the complete picture with sober eyes, it's never as bad as I initially thought. The draft thread is truly like a game-day thread, emotions run high and there is a fair amount of hyperbole.

 

[condon84]

Truthfully, I started pairing down the 90 man roster to a projected 53 and I'm pretty pleased overall with the job the collaboration station has done... especially with the news of Barmore's extension.

This is a really talented team, even with the big hole at left tackle. I've always liked Calvin Anderson the prospect so I can't complain they have at least a potential player there with a couple semi talented young guys in the chute.

They can get by with one average offensive lineman if everyone else stays healthy, and the rookies from last year have spent this offseason getting stronger and improving.

As usual, after the hangover from the draft subsides and I get to look at the complete picture with sober eyes, it's never as bad as I initially thought. The draft thread is truly like a game-day thread, emotions run high and there is a fair amount of hyperbole.

OL is still a big question mark I think. I'm not as down on the offseason as much as some other posters. I didn't want them to spend on free agents just to appease the fan base. I love re-signing players that we've developed.

I think we have some core players that are going to be good for a long time on defense. I'll give benefit of the doubt on our receivers because of the stench of Mac on top of adding what looks to be solid potential #2 WRs. I don't know much about Scott Peters, our new OL coach, but if he's good and can make our OL more cohesive, that can go a long way even if we didn't get any high end OL in the draft or through FA.

 

[Wozzy]

OL is still a big question mark I think. I'm not as down on the offseason as much as some other posters. I didn't want them to spend on free agents just to appease the fan base. I love re-signing players that we've developed.

I think we have some core players that are going to be good for a long time on defense. I'll give benefit of the doubt on our receivers because of the stench of Mac on top of adding what looks to be solid potential #2 WRs. I don't know much about Scott Peters, our new OL coach, but if he's good and can make our OL more cohesive, that can go a long way even if we didn't get any high end OL in the draft or through FA.

The line is a question mark, I still think if Strange was healthy to start the season they would still be returning 4 out of 5 talented starters and they probably have a solid replacement if Mafi and Jake Andrews spent this offseason getting stronger.

I'm one of the few here who thought this team was returning a lot of talent from last year and didn't need a lot to improve. They also had the most resources of any team in the NFL outside of the Bears maybe. A massive problem last year offensively was injury, if they can stay healthy that alone will be a big boost. Having a much better QB and a coaching staff that walks lockstep with the front office and a defense returning pretty much the entire unit and a coach they're familiar with... this should be a very good team.

They'll need some help from the Bills, Dolphins and Jests... but with health and good execution this could be a playoff team.