PATRIOTS NEWS Ryan Cowden to join front office

[PatsFan2]

Why?

It's not like he hasn't taken 2nd WRs before.

And what did McConkey have in common with the main thing Belichick looks at when it comes to WR?

An incredible short-area shuttle number.

Yeah Wolf got cute with that Trade the Chargers won.

 

[bakes781]

Polk won't prove me wrong. He lacks the physical ability to succeed in this league. So did Tyquan, but AT LEAST Tyquan had speed. Polk has none of these assets.

But I'll say it again: if there was a lack of good coaching, then explain Demario's and Boutte's improvements. I'm not saying the coaching did it, but it didn't proevent them from playing better either

I don't think it's physical. It's all mental. By all accounts he showed something in camp and in the preseason.

Boutte improved but Demario was already coming off a good rookie year. If anything he was underutilized this year.

 

[bakes781]

Edelman clone.

The argument against Ladd was we had a slot guy in Pop but I think we mostly agree that this team could use all the help it can get at the skill position.

 

[PatsFan2]

The argument against Ladd was we had a slot guy in Pop but I think we mostly agree that this team could use all the help it can get at the skill position.

One of the reasons why I am not against WR Chris Godwin in FA.

 

[Thunderhead]

Polk will only make the roster if they want to give him extended rope as a 2nd rounder. Dude is a bonafide bust.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

The pendulum of power has swung all over the place the past few years in Foxboro, which is a main reason for all the dysfunction:
- at first BB was overly involved. That had worked successfully at one time, but it all blew up with the Harry pick when 3 future superstars were still on the board that Pats scouts wanted but he overruled them.
- that led to Wolf/Groh and more of a collaborative front office. That still only produced mediocre results, not exactly sure why. The Thornton trade-up & pick over Pickens in the 2022 draft seemed to be driven by Groh & Wolf, with Groh talking about speed the day after the draft. BB may have just said "let's take your highest rated receiver". And a year later, I don't think BB wanted to let Jakobi Meyers go in favor of JuJu Smith (over YAC stats), so I think Wolf/Groh pushed for that and BB was trying to be a team player at that point. BB had less power from '20-'23, that's for sure, but it was also the crazy covid (and post Brady) era so hard to assign specific blame amidst all that.
- Then after BB was let go, the power swung all the way to Wolf, with him picking assistant coaches, running the draft, etc., and Mayo just concerned with learning how to be a head coach. That's rare to see a front office picking assistant coaches. But then he goes and passes on McConkey for Polk, which could end up being as bad as the Harry or Thornton picks.
- I think we're now moving to the best scenario of a knowledgeable & influential HC having someone he knows and trusts (Cowden) guiding the FO ship, but an experienced executive in Wolf to execute on that in various ways. It'll be interesting to see who's making and announcing trades. Wolf doesn't seem quite ready to be a GM, where Cowden probably is. If the Pats successfully turn this around, Wolf could become a GM in 5 years for some other team.

 

[Since1960]

I sure am glad the maiden voyage of Wolf's grading system will be this pivotal draft for the Pats. What could go wrong?

He could create the same value system to grade free agents….

 

[skinnydog]

The argument against Ladd was we had a slot guy in Pop but I think we mostly agree that this team could use all the help it can get at the skill position.

Yeah, and no team has ever had a high flying offense with multiple slot receivers . . .

 

[Huckleberry1]

Vrabel has final say on personnel, and he’s already stated that he is “ more than comfortable” working with Wolf. But what does he know, he doesn’t have the inside knowledge that the people who post here have. Those are the people Kraft should have hired to scout prospects and make the final decisions on free agents and draft picks. Using nothing more than their phones and the draft forum here they were able to hit on prospects at a 100% success rate. They looked at both YouTube highlights and the comments made here and hit on every pick last October. Where every GM in the league struck out with their second and third day picks they mined nothing but gold. Kraft should ****can the entire Patriots scouting staff, that Eliot Wolf built over Bill Belichick’s strenuous objections, and call Ian to get the real names and contact information to hire these super scouts, who hit every pick out of the park, year after year, decade after decade. And when the Draft rolls around next October 30th they will nail every pick in the 2025 draft once again, while the front office of every team will have failed yet again with their miserable 30% success rate. Stop wasting your money Bob, get with the program and hire the best and brightest from Patsfans.com, only they know who will succeed and who will BUST!!!

 

[mgteich]

Same thing happened on Wallace then?

I'm less sure here.

I think that Wolf's scouts liked Wallace. I don't think that we should give up on him. He had two injuries and still has lots to learn. A full off-season with a competent OL coach and assistant OL coach should help.

I think that Wallace is a RT and should be a backup RT until he is ready to start, if ever.

I do believe that he will contribute, at least, as a backup RT and as a 6th OL.

 

[mgteich]

BB would have taken McConkey. You know it, I know it.

???

IMO, Bill would have taken a defensive player, either a DT or a CB. That was the sweet spot when we picked in the second, and yes, Bill would likely have made the traded down and drafted Baker in the 4th.

 

[ahmed]

read this and tell me if you see this situation trending in that direction.

Patriots GM Grier fired by Belichick

The veteran's ouster consolidates power for the team's new coach. FOXBORO - Bobby Grier, whose "grocery shopping" led to the departures of New England Patriots coaches Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll…

www.capecodtimes.com

Well good to know the Pats always had a dislike for the title of GM for whatever reason

 

[bakes781]

Yeah, and no team has ever had a high flying offense with multiple slot receivers . . .

Did you watch him play? He's more than a slot guy.

 

[upstater1]

???

IMO, Bill would have taken a defensive player, either a DT or a CB. That was the sweet spot when we picked in the second, and yes, Bill would likely have made the traded down and drafted Baker in the 4th.

McConkey is exactly the kind of WR Belichick preferred throughout his whole career, short area shuttle, specifically went out of his way looking for that, sometimes to his detriment. It worked with Branch who had an incredible shuttle, but failed with Chad Jackson who had the top shuttle in the NFL that year.

Drafting a DT here BTW would not have been a bad idea since Braden Fiske, T'Vondre Sweat, Jerzhan Newton would have been homerun picks right there, and don't be surprised if we use our top 1st rounder on a DT this draft.

As for CBs, no way would he have gone that route, not after already having a foursome of Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin (who played well in the 2nd half of last year), and Jon Jones.

Maybe Cooper DeJean, since this team definitely needs a free safety.

But again, we're talking about WR. McConkey is a prototype WR that screams Patriots under Belichick, he's in the Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola mode.

 

[upstater1]

I'm less sure here.

I think that Wolf's scouts liked Wallace. I don't think that we should give up on him. He had two injuries and still has lots to learn. A full off-season with a competent OL coach and assistant OL coach should help.

I think that Wallace is a RT and should be a backup RT until he is ready to start, if ever.

I do believe that he will contribute, at least, as a backup RT and as a 6th OL.

I agree on the first part that she should be given a chance but he'll never have feet fast enough to catch up with an outside rush. He is not very different than the tackles we already have in that regard.

His topline is becoming a lesser Marcus Cannon. Meaning, he's so strong he can't be bullrushed. But when you're constantly giving up the outside, it becomes a huge weakness.

Brady hid the weaknesses of so many linemen because he moved so well in the pocket. He stepped up into the pocket instead of bailing, and effectively he made things very hard on outside rushers.

Joey Bosa spoke to this, about how hard it was to get to Brady from the outside.

I can really only think of Dwight Freeney as having any success

 

[mgteich]

McConkey is exactly the kind of WR Belichick preferred throughout his whole career, short area shuttle, specifically went out of his way looking for that, sometimes to his detriment. It worked with Branch who had an incredible shuttle, but failed with Chad Jackson who had the top shuttle in the NFL that year.

Drafting a DT here BTW would not have been a bad idea since Braden Fiske, T'Vondre Sweat, Jerzhan Newton would have been homerun picks right there, and don't be surprised if we use our top 1st rounder on a DT this draft.

As for CBs, no way would he have gone that route, not after already having a foursome of Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin (who played well in the 2nd half of last year), and Jon Jones.

Maybe Cooper DeJean, since this team definitely needs a free safety.

But again, we're talking about WR. McConkey is a prototype WR that screams Patriots under Belichick, he's in the Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola mode.

My point is that McConkey wasn't the BPA or even close.

Fiske, Sweat, and DeJean were better picks, IMO. You also had Newton.

So, five arguably more highly talented players that even fit positions of need and we should have picked McConkey? Why?

 

[upstater1]

My point is that McConkey wasn't the BPA or even close.

Fiske, Sweat, and DeJean were better picks, IMO. You also had Newton.

So, five arguably more highly talented players that even fit positions of need and we should have picked McConkey? Why?

This team badly needs WRs.

Badly.

When you look around the roster, the D-backfield is relatively stocked except for FS.

Prior to this year, I would have said that the DL could hold it down, but then we saw terrible coaching/run defense. Godchaux, Keion White, Barmore, Bentley, even Jennings and Ekuale had down years (not sure what would've happened with Judon). But my point is, Belichick would have seen this area as stocked since they played pretty decently in 2023.

 

[bakes781]

I was high on Fiske as well. Rams really do an excellent job with drafting.

 

[mgteich]

This team badly needs WRs.

Badly.

And we are likely to add two WR's in free agency or by trade, probably two that folks here would argue are #2 WR's, since only the top 10-15 qualify for a #1.

free agent, free agent, Boutte, Douglas, Baker and Polk (probably inactive for most of the season).

I think that Baker is working hard and that a full off-season will get him in position to contribute as at least our #5 WR. IMO, we only need 4 contributing WR's plus Henry plus Gibson.

 

[The Gr8est]

stater: you just want to be right on Polk: but I'm not giving up. I would like to see him with a Tee Higgins or Tetairo McMillan. Then I would cast judgement: Polk was very good with Rome Odunze one who draws elite coverage. Polk have the makeup of a good complimentary Receiver.

Polk is a sunk cost. It benefits all Pats fans if he can be fixed.

We gain nothing if the Polk naysayers are right, and we don’t get a do over.