Sundry Thoughts before the 2026 Draft

[mayoclinic]

IOL - Onwenu has been fine, but perhaps a young mauler like Rutledge, Bisontis or Pregnon can be a tone setting IOL anchor for the next 4-5 years and the cap savings helps in other areas. Would there be any trade partners for Onwenu?

DT - ditto with Barmore given the off-field issues/salary. Perhaps we can move on from him in 27 if we backfill this year.

The current regime has eliminated almost all players from the previous ones. Foundational players (Maye, Gonzalez) and highly productive role players (Jones, Stephenson, Boutte) are mostly left. In the past 12 months we've said goodbye to Peppers, Duggar, Mapu, Jennings, White, Lowe, Cardona, Polk, Baker, and Milton

Are Barmore and Onwenu cornerstones? I don't think so. Their contracts are what keep them around, not their play. Both have motivation and outside issues. Do they epitomize violence, effort, and finish? I think not.

I expect both to be gone by 2027, sooner if the opportunity arises. There is no need to cut off your nose to spite your face, but they are not likely part of the long-term picture.

 

[mayoclinic]

Here's a mock I did yesterday, based one one with trades by :

31. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona St.
*** Pats trade 63 and 131 for 57
57. Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech
95. Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn
*** Pats trade 125, 171 and 212 for 107
107. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
191. Trey Moore, LB/EDGE, Texas
198. Jalen Huskey, CB/S, Maryland
202. Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati
249. Jaden Dugger, LB, Louisiana

Suppose Day 2 is in the books, and SE Louisiana St. DT Kaleb Proctor is on the board. If Vrabel/Wolf could trade Barmore for a 4th and 6th and add a Proctor and Jordan van den Berg, do you think they would do it? I doubt they would think twice. Josh Farmer or Cory Durden would hopefully step up. That would be getting younger, faster, cheaper. So much speed and versatility on defense. Younger, faster, cheaper. More effort and finish.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

I don't like what the pats have done in fa. Theres way too many holes leading up to the draft that weren't addressed.

Oline, edge, linebacker, and safety are pretty barren. AVT and byard being the "big" signings with Jones being a wildcard ain't impressing me much.

I think the pats really pigeonholed themselves. Id strongly advocate for bpa with oline and backer desperate needs.

 

[manxman2601]

I don't like what the pats have done in fa. Theres way too many holes leading up to the draft that weren't addressed.

Oline, edge, linebacker, and safety are pretty barren. AVT and byard being the "big" signings with Jones being a wildcard ain't impressing me much.

I think the pats really pigeonholed themselves. Id strongly advocate for bpa with oline and backer desperate needs.

I agree with most of this except I think EDGE is the biggest need.

 

[mgteich]

Here's a mock I did yesterday, based one one with trades by :

31. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona St.
*** Pats trade 63 and 131 for 57
57. Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech
95. Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn
*** Pats trade 125, 171 and 212 for 107
107. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
191. Trey Moore, LB/EDGE, Texas
198. Jalen Huskey, CB/S, Maryland
202. Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati
249. Jaden Dugger, LB, Louisiana

Suppose Day 2 is in the books, and SE Louisiana St. DT Kaleb Proctor is on the board. If Vrabel/Wolf could trade Barmore for a 4th and 6th and add a Proctor and Jordan van den Berg, do you think they would do it? I doubt they would think twice. Josh Farmer or Cory Durden would hopefully step up. That would be getting younger, faster, cheaper. So much speed and versatility on defense. Younger, faster, cheaper. More effort and finish.

I like the premium 4 picks to get 2 OL's, and EDGE rusher and a TE.

However, I don't agree with your assessment that Vrabel would trade Barmore for a 4th and 6th. I'd rather keep Barmore and still draft VanDenBerg at 198.

 

[Clonamery]

I like the premium 4 picks to get 2 OL's, and EDGE rusher and a TE.

However, I don't agree with your assessment that Vrabel would trade Barmore for a 4th and 6th. I'd rather keep Barmore and still draft VanDenBerg at 198.

Daydream believer.

 

[DaBruinz]

Considering the success in last year's draft, I'm not sure that I want a shift at all. Repeat what worked. Any talent upgrade that is on the board at your draft slot, take it, with little attention to need (within reason, I mean... don't draft a QB before day 3, for example)

Except we know that isn't how they approached last year's draft.
We know that they went in with the mentality to focus on guys that fit their mold and had set priorities in drafting positions they saw as need even if the fans didn't. Such as drafting Henderson and Woodson.

Even the 3 guys who weren't special teamers who were taken after the 4th round fit the type of player they wanted. Swinson, Bryant and Minor.

 

[mgteich]

Daydream believer.

171?

where do the various prognosticators have him rated?

Here are some

Jordan van den Berg 2026 NFL Draft Profile, Stats, and Projections | NFL Mock Draft Database

Explore Jordan van den Berg's 2026 NFL Draft profile, including scouting reports, combine stats, mock draft projections, and team fits. See where Jordan van den Berg, DL, is projected to be drafted.

www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't like what the pats have done in fa. Theres way too many holes leading up to the draft that weren't addressed.

Oline, edge, linebacker, and safety are pretty barren. AVT and byard being the "big" signings with Jones being a wildcard ain't impressing me much.

I think the pats really pigeonholed themselves. Id strongly advocate for bpa with oline and backer desperate needs.

Where do you get that O-line and safety are barren? Just because YOU don't like what the Pats did doesn't mean you're talking facts. Vrabel is rebuilding this team and that takes time. Vrabel has also made it very clear that he's looking for players who fit a particular mold.

The Pats have 13 O-line under contract. Metz doesn't count against the 90-man because he's an international developmental player.
Campbell - OT
Wilson - C/G
Onwenu - G/T
Vera-Tucker - G
Moses - OT
Brown - C/G
--------------------
Rupcich - G/T
Metz - OT
Gutierrez - OT
Hudson - OT
Wallace - OG/OT
Butler - OG
Bryant - OT

Campbell, Wilson, Onwenu, Vera-Tucker, Moses, and Brown are locks. That leaves 3 spots open based on the Pats having carried 9 last year. 2 of those 9 were Bryant and Wallace. Bryant was a rookie and Wallace a 2nd yr player who was finally getting some proper coaching.


Safety:
Woodson
Byard
Pettus
Saunders
Mike Brown

There are 3 locks here with 1-2 spots open.

Even EDGE isn't barren with Landry, Jones, and Ponder as the top 3 there. The Pats carried 4 most of the year and only 5 when they thought Swinson was going to be poached. So, you're talking just 1-2 spots here..

Linebacker is probably the one spot that I agree with you. I've made my feelings about Elliss known. Clearly Vrabel feels that Britt fits the mold he's looking for, otherwise, Vrabel wouldn't have had him signed. Personally, i think that Britt won't provide much beyond special teams, but having the sort of player that Vrabel wants there as well helps the over-all culture of the team.

As people have mentioned. It takes time for such a transition. It took Belichick until the end of Training Camp 2003 before Belichick had gotten rid of all the players he felt weren't buying in... So, why would anyone think that Vrabel could do it in 2 off-seasons?

 

[DaBruinz]

Daydream believer.

There is no reason to think that Van Den Berg won't still be there in the 6th when the Pats have their first pick.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like the premium 4 picks to get 2 OL's, and EDGE rusher and a TE.

However, I don't agree with your assessment that Vrabel would trade Barmore for a 4th and 6th. I'd rather keep Barmore and still draft VanDenBerg at 198.

Very reasonable. Not predicting it, but wouldn't be surprised.

But a year ago absolutely no one predicted that Vrabel would cut Peppers, or dump Dugger and White for spare change.

If Vrabel feels they are not in the mold he wants, he will move on if there is an opportunity.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I have bad memory when it comes to every single move we make in the draft. Of course I remember the players and rd they were taken, but was somewhat surprised when I read this today:

"New England traded down four times in last year's draft compared to just one trade up".

Of course that's not necessarily an indicator of what will happen this year, bit it's something to watch.

 

[DaBruinz]

I have bad memory when it comes to every single move we make in the draft. Of course I remember the players and rd they were taken, but was somewhat surprised when I read this today:

"New England traded down four times in last year's draft compared to just one trade up".

Of course that's not necessarily an indicator of what will happen this year, bit it's something to watch.

The one trade up was to grab Henderson, wasn't it?

 

[Water Boy]

Daydream believer.

You might as well go all in with that comment, Clonamery.

 

[Clonamery]

Cheer up Sleepy Water Boy.

 

[manxman2601]

The one trade up was to grab Henderson, wasn't it?

Farmer I believe. Henderson was at our normal position.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

The one trade up was to grab Henderson, wasn't it?

Manx says Farmer, will just him, I honestly don't remember.
I was surprised with the 4 trade backs, that's a lot.
Maybe that's more normal than I think, wonder what the league average is?

 

[mayoclinic]

We traded up from 144 to 137 for Farmer.

 

[manxman2601]

Manx says Farmer, will just him, I honestly don't remember.
I was surprised with the 4 trade backs, that's a lot.
Maybe that's more normal than I think, wonder what the league average is?

We traded down twice in the 3rd before picking up Jared Wilson. (77->85 and then 85 -> 95)
We then traded up in the 4th for Farmer
And then down in the 6th and 7th respectively.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

We traded down twice in the 3rd before picking up Jared Wilson. (77->85 and then 85 -> 95)
We then traded up in the 4th for Farmer
And then down in the 6th and 7th respectively.

great memory, those details are lost on me weeks after the draft.
Of course I would remember a big jump up, or a trade down bypassing a player I loved, but don't remember last year's moves at all. Getting old is fun!