When "Insiders" are Really Idiots

[VrabelMayeWin]

I've read the stuff by Jeff Risdon on RealGM.com for a while. Icness is his screen name. He talks a good game. Then I read this :

"New England Patriots: Once again they made a boatload of trades to move down and stockpile future picks, and I’m getting real tired of the almost universal praising of their draft strategy. Ron Brace and Darius Butler were good picks in the 2nd round and both should fit in well and contribute right away. But the rest of their draft is full of reaches and head-scratchers. Brandon Tate is a high risk/reward 3rd rounder, and they can afford to do that, but taking a long snapper in the 6th? Three nose tackles? Patrick Chung and Sebastian Vollmer in the 2nd round? Dealing Ellis Hobbs for two late-round picks? Every pick they made after Tyrone McKenzie (a decent value pick) in the 4th had a free agent grade from most teams, and Vollmer was at least two rounds too early. I understand they don’t need much and prefer to sign veterans to fill needs, but they’re flaunting it a bit. This is the third draft in a row where they’re not likely to have more than two players make the opening day roster."

RealGM Football: Encroachment -

Ummmm . . .

Third draft in a row where the Patriots don't have more than two on the opening day roster ???

Mayo. Wheatley. Crable. O'Connell. Wilhite. Slater. That's 6.

And this year. TWO ? Is he kidding ?

Clearly Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer are locks. That's twice "two". McKenzie, Ohrenberger, Ingram and Edelman all have a good chance.

What a turd this guy ended up being - sounds like he has an axe to grind and nothing more.

 

[jmt57]

Without commenting on Risdon and RealGM, it seems to me that fantasy football and madden's video game has had an impact on the analysis and commentary of actual pro football. Too many writers are not considering free agency or the salary cap and are considering only a very short-term perspective.

Fortunately for the Pats (and also a handful of teams such as the Colts, Steelers and Eagles) other teams seem to look at things the same way.

It's ironic that free agency and the salary cap were designed to avoid a few teams from dominating, and others being left behind. The reality is that a few teams figured it out, and the rest did not - with the result (a few teams dominating) being the same as before the cap.

Several 2nd and 3rd rounders trumps one 1st rounder in today's NFL. Belichick and a couple of others have figured that out, but not the rest of the NFL.

 

[efin98]

Mayo. Wheatley. Crable. O'Connell. Wilhite. Slater. That's 6.

Make that seven, Bo Ruud is still with the team. That's every player they selected last year.

And this year. TWO ? Is he kidding ?

Clearly Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer are locks. That's twice "two". McKenzie, Ohrenberger, Ingram and Edelman all have a good chance.

You can add Tate into the mix as well. He won't play this year but he will next year.

I don't think they will get rid of Pryor either.

I count maybe two guys who might not make the roster, the rest are dependent on their camp play and injuries of others- but still more than the two he says will only make the team.

What a turd this guy ended up being - sounds like he has an axe to grind and nothing more.

He was right about one year though, they had a bad 2007 draft- only Meriweather made the team, all the rest either flopped out of football or were released. The rest is total garbage.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Make that seven, Bo Ruud is still with the team. That's every player they selected last year.

He did say "active roster" and I think Ruud was cut and on the PS all year; regardless, Risdon is just way off the mark here.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Third draft in a row where the Patriots don't have more than two on the opening day roster ???

Mayo. Wheatley. Crable. O'Connell. Wilhite. Slater. That's 6.

And this year. TWO ? Is he kidding ?

Clearly Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer are locks. That's twice "two". McKenzie, Ohrenberger, Ingram and Edelman all have a good chance.

Didn't Guyton make the team out of camp as an UDFA. That would be 7, and Redd came up as an injury replacement late in the season.

I would say Chung, Butler, Brace, Vollmer, McKenzie, and Ohrenberger are locks. Ingram and Edelman have a good chance. That would be 6, maybe 7.

There could be nearly 1/3 of the roster as rookies or second year players this fall.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

He did say "active roster" and I think Ruud was cut and on the PS all year; regardless, Risdon is just way off the mark here.

Ruud went on IR, not PS.

 

[MetalBleachers]

Every pick they made after Tyrone McKenzie (a decent value pick) in the 4th ...

Fact check: McKenzie was a third round compensatory pick. So this guy's wrong there, too. :ugh:

 

[spacecrime]

He was right about one year though, they had a bad 2007 draft- only Meriweather made the team, all the rest either flopped out of football or were released. The rest is total garbage.

The pats only had one pick above round 4 (meriweather), there were 6 picks in the 6th and 7th rounds. But you are wrong about those late round picks. Almost every player cut by the Pats in 2007 made another teams opening day roster.

Not sure they lasted, but the idea that only two Pats made an opening day roster from the last three (or any) drafts is just wrong.

 

[efin98]

He did say "active roster" and I think Ruud was cut and on the PS all year; regardless, Risdon is just way off the mark here.

IR last year, but he still was never cut and has a chance as any to make the roster like everyone else this year...

 

[efin98]

The pats only had one pick above round 4 (meriweather), there were 6 picks in the 6th and 7th rounds. But you are wrong about those late round picks. Almost every player cut by the Pats in 2007 made another teams opening day roster.

True they made other rosters...but for the Patriots they didn't, that's what I believe he meant.

Not sure they lasted, but the idea that only two Pats made an opening day roster from the last three (or any) drafts is just wrong.

Justin Roger made rosters in 2007 and 2008 with Dallas
Corey Hilliard made the Indy rosters in 2007 and 2008 before getting cut again.
Clint Oldenburg made the roster in 2007 playing two games.
Kareem Brown made the roster in 2007 playing one game

 

[efin98]

Ruud went on IR, not PS.

And has yet to be cut by the team. I don't believe they will cut him until late in training camp and he could be practice squad material, either way he's still around.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

At the end of the day I think that BB puts together his draft board with players that he likes on it and graded based on how they project in his system.

I do not think BB cares that he thinks Vollmer represents value two rounds higher than everybody else. If BB thinks the kid is a second round value then BB will take him in the second round.

I think when you draft in the lower third of every round year after year, like we have, you have to overdraft the kids you are targeting sometimes or risk losing the player to another team.

I also think BB does not mind moving up and overdrafting kids when he thinks another team will take the kid he is targeting, Light and Chadf Jackson are perfect examples.

In summary I think it is all about the player and how he projects in your system, right (Light) or wrong (Jackson) and having the guts to say I do not care if the kid is ranked as a 7th rounder and I take him in the second round.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

In summary I think it is all about the player and how he projects in your system, right (Light) or wrong (Jackson) and having the guts to say I do not care if the kid is ranked as a 7th rounder and I take him in the second round.

Of course, that's the beauty of having a coach as good as BB.

BB grabbing Vollmer = "He must see something the rest of us don't."
Al Davis grabbing Mitchell = "WTF?"

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Of course, that's the beauty of having a coach as good as BB.

BB grabbing Vollmer = "He must see something the rest of us don't."
Al Davis grabbing Mitchell = "WTF?"

I applaud Davis for having the guts to take Mitchell, especailly after it came out that the Bears were going to take Mitchell in round two.

Of course I realize the Bears could have been messing with Davis's head, but in the end I predict a win-win for everybody; except Raider fans, who need to keep the paper bags on their heads for a little while longer.

 

[efin98]

I applaud Davis for having the guts to take Mitchell, especailly after it came out that the Bears were going to take Mitchell in round two. Of course I realize the Bears could have been messing with Davis's head, but in the end I predict a win-win for everybody;

The Bears traded out of the pick at 49, the rumor that they wanted him could hold true especially with them also ending up ahead of the Raiders in the third round...Also a chance that he could have been gone before the third round had Chicago not taken him with Atlanta and Carolina taking safeties....

except Raider fans, who need to keep the paper bags on their heads for a little while longer.

I thought that was Saints fans

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I applaud Davis for having the guts to take Mitchell, especailly after it came out that the Bears were going to take Mitchell in round two.

Mike Lombardi said the Bears were interested but not in the second round, more like the 4th or 5th. You never end up really knowing with these things.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Make that seven, Bo Ruud is still with the team. That's every player they selected last year.



You can add Tate into the mix as well. He won't play this year but he will next year.

I don't think they will get rid of Pryor either.

I count maybe two guys who might not make the roster, the rest are dependent on their camp play and injuries of others- but still more than the two he says will only make the team.



He was right about one year though, they had a bad 2007 draft- only Meriweather made the team, all the rest either flopped out of football or were released. The rest is total garbage.

The 2007 draft that produces three Pro-bowlers of which one is lock for the HOF in Canton, is a poor draft? That is as igorant as beleiving in Global Warming.

The talent pool that draft picks obtain is NOT JUST from the collegiate pool despite the urge by so many to feel that way. Getting a Randy Moss, a Wes Welker, and a Brandon Meriwhether out of a draft is damn fine. How many drafts produce a HOF player? How many drafts produce three probowlers? Not very many. I for one am glad that Bill Belichick is not that stupid.

(Yeah I know Meriwether hasn't gone yet)

 

[DaBruinz]

He was right about one year though, they had a bad 2007 draft- only Meriweather made the team, all the rest either flopped out of football or were released. The rest is total garbage.

He was wrong about 2007 as well. Kareem Brown made the team out of camp and was cut because the Patriots had so many injuries in the secondary and the Pats needed the roster space for a CB. Mike Richardson is also from that draft class and he is still on the team.

To take it one step further about 2007. There are 4 picks ( Rogers, Oldenberg, Hilliard, Elgin) other than Brown that the Patriots made from that year that are still in the NFL on other teams.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The 2007 draft that produces three Pro-bowlers of which one is lock for the HOF in Canton, is a poor draft? That is as igorant as beleiving in the Raiders' drafting skills.

The talent pool that draft picks obtain is NOT JUST from the collegiate pool despite the urge by so many to feel that way. Getting a Randy Moss, a Wes Welker, and a Brandon Meriwhether out of a draft is damn fine. How many drafts produce a HOF player? How many drafts produce three probowlers? Not very many. I for one am glad that Bill Belichick is not that stupid.

(Yeah I know Meriwether hasn't gone yet)

Fixed your post for you.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I applaud Davis for having the guts to take Mitchell, especailly after it came out that the Bears were going to take Mitchell in round two.

Of course I realize the Bears could have been messing with Davis's head, but in the end I predict a win-win for everybody; except Raider fans, who need to keep the paper bags on their heads for a little while longer.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. I'll admit that Davis struck gold with Asomugha, and maybe he might have found a real talent in Mitchell that nobody else was looking for but i CRINGE at the DHB selection at pick #7. Davis shoots himself in the foot more often than he finds the rare gem. There's more criteria to playing football than speed Al.