Some final thoughts on this Friday:
1) Did the Patriots show a lot of faith in QB Jarrett Stidham or was there just no QB worth drafting? I like to think that after the first two QB’s Burrow and Tagovailoa were gone that Stidham would have been the third-ranked QB. Stidham didn’t have a great Senior season at Auburn, the same as Love did at Utah.
I like Stidham’s makeup and his decision making. We have the benefit of seeing him play in at least a pre-season and 4 passes in the regular season. He seemed to have good chemistry with Jakobi Myers, which I can’t say that Tom Brady had the same. I’m optimistic about Stidham and I feel comfortable having Hoyer as a backup. I think Hoyer will impart his knowledge of the NFL and playing QB, where I was not feeling that with Brady.
With that being said, Andy Dalton has been released by Cincinnati. The Patriots don’t have much room in the salary cap (yet), however, if Dalton is given some type of contract like Jameis Winston, then Dalton is within reach. I think Dalton is a much-maligned QB and if he was just a game manager, he could lead a team like the Patriots to success. I would welcome the addition of Andy Dalton.
2) Just as I posted, Bill Belichick treated Day Three of the draft as a way to sign Priority Un-Drafted Free Agents by actually drafting them. Everyone knew the Patriots would draft a kicker. Just not Justin Rohrwasser! By all accounts from the many draft touts that rank draft-eligible players, Rohrwasser was not listed, not on a one. ESPN had to admit on-air that they didn’t have any film on him. Tyler Bass was selected later in the draft. Sixth-round selection Michael Owenu was not a reach and many thought he was a good value at that spot. Patriots needed a backup OG with the departure of Ted Karras and the uncertain play by Hjalte Froholdt. Owenu has also been working out at OC, a position he has never played.
Justin Herron was a 4-year starter, but he was also a 6th year player and will be 25. His arms are too short to play OT and will compete for a backup OG spot. He could have been had as a UDFA. Cassh “Money” Mulia was not on one pre-draft tout rankings. Not even the one that listed 700 players. I like the fact that he runs a 4.53 40 (faster than UDFA RB JJ Taylor). Again, he should have been a priority UDFA. Final pick Dustin Woodard is another experienced 4-year starter from the SEC. However, he is only 6’1” and under 300 lbs. He too could have been signed as a priority UDFA.
3) The Patriots, by all accounts, have a very good UDFA class. They didn’t waste any time signing a player for big money. LB DeJohn Harris from Arkansas received a $150K guaranteed contract with a 250K signing bonus. A downhill thumper, Harris is a veteran three-year starter in the SEC. Jake Burt received 80K guaranteed contract for the lightly used BC TE. San Diego St. LB Kyahva Tezino is another veteran LB that received a 70K guaranteed contract. They were busy and went out and got their players as the draft ended. Not lost on these UDFA is the fact that an UDFA has made the final 53 man roster for 16 consecutive seasons. When deciding who to sign with these players look at the Patriots and coach Belichick as someone that will give them an honest chance to make the team.
4) Nick Caserio made a statement after the selection of Josh Uche. He said we wanted 2 of 3 players we had identified for the second round. By making the trades, they were able to get 2 players. Caserio also made a statement that said you can probably get the same player at 37 that we would have taken at 23. I think that player was Xavier McKinney, who was taken one pick ahead of the Pats by the NY Giants at pick #36. Safety was not supposed to be a Giants need. That’s why Caserio made that statement.
5) Did you notice that the Dolphins took Naval Academy QB turned WR Malcolm Perry in the 7th round with pick #246? It appears that Perry was high on the Patriots list as a priority UDFA. Belichick has an affinity for players from the Naval Academy. That is where his dad coached and where he learned to watch and breakdown game film with his Dad. Patriots were listed as the #1 team that had an interest in Perry by Perry himself. He said they had the most contact.
6) I had to post this video interview between WBZ-TV 4 Steve Burton and Patriots Draft Pick Justin Rohrwasser concerning his Three Percent tattoo. Burton’s conclusion “I didn’t find him to be a racist whatsoever. I found him to be very authentic and apologetic. This kid deserves a chance.” This is counter to what ESPN Jamele Hill posted in a tweet, calling Rohrwasser a White Supremacist. Rohrwasser was taken aback by a question from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe about the tattoo. In a moment when he was supposed to be celebrating his out of nowhere selection by the Patriots, he was having to defend his tattoo. He used the words “cover-up” the tattoo in his 1st interview with the Boston press. However, in the interview with Burton he clearly states that he will have it removed.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
