{"id":57520,"date":"2025-01-17T06:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T11:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=57520"},"modified":"2025-02-14T14:26:49","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T19:26:49","slug":"morse-patriots-mock-draft-1-free-agency-and-other-tidbits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/01\/17\/morse-patriots-mock-draft-1-free-agency-and-other-tidbits\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft #1, Free Agency and Other Tidbits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Drafting a plug and play Left Tackle is a very difficult thing to do.\u00a0 Last year, the Patriots and Eliot Wolf were not ready for the run on Left Tackles.\u00a0 Eight Tackles were taken in the 1st<\/sup> Round.<\/p>\n

They traded pick 34 to LA Chargers for #37 and passed on Ladd McConkey, a huge mistake by Eliot Wolf.\u00a0 He could have taken a Tackle at #37 (Kingsley Suamataia).\u00a0 They ended up taking Caedan Wallace in the 3rd<\/sup> round #68.\u00a0 They liked him and everyone knew it.\u00a0 He was a 4th<\/sup> round value and they panicked because of the run and took him a full round early.<\/p>\n

Wallace played 4 years at Right Tackle for Penn State.\u00a0 Joe Alt is the best of the bunch and he is playing RT.\u00a0 Dominick Puni was a better pick than Wallace, but he didn\u2019t play Tackle (short arms) but was outstanding at Guard for San Fran.\u00a0 Only three of these Left Tackles were better than Vederian Lowe. \u00a0Lowe wasn\u2019t good and he was like a rookie with very few snaps at Left Tackle.\u00a0 The 3rd<\/sup> year player had 8 starts and 4 at Left Tackle the year before this season.<\/p>\n

The Table below listed all the Tackles drafted last season:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Team<\/td>\nDraft #<\/td>\nName<\/td>\nPFF Rating<\/td>\nGP \/ Position<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LAC<\/td>\n5<\/td>\nJoe Alt<\/td>\n75.9<\/td>\n17 GP @ RT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NYJ<\/td>\n11<\/td>\nOlu Fashanu<\/td>\n61.2<\/td>\n3 RT, 1 RG, 7 LT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NO<\/td>\n14<\/td>\nTaliese Fuaga<\/td>\n65.7<\/td>\n17 GP @ LT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DAL<\/td>\n29<\/td>\nTyler Guyton<\/td>\n49.4<\/td>\n14 GP @ LT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TEN<\/td>\n7<\/td>\nJC Latham<\/td>\n61.8<\/td>\n17 GP @ LT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PIT<\/td>\n20<\/td>\nTroy Fautanu<\/td>\n64.4<\/td>\n1 GP On IR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TB<\/td>\n26<\/td>\nGraham Barton<\/td>\n55.6<\/td>\n17 GP @ C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GB<\/td>\n25<\/td>\nJordan Morgan<\/td>\n59<\/td>\n6 GP @RG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CHI<\/td>\n3-75<\/td>\nKiran Amegadjie<\/td>\n40.3<\/td>\n5 GP 4 LT 1 LG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HOU<\/td>\n2-59<\/td>\nBlake Fisher<\/td>\n44.5<\/td>\n4 LT, 6 RT, 10 GP+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
KC<\/td>\n2-63<\/td>\nKingsley Suamataia<\/td>\n39.4<\/td>\n7 GP @ LT (Benched)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MIA<\/td>\n2-55<\/td>\nPatrick Paul<\/td>\n44.9<\/td>\n3 RT, 7 LT 10 GP only 2 GS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SF<\/td>\n3-87<\/td>\nDominick Puni<\/td>\n80.5<\/td>\n17 GP@ RG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BAL<\/td>\n2-62<\/td>\nRoger Rosengarten<\/td>\n66.5<\/td>\n18+ GP@ RT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
IND<\/td>\n3-79<\/td>\nMatt Goncalves<\/td>\n65.9<\/td>\n10 GP 1 LG. 4 LT, 5 RT 8 Starts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NE<\/td>\n3-68<\/td>\nCaedan Wallace<\/td>\n44.1<\/td>\n6 GP 2 Starts, 4 LT, 2 RT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\nVederian Lowe<\/td>\n54<\/td>\n14 GP all at LT, 13 Starts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nFashanu, Fuaga and Latham<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nAlt played RT, Barton played C, and Puni played RG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Free Agency <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Left Tackles in this draft are nowhere near as good as those from last year\u2019s draft.\u00a0 The Patriots must use Free Agency to acquire a starting Left Tackle.\u00a0 In order to do that they need to overpay because of the following reasons:<\/p>\n

New England is not a desirable location to play in because of the weather.<\/p>\n

Foxboro has no nightlife.<\/p>\n

The Massachusetts Millionaires Tax takes more money out of their paychecks.<\/p>\n

The NFL Players Association rank and file ranked the Patriots as the 29th<\/sup> team in the league on benefits to the players.\u00a0 These are the areas of interest and the Patriots grade.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u00a0Treatment of Families: F- (30th)<\/li>\n
  • Food\/Cafeteria: B- (15th)<\/li>\n
  • Nutritionist\/Dietician: B- (20th)<\/li>\n
  • Locker Room: C- (20th)<\/li>\n
  • Training Room: C (22nd)<\/li>\n
  • Training Staff: B- (25th)<\/li>\n
  • Weight Room: F (32nd)<\/li>\n
  • Strength Coaches: C- (31st)<\/li>\n
  • Team Travel: D (24th)<\/li>\n
  • Head Coach: B- (27th)<\/li>\n
  • Ownership: D+ (27th)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The Patriots are trying to address these concerns by building a new, separate facility with improved Locker and Weight rooms.\u00a0 The Strength Coaches were next to last in the league.\u00a0 This was evident by the number of injuries the team suffered on the Offensive Line.\u00a0 The Head Strength Coach is Deron Mayo, the brother of departed Head Coach Jerod Mayo.\u00a0 I suspect that Deron will be replaced.\u00a0 When they speak with Free Agents, they will highlight what they have planned for the players.<\/p>\n

    The low grade for ownership is based upon Kraft\u2019s insistence on incentive laden contracts.\u00a0 The Patriots are dead last in the league for actual cash spending over the last 8 years.\u00a0 The Kraft\u2019s claim they spend to the Salary Cap.\u00a0 That is only on paper because many of those incentives are Not Likely to be Earned. When asked about spending on Free Agents Kraft stated they will adjust lower every three years to come to a balance for his bottom line.<\/p>\n

    Last year\u2019s Free Agency, the Patriots were hamstrung by an unprecedented increase in the Salary Cap.\u00a0 Each team received $30M per team and they were able to re-sign their own Free Agents, stripping the top talent available.\u00a0 The Patriots\u2019 money was no good.\u00a0 Eliot Wolf tried to sign Calvin Ridley and made what most around the league was a higher offer, only to have his wife say that she doesn\u2019t want to move to the Northeast.<\/p>\n

    The Patriots had a trade worked out with San Francisco to acquire Brandon Aiyuk, only to have him reject any type of contract with the Patriots.\u00a0 He re-signed with the 49\u2019ers.\u00a0 Wolf\u2019s biggest mistake was signing a mediocre Right Tackle and think he could play Left Tackle. Chuks Okorafor not only couldn\u2019t play Left Tackle, but didn\u2019t want to play football anymore and quit.\u00a0 I give Wolf credit for re-signing Patriots Free Agents, something that Bill Belichick wouldn\u2019t do.<\/p>\n

    If I was Mike Vrabel I would insist upon a new structure of contract offers to Free Agents.\u00a0 The one and only way an NFL player compares himself to their peers in the league is the size of their contracts.\u00a0 The Patriots need to overpay Free Agents to get them to come here.\u00a0 The Patriots have a new and dynamic experienced winning Head Coach.\u00a0 Mike Vrabel was a former NFL Coach of the Year in 2021.\u00a0 He has a career winning record (58-45).\u00a0 The Patriots have a young and exciting QB in Drake Maye.\u00a0 Use these positives to draw in Free Agents.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \"Caedan<\/p>\n

    (PHOTO: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Rebuild The Offensive Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    I would go out and acquire three new Offensive Linemen to rebuild the Offensive Line.\u00a0 Left Tackle Alaric Jackson who plays for the Los Angeles Rams.\u00a0 He is 26 years old and was an Undrafted Free Agent.\u00a0 His PFF Rating is 78.3 good for 18th<\/sup> in the league.\u00a0 His age is ideal for a 4- or 5-year contract.\u00a0 Overpay to get him here.\u00a0 Jackson has had soft tissue injuries in the past, which Head Coach Mike Vrabel can’t stand.<\/p>\n

    Sign Trey Smith away from KC.\u00a0 He is just 25 years old.\u00a0 His PFF rating is 78.8 good for 10th<\/sup> in the league.\u00a0 It\u2019s time for payback for the mistake of letting Joe Thuney go to KC.\u00a0 Although Smith plays Right Guard I would try him at Left Guard.\u00a0 Make Smith the highest paid Guard in the league.<\/p>\n

    Sign Drew Dalman C away from Atlanta.\u00a0 He missed 8 games this year, but he is rated by PFF with a 78.8 grade and ranked 5th<\/sup> in the league.\u00a0 Dalman is only 26.\u00a0 Overpay to get him away.\u00a0 Use some of that $130 Million in cap space.\u00a0 If they can sign these players along with Michael Onwenu, Cole Strange and Caedan Wallace, they will have a formidable Offensive Line.<\/p>\n

    Go out and sign the #1 Wide Receiver in Free Agency – Tee Higgins.\u00a0 Overpay, make him the highest paid WR in the league.\u00a0 Higgins and Drake Maye behind a solid O-line is magic waiting to happen.\u00a0 A legit #1 receiver that is just 25 years old.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s help out the Defense a little with the signing of Bobby Brown III the DT from the Los Angeles Rams.\u00a0 Brown doesn\u2019t have the flashy stats but did have 44 tackles (16 solo and 28 Assists).\u00a0 His PFF Rating was 63.9, good for 60th<\/sup> amongst all Interior D-Linemen.\u00a0 In comparison, Davon Godchaux had 4 more tackles and a 51.6 rating. \u00a0Godchaux played the entire season but is 30 years old. \u00a0Brown is just 24.<\/p>\n

    Eliot Wolf didn\u2019t address the problem at Free Safety last off-season and tried to play Kyle Dugger there to disastrous results.\u00a0 The Pats should bring in Jacksonville\u2019s Free Safety Andre Cisco.\u00a0 The 24-year-old former Syracuse Orangeman has had 8 INTs over the last three seasons.\u00a0 Last season he had 54 tackles and a PFF rating of 58.8.\u00a0 Cisco has 4.37 speed.<\/p>\n

    Those signings will take up around $85M.\u00a0 Don\u2019t dick around with the numbers, pay them like the professionals they are and don\u2019t get overbid.\u00a0 The key to those acquisitions is the age if the players.<\/p>\n

    Initial Mock Draft\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

    I used Pro Football Network Mock Simulator.<\/p>\n

    1st<\/sup> Rd Pick #4<\/strong>\u00a0 With the 4th<\/sup> pick I give the Patriots Abdul Carter EDGE Penn State.\u00a0 The 6\u20193\u201d, 259 -pound Edge player had 68 tackles and 12 sacks in 2024.\u00a0 He runs a 4.48 40-yard dash.\u00a0 Carter has been my choice for well over two months.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like any of the top-rated Offensive Linemen in the draft.\u00a0 I would concentrate on the Offensive Line in Free Agency.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s build up the pass rush.\u00a0 Carter has been compared to the former Nittany Lion Micah Parsons.\u00a0 I fear that the three teams ahead of the Patriots are interested in Abdul Carter as well and he may not be available to the Patriots.<\/p>\n

    2nd<\/sup> Rd Pick #37<\/strong>\u00a0 I first looked at taking TE Tyler Warren (Penn State), but TE is not an area of need and a luxury we just can\u2019t afford.\u00a0 New Head Coach Mike Vrabel will not let Defensive End Jack Sawyer pass.\u00a0 Sawyer is a Vrabel clone.\u00a0 He is 6\u20195\u201d, 260-pounds and runs a 4.6 40-yard dash.\u00a0 Relentless is the way to describe Sawyer.\u00a0 He is Ohio State through and through and Vrabel will not let him go to another team.\u00a0 I see Sawyer as an eventual ILB.\u00a0 Ja\u2019Whaun Bentley isn\u2019t getting younger (28) and is signed through next season.<\/p>\n

    3rd<\/sup> Rd #68<\/strong> Jalen Royals WR Utah State –\u00a0 The 6\u2019 205-pound receiver burst upon the scene in 2023 with 71-1080-15 stat line.\u00a0 Seven of his TDs were of 50+ yards.\u00a0 Last season he dropped to 55-824-6 stat line while playing only 7 games.\u00a0 He sustained a foot injury and was lost for the remainder of the season.\u00a0 Monitoring his health status will determine if he is drafted this high.<\/p>\n

    3rd<\/sup> Rd #77<\/strong> NE trades #77 along with #216 to SEA for #82 and #135<\/p>\n

    3rd<\/sup> Rd #82<\/strong> – Mike Green EDGE from Marshall.\u00a0 The 6\u20194\u201d 248-pound Edge player led the NCAA with 21 sacks last year.\u00a0 The Patriots pass rush was anemic last season.\u00a0 Vrabel has stated that he wants to put pressure on opposing QBs.\u00a0 These three players will do that.\u00a0 Green would be a situational pass rush specialist.<\/p>\n

    4th<\/sup> Rd #106<\/strong> Shemar Turner DT Texas A&M – 6\u20194\u201d 300-pounds and runs a 4.8 40-yard dash.\u00a0 Turner is a developmental type interior D lineman with good quickness.\u00a0 First and 2nd<\/sup> down player only.<\/p>\n

    4th<\/sup> Rd #135<\/strong> acquired from SEA – Marcus Mbow OT Purdue. Mbow is one of the biggest sleepers in the draft.\u00a0 Mbow is listed as an OT but I think he will end up at Guard.\u00a0 He has been invited to the Senior Bowl.\u00a0 Let\u2019s see where he plays in those practices and how he does.\u00a0 At 6\u20196\u201d 300-pounds, he has 32 starts at Guard and Tackle in the Big Ten.\u00a0 He was an honorable-mention All-Conference in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n

    5th<\/sup> Rd #142<\/strong> Devin Neal RB Kansas \u2013 It is a great year for runningbacks and that\u2019s why Nea; lasts until the 5th<\/sup> round. Neal had three consecutive 1,000 yards seasons for the Jayhawks with 6.1, 6.3 and 5.8 Yards Per Carry in those seasons.\u00a0 He also had 20 receptions in each of those seasons as well.<\/p>\n

    7th<\/sup> Rd #219<\/strong> JJ Peuges DT Mississippi \u2013 the 6\u20192\u201d 324-pound Nose Tackle runs a 4.9 40-yard dash at 324 pounds.\u00a0 Last season Peuges also ran for 2 TDs.\u00a0 The Patriots can\u2019t expect that Davon Godchaux is going to play every down of the season like he did the last two years.\u00a0 Godchaux is 30 already.\u00a0 Peuges is a true NT, a space eater like Godchaux.<\/p>\n

    7th<\/sup> Rd #238<\/strong> Jonah Monheim G\/C USC \u2013 6\u20195\u201d 310-pounds, 5.0 40-yard dash.\u00a0 Monheim has 44 starts in his career.\u00a0 He moved to Center for his final season at USC.\u00a0 Very versatile.\u00a0 \u00a0Monaheim was a 3rd<\/sup> Team All-Big 10 selection at Center.<\/p>\n

    Note: The draft order is not official yet.\u00a0 It will not be until the Compensations picks are added.\u00a0 The Patriots 1st<\/sup> three picks are correct and won\u2019t change.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \"Ryan<\/p>\n

    (PHOTO: George Walker IV \/ Tennessean.com \/ USA TODAY NETWORK)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Comings and Goings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The Patriots are bringing in Ryan Cowden, a former NY Giants Advisor to GM Jow Schoen.\u00a0 \u00a0Mike Vrabel wanted Cowden to be named GM in Tennessee only to have ownership put Rae Carthon in that position.\u00a0 Cowden\u2019s position is undefined at the moment, but thought is he will be #2 to present VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf.<\/p>\n

    The Patriots signed the following 7 players to futures contracts.\u00a0 DT Marcus Harris, CB D.J. James, WR John Jiles, T Caleb Jones, LB Andrew Parker Jr., S Mark Perry and K John Parker- Romo have chosen to remain with the team.<\/p>\n

    The following players chose to be Free Agents or were not offered contracts; WR Alex Erickson, RB Kevin Harris, DE Jotham Russell, WR Braylon Sanders, TE Mitchell Wilcox.<\/p>\n

    College All-Star Games<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The two most prominent College All-Star games come up in a week.\u00a0 The East-West All-Star game will be played on Thursday January 30th<\/sup>.\u00a0 The practices leading up to the game are more important than the game itself.\u00a0 The same week is the Senior Bowl.\u00a0 The same scenario is that the practices are more important than the games themselves.\u00a0 The Patriots scouting staff, led by Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh will divide and conquer to cover both practices.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be surprised if Mike Vrabel may also attend.<\/p>\n

    Timeline for Naming Coaches <\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Mike Vrabel has stated that there is no timeline for naming his coaching staff.\u00a0 He did go on and say there are coaches of teams that are still in the playoffs that he wants to talk to without naming names.<\/p>\n

    One of the names that have been put out there for the Offensive Coordinator, Tommy Rees, has accepted the Offensive Coordinator promotion from the Cleveland Browns.\u00a0 \u00a0Vrabel did confirm that Josh McDaniel is on the list of people he wants to talk to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Drafting a plug and play Left Tackle is a very difficult thing to do.\u00a0 Last year, the Patriots and Eliot Wolf were not ready for the run on Left Tackles.\u00a0 Eight Tackles were taken in the 1st Round.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":57251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23637,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2025-patriots-draft","category-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\nMORSE: Patriots Mock Draft #1, Free Agency and Other Tidbits<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Drafting a plug and 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