Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

[Double Eagle]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

I'm surprised that they are getting another Thanksgiving game with Detroit so soon. Well, I won't complain seeing the Pats play on turkey day.

The NFL needs to have one AFC team involved to put the game on CBS. The Lions and Cowboys alternate years playing an AFC opponent, with the Lions taking the even numbered years. This year, the only two AFC teams the Lions are playing at home are the Jets and Patriots. So it was a 50-50 chance of the Patriots playing.

Looking ahead, unless expansion changes the schedule rotation:
1) Jets or Pats will be playing in Dallas in 2015 and Detroit in 2018.
2) Interesting sidenote: With the current rotation, the AFC North will never be playing Dallas or Detroit on Thanksgiving.

[neshl05]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Mookie, this team just isn't that good anymore. I wish they were. Their talent isn't exceptional and the coaching/preparation has fallen off.

But we'll see what they come up with Thursday and Friday. They could hit the jackpot and then it's a different story. It's a team game and adding a couple of top players could make everyone else around them look a little better.

100% correct. They don't have that much talent... They have lost a ton of coaches-staff the last few years. This team is going down unless they knock it out of the park the next couple years with picks.. If they miss this year, the pats will be done winning SB under Brady/Bill. They might be done anyway.

[bottomdweller]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

I have them splitting against the Jets and Miami. For some reason, playing @ Miami is never a good thing.

The SD game will be tough, especially if the Pats don't improve the secondary and their pass rush. Depending on the QB, the Vikings game will be tough. AP is a helluva RB and they got some decent WRs now. Indy is always a tough game, but I do think this Pats team will be better talent wise than last year's (I don't know why, but I just got a feeling).

Now for the draft. I want defense with 2 of the first 4 picks (unless they decide to trade one for a 1st next year - crazy). Need an OLB and a DE. They just don't have the depth on the roster, and there are a bunch of good ones in this draft. Alot of people are high on Kindle, and he seems to be a legit rusher. For the end, if Everson Griffin from USC would be good value in the 2nd round. The only two players I would want to take in the 1st round over a Kindle or even the kid from Penn St. (who's name is escaping me at the moment) would be Dez Bryant (would need a Wilfork like drop) or Gresham from Oklahoma. TE is a need, and I don't think you can pass up on the next Antonio Gates/Tony Gonzalez.

[bottomdweller]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Big Ben gone for 6 games. I see him getting traded to Oakland.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Based on where they are now (at 22), at this point my favorite pick is S Earl Thomas of Texas. Gosselin has him going to NE, but many mocks now have him moving up higher.

They have enough needs that position isn't a concern. I just hope they find someone who can play. IMO, they need at least two immediate starters from their four picks in the top 53.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

I was just looking back at last year's draft to recall exactly how the Pats ended up with two additional second-rounders this year:

- Pats traded the #23 (Michael Oher) basically in exchange for #41 (Darius Butler), #83 (Brandon Tate), #232 (Julian Edelman), and #44 in the 2010 draft. (These trades went through Baltimore, Green Bay, and Jacksonville, but if I'm not mistaken that's how it breaks down.)

- Pats traded the #89 (Jared Cook) to Tennessee for #47 in the 2010 draft.

I was ripping them last year for not taking Matthews (GB took Matthews with #26, which NE got from Baltimore and then traded away to GB) or somebody who could make a ******* play on defense, but now that I look at that series of moves it looks okay.

[bottomdweller]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Pro Football Weekly did a study, and the Pats have retained 31% of their draft picks from 04-08. Worst in the leage... They really need to start drafting better.

[bronconick]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Pro Football Weekly did a study, and the Pats have retained 31% of their draft picks from 04-08. Worst in the league... They really need to start drafting better.

That can't be right. Detroit has like two guys left from the Millen era drafts.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Goodell gets shouted down. Great start to the night. Love it.

[Priceless]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Bradford goes to the Rams.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Predictable start.

Reiss:

FOXBORO -- Quick hits from Bill Belichick’s interview on SIRIUS NFL Radio today with Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan:

Assessing the overall draft. Belichick called the draft deep, saying he believes the strength of this draft on the Patriots’ board is from the late first round to the top of the third round. That would seem to indicate that a first-round trade up isn’t on his radar. “I think it’s a little deeper than some of the more recent drafts, the ’07 draft wasn’t a very deep one and I thought the last couple of years were better. I’d put this year right there with it,” he said. “It looks like there are a few players that are kind of the consensus that will go in the top 8, top 10, and after that I get the feeling that there is quite a big swing of who likes who. Some teams could draft a player in the teens that other teams wouldn’t take until the 30s, and vice versa. So it will be interesting to see how all that unfolds. It looks like there is good depth into the third round – probably the strength of the draft is from the end of the first round, from the top of the third, in terms of our grading scale.”

Touching on value of late-round picks. When assessing the team’s 12 draft picks – seven of which come in the final two rounds – Belichick listed off some of the late-round finds for the team in his tenure that have added to the overall competition. Names mentioned by Belichick included Myron Pryor (sixth round, 2009), Julian Edelman (seventh round, 2009), Darryl Richard (seventh round, 2009), Patrick Pass (seventh round, 2000), Tom Brady (sixth round, 2000), David Givens (seventh round, 2002), Matt Cassel (seventh round, 2005). “There are players down there, if you can dig through it,” he said.

Assessing the new draft format. Asked about the new draft format – with the first round Thursday, rounds 2-3 Friday and rounds 4-7 Saturday – Belichick said: “I would expect everyone to treat tomorrow like it’s the first round all over again. I think it will be that kind of mentality.”

Brandon Tate participating in offseason program. While assessing the receivers on the roster, he said, “Brandon Tate has been in the offseason program, he’s done everything”, which reinforces that Tate’s season-ending knee injury hasn’t restricted him this offseason. The 2009 third-round pick is a wild-card in the team’s plans. When talking about the team's receivers, Belichick added: "I think Wes [Welker] is doing well" and then said, "We're not really any position-specific in the draft. We're going to try to take good players and we could use them at every position."

Praises Tim Tebow. Belichick, as he has done throughout the pre-draft process, lauded Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. “I can’t imagine him going to any team and not being able to help that football team,” he said.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Tom Curran:

Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews and Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham are both expected to be targets of the Patriots when their turn on the clock comes up.

Every team does its own mock draft and three sources from three different teams I spoke with today said that Gresham is the likely pick of the Patriots.

Meanwhile, a trusted source in the media said they were hearing Mathews would be the selection.

[neshl05]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Tom Curran:

I will throw my clicker at the tv if that's the pick... They don't use the TE... They have so many holes and they take a TE

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

No. 22 will be chosen in the next 15 minutes.

I look back on the mid-00s, when I always just assumed they'd do the right thing, as the good old days. Now I worry about everything they do, especially when it comes to the "measurables" for OLBs and DEs in the system. Just pick a great football player. Come on.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Trade with Denver?