Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

New England trades a 4th round pick for Deion Branch.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...e=HP_headlines

Out: Moss, 4th round pick
In: Branch, 3rd round pick

Discuss.

[Tater]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

New England trades a 4th round pick for Deion Branch.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...e=HP_headlines

Out: Moss, 4th round pick
In: Branch, 3rd round pick

Discuss.

And a 7th round pick out, but who's counting!

Going by talent alone, the Pats got hosed. We shall soon see how creative the Offense can be.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Seems like a lot to give up for Branch, doesn't it? Oh well, better than drafting Justin Rogers or Garrett Mills in the fourth round, I guess.

I know I've been critical of some of the personnel decisions they've made, but if the Patriots ever came off a bye week and ran an illegal first play from scrimmage that no one on the coaching staff realized was illegal, I'd probably end up in the hospital. Plays like the Vikings' opener last night, which they had two weeks to draw up, make me appreciate the value of having competent adults running the football team down in Foxboro.

[Rover]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Seems like a lot to give up for Branch, doesn't it? Oh well, better than drafting Justin Rogers or Garrett Mills in the fourth round, I guess.

I know I've been critical of some of the personnel decisions they've made, but if the Patriots ever came off a bye week and ran an illegal first play from scrimmage that no one on the coaching staff realized was illegal, I'd probably end up in the hospital. Plays like the Vikings' opener last night, which they had two weeks to draw up, make me appreciate the value of having competent adults running the football team down in Foxboro.

I'm all for it. Its one of the better moves they've made in years. Now they can convice Ty Law to come out of retirement, as he's a definite upgrade over Butler/Arrington.

Seriously though, the Pats need to get impact players now and de-emphasize mid level picks that may work out once in awhile. Trading a 4th rounder for an established receiver who knows the system and QB works for me. They already have another 4th round pick, and essentually this is Maroney for Branch. What they need to do at the end of the year is package more of these lower round picks (really anything below the 2nd round) and move up the draft to grap immediate impact players, preferably at RB and defensive line. Brady ain't getting any younger. The window is the next 5 years. All you can reasonably expect to get in this round are kickers, punters and offensive linemen, none of which are a critical need for the Pats. Set up the team to win now, not 5 years from now.

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

For a league in the trading deadline usually comes and goes almost unnoticed, the Pats have been dealing like a baseball team! Three trades, all featuring big(ger) names (Maroney was supposed to be the featured back, so trading him is kinda big news).

Seems like a lot to give up for Branch, doesn't it?

It's essentially the 4th rounder they got in return for Maroney, so not really.

I know I've been critical of some of the personnel decisions they've made, but if the Patriots ever came off a bye week and ran an illegal first play from scrimmage that no one on the coaching staff realized was illegal, I'd probably end up in the hospital. Plays like the Vikings' opener last night, which they had two weeks to draw up, make me appreciate the value of having competent adults running the football team down in Foxboro.

Brett Favre's just a big kid out there, having fun with the boys! He plays the game like it's one big game of two-hand-touch. I'm sure he drew that play up in the opening huddle, just to have a little fun, loosen everybody up, get the new guy involved, make him feel like part of the team. And, not to make excuses, but Brett's got that tendinitis-dealy in his elbow, so maybe finding someone else to throw the ball occasionally would be a good thing. But, he's just doing it for the guys. Having fun. Big kid. Wranglers.

I'm actually scared the league will suspend him over the text messages incident, breaking his consecutive games streak, forcing him to play for another 20 years to rebuild it.

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Kaczur to IR to make room on the 53 for Branch. He's the third starter to land on IR this year (not counting Faulk and McGowan, two regular contributors last year). They are really thin on the OL.

[Rover]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Kaczur to IR to make room on the 53 for Branch. He's the third starter to land on IR this year (not counting Faulk and McGowan, two regular contributors last year). They are really thin on the OL.

Well, they are getting Mankins back in a few games. Unless he decides to give up the whole year, he has to report by week 10.

[IrishWildcat]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

I think the true brilliance in all of this is taking care of the Moss/Branch deals during the bye week, which afford the offense more time to adjust to a new style of play. The old "Chuck It Deep and Hope Randy Catches It" play is gone. I'd expect to see a lot of the stuff from 2002-2005, when we had Brown and Branch running around underneath. Brady had a fun deep threat with Moss, but now it appears the Pats have gone back to the old bread-and-butter that won 3 Super Bowls: running, short passing game, and (still-developing, but getting there) defense. Should be interesting when they come back from the bye week, and Halloween is going to be a CLASSIC!

[mookie1995]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Well, they are getting Mankins back in a few games. Unless he decides to give up the whole year, he has to report by week 10.

he'll be back to earn the time served.

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

but now it appears the Pats have gone back to the old bread-and-butter that won 3 Super Bowls: running, short passing game, and (still-developing, but getting there) defense. Should be interesting when they come back from the bye week, and Halloween is going to be a CLASSIC!

you caught yourself just in time

Defense is what separates this team from those championship teams. I see a repeat of last years' drubbing by Baltimore unless the defense makes a major step forward. Probably several major steps...

[Priceless]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

he'll be back to earn the time served.

Time served? What is this, prison?

[mookie1995]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

To hear some of them.....YES!

[IrishWildcat]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

you caught yourself just in time

Defense is what separates this team from those championship teams. I see a repeat of last years' drubbing by Baltimore unless the defense makes a major step forward. Probably several major steps...

Well, I don't want to get too "Rex Ryan" and say we're going to the Super Bowl. I mean c'mon, it's only week 6. But so far, I feel much better about this team this week than I did in Week 1. Our defense is clearly our biggest question mark, but if that game in Miami means anything, it means that every member of this team will contribute in order to accomplish the goal of winning a fourth championship within 10 years. After what (allegedly) occurred in the locker room between an offensive (meant in more than one sense) player and his coach, it seems pretty clear that the defense and special teams stepped up and took charge of that game. Little stuff like that is what makes the difference between "just another team" and a champion.

Now, it may have been a one-game performance. But I personally feel that given the recent personnel changes, Bill's deciding to put together a more serious run at the title than he did last year.

[NMU8405]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

he'll be back to earn the time served.

What are the chances he actually plays when he reports?

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Anyone else think the change to the offense might actually help the defense? If they truly get back to the ball-control offense of the Super Bowl runs, that means more rest for the D, and simply less time on the field. How many drives in the past few years were three-and-outs, running almost no time off the clock because two of the three plays were incomplete passes. And, how many 1-2 minute scoring drives were there? Yeah, those are flashy, but that also means your Defense is right back on the field again.

If this team returns to methodically marching up and down the field, you will see a dramatic improvement in the defense, and they will start winning the close games they've been losing.