Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

[Jason A]

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

Resetting things:

Pats hold two 2011 picks (in addition to their own):
Carolina's 2nd
Oakland's 1st

Here's what they have today:

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113)
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150)
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*)
Rd 7, Pick 22 (229)
Rd 7, Pick 24 (231)
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

Trading the fourth, fifth, and seventh to move up in the fourth is possible, but I don't see it happening because it looks like the teams at the top of the fourth already have a good number of later-round selections today and don't need to stockpile more. So if NE wants to move up, they'd probably need to send their fourth and next year's fourth, or something like that.

I think they'll draft a QB at some point today. Maybe Pike, the kid from Cincy? Or Oregon State's Canfield? Just a couple guesses.

 

[CarlS]

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

From John Clayton on ESPN:

"The Patriots: You have to give Bill Belichick credit for making a commitment to youth. After wheeling and dealing draft choices for many years, the Patriots are in the midst of assembling one of the biggest draft classes in years. They drafted cornerback Devin McCourty in the first round and moved up and down the second round to grab tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham and linebacker Brandon Spikes.

In the third round, they picked up wide receiver Taylor Price.

The beauty of all of this is that they'll enter the final day with eight more choices. That gives the Patriots plenty of assets to build for the present and the future. The Patriots could have a draft class of as many as 13 players if they don't make more trades. You figure they will swap 2010 picks for 2011 selections and stockpile for the future. After all, 13 rookies probably can't make the Patriots. The Pats have done the best job of using draft choices like playing cards. They have a full house."

I like the draft so far. Spikes may have a bad 40 time, but he will be looked at to compete with Guyton and McKenzie for time. Will be looked at primariy as a two down LB in my opinion and he is a big hitter. I don't see him running a 40 in shorts and t-shirt in any games.

Price looks to be very good value where the Pats got him. He had no quarterback at Ohio.

JasonA - you love this stuff as much as I do - NFL draft is Christmas in April

 

[Jason A]

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

La Canfora admits he got bad info and Pats never called Griffen.

Minny just grabbed him. I'm sure Childress will be telling the media later today that they needed to pick Griffen there because the Pats were about to move up to get him.

Mike Mayock can barely speak. Laryngitis.

 

[Jason A]

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

I like the draft so far. Spikes may have a bad 40 time, but he will be looked at to compete with Guyton and McKenzie for time. Will be looked at primariy as a two down LB in my opinion and he is a big hitter. I don't see him running a 40 in shorts and t-shirt in any games.

As some guy at BSMW posted last night, if Spikes is running 40 yards to chase down a RB too often this year, the Pats are really going to be bad and picking a slow ILB will be the least of their worries.

 

[Jason A]

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

Jets just moved up in front of NE to pick Joe McKnight, RB out of USC.

NE on the clock.

 

[Jason A]

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

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150)
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*)
Rd 7, Pick 22 (229)
Rd 7, Pick 24 (231)
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

 

[bottomdweller]

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

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150)
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*)
Rd 7, Pick 22 (229)
Rd 7, Pick 24 (231)
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

Smaller guy... not the best blocker. Has some pretty good speed, but does have some character issues, from what i've read.

 

[Jason A]

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

Smaller guy... not the best blocker. Has some pretty good speed, but does have some character issues, from what i've read.

Interesting that they've remade the whole TE position, getting rid of everyone and bringing in two 20-year-olds as well as the veteran Crumpler. Now they just need to find a way to utilize them properly in the offense.

Pirate asked a good question last night about how many guys they can take on. I’m going to assume every fourth-round pick or higher will make the 53-man roster but any other draft choice is uncertain. Given that, I count 41 guys who, if they don’t get hurt or traded, I think are very likely to be on the active roster on September 12. And that counts only one RB (Faulk), even though they’re going to keep a minimum of four and probably five RBs on their 53. (In parentheses is each player’s contract expiration date.)

QB (2): Brady (10), Hoyer (11)
Maybe: Rowe (10)

RB (1): Faulk (10)
Maybe: Maroney (10), Morris (10), Taylor (10), Green-Ellis (10)

TE (2): Gronkowski (R), Hernandez (R)
Maybe: Crumpler (10), Agnone (10), Myers (10)

WR (4 + 1 PUP): Moss (10), Edelman (12), Price (R), Tate (12), Welker (11-PUP through week 6)
Maybe: Aiken (11), Slater (11), Holt (10), Patten (10), Stanbach (10), Jenkins (10)

C (1): Koppen (11)
Maybe: Wendell (10)

OT (4): Light (10), Kaczur (12), Vollmer (12), LeVoir (11)

OG (3): Mankins (10-RFA), Neal (11), Ohrnberger (12)
Maybe: Connolly (11), Bussey (12)

DE (3): Warren (13), Lewis (10), Brace (12)
Maybe: Grady (10), Richard (10), Gordon (10)

DT (3): Wilfork (14), Pryor (12), Wright (12)

OLB (4): Banta-Cain (12), Cunningham (R), Woods (10), Murrell (11)
Maybe: Crable (11), Ninkovich (11), Davis (10), Thomas (11)

ILB (4): Mayo (12), Spikes (R), Guyton (10), McKenzie (12)
Maybe: Alexander (10), Williams (10)

CB (3): Bodden (13), Butler (12), McCourty (R)
Maybe: Springs (11), Wilhite (11), Wheatley (11), Arrington (10)

S (4): Meriweather (11), McGowan (10), Chung (12), Sanders (11)Maybe: Lockett (10)

K (1): Gostkowski (10)

P (1): King (10)

LS (1): Ingram (12)

 

[NMU8405]

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

Please draft a RB New England.

 

[Jason A]

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

Jets trade Leon Washington (and a 7th) to Seattle for a 5th (John Connor, FB from Kentucky).

Pats still at 150. Jaguars on clock right now at 143.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

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

Guess the Pats should have moved up if they wanted Everson. Must not have wanted him that badly. Or maybe all a mind game to make sure someone wasted a pick in the first 14 picks of the 4th round.

 

[Jason A]

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

Guess the Pats should have moved up if they wanted Everson. Must not have wanted him that badly. Or maybe all a mind game to make sure someone wasted a pick in the first 14 picks of the 4th round.

La Canfora admitted that was a bum story, that he got bad information. Pats never talked to him last night.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

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

La Canfora admitted that was a bum story, that he got bad information. Pats never talked to him last night.

It makes sense. Pats would never let that info get out.

 

[Jason A]

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

Okay, put "King/Mesko" under punter on my chart, below.

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150): Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*)
Rd 7, Pick 22 (229)
Rd 7, Pick 24 (231)
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

 

[Jason A]

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

Well, if Mesko sticks, I would imagine the Pats would be the only team in the league to have drafted players at kicker, punter, and long snapper. Not sure if that's good or bad, but it is what it is.

 

[CarlS]

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

Mesko is a good choice on paper. Best punter in college, improving his net yardage every year. His ratio of punts downed inside the 20 vs touchbacks is great. You cannot underestimate the importance of field position. And not that he will ever be looked on to really make plays, but he is huge for a punter 6"4" 235 - 240 lbs.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

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

Mesko is a good choice on paper. Best punter in college, improving his net yardage every year. His ratio of punts downed inside the 20 vs touchbacks is great. You cannot underestimate the importance of field position. And not that he will ever be looked on to really make plays, but he is huge for a punter 6"4" 235 - 240 lbs.

Something USC has been lamenting for years, I totally agree. Great punter makes everyone else's job easier.

 

[Jason A]

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

Had to get outside and enjoy the weather -- and yet I didn't miss a single Pats pick.

Also, Mesko is from a cold-weather school, so hopefully that's a point in his favor.

Carolina just took Tony Pike (another QB?) right before the Pats' pick. NE counters with OL Ted Larsen, NC State, a three-year DL who moved to center for his final two years.

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150): Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*): Ted Larsen, C, NC State
Rd 7, Pick 22 (229)
Rd 7, Pick 24 (231)
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

 

[Jason A]

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

Pats moved up to 208, giving up 229 and 231. They take Thomas Welch, a fifth-year senior who entered college as a TE but was moved to the offensive line before the 2007 season.

Rd 1, Pick 27 (27): Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Rd 2, Pick 10 (42): Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53): Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62): Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Rd 3, Pick 26 (90): Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
Rd 4, Pick 15 (113): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Rd 5, Pick 19 (150): Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
Rd 6, Pick 36 (205*): Ted Larsen, C, NC State
Rd 7, Pick 1 (208): Thomas Welch, OT, Vanderbilt
Rd 7, Pick 40 (247*)
Rd 7, Pick 41 (248*)
Rd 7, Pick 43 (250*)
*Compensatory picks can't be traded

 

[CarlS]

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

Now I have to go back outside ... but one last note about this year's draft that must be considered when analyzing it is how the Pats set themselves up to be in control of the draft next year. Now the picks need to be players.