Oswlek
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Hey All! I'm still unsure about how much I'll follow the team, but I have collected a batch of semi-lucid ramblings and have no friends to share them with.... so lucky you! WTF?
* It was refreshing to see that Patriots fans are as misguidedly belligerent as they were a when I jumped ship 8 months ago. Mike Reiss had a live chat during the second day of the draft and WEEI's finest were out in full force. The most ridiculous comment was something along the lines of "Oh great, now Bill traded a 3rd round pick for a bunch of 4s that won't even make the team!"
Hey, asswaffle. They moved back 12 spots. 12 spots. Jesus, the cut off between Dominant Ass Kicker and Lucky to Make the Team was apparently damn sharp this year. Too bad NE's GM didn't notice it.
Regrettably, the rest wasn't much better
* Speaking of Reiss, he got caught up in the rough waters himself. After the 3rd round trade, he commented something like, "I guess the FO wasn't being genuine when they said they liked the depth in this draft."
Mike, isn't sliding back a dozen spots from the bottom of the 3rd round and picking up a pick at the top of the 6th precisely the type of thing a team would do if they really like the depth? :shrug_n:
I've disagreed with a lot of Mike's contentions recently. He was far more content with the OL than I was. I fully expected a double dip with one as early as the second day (can I give myself partial credit for the latter detail?). Even looking at the issue currently, Mike is taking more of a future outlook, but I think NE is hoping at least one of the interior rookies takes a job this upcoming season. Maybe that is quick enough to ouster either Connolly or Wendell or maybe they'll go the Koppen route, but by midseason at the latest. And I think they hope at least two of the interior spots are turned over by the end of the 2015 training camp.
I think he's riding the "NE would have preferred to move back but didn't get a good enough offer" train a bit too hard. I mean, we all know NE would have taken a 2nd and next year's first overpay, but I'm not sure they wanted to move back. Would a team really make their selection with several minutes on the clock if they did?
* Can we finally remove "Brady's Window" from our vernacular? It clearly never existed in Bill's. The whole YOU-GOTTA-WIN-NOW-FOR-BRADY!!!!! thing has never made much sense to me. Sure, you don't get that many chances and a great QB makes it dramatically easier. But the last three super bowls have been won by guys who aren't elite. Two good and one who is average. You can't do much with a bad QB, and a great one is basically a free ticket to the second round, but the whole roster matters.
Second, unless my eyes are deceiving me, Brady himself was either a playoff non-factor or liability in the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013. Seriously, if you swapped Tom for any average QB, which of those playoffs would have turned out differently? Not seasons, mind you. Tom has had a hug impact on NE getting an extra couple wins and byes. But the playoffs have been another story. The only time they beat a team that they didn't have a significant talent edge on, Tom took the microphone and apologized for his performance.
Lastly, if we all agree that you need at least a good QB and a great one gives you an edge, why wouldn't you take a guy you really like without having to shit the bed to have the chance to get him? It isn't like JG was taken in the middle of the first round, he was a late second round selection. The same people bitching about that are the first ones to tell you how much Bill sucks at picking in the second round, so what does it matter anyway?
If NE felt that JG was on a level playing field with the rest of the QBs, then they clearly made a mistake by not waiting another round or two. If they liked him more than McCarron or Savage or anyone else that fans and media bring up, they needed to step to the plate because Houston was coming up to the podium soon. If the kid doesn't pan out, it's a bad pick, which is the same that can be said of any selection.
I didn't like Mallett in college and I still think he's a terrible fit for this offense, so I'm thrilled that NE has found a promising guy who is a better match. If Bill has had a snafu, it was not dumping Mallett for the supposed 2nd round offer(s).
* There's already been a lot of talk about Revis' contract, but the one thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet is that the bonus structure was NE's decision. Revis was never going to accept a deal that allowed NE to tag him in 2015, but that could have been avoided easily simply by adding language disallowing it. Not only would that have been simpler, it would have made NE eligible for a comp pick in 2016 if Revis leaves.
Instead, NE forfeited that comp pick to tack a phony second year on, providing some cap relief for this year and giving NE an extra month and a half to hash out a deal. I've even heard douchewaffles like Mutt on WEEI complaining about the cap hit in 2015 as if it somehow makes it a worse deal than originally reported. Hey! Idiot! That was the team's choice!
Anyway, circling back around to the bogus Brady window, Darelle's singing was never about that, despite lots of rhetoric otherwise, nor was it a break from NE's SOP. It was a great opportunity that NE was smart to pounce on.
Think of it this way, if Bill was given the ability to franchise tag any player in the entire league, free agent or no, would he ever pass on that? Or would he use it on someone every single year? That is pretty much what fell into NE's lap this year, except they were able to even spread the cap hit over two years.
* I have to agree with Hawg that Easly's selection is indicative of a change. This kid is nothing like anyone NE's drafted that high. The closest recent guy is Mike Wright, but he (and other smaller DTs) tended to be UDFAs or late rounders. You don't use a first rounder on this kid and then totally misuse him as a 2-gapper. His best asset is his burst and disruption, forcing him to read and fight guys is about the worst thing you can do.
BTW, Armstead has become a joke around these parts, but when Bill goes out of his way to mention him as a critical loss last year, that tells me the team still views him as a big piece of the defensive puzzle. If Easly carves out a role, Armstead is healthy and you get a second you bump from one of Jones or Vellano... that is the makings of a very promising young DT corps. Yes, some ifs, but nothing outlandish.
* I hadn't watched film on Gallon, but I can see why you guys love him so much. That kid is a player. He reminds me of Bam Childress, except with NFL athleticism. Tough kid, the Steve Smith comparison seems apt. I didn't expect NE to go WR high, but I was totally on board with a late round flyer. Watching this kid on film, I have a hard time not seeing him on the roster this year.
* I have to chalk up the no TE drafted to MM and Chevs being right about the draft class. There is a big need there with or without Keller. I won't be surprised if this ends up being a 7WR year with LaFell taking some of those duties.
Alright, purge done for now. :Eason:
* It was refreshing to see that Patriots fans are as misguidedly belligerent as they were a when I jumped ship 8 months ago. Mike Reiss had a live chat during the second day of the draft and WEEI's finest were out in full force. The most ridiculous comment was something along the lines of "Oh great, now Bill traded a 3rd round pick for a bunch of 4s that won't even make the team!"
Hey, asswaffle. They moved back 12 spots. 12 spots. Jesus, the cut off between Dominant Ass Kicker and Lucky to Make the Team was apparently damn sharp this year. Too bad NE's GM didn't notice it.
Regrettably, the rest wasn't much better
* Speaking of Reiss, he got caught up in the rough waters himself. After the 3rd round trade, he commented something like, "I guess the FO wasn't being genuine when they said they liked the depth in this draft."
Mike, isn't sliding back a dozen spots from the bottom of the 3rd round and picking up a pick at the top of the 6th precisely the type of thing a team would do if they really like the depth? :shrug_n:
I've disagreed with a lot of Mike's contentions recently. He was far more content with the OL than I was. I fully expected a double dip with one as early as the second day (can I give myself partial credit for the latter detail?). Even looking at the issue currently, Mike is taking more of a future outlook, but I think NE is hoping at least one of the interior rookies takes a job this upcoming season. Maybe that is quick enough to ouster either Connolly or Wendell or maybe they'll go the Koppen route, but by midseason at the latest. And I think they hope at least two of the interior spots are turned over by the end of the 2015 training camp.
I think he's riding the "NE would have preferred to move back but didn't get a good enough offer" train a bit too hard. I mean, we all know NE would have taken a 2nd and next year's first overpay, but I'm not sure they wanted to move back. Would a team really make their selection with several minutes on the clock if they did?
* Can we finally remove "Brady's Window" from our vernacular? It clearly never existed in Bill's. The whole YOU-GOTTA-WIN-NOW-FOR-BRADY!!!!! thing has never made much sense to me. Sure, you don't get that many chances and a great QB makes it dramatically easier. But the last three super bowls have been won by guys who aren't elite. Two good and one who is average. You can't do much with a bad QB, and a great one is basically a free ticket to the second round, but the whole roster matters.
Second, unless my eyes are deceiving me, Brady himself was either a playoff non-factor or liability in the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013. Seriously, if you swapped Tom for any average QB, which of those playoffs would have turned out differently? Not seasons, mind you. Tom has had a hug impact on NE getting an extra couple wins and byes. But the playoffs have been another story. The only time they beat a team that they didn't have a significant talent edge on, Tom took the microphone and apologized for his performance.
Lastly, if we all agree that you need at least a good QB and a great one gives you an edge, why wouldn't you take a guy you really like without having to shit the bed to have the chance to get him? It isn't like JG was taken in the middle of the first round, he was a late second round selection. The same people bitching about that are the first ones to tell you how much Bill sucks at picking in the second round, so what does it matter anyway?
If NE felt that JG was on a level playing field with the rest of the QBs, then they clearly made a mistake by not waiting another round or two. If they liked him more than McCarron or Savage or anyone else that fans and media bring up, they needed to step to the plate because Houston was coming up to the podium soon. If the kid doesn't pan out, it's a bad pick, which is the same that can be said of any selection.
I didn't like Mallett in college and I still think he's a terrible fit for this offense, so I'm thrilled that NE has found a promising guy who is a better match. If Bill has had a snafu, it was not dumping Mallett for the supposed 2nd round offer(s).
* There's already been a lot of talk about Revis' contract, but the one thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet is that the bonus structure was NE's decision. Revis was never going to accept a deal that allowed NE to tag him in 2015, but that could have been avoided easily simply by adding language disallowing it. Not only would that have been simpler, it would have made NE eligible for a comp pick in 2016 if Revis leaves.
Instead, NE forfeited that comp pick to tack a phony second year on, providing some cap relief for this year and giving NE an extra month and a half to hash out a deal. I've even heard douchewaffles like Mutt on WEEI complaining about the cap hit in 2015 as if it somehow makes it a worse deal than originally reported. Hey! Idiot! That was the team's choice!
Anyway, circling back around to the bogus Brady window, Darelle's singing was never about that, despite lots of rhetoric otherwise, nor was it a break from NE's SOP. It was a great opportunity that NE was smart to pounce on.
Think of it this way, if Bill was given the ability to franchise tag any player in the entire league, free agent or no, would he ever pass on that? Or would he use it on someone every single year? That is pretty much what fell into NE's lap this year, except they were able to even spread the cap hit over two years.
* I have to agree with Hawg that Easly's selection is indicative of a change. This kid is nothing like anyone NE's drafted that high. The closest recent guy is Mike Wright, but he (and other smaller DTs) tended to be UDFAs or late rounders. You don't use a first rounder on this kid and then totally misuse him as a 2-gapper. His best asset is his burst and disruption, forcing him to read and fight guys is about the worst thing you can do.
BTW, Armstead has become a joke around these parts, but when Bill goes out of his way to mention him as a critical loss last year, that tells me the team still views him as a big piece of the defensive puzzle. If Easly carves out a role, Armstead is healthy and you get a second you bump from one of Jones or Vellano... that is the makings of a very promising young DT corps. Yes, some ifs, but nothing outlandish.
* I hadn't watched film on Gallon, but I can see why you guys love him so much. That kid is a player. He reminds me of Bam Childress, except with NFL athleticism. Tough kid, the Steve Smith comparison seems apt. I didn't expect NE to go WR high, but I was totally on board with a late round flyer. Watching this kid on film, I have a hard time not seeing him on the roster this year.
* I have to chalk up the no TE drafted to MM and Chevs being right about the draft class. There is a big need there with or without Keller. I won't be surprised if this ends up being a 7WR year with LaFell taking some of those duties.
Alright, purge done for now. :Eason: