Looking at the Patriots - 2021

Probably not 5 games but another middling season would be a disappointment given what they spent in FA. This is why IMO we have to upgrade from Cam.
 
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Florio can be a bit of a pot stirrer but this is interesting if true. Perhaps this is what Kraft meant by a change in draft approach. Listening to the scouts more.

Bill Belichick reportedly ignored scouts in drafting N’Keal Harry​

 
Chevss said Harry was a Caserio choice. i believe chevss when he posts stuff like that. he wouldn't say it if he didn't have good info.
The only thing I will say in defense of Harry is his attributes in college being a big target that can go get the ball fit the type of receiver we normally like. I remember being pretty happy with the pick actually. I really thought he would do well but then he got injured right away and when he came back mid-season we had so many issues on the offensive line that it was a mess. It is also hard to count last year against him with Cam as his QB. I am not saying he was worth a #1 or anything but I also don't think it was this huge draft blunder. Hindsight is always 20/20 and Deebo and Metcalf have been fantastic. I think it is just a culmination of bad drafting over the last several years so Harry is glaring because Bill has never picked a WR in the first round. But I can see both Nick and Bill sitting together and feeling real good about taking Harry. Plus, Bill had the connection with this coach.
 
i haven't given up on zuber as being our deebo-light. that's kind of who he reminds me of.
 
Florio can be a bit of a pot stirrer but this is interesting if true. Perhaps this is what Kraft meant by a change in draft approach. Listening to the scouts more.

Bill Belichick reportedly ignored scouts in drafting N’Keal Harry​

For some reason, the title doesn't match the exact tone of the article. Key excerpt for anyone who sometimes reads the headline and not the whole article:

That said, Kraft also could have been referring to the fact that there’s a different person ultimately setting the table for Kraft, given the departure of former V.P. of player personnel Nick Caserio for the Texans. Although source-guessing is regarded by some in this business as a no-no, it’s impossible to ignore the reality that Breer interviewed Caserio just last week. Also, given that Kraft’s critique of the teams recent drafts and reference to a “different approach” easily could be interpreted as an indictment of Caserio, it makes sense for Caserio — who is no longer muzzled by Belichick — to be the one to tell the story of Belichick going off the board for a player who has become a bust, in order to deflect any criticism away from Caserio, especially as it relates to the ill-fated selection of Harry.

Regardless of whether the information came from Caserio, it’s undeniable that Caserio is mentioned nowhere in Breer’s 435-word blurb regarding recent draft failures in New England. Given his [Caserio's] title and the fact that he’s the most significant change from recent years to this year, it’s impossible not to at least consider the possibility that Kraft was referring at least in part to Caserio when citing the different approach that the owner has seen.
 
Tyrod......... he’s just not an NFL starter.

I remember watching him in college when VA tech played Boston college. I was at the game. It was in Boston. Techs defense was so good those years. I think they scored like 18 points all on defense. They were playing lights out.
Then tyrod would get the ball and could not pass. He could run, but not pass. He’s actually made it longer and developed more than I ever thought he would after watching him in college. Tough break he had last year with that shot.
 
Gratz to Michael Onwenu for picking up an extra 554k in performance based pay... nice little april bump to get
 
I've noticed that lately there are no shortage of criticisms over the Pats high picks, largely due to guys like Duke Dawson, JoeJuan Williams and Cyrus Jones providing a big donut hole (although JJW still has a slim chance to wake up).

My point is that every year around this time we tend to view the first round as a magical place where instant stars are born and every mock draft is filled with the promise of better days. Over the years I've learned to be a bit more skeptical of all the hype and decided to take a look at last year to see how many of the 2020 32 1st rounders actually met or exceeded the lofty expectations for their rookie seasons.

While this is a somewhat subjective list, I count 12 of them, which are, in order of selection: Joe Burrow, Chase Young, Justin Herbert, Jedrick Willis, Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Kenneth Murray, Brandon Aiyuk and Clyde Edwards-Hellaire. This doesn't mean that others couldn't develop and justify the investment, but there were more than a few whose teams really wish they'd made a different move.

Jeff Okudah -- the No. 3 overall pick was hurt and played poorly by most accounts for a team that ended up dumping Matt Stafford for Jared Goff. Do you think they might've taken Justin Herbert had they known how things would play out?

Tua Tagovailoa -- Ditto for the Dolphins, who managed to hit the inglorious reverse trifecta as neither of their other two 1sts, OT Austin Jackson or CB Noah Igbinoghene did much of note. All 3 have to get better or it could be an albatross around GM Chris Grier's neck. You had to know that the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree, despite rumors to the contrary.

There were a total of 6 CBs selected in the 1st and according to people a lot smarter than me, none of them had a particularly good rookie season. Will corners slide this year as a result? That wouldn't shock me.

Henry Ruggs -- the Raiders tabbed him with the 12th overall and he didn't exactly light up the NFL as did Justin Jefferson taken 10 slots later for the Vikes.

There were 4 LBs taken in the 1st and only Kenneth Murray of the Chargers produced big. Clemson's Isaiah Simmons was highly touted, went 8th overall and played poorly according to most observers. Patrick Queen frequently looked lost in Baltimore and Jordyn Brooks in Seattle was picked on all season when coverage was supposed to be his strongest trait.

Undoubtedly the worst pick was the Titans' selecting Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson at 29. He has had an eventful year with poor play, the bench, a DUI, a release and voided contract from Tennessee and then another release after 3 days in Miami where he screwed up everything you can possibly screw up and refused help for his "personal issues". Wilson is presently unemployed. That pick makes the Cyrus Jones one look great.

I'm not saying folks shouldn't get excited about the draft, but if you look around the league with a years' data in the bank, the Pats had a pretty nice draft week for themselves -- don't listen to what Felger says on the topic.
 
I've noticed that lately there are no shortage of criticisms over the Pats high picks, largely due to guys like Duke Dawson, JoeJuan Williams and Cyrus Jones providing a big donut hole (although JJW still has a slim chance to wake up).

My point is that every year around this time we tend to view the first round as a magical place where instant stars are born and every mock draft is filled with the promise of better days. Over the years I've learned to be a bit more skeptical of all the hype and decided to take a look at last year to see how many of the 2020 32 1st rounders actually met or exceeded the lofty expectations for their rookie seasons.

While this is a somewhat subjective list, I count 12 of them, which are, in order of selection: Joe Burrow, Chase Young, Justin Herbert, Jedrick Willis, Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Kenneth Murray, Brandon Aiyuk and Clyde Edwards-Hellaire. This doesn't mean that others couldn't develop and justify the investment, but there were more than a few whose teams really wish they'd made a different move.

Jeff Okudah -- the No. 3 overall pick was hurt and played poorly by most accounts for a team that ended up dumping Matt Stafford for Jared Goff. Do you think they might've taken Justin Herbert had they known how things would play out?

Tua Tagovailoa -- Ditto for the Dolphins, who managed to hit the inglorious reverse trifecta as neither of their other two 1sts, OT Austin Jackson or CB Noah Igbinoghene did much of note. All 3 have to get better or it could be an albatross around GM Chris Grier's neck. You had to know that the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree, despite rumors to the contrary.

There were a total of 6 CBs selected in the 1st and according to people a lot smarter than me, none of them had a particularly good rookie season. Will corners slide this year as a result? That wouldn't shock me.

Henry Ruggs -- the Raiders tabbed him with the 12th overall and he didn't exactly light up the NFL as did Justin Jefferson taken 10 slots later for the Vikes.

There were 4 LBs taken in the 1st and only Kenneth Murray of the Chargers produced big. Clemson's Isaiah Simmons was highly touted, went 8th overall and played poorly according to most observers. Patrick Queen frequently looked lost in Baltimore and Jordyn Brooks in Seattle was picked on all season when coverage was supposed to be his strongest trait.

Undoubtedly the worst pick was the Titans' selecting Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson at 29. He has had an eventful year with poor play, the bench, a DUI, a release and voided contract from Tennessee and then another release after 3 days in Miami where he screwed up everything you can possibly screw up and refused help for his "personal issues". Wilson is presently unemployed. That pick makes the Cyrus Jones one look great.

I'm not saying folks shouldn't get excited about the draft, but if you look around the league with a years' data in the bank, the Pats had a pretty nice draft week for themselves -- don't listen to what Felger says on the topic.
Drafting players seems like a/an/whatever chemistry experiment for most players. Most won't pan out, some will outshine, some will be mediocre. A lot of it depends on the players overall mental state, health, and grasp of the playbook. It's a roll of the dice. But, the more picks that you have, the higher the chance of hitting on a few.
 
Drafting players seems like a/an/whatever chemistry experiment for most players. Most won't pan out, some will outshine, some will be mediocre. A lot of it depends on the players overall mental state, health, and grasp of the playbook. It's a roll of the dice. But, the more picks that you have, the higher the chance of hitting on a few.
Exact-a-mundo
 
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