Hawg73
Mediocre with flashes of brilliance
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2002
- Messages
- 25,162
- Reaction score
- 11,523
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- 113
- Age
- 68
- Location
- Gumdrop house on Lollipop Ln.
I promise that I will start making my posts shorter in the future, but there was a lot of ground to cover in this one, so......
Coming up with an offseason plan is a daunting task when you consider that the Pats have often hoodwinked their professional opposition in the pros,
All of this is really just idle speculation from a guy who admits he is only semi-knowlegeable and would just like to share his opinions. I have purposely not tried to figure out the salary cap ramifications due to the complexities involved and will just estimate for the purpose of brevity. This will be plenty long as it is.
First off - the RUNNING BACKS
Obviously our biggest need - I think we dump Cloud and keep Faulk. We need 3 so 2 additions are needed. My prediction is that we reach into free agency and sign the unknown Stacey Mack from Houston. He is a big guy that can really block and I don't think BB will let Brady get killed with all rookie backs. He would also come pretty cheap, so he is added and then we get (surprise) Greg Jones. This guy I have been touting and think he can give us what Antowain gave us and more. A huge, powerful guy who has a risky injury history - but so did Curtis Martin. I think that with BB's history of going with big guys like Kevin Mack, Leroy Hoard and Antowain that Jones is a likely choice. I'm not sure but think we could get him at 32.
I expect Larry Centers will retire and since there are not a lot of enticing FB prospects in the draft will give Fred McCrary a shot again and Patrick Pass sticks around. I thought about bringing in Greg Comella as a FA, but will stick with the status quo here. Don't forget Klecko as a goal line blocker.
So we end up with Jones, Faulk and Mack, with McCrary and Pass at FB. ( we use 1st rd pick #32 and get an FA)
WIDE RECEIVER
People aren't really touting this as a big need, but I think Old Troy is starting to slow down and may only have a season left with us. In addition Patten is pretty small and gets bumped off the ball a lot, so will stick with Givens, Branch and Johnson, keep Troy for one more year and will need to bring in two more. I'd make a free agency bid for Tenn's Justin McCareins. He is young, big and productive (7 td's) and just coming into his own. He is a restricted free agent, but isn't making that much and the Titans are hurting to get under the cap. They won't be able to match and he is worth a shot. There would be compensation involved, but I am too lazy to figure that out, but it won't be too tough to swallow so you can pick on me for this move if you wish.
In addition I will add a personal favorite of mine - LSU's Michael Clayton as the top pick at 21. Early combine reports have him at smaller than his listed 6'3" - but he is still a very big WR. I saw him play quite a bit and he really knows how to play the game, he's tough, runs great routes, top hands, a team leader, productive and can block. Not a blazer, but to me he has "Patriot" stamped square in the middle of his forehead.
We cut Patten, Stokes, Patten and Dedric Ward and add McCareins and Clayton ( 1st rd pick #21) With this lineup we could go crazy with multi-reciever sets and drain the life out of opposing backfields. Plenty of weapons for Tommy Boy and with a legit running threat - they are all that much improved.
OFFENSIVE LINE
I think Woody is gone and probably Compton too, thrown in Adrian Klemm and Brian Kinchen and show Wilbert Brown the door.
We keep Light, Hochstein, Koppen, Andruzzi and Ashworth, with Brandon Gorin and Jamil Soriano in reserve. I count Lonie Paxton as strictly a long snapper and he should be fine, so we need a body here and I will guess that BC OG Chris Snee lasts until the top of the 2nd round where we need to move up from 52 to get him in the mid 30's. I think we could do it, but the price is #63 along with #52. I didn't look up the value points, but believe a move like that is feasible and would be worth it to land Snee who might be an all-pro at a position where we are very thin without Woody.
QB
I believe Huard is gone and have a gut feeling that Kliff Kingsbury might be the heir apparent to the backup job. We keep Brady, Kingsbury and Davey in that order.
TE
Fred Baxter kind of sucks and you just can't quit on Graham, so I add a TE in the draft and will shoot for a developmental guy and will call him a 7th rounder. Your guess is as good as mine.
PUNTER
Ken Walter - color him gone - the rookie crop doesn't sound overly promising and we need a new holder so I will guess that Tom Tupa might get the call. Possibly Darren Bennett of SD if we have another holder on the roster who can get the job done.
CB
You have to think that last years top 3 will be back (sorry Perhaps2) so Law, Poole and Samuel return. BB seems to love DBs so I doubt we will go without getting a new one, so will guess on a guy like maybe Keith Smith of McNeese St. with our 4th rounder #112.
SAFETY
The injuries to our starters showed the world that our backups can't cover worth a damn, so I see us trying to find one that can. I'll guess on a guy like Madieu Williams of Maryland who is a real solid prospect might slip to 95 so we expend our 3rd rounder on him and cut useless Antwan Harris.
#95 goes for Williams and the depth takes a jump up.
LB
A lot of people are saying we need to get younger at ILB, but I think LB is perhaps the deepest and most versatile unit on the team and doubt they will take one high. I think we keep Colvin, Brushci, Vrabel, Willie, TJ, Phifer, Chatham, Izzo and Tully Banta-Cain. We cut Don Davis and add a 'tweener in the mold of a Vrabel or TBC in the form of Hawaii's Travis LaBoy who is considered by some a Vrabel clone and will most likely do some time on the "injury" list while he develops. He will cost us our 2nd 4th rounder #127. LaBoy is very much in the mold of the prototype BB DE/3-4 LB. Maybe Klecko gets a look at ILB, we will have to wait and see.
DL
I believe Big Ted is history and we will try to work Ty Warren in there. in addition to Ted, I think that the time has come for both Anthony Pleasant and Rick Lyle to start new careers. We need some depth here and so go for two DL propects and pick up the versatile, hard-working Tim Anderson of OSU in the 5th and Alabama's 6'5" 330 lb Ahmad Childress as a NT prospect with the remaining 6th. He is not a typical "Patriot" type, but worth some risk.
So to sum up we add only Stacey Mack, Justin McCareins and a punter in FA and draft: 1 WR, 1 RB, 1 OG, 1 TE, 1 CB, 1 safety, 2 DL's and 1 LB
The only major losses would be Ted Washington, Damien Woody and possibly Antowain. These draft moves give us 3 impact players and would greatly improve the red zone offense (on paper) and the top 3 all have potential all-pro futures in the league. I have addressed out biggest need in drafting Jones and our critical depth problems at safety, wide receiver and OG and kept the talent pool flowing at DL. Our front line positions are pretty solid as it is, so was able to pick a few young guys that will have the luxury of time to develop.
I tried to be as realistic as I could, and used draft sites as an approximate indicator of where the draft picks are slotted knowing full well that a lot will change in the next few months.
As much as losing Big Ted will hurt, I believe that we would be a better team if something the above could/did transpire.
Coming up with an offseason plan is a daunting task when you consider that the Pats have often hoodwinked their professional opposition in the pros,
All of this is really just idle speculation from a guy who admits he is only semi-knowlegeable and would just like to share his opinions. I have purposely not tried to figure out the salary cap ramifications due to the complexities involved and will just estimate for the purpose of brevity. This will be plenty long as it is.
First off - the RUNNING BACKS
Obviously our biggest need - I think we dump Cloud and keep Faulk. We need 3 so 2 additions are needed. My prediction is that we reach into free agency and sign the unknown Stacey Mack from Houston. He is a big guy that can really block and I don't think BB will let Brady get killed with all rookie backs. He would also come pretty cheap, so he is added and then we get (surprise) Greg Jones. This guy I have been touting and think he can give us what Antowain gave us and more. A huge, powerful guy who has a risky injury history - but so did Curtis Martin. I think that with BB's history of going with big guys like Kevin Mack, Leroy Hoard and Antowain that Jones is a likely choice. I'm not sure but think we could get him at 32.
I expect Larry Centers will retire and since there are not a lot of enticing FB prospects in the draft will give Fred McCrary a shot again and Patrick Pass sticks around. I thought about bringing in Greg Comella as a FA, but will stick with the status quo here. Don't forget Klecko as a goal line blocker.
So we end up with Jones, Faulk and Mack, with McCrary and Pass at FB. ( we use 1st rd pick #32 and get an FA)
WIDE RECEIVER
People aren't really touting this as a big need, but I think Old Troy is starting to slow down and may only have a season left with us. In addition Patten is pretty small and gets bumped off the ball a lot, so will stick with Givens, Branch and Johnson, keep Troy for one more year and will need to bring in two more. I'd make a free agency bid for Tenn's Justin McCareins. He is young, big and productive (7 td's) and just coming into his own. He is a restricted free agent, but isn't making that much and the Titans are hurting to get under the cap. They won't be able to match and he is worth a shot. There would be compensation involved, but I am too lazy to figure that out, but it won't be too tough to swallow so you can pick on me for this move if you wish.
In addition I will add a personal favorite of mine - LSU's Michael Clayton as the top pick at 21. Early combine reports have him at smaller than his listed 6'3" - but he is still a very big WR. I saw him play quite a bit and he really knows how to play the game, he's tough, runs great routes, top hands, a team leader, productive and can block. Not a blazer, but to me he has "Patriot" stamped square in the middle of his forehead.
We cut Patten, Stokes, Patten and Dedric Ward and add McCareins and Clayton ( 1st rd pick #21) With this lineup we could go crazy with multi-reciever sets and drain the life out of opposing backfields. Plenty of weapons for Tommy Boy and with a legit running threat - they are all that much improved.
OFFENSIVE LINE
I think Woody is gone and probably Compton too, thrown in Adrian Klemm and Brian Kinchen and show Wilbert Brown the door.
We keep Light, Hochstein, Koppen, Andruzzi and Ashworth, with Brandon Gorin and Jamil Soriano in reserve. I count Lonie Paxton as strictly a long snapper and he should be fine, so we need a body here and I will guess that BC OG Chris Snee lasts until the top of the 2nd round where we need to move up from 52 to get him in the mid 30's. I think we could do it, but the price is #63 along with #52. I didn't look up the value points, but believe a move like that is feasible and would be worth it to land Snee who might be an all-pro at a position where we are very thin without Woody.
QB
I believe Huard is gone and have a gut feeling that Kliff Kingsbury might be the heir apparent to the backup job. We keep Brady, Kingsbury and Davey in that order.
TE
Fred Baxter kind of sucks and you just can't quit on Graham, so I add a TE in the draft and will shoot for a developmental guy and will call him a 7th rounder. Your guess is as good as mine.
PUNTER
Ken Walter - color him gone - the rookie crop doesn't sound overly promising and we need a new holder so I will guess that Tom Tupa might get the call. Possibly Darren Bennett of SD if we have another holder on the roster who can get the job done.
CB
You have to think that last years top 3 will be back (sorry Perhaps2) so Law, Poole and Samuel return. BB seems to love DBs so I doubt we will go without getting a new one, so will guess on a guy like maybe Keith Smith of McNeese St. with our 4th rounder #112.
SAFETY
The injuries to our starters showed the world that our backups can't cover worth a damn, so I see us trying to find one that can. I'll guess on a guy like Madieu Williams of Maryland who is a real solid prospect might slip to 95 so we expend our 3rd rounder on him and cut useless Antwan Harris.
#95 goes for Williams and the depth takes a jump up.
LB
A lot of people are saying we need to get younger at ILB, but I think LB is perhaps the deepest and most versatile unit on the team and doubt they will take one high. I think we keep Colvin, Brushci, Vrabel, Willie, TJ, Phifer, Chatham, Izzo and Tully Banta-Cain. We cut Don Davis and add a 'tweener in the mold of a Vrabel or TBC in the form of Hawaii's Travis LaBoy who is considered by some a Vrabel clone and will most likely do some time on the "injury" list while he develops. He will cost us our 2nd 4th rounder #127. LaBoy is very much in the mold of the prototype BB DE/3-4 LB. Maybe Klecko gets a look at ILB, we will have to wait and see.
DL
I believe Big Ted is history and we will try to work Ty Warren in there. in addition to Ted, I think that the time has come for both Anthony Pleasant and Rick Lyle to start new careers. We need some depth here and so go for two DL propects and pick up the versatile, hard-working Tim Anderson of OSU in the 5th and Alabama's 6'5" 330 lb Ahmad Childress as a NT prospect with the remaining 6th. He is not a typical "Patriot" type, but worth some risk.
So to sum up we add only Stacey Mack, Justin McCareins and a punter in FA and draft: 1 WR, 1 RB, 1 OG, 1 TE, 1 CB, 1 safety, 2 DL's and 1 LB
The only major losses would be Ted Washington, Damien Woody and possibly Antowain. These draft moves give us 3 impact players and would greatly improve the red zone offense (on paper) and the top 3 all have potential all-pro futures in the league. I have addressed out biggest need in drafting Jones and our critical depth problems at safety, wide receiver and OG and kept the talent pool flowing at DL. Our front line positions are pretty solid as it is, so was able to pick a few young guys that will have the luxury of time to develop.
I tried to be as realistic as I could, and used draft sites as an approximate indicator of where the draft picks are slotted knowing full well that a lot will change in the next few months.
As much as losing Big Ted will hurt, I believe that we would be a better team if something the above could/did transpire.
