The 2009 NFL Draft

The New England Patriots have 11 selections in the NFL Draft this weekend including 6 in the first three rounds. As in past years, Coach Bill Belichick and the Pats won't use all 11 picks and will probably either trade away a few for next year or package some to move up the draft board and aquire a player that may be dropping.

That said, after listening to all the pundits and so-called experts, here is my take on what areas the Patriots will try to target in order of priority.

1. DEFENSIVE LINE: Even though the Patriots still need Linebacker help, the feeling is that they don't view any of the famed Linebacking corps coming out of USC (Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, and Rey Maualuga) as can't miss prospects within their system as they did with Jerod Mayo last year. Plus Richard Seymour's contract will need to be renegotiated soon, so look for the Pats to select Robert Ayers with the 23rd pick in the first round. Ayers is a Defensive End from Tennesse (like J. Mayo) who could possibly be converted to a pass rushing linebacker like former Patriot Willie McGinest.
   
2. DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Just like pitching in baseball, you can never have enough Defensive Backfield depth in football. Plus Ellis Hobbs and newcomer Leigh Bodden are in their final year of their contracts, so look for the Patriots to take a stab at local product CornerBack Darius Butler from UConn with the 34th pick.


3. OFFENSIVE LINE: Whether it be the SuperBowl loss to the NY Giants 2 years ago or the first game against the KC Chiefs last year, Tom Brady returns to a line of blockers that couldn't effectively protect him the last 2 games he's played in. Also, 11 out of 14 players of this group are entering the final year of their contract. Plus, this draft year is deep in Offensive Line talent, so I could see the Patriots picking-up one or two Offensive Linemen between the second to fourth rounds.


4. RUNNING BACK/WIDE RECEIVER: With Kevin Faulk getting older, Laurence Maroney still not producing, and Fred Taylor more of a short term solution, I could see the Patriots possibly picking-up another unheralded Running Back in the middle-to-late rounds like UConn's Donald Brown. Also, the signing of Joey Galloway is another short term answer at Wide Receiver, so the Pats also may select a Wideout with upside in the middle-to-late rounds.


5. QUARTERBACK: I think the Patriots are more interested in using West Virgina Quarterback Pat White as a 'red herring' in this weekend's draft than a 'wildcat' in the upcoming season, but that doesn't mean the Pats won't try to develop another Matt Cassel with a late round pick.

Notes from the Coast: Patriots' Post-mortem

It was a courageous season that ended with a miraculous 11-5 record. However, when you lose the MVP of the NFL, your starting RB, as well as many other key players to injury, and then have to rely on a New York team to get into the playoffs, it shouldn't be a surprise that the 2008 Patriots will not be playing into 2009. Here are some thoughts on a very grueling and somewhat disappointing season.

• Bill Belichick won't win the Coach of the Year Award (see Miami Coach Tony Sparano instead) but after winning all year with a bunch of scrap-heap players, some rookies, a retiree, and a QB that hadn't started a game since High School, Belichick has probably done his best coaching this year.
• Big props to 39 year old future Hall of Famer Junior Seau for getting off his surfboard in San Diego and coming out of retirement to rejoin the Pats when they needed him. In previous years the incentive was to finally win a SuperBowl but this year it appears Junior simply wanted to help out a coach and organization he has grown to respect.
• Player I want back next year: Rodney Harrison--With a young Secondary, the Pats could use his leadership and guile for another year. I just hope he has something left in the tank after all his recent injuries.
• Player I don't want back next year: Lawrence Maroney--He has one more year left on his rookie contract but with all the nagging injuries and a bunch of unfulfilled potential, I think it's time time the Pats labeled this draft pick a "bust".
• I do think Scott Pioli may accept the Head of Football Operations job Cleveland, as long as, Eric Magini is not chosen by the Browns' Owner as the new Head Coach.
• My guess is that after seeing what happened to Eric Mangini in New York recently that Pats' Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels may wait a little longer before accepting a head coaching job in the NFL.
• Had Charlie Weiss gotten the axe from Notre Dame, there may have been a chance that he and Romeo Crennel would have considered returning to the place of their greatest success as Coordinators under Bill Belichick in New England.
• Some are reporting (and dreading) that Tom Brady is behind schedule in rehabbing his injured knee and may need another surgery which would keep him out of the 2009 season. However, we will all know the truth come March 1st when the Patriots will be forced to slap their franchise tag on back-up QB Matt Cassel for a possible insurance policy in case Brady's knee is not progressing.
• Talk about unfair, next year will be the third year in a row that the Patriots will have to play Peyton Manning and the mighty Colts -- at Indianapolis!
• Again unfair, the Chargers made the NFL play-offs with an 8-8 record and the Patriots at 11-5 do not. Yet, because the Chargers have a worse record, they could draft as many as 8 spots ahead of the Pats in the 2009 NFL Draft next April.

Cassel & Pats, Kings of Miami!