Patriots Could Be Dancing With the Stars

As predicted, the Patriots got help in the 2009 NFL Draft for their Defensive Backfield (picking-up 2 players including Darius Banks from UConn); the Offensive Line (3 players with upside), as well as, selecting a young Wide Receiver to develop. However, the Pats did not pick-up a pass-rusher which could be telling for a team that finished 26 out of 32 in the league and also traded OLB Mike Vrabel in the off-season.

This could mean that pass-rushing veteran Defensive End Jason Taylor may be leaning towards signing soon with the Patriots -Or- perhaps a trade with Carolina for Defensive End Julius Peppers could still be in play. Aside from compensation, the only concern for All-Pro Peppers becoming a Patriot is that his salary would upset the pay scale of veterans like Defensive Tackle Vince Wilfork which may be one of the reasons why the Pats selected DT Ron Brace of Boston College in the second round of the NFL Draft.

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.

Pats don't hold back on Mayo

Obviously the Patriots felt they could not get true value for the near $18 million they would've had to pay out to the #7 pick in the draft, so they traded down. Had RB Darren McFadden still been available there was a chance for the Pats to trade down for the Cowboys two late first round picks, but considering so many teams were looking to trade down this year, it was great that they were able to make a deal at all.

In exchange for the 7th pick and a 5th rounder, the Patriots got the New Orleans Saints 10th pick and their 3rd round pick. With the 10th pick the Pats selected Linebacker Jerod Mayo from Tennessee. Mayo ran a 4.54 in the 40 and is smart enough to play multiple Linebacker positions including ILB which is a pressing need for the Pats. With the Patriot's release of OLB Roosevelt Colvin and the questions surrounding ILB Junior Seau even returning next year, the Pats can now put Mayo inside and keep Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas outside where they excel.

Here is USA Today's ranking of Patriot choices in the 2008 NFL Draft and where the Patriots took them in parentheses:

• LB Jerod Mayo: 35th (10th pick)
• CB Terrence Wheatley: 216th (62nd pick)
• LB Shawn Crable: 77th (78th pick)
• QB Kevin O’Connell: 156th (94th)
• CB Jonathan Wilhite: 314th (129th)
• DB Matthew Slater: Not ranked (153rd)
• LB Bo Rudd: 491st (197th)

Verdict: I do think Jerod Mayo was a solid pick but there are rumors that the Pats thought USC LB Keith Rivers would still be there at #10 which would make Mayo their second choice. At 5'9" both Terrence Wheatly and Jonathan Wilhite are undersized CB's who may have a tough time against big WR's in the AFC. Shawn Crable, Matthew Slater, and Bo Rudd are solid 'football players" with high motors. All are destined for the Special Teams unit but one of the three may get groomed to play Safety. QB Kevin O'Connell was a true value pick for the Pats. However, with the emergence of back-up QB Matt Gutierrez last year, the pick may have been wasted.

Grade = C In the end, the Patriots may have over reached a bit with their picks. Unlike the last two Drafts, the Pats did select more for need but similar to the last two unfruitful years, they drafted many players ahead of their perceived ranking. Then again, Logan Mankins was a huge reach at #32 in the 2005 Draft and he turned out to be an NFL All-Pro.

With the 7th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select...

The experts have weighed-in and there have been endless mock drafts posted, but still no one truly knows who the Patriots will draft in this weekend's NFL Draft. Their needs are obvious, Linebacker and Defensive Back, but is the organization convinced they will get good value for the amount of guaranteed money they would have to spend with the 7th pick? Anyway, instead of predicting who and where the Pats might draft, I decided to put together a list of players that they have either worked out or have had a passing interest in over the last couple of months.

• Antwaun Molden, DB, Eastern Kentucky
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
• Terrence Wheatley, DB, Colorado
• Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
• Jack Williams, DB, Kent State
• Jamie Silva, DB, Boston College
• Antoine Cason, DB, Arizona
• Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
• Charles Godfrey, DB, Iowa
• Vernon Gholston, DL, Ohio State
• Sedric Ellis, DL, USC
• Darrell Robertson, DE/LB, Georgia Tech
• Jason Jones, DE/OLB, Eastern Michigan
• Keith Rivers, OLB , USC
• Marc Magro, LB, West Virginia
• Jo-Lonn Dunbar, LB, Boston College
• Ryan Poles, OL, Boston College
• Josh Coffman,OL, East Carolina
• Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
• Justin Beaver, RB, Wisconsin -Whitewater

Notes from the Coast:

There is a theory that Arkansas All-American Running Back and two-time Heisman finalist Darren McFadden may fall to New England with the 7th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Pats already have Lawrence Moroney and Sammy Morris is coming back from injury but some have said that McFadden could be the next Adrian Peterson, so if he does slide and you're the Patriots what do you do? Select and keep, select and trade, or trade the pick? Whatever happens, it should be an interesting draft. Especially with the hated N.Y. Jets picking right in front of the Pats.

• The Boston Bruins are hanging on by a thread. With 9 games left in the season they are only 3 points ahead of the Philiadelphia Flyers for the final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference and beginning Thursday night have to face their rival Montreal Canadiens in back to back games.
• Tony Allen needs to stop worrying about being considered part of the new 'Big 4' of the Celtics and worry more about making a team next year. He came back successfully from knee surgery but the Celts still did not renew his contract, so maybe his confidence is low. Either way, his shooting, dribbling, and passing are horrible, and now his defense is getting worse. When he replaced injured Ray Allen in the starting line-up against the Spurs, he looked completely lost.
• With all the free agent signings the New York Jets have made this off-season, some are worried that the Jets might catch-up to the Pats. Sure they've made some progress, but on the bright side if the Jets underachieve again after spending all this money, then Eric Mangini's chances of getting fired increase as well and I doubt anyone will be hiring the ungrateful snitch as a Coordinator any time soon. Ah, karma.
• The Red Sox opening day in Japan is only a few days away and everything looks like it's coming together. Daisuke and his wife had their baby early, so now he will pitch opening day in Japan. A great honor for him that will only pump him up even more for the season. Josh Beckett will miss the trip which is a blessing. Now he can avoid traveling and heal his back and better his chances of returning to the form he was last year. Another good thing is that it looks like Coco Crisp will make the trip to Japan. Now the team that covets him most, the Oakland A's, will have plenty of time evaluate him and make a deal with the Sox.
• Don't do it! Troy Brown's flirtation with the Jets will not make the Patriots jealous enough to bring him back for his 15th year. However, it could jeopardize him working in the Pats' front office when he retires.

Mass Exodus?

It's safe to say that the off-season has not got off to a good start in Foxboro. To begin, Asante Samuel signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on the first day of free agency. One must assume the Patriots didn't want the All-Pro back because Samuel didn't even ask the Pats to counter the Eagles' offer. Last year Samuel was given the franchise tag but was promised it would not be given this year, so he was free to leave town and he did so at the first chance. What's more unfortunate is that Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears were in a similar situation as the Pats and Samuel last year, yet both were able to reconcile and sign a new contract this year.

Also, over the weekend Randall Gay, a possible replacement for Samuel, left the Patriots and signed with the New Orleans Saints. On top of that, Eugene Wilson was told by the team that he would not be resigned which leaves the team with more holes in an already weak defensive backfield. Another weak area for the Pats is the Tight End position. After Daniel Graham left for the Broncos last year, the Pats signed Kyle Brady to replace Graham's blocking and when healthy the veteran filled in fine, but now we learn that the Patriots released Brady with another year left on his contract. These all sound like moves for a team desperate to free up salary cap space, yet Kyle Brady was making minimal dollars and the Patriots are projected to be $22 million under the cap.

Which leaves us with the Randy Moss saga. If the Pats are choosing to gather money to resign Moss, then why isn't he signed yet? He was brought in last year to give Tom Brady a much needed weapon and there is no one in free agency or the draft with the same impact on a passing game. Donte Stallworth (a possible replacement) was already let go and signed with Cleveland, Moss wants to stay and the Pats need him, so what is the hold-up?

Granted all the free agency signings the Patriots made last year didn't bring a fourth Superbowl Championship but it wasn't a failure by any means either. They had a very potent team that was only one play away from the title, so why let everyone go? Why haven't they used their franchise tag on anyone? The Pats do still have the 7th overall pick (and at least one pick in each round) of this year's NFL draft; however, their success in the draft has been limited to Offensive and Defensive Lineman lately, both of which are the current strengths of team. Also, the Pats have learned that drafting specialized positions like Wide-receiver and Defensive backs is hit or miss and seem to prefer picking up seasoned Linebackers from other teams. That said, I'm not sure what Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli have up their sleeve but the window of opportunity is closing fast both on the off-season and on a veteran-laden team seeking another title.

Notes from the Coast:

With the NFL Combine happening this week in Indianapolis, I still can't understand why USC's Rey Maualuga decided to return to school for his senior year. He has already won a National Championship at USC, had a great junior year, a monster Rose Bowl game against Illinois, and his stock may never be higher. To make matters worse, Maualuga is the pure M/ILB the Patriots need to succeed Tedy Bruschi. Also, he could've learned the nuances of the position from former USC star and current Patriot Junior Seau. Now it looks like the Pats may trade down from the 7th pick and draft a CB.

• Coco Crisp says he wants to start over Jacoby Ellsbury in CF. Crisp should understand that playing time is directly related to production. Coming over from the Indians, Crisp has dropped from .300 avg. & 16 HR's a year to .265 avg. & 6 HR's with the Red Sox. Granted Crisp is only 28 years old, but based on his stats the last two years, he is a fourth Outfielder.
• There were no moves for the Celtics before the trade deadline. No surprise since they really didn't have any pieces to deal. However, there is still a chance the Clippers could buy-out and release Sam Cassell before the play-offs.
• You can see both sides of the Curt Schilling shoulder controversy. Following last year when Schill was a free agent, he elected not to have surgery, passed his physical, and signed a contract with the Red Sox. Now he belongs to the Sox and the chances are he will not pitch this year should he have surgery now. On the other hand, Schill probably realizes that this is truly his last year in the bigs if he doesn't have surgery right now because any procedure following this season will make it even harder for him to pitch for a team next year.
• The NBA is defintely going through a revival. The Celtics and the Lakers are once again successful, the new stars in the league are both relatable and marketable, teams in the West are collecting top NBA talent in anticipation of play-off showdowns, All-Star weekend was fun again, and 20, 711 people attended the Celtics-Warriors game Wednesday night setting a record for basketball attendence in California.