2010 Patriots Off Season Thread.

[Spudboy]

So what do the Pats have to do to regain status as a preeminent team?

 

There are lots of holes to fill.

 

My first move would be to resign the Human Condominium, Vince Wilfork.

 

After that?

[riverside sluggers]

resign Wilfork, shore up offensive line, wide receiver (Welker not good bet to return for start of season), Bill OBrien isnt working out so get a new O coordinator

[msubulldogs21]

Better use those 2 first rounders wisely, not to mention the rest of the picks.

 

The last several years we haven't exactly had the greatest results in the draft.

[Spudboy]

resign Wilfork' date=' shore up offensive line, wide receiver (Welker not good bet to return for start of season), Bill OBrien isnt working out so get a new O coordinator[/quote']

 

I certainly agree that receiver is a weakness. There was no depth this year. The O line seems pretty good, all things considered. Vollmer was a pleasant surprise.

 

How about LB? RB?

[Spudboy]

Better use those 2 first rounders wisely, not to mention the rest of the picks.

 

The last several years we haven't exactly had the greatest results in the draft.

 

Aside from Mayo, Vollmer, and Edelman, there have been very few impact players yielded from those drafts. Although the DBs are continuing to develop.

[TheMino007]

Get a legit O-Coordinator, figure out what direction the Pats are going in at RB, get a 3rd WR, get some damn pass rushers and draft some. Re-sign Wilfork and Mankins. Get a vet corner who can actually still do something. Teach the damn players how to tackle. Linebackers. Erg this team needs a lot

[msubulldogs21]

figure out what direction the Pats are going in at RB

 

I'm clearly biased from watching him all 4 years in college and some in HS, but I would love to see us get Anthony Dixon (from Mississippi State). He is a horse, and I think he will be a very good NFL back for someone.

[Keeper]

Why not bring back Charlie Weis as the O-Coordinator?

[msubulldogs21]

Why not bring back Charlie Weis as the O-Coordinator?

 

He's already headed to Kansas City.

[YanksHater213]

Realistically, a team looking like this isn't going anywhere.

 

Gotta blow it up, we need a franchise running back, a cornerstone defensive leader (a Bruschi, McGinest, Harrison type guy), a realistic successor to Brady (who's end is coming quicker than we all think), solid cover corners, an offensive lineman to build around (Vollmer showed glimpses), etc.

[italstallianion]

Better use those 2 first rounders wisely' date=' [/b']not to mention the rest of the picks.

 

The last several years we haven't exactly had the greatest results in the draft.

 

 

 

 

I don't believe that the Pats have 2 first rounders. They have 1 first rounder and 3 2nd rounders. They have the Jaguars 2nd rounder (damn you) as well as the Titans 2nd rounder in addition to their own 2nd rounder.

[msubulldogs21]

I don't believe that the Pats have 2 first rounders.

 

The other 1st rounder is the one we got from Oakland via the Richard Seymour trade.

[italstallianion]

The other 1st rounder is the one we got from Oakland via the Richard Seymour trade.

 

 

 

That's in the 2011 draft.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4450767

 

 

 

Here's the 2010 order for rounds 1 and 2.

 

http://www.mynfldraft.com/NFL-Mock-Draft-2010-round-2/

[msubulldogs21]

That's in the 2011 draft.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4450767

 

 

 

Here's the 2010 order for rounds 1 and 2.

 

http://www.mynfldraft.com/NFL-Mock-Draft-2010-round-2/

 

My bad. I was under the impression it was supposed to be a 2011 pick at first but switched to 2010. Maybe the Raiders can tank it even worse than usual next year.

[mtbykr]

We don't know what we have in Obrian yet. McDaniels turned out well and he was terrible in his first year (2005). Pats need to resign Wilfork, unless he wants so much it hampers them elsewhere.

 

Realistically, a team looking like this isn't going anywhere.

 

Gotta blow it up, we need a franchise running back, a cornerstone defensive leader (a Bruschi, McGinest, Harrison type guy), a realistic successor to Brady (who's end is coming quicker than we all think), solid cover corners, an offensive lineman to build around (Vollmer showed glimpses), etc.

 

 

We don't need to 'blow it up', we already did last offseason and that's the reason we were in this situation to begin with. We need a vocal defensive leader like Bruschi or Harrison of course.....but where do you find one? We have the talent on defense, but it is raw and doesn't have the defensive leadership needed to put things in order on the field.

 

We don't need a successor to Brady, are you serious? Brady played bad today and wasn't up to his standards this year. This is very common however for QB's coming back from the injury he had....no QB's are 'back to normal' that first year. In addition Brady had a ton of injuries this year that they haven't talked about. Combine the injuries this year, and the time away mentally from the game because of the knee and we were probably expecting too much from him. Building up the WR position is needed however since Welker may not be back next year.....and even if he is we can't expect much out of him.

[YanksHater213]

Everyone thinks Brady has a ton more top years in him, but I disagree. I think we realistically have 3-4 more, 5 at the most optimistic. If we don't start thinking about finding someone to replace him now it's going to be rough. Look at what Cassel was able to do after 3 years of learning the ropes from Brady. We need to find someone now, lot later.

 

I'm not sure if you misconstrued my statement as saying we need to ditch Brady and find someone else, which wasn't what I was trying to get across at all.

[mtbykr]

Everyone thinks Brady has a ton more top years in him, but I disagree. I think we realistically have 3-4 more, 5 at the most optimistic. If we don't start thinking about finding someone to replace him now it's going to be rough. Look at what Cassel was able to do after 3 years of learning the ropes from Brady. We need to find someone now, lot later.

 

I'm not sure if you misconstrued my statement as saying we need to ditch Brady and find someone else, which wasn't what I was trying to get across at all.

 

I understand what you said, but Brady is in the prime of his career (age wise). Hoyer is here now but he'll probably leave via FA by the time Brady retires. Brady has said he wants to play till he's 40....I just don't see the need to find a replacement. If he's like this next year then we can worry....but I think he'll come back and have a great year next year. I don't think he had a terrible year this year, it just wasn't up to his standards which are very high. This was a tough time for Brady to come back from a major knee injury, he couldn't be what he was yet and in addition we have a new OC. There were a lot of things going against the pats offense this year.

[SoxSport]

I think the Patriots should take a good look at their coaching staff. Belichick has lost a lot of asst coaches the past few years to other teams, not to mention their VP/GM, and that has to hurt some. They didn't look like they came to play in that first quarter today against the Ravens. Sure there are rookies out there, but there are enough veterans to prevent that kind of embarrassing meltdown.

 

You have to look at their coaching. And that includes Belichick, who let a good defensive back (Samuel) get away in 08, and paid the price in the 08 Superbowl when he wasn't replaced; and who traded his best defensive lineman just before the opening of this season--which hurt a defense young in linebackers and secondary. Not much leadership there. And then there was that strange 4th and 2 on the 28 "Grady Little-type" decision against the Colts, which may have damaged team confidence. I think anybody objective at this point can say that Belichick no longer walks on water--and should not be immune to criticism.

 

Player-wise, Brady had an off-year, but so did Peyton first year back after his knee injury. So Tom should be much better next year. Welker is a concern, because they don't have much depth after Moss. They missed Gaffney this year. Their offense looked in disarray against the Ravens, and you wonder why they didn't get Charley Weis back when they just had the chance. Moss was open on some plays today, but Brady didn't seem to notice. And they have a couple of tight ends who can catch who didn't do much. The running attack? In my view, it sucks. Maroney has had enough chances. And the other guys are retreads.

 

I don't think this club can beat good teams any more when it counts. They are rebuilding, and the question is whether thay have drafted well enough in recent years to offset the key veterans they have lost. Kraft may have to open his wallet again if he wants any more Championships.

[TheMino007]

I'm not wasting a top pick on Brady's successor, we have more pressing, urgent issues to address. The Pats should try to trade for Stephen Jackson, he is bound to be on the lowly Rams trade block. They need to pick up a veteran guy who can be the 3rd WR, or the 2nd WR b/c Welker could be out for a while next year or not play at all. The Pats need to improve the pass rush, badly.

[Keeper]

I'm not wasting a top pick on Brady's successor' date=' we have more pressing, urgent issues to address. The Pats should try to trade for Stephen Jackson, he is bound to be on the lowly Rams trade block. They need to pick up a veteran guy who can be the 3rd WR, or the 2nd WR b/c Welker could be out for a while next year or not play at all. The Pats need to improve the pass rush, badly.[/quote']

 

Jackson is a good RB. TO might be available. I know what you're thinking. TO and Moss together? The world would explode.

[Mr Crunchy]

This team was favored to win the SuperBowl the last 4 years and have made roster moves in the offseason that made the team worse, not better. Kraft has been under the cap going into September 3 of those 4 years..Simply no balance in the offense, a defense thats gotten progressively worse since the 02 season and the inability to stop anyone with 3rd and short and the inability to run on 3rd and short have handcuffed these guys in too many games to count since they last won it all.

I think that they need to invest in a guy who can run 25-30 times a game, Corey Dillon was the ace in the hole in the last 2 championships, Maroney is unable to handle this task and they abandoned the run in every close game they played this year, thats not going to get you wins.

You got to run the ball if for no other reason than keeping your QB alive, they best get someone who can foot this bill...Merriweather looked frightened of taking on Rice yesterday on the 1st play of the game, you cant play safety frightened, he did..This team has been beaten up by more physical teams in the recent past and its the reason why theyre no longer elite.

A lot of swagger left that team when Seymour, Samuel, Harrison and Bruschi left them and the guys whove come in to replace them havent performed as well, if they insist on allowing pro bowlers to leave every time their contract comes up they will fail and deserve to...Kraft was in that building yesterday, he saw his team, his coach and his qb humilated in front of national tv and the quietness of Gillette should send him a signal that its time to start paying for quality performances and to stop screwing around with his best players...That season ticket line that was once 5 years long has been reduced to 0 and playoff tickets being sold at half face value 10 minutes before kickoff tell an even worse story for the Pats future.

[SoxSport]

This team was favored to win the SuperBowl the last 4 years and have made roster moves in the offseason that made the team worse, not better. Kraft has been under the cap going into September 3 of those 4 years..Simply no balance in the offense, a defense thats gotten progressively worse since the 02 season and the inability to stop anyone with 3rd and short and the inability to run on 3rd and short have handcuffed these guys in too many games to count since they last won it all.

I think that they need to invest in a guy who can run 25-30 times a game, Corey Dillon was the ace in the hole in the last 2 championships, Maroney is unable to handle this task and they abandoned the run in every close game they played this year, thats not going to get you wins.

You got to run the ball if for no other reason than keeping your QB alive, they best get someone who can foot this bill...Merriweather looked frightened of taking on Rice yesterday on the 1st play of the game, you cant play safety frightened, he did..This team has been beaten up by more physical teams in the recent past and its the reason why theyre no longer elite.

A lot of swagger left that team when Seymour, Samuel, Harrison and Bruschi left them and the guys whove come in to replace them havent performed as well, if they insist on allowing pro bowlers to leave every time their contract comes up they will fail and deserve to...Kraft was in that building yesterday, he saw his team, his coach and his qb humilated in front of national tv and the quietness of Gillette should send him a signal that its time to start paying for quality performances and to stop screwing around with his best players...That season ticket line that was once 5 years long has been reduced to 0 and playoff tickets being sold at half face value 10 minutes before kickoff tell an even worse story for the Pats future.

 

I think this is a good analyis--the type that's needed in the media to get Kraft off his rump.

Trouble is, you just don't see this type of criticism out there--and it's needed.

[TheMino007]

I think Kraft will go all out and spend some money, since next year could be an uncapped year, he could be spending some big $. After the Pats were embarrassed in the 06 Championship game by blowing a 18 point second half lead to the Colts, Kraft went out and got big names, the team need WR's so he signed Stallworth and Belichick traded for Moss, the team needed to improve at the LB postion, so Adailus Thomas was signed. After that embarrassment that must of caused Kraft, I'd bet he'd let Bill go on a bit of a shopping spree, even so this team has a lot of holes. I'd take a real good look at Stephen Jackson, and you can find a 3rd WR out on the market. Defense needs a lot done. I will never know why we traded Seymour and Vrable in the same offseason that Bruschi and Harrison retired. You need some form of leadership out there, oh year, these guys are still good players too who would have made a difference this year. We are tied into old ass Shawn Springs for a couple more years, Bodden had a good year but he'll bolt for more money, hopefully the secondary continues to improve and Merriweather learns how to wrap people up and tackle. The secondary isn't the main issue for the defense, but we could use a shut down corner, something we haven't had since Ty Law (no Asante Samuel wasn't a shutdown corner). LB and D-Line is were we need the most help. We have guys in Warren and Wilfork (he better be re-signed) who can stop the run, but we need a RE, badly, a guy who can rush the passer and a guy needs who needs to be double teamed like Seymour was. TBC is a nice pass rusher coming off the outside, but we still need another MLB and since Thomas is all but gone we need another OLB. Guyon, Burgess, Woods aren't going to cut it.

[mtbykr]

I think the Patriots should take a good look at their coaching staff. Belichick has lost a lot of asst coaches the past few years to other teams, not to mention their VP/GM, and that has to hurt some. They didn't look like they came to play in that first quarter today against the Ravens. Sure there are rookies out there, but there are enough veterans to prevent that kind of embarrassing meltdown.

 

You have to look at their coaching. And that includes Belichick, who let a good defensive back (Samuel) get away in 08, and paid the price in the 08 Superbowl when he wasn't replaced; and who traded his best defensive lineman just before the opening of this season--which hurt a defense young in linebackers and secondary. Not much leadership there. And then there was that strange 4th and 2 on the 28 "Grady Little-type" decision against the Colts, which may have damaged team confidence. I think anybody objective at this point can say that Belichick no longer walks on water--and should not be immune to criticism.

 

Player-wise, Brady had an off-year, but so did Peyton first year back after his knee injury. So Tom should be much better next year. Welker is a concern, because they don't have much depth after Moss. They missed Gaffney this year. Their offense looked in disarray against the Ravens, and you wonder why they didn't get Charley Weis back when they just had the chance. Moss was open on some plays today, but Brady didn't seem to notice. And they have a couple of tight ends who can catch who didn't do much. The running attack? In my view, it sucks. Maroney has had enough chances. And the other guys are retreads.

 

I don't think this club can beat good teams any more when it counts. They are rebuilding, and the question is whether thay have drafted well enough in recent years to offset the key veterans they have lost. Kraft may have to open his wallet again if he wants any more Championships.

 

 

While letting Samuel go I didn't agree with, you do realize that he left in the 08 offseason....but he did play in the superbowl. In fact he had a couple chances to end the game and had the potential INT's go right through his hands.

[Plumpamania]

First and formost is resigning Vince Wilfork. Remember yesterday's game had an unhealthy Brady, Wilfork and Warren. Thomas has played his way out of Belichek's scheme of things and will be released, further freeing up money.

 

The offense with Brady having more confidence in his knee and Welker coming back mid year will be good next year if they can establish a solid running game. Edleman seems like he can be Welker Jr., but needs more maturation as a WR. Free agent running backs include Pierre Thomas, Ronnie Brown, Cadalliac Williams, Leon Washington, Chester Taylor.

 

As per defense...let's start with the line as Julius Peppers could be a free agent. Elvis Dumervil is also available, as is Marcus Spears, Adewale Ogunleye, Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour and Barry Cofield.

 

Line backers include: Shawn Merriman, DeMeco Ryans, D’Qwell Jackson, Bertrand Berry, and Derrick Johnson.

 

What does worry me is Mankins on the FA list as a prime of career OL, would be nice to keep.

 

But building up the defense is key to this.

[Plumpamania]

What everyone needs to also understand is Asante Samuel isn't as good as we think he is. He gets picks sure, but he can't tackle worth a damn.

[rhet]

Yesterday the team needed someone who could tackle. Like Vrabel.

[redsoxrules]

Yesterday the team needed someone who could tackle. Like Vrabel.

 

they needed more than that

 

the whole team played like s***

[msubulldogs21]

I see some people throwing around Stephen Jackson's name as a RB we should try to get. Why in God's name would the Rams trade away one of the top 3 backs in the NFL when he is about the only good thing going for them right now? I mean, I want an awesome RB too but don't hold your breath on that one.

[Keeper]

Free agent running backs include Pierre Thomas' date=' Ronnie Brown, Cadalliac Williams, Leon Washington, Chester Taylor.[/quote']

 

I'd pass on Cadillac. The rest are all pretty good options. I'd pick up two of them and dump Morris and Maroney. I think Willie Parker could also be available via trade.