Teams New England Patriots - The Pats

[Exe Gesis]

Rob Gronkowski won't participate in the Patriots' offseason workouts.

When asked if he'll participate in the team's voluntary workouts, Gronk said he won't because he's "got dirt-biking skills to work on." He also candidly mentioned the Patriots will see a "freek-a-leek" when he comes back, perhaps hinting he'll be a participant in camp. Team workouts are completely optional, but the 28-year-old will miss out on a $250,000 workout bonus in his contract. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier in the week Gronkowski is still considering whether to play in 2018.

Source: Phil Perry on Twitter

 

[james Dean]

Well at least we know he is now definitely playing this year. Still think our roster is way too shallow to win a Super Bowl so I'm not too optimistic.

A bit of talk that we may trade up in the draft to get a quality QB. I think this will be TB's final season too, Gronk and BB may also move on which would put the team into full on rebuild mode.

 

[Cockliff38]

McGlinchey or Connor Williams with our first then it's a stab in the dark.

My draft crushes are Sony Michel and Vander Esch. I hope we go for Mason Rudolph, Lauletta or Luke Falk - Falk being the best option so we can use earlier picks to plug holes.

But yeah like JD said, it feels like we need to plug too many holes

 

[Monocle]

McGlinchey or Connor Williams with our first then it's a stab in the dark.

My draft crushes are Sony Michel and Vander Esch. I hope we go for Mason Rudolph, Lauletta or Luke Falk - Falk being the best option so we can use earlier picks to plug holes.

But yeah like JD said, it feels like we need to plug too many holes

I think Lauletta would be a good fit @ 63.
Not a huge Falk fan myself and I rate White as a better prospect than Falk.
Failing to pick up Jackson which is most likely I think B.B. will consider Mason in the second.

I am fully expecting B.B. to trade down from pick 31 for another second and a fourth.

22 IMO will be BPA and then in the second we target specific needs.
I am not as stressed on the QB pick so long as we have addressed our OT and LB needs.

It’s a weird QB cohort this year as all the highly touted top 5 all have weaknesses and I don’t rate any of them above Mariota and Winston expecting a few of this years cohort to be no more than backups.
Whilst there is nothing wrong with that in theory I am just don’t like spending a top 15 pick on a backup.

Lamar Jackson won’t be a bust because his skill set is so unique that a decent coach will be able to find a spot for him even if he bombs out as a starting QB.

Would be stoked if Jackson fell to us but I think that’s highly unlikely.

 

[ausbacker]

Isaiah Wynn at 23. Beast OL with positional versatility. The OL just got nasty. I like this pick, a lot.

 

[Cockliff38]

Yep really happy with this. A high floor of a high-level guard, but obviously will be groomed for OT. Like the pick, now let's get to work. #InScarWeTrust

 

[james Dean]

So Lamar Jackson is still available, do we bite?

 

[ausbacker]

A mauler on the OL and a potential game-changing brute at RB. Oh Bill. <3

 

[Cockliff38]

LOVE Michel. Legoooooooo

 

[james Dean]

I don't really follow college football so I can't comment on whether I agree with picks or not. However it's concerning reading articles which say that some franchise were put off this guy by knee issues

 

[ausbacker]

LOVE Michel. Legoooooooo

I am very, very pleased with what the Patriots did.

 

[Cockliff38]

Just realised both our first rounders are from Georgia. In fact they were roommates!

I don't really follow college football so I can't comment on whether I agree with picks or not. However it's concerning reading articles which say that some franchise were put off this guy by knee issues

The knee thing will be a wait and see but I have enough faith in the program that we would've done due diligence.

While I LOVE Michel (and I can't state that enough) in hindsight I think it was a slightly greedy, even unnecessary, pick. We are stacked at RB, while we still have holes on the defensive side. I'm confident one of our picks tomorrow will be used on Rudolph, Falk or Lauletta but that still leaves some questions on the D-line and MLB.

 

[james Dean]

Just realised both our first rounders are from Georgia. In fact they were roommates!



The knee thing will be a wait and see but I have enough faith in the program that we would've done due diligence.

While I LOVE Michel (and I can't state that enough) in hindsight I think it was a slightly greedy, even unnecessary, pick. We are stacked at RB, while we still have holes on the defensive side. I'm confident one of our picks tomorrow will be used on Rudolph, Falk or Lauletta but that still leaves some questions on the D-line and MLB.

There are a lot of holes in this roster. Obviously with the D line and QB.

Still there is a big hole with Lewis leaving and I am not confident that White or Burkhead can be reliable enough as a #1 option at RB

 

[Cockliff38]

There are a lot of holes in this roster. Obviously with the D line and QB.

Still there is a big hole with Lewis leaving and I am not confident that White or Burkhead can be reliable enough as a #1 option at RB

Lewis is great, no question. But I would've been content on riding White/Burkhead/Jeremy Hill and Gillislee if it meant the defence could get off the field.

 

[Monocle]

Was surprised when we took a RB at 31 .
This draft is deep in RB’s and I am would like some linebacker help.
Still another 3 picks in the top 95 tomorrow’s picks.
Want :

LB
QB
CB

Then top up in latter rounds with speculative needs picks .

Very much like the Wynn pick .

 

[ausbacker]

Was surprised when we took a RB at 31 .
This draft is deep in RB’s and I am would like some linebacker help.
Still another 3 picks in the top 95 tomorrow’s picks.
Want :

LB
QB
CB

Then top up in latter rounds with speculative needs picks .

Very much like the Wynn pick .

LB/DB then best available.

 

[Cockliff38]

Was surprised when we took a RB at 31 .
This draft is deep in RB’s and I am would like some linebacker help.
Still another 3 picks in the top 95 tomorrow’s picks.
Want :

LB
QB
CB

Then top up in latter rounds with speculative needs picks .

Very much like the Wynn pick .

I get the feeling we would've taken Vander Esch with 23 had he fallen and then grabbed Wynn/Connor Williams at 31

 

[Cockliff38]

The Ringer's Danny Kelly sums up how I feel...

Michel’s a dynamic weapon on the ground and in the passing game, and should fill in nicely for recently departed free-agent running back Dion Lewis. But with so many needs on the defensive side of the ball, I don’t like the value New England gets by taking a running back this high.

Fit: A
Value: C-

You can read his first round assessment here - https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/4/26/17288060/2018-nfl-draft-grades

 

[PapaJ]

Was surprised when we took a RB at 31 .
This draft is deep in RB’s and I am would like some linebacker help. ...

Yeah agree. Unfortunately I'm not really across all the draft players so don't really know how they might all compare, but I still reckon a developing quality LB or CB at this pick would have been nice. Having said that, from most reports, Michel is very much in the BB mould of RBs and the Pats must have seen too much in him to risk not getting him later.

Maybe not the ideal fit for Pats at the moment, but the Pats/BB is a good fit for Michel, so we'll see how it goes.

 

[PapaJ]

I get the feeling we would've taken Vander Esch with 23 had he fallen and then grabbed Wynn/Connor Williams at 31

Again, I don't watch college ball these days to know, but I really liked what I read/see on Esch, would have been a great pick for us I reckon.

 

[ausbacker]

Again, I don't watch college ball these days to know, but I really liked what I read/see on Esch, would have been a great pick for us I reckon.

It's a little difficult to draft someone when they come off the board 4 picks prior to your selection.

 

[PapaJ]

It's a little difficult to draft someone when they come off the board 4 picks prior to your selection.

Yeah, I know. I was responding to Cockliff who reckons we may have gone with Esch if he slid to our pick. I'm saying he would have been a great fit (as is Michel BTW, just not as much of a need) and the sort of pick that I reckon most Pats fans would have been really happy with as quality versatile LBs is a pressing need. Just hypothetical, that's all.

 

[ausbacker]

Yeah, I know. I was responding to Cockliff who reckons we may have gone with Esch if he slid to our pick. I'm saying he would have been a great fit (as is Michel BTW, just not as much of a need) and the sort of pick that I reckon most Pats fans would have been really happy with as quality versatile LBs is a pressing need. Just hypothetical, that's all.

Personally, I liked Evans at 23 but the Titans snatched him out of our grasp by trading up. Mind you, I'm not all that distraught about it. The team needed OL help and it got arguably one of the best, most versatile available linemen.

 

[Monocle]

Personally, I liked Evans at 23 but the Titans snatched him out of our grasp by trading up. Mind you, I'm not all that distraught about it. The team needed OL help and it got arguably one of the best, most versatile available linemen.

ausbacker I am very happy with Wynn but a RB at 31 I thought was pick that didn’t really address a pressing need.
That said Sonny is quality .......just not sure he was warranted that early given our many other needs.

Still it’s premature of me to speak to much until the whole draft is completed.

Like you I am wanting some help on the front seven. Hightower needs some help and I do worry about him , due to the fact that he does most of the heavy lifting on the D , he gets injured so often .

He was sadly missed in the playoffs.

Our four best players are IMO
TB 12
Jules
High
Gronk

The worry is both High and Gronk are too often injured.

Had Jules and High been available for The playoffs, things may well have not been so chipper in Philli on Super Bowl night.

It was a real shame that we never watched James Harrison and High play together , that would have been something.

I personally like the idea of Kyle Lauletta with pick 63.

Mason Rudolph make me nervous as I see another Paxton Lynch situation as people are enamoured with the big bodied gunslinger....... that may or may not become anything more than a back up.


So pick 43 on a front seven contributor would be ideal.

 

[ausbacker]

ausbacker I am very happy with Wynn but a RB at 31 I thought was pick that didn’t really address a pressing need.
That said Sonny is quality .......just not sure he was warranted that early given our many other needs.

Still it’s premature of me to speak to much until the whole draft is completed.

Like you I am wanting some help on the front seven. Hightower needs some help and I do worry about him , due to the fact that he does most of the heavy lifting on the D , he gets injured so often .

He was sadly missed in the playoffs.

Our four best players are IMO
TB 12
Jules
High
Gronk

The worry is both High and Gronk are too often injured.

Had Jules and High been available for The playoffs, things may well have not been so chipper in Philli on Super Bowl night.

It was a real shame that we never watched James Harrison and High play together , that would have been something.

I personally like the idea of Kyle Lauletta with pick 63.

Mason Rudolph make me nervous as I see another Paxton Lynch situation as people are enamoured with the big bodied gunslinger....... that may or may not become anything more than a back up.


So pick 43 on a front seven contributor would be ideal.

I don't disagree with you about drafting to fill needs but if the Pats had Michel rated highly and he's too good value to pass up, take him. I'd like to see a run game that can dominate on its own and not necessarily because Brady is back there. For all our RBs, nobody strikes me as a pure smash mouth runner. With Michel, we may get that (especially after his brutalising effort against Alabama). When the run game is on, Brady's life becomes infinitely easier. The O starts and ends with him.

TBH, I'm not all that concerned about taking a QB this season. I'm more than happy for the Pats to trade back and get multiple picks in the 3rd round and continue filling out needs. Whether it be LB/DB/TE or WR depth doesn't particularly bother me. Health is the team's biggest problem. There's not much you can do to coach against injury.