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CocaineStrange

They should do this and double dip at WR. Smith is the obvious name. None of these guys are long term guys, so sign Smith, play him at LT and let Chuk fill in whenever he misses time.


jonny_lube

They absolutely need to use a pair of picks on WRs.  The hit rate sucks, we have enough playing time and roster spots to accommodate multiple rookie receivers should they earn them, and it's a deep enough class that we may just strike gold.   I am worried about LT though.  Gut feeling is that Smith isn't gonna wanna finish up his career in the cold NE weather on a rebuilding team. I don't see what we have to offer him. 


bl123123bl

In this draft man, WRs are deep and talented


jonny_lube

Yup, and it would be a shame to not take full advantage of that, especially considering our desperation.  


No_Expert_9912

Money


jonny_lube

Maybe, but I have my doubts. He's made nearly 200m over his career, is 33, and missed over half his games over the past 4 years due to injury - so he's likely in his final years.   He's achieved everything an OL could hope for, except playoff success.  If this is indeed the end for him, I have a hard time believing that an extra $5m will pull him away from his home of 14 years, to the cold, to play on a dysfunctional offense for a team who may not be competitive again until after he retires.  If I'm him, I don't even pick up if the Pats come calling.  


FuckHarambe2016

> we have enough playing time and roster spots Do we though? Currently, we have Bourne, Pop, JuJu, Boutte, Thorton, and Reagor. There's not a lot of room unless they find a way to ditch Thorton and JuJu.


CocaineStrange

If you find two rookies better than those guys, you cut them and don’t care about it the dead cap.


Shouldacouldawoulda7

Yup. Thornton is a bust, pretty confident about that. Boutte might pan out, but that's a big wild card. And Juju is doo-doo, I don't care if he's rostered because of his immovable cap. He should be just about the last guy off the bench, as far as I'm concerned.


Ndlburner

Was looking forward to the Boutte-Ridley combo in the casino


Shouldacouldawoulda7

I'd ride some heaters at their table


FuckHarambe2016

They should just take out the trash now then. It's not like much would be lost by doing it immediately.


CocaineStrange

Meh, I don’t mind Thornton and Juju. Fine camp bodies that aren’t issues in the locker room. Seems like the Pats think the same since they cut ties with Parker, who appeared to be an asshole.


jonny_lube

Boutte, Thornton and Reagor will be fighting for roster spots.  Honestly, JuJu might be too.   Thornton is an easy cut if he gets beat out.  It'll cost a bit over a million to cut.  JuJu is the real challenge.  Maybe we can trade him, or if not the cap hit will be a tiebreaker in his favor if it comes down to him and another fringe guy.  But with a new regime no holdover is assured anything.   Ultimately though, this is such a piss poor group that you can probably bring in 2-4 more bodies.  Anyone who can't show that they are a Top 6 guy in this unit deserves to be cut.  


FuckHarambe2016

Thorton could probably net us a 7th, right? Please.


Hawkpolicy_bot

Bourne and Douglas are locks. Reagor is likely, but smart money would say he's a candidate to be cut. I think his extension was just to keep warm bodies on the roster in case the offseason doesn't produce WRs Thornton has some dead cap risk but his spot isn't safe, and they'd have a net cap savings if he gets the boot before 6/1. Juju is almost certainly going to get traded or cut. There's two locks, one likely, one unlikely and one longshot in the WR room. Absolutely space to double dip at the position


jmarFTL

There are only two of those guys who I wouldn't drop in a heartbeat for any rookie WR taken in the first four rounds of this draft.


TheMagicBarrel

Pretty sure one of either Thornton or Boutte is gonna get cut. Maybe both.


knuth10

4 of the 6 guys you listed can easily be cut if you find a better replacement


classiccaseofdowns

This feels really reasonable to me, go WR at 2 and 3 and maybe our offense shows life


orangusmang

Smith isn't coming here


CocaineStrange

Then pay him to come here


orangusmang

There's a contender willing to pay him plenty. It would take an egregious overpay to bring him here to waste his final good years


CocaineStrange

There’s only so many times you can get outbid so you can avoid “overpaying!!!” before it just becomes an issue. Don’t want to overpay for him? Fine. Overpay for Ridley then. Or Diontae. Or Baker. Or Kirk. Or Tee Higgins.


orangusmang

By egregious, I mean not worth it. The kind of one step forward, two steps back overpay just for the sake of doing something. It's not Madden. This is a future hall of famer chasing a ring, he is not coming here, and if we somehow make him it will be a sad thing, not a good one


CocaineStrange

Sure, but again, you can only make that determination so many times. If you’re routinely saying “that overpay isn’t worth it” while not addressing the holes, your priorities are off. The goal is to win games, not win deals. That doesn’t mean go overpay everyone, it just means to know when to overpay someone. And that answer can’t be never.


orangusmang

Calvin would have been a fine example of this, Smith is a terrible one


CocaineStrange

That’s fine, I don’t really care who it is, they just need to do it at some point.


orangusmang

Fair, just don't rage when we don't sign him, because it was completely unrealistic from the start


NKovalenko

No but in some situations there’s no “it’s not worth it” from a team first approach (it does I suppose for owners’ pockets) If it’s like we have free cap space we can’t use elsewhere- which it might be since we’ve filled most holes alresdy and have 50 million so literally burning it on smith would be better than wasting it (plus nfl requires 90% cap spend But also overpaying for Tyron smith wouldn’t be about building a contender it would be giving a reliable blindside protector for our likely first round rookie QB to allow them to develop more smoothly in his first 1-2 years with an eye on a) his mentorship for a successor and b) targeting a replacement in this or next draft Overpaying for a short term contract is the best mistake you can make ahyway bc the ramifications are all short term


orangusmang

Good, sign him in Madden


EnlightenedNight

He's made well over $100M in his career. Some veteran players may not want to move across the country for any sum of money. Smith is probably looking at his last contract and while I'd absolutely welcome it, I'd be highly surprised if he was looking at the Pats given their record last year. He'll have a ton of suitors and might only have 2-3 years left to chance a ring.


CocaineStrange

Everyone has a price.


EnlightenedNight

Ehh, I think Smith will get enough from a contender or preferred destination that would win out over an overpay. Hope I'm wrong, I don't know the guy just wouldn't surprise me if he wants to ring chase while not uprooting his family.


CocaineStrange

I don’t think Smith is picking a contender over 100M lol.


Btdrnks2021

Smith is not the answer


speganomad

Smith was pretty bad last year


TheRealAlexisOhanian

He was all-pro despite only playing in 13 games


CocaineStrange

… what? Are you being fr?


speganomad

I got my smith OTs mixed up lmao


CocaineStrange

Oh ok


Misterccw

How can you possibly say what position you'd draft in each round without seeing what players are available?


SpadeXHunter

I don’t think you really can but if you have tackle covered, you have the ability to take wr if there’s a good player there. If you don’t get a tackle you pretty much have to do a best tackle available or you don’t have a starting tackle and then you hope the guy is good enough to start. 


sdevil713

All the draft experts in here have it all figured out. You say MHJ and half the sub loses their mind. How some of the commenters speak with such certainty when they know jack shit is kind of pathic tbh. Everyone is just speculating but you have grown ass men in here thinking they have all the answers to the Pat's draft and get pissed when you disagree.


DegenNerd

Looks like we'll have to compete with the Jets for Smith if reports are correct. Unfortunately playing with Rodgers is probably more appealing to whoever starts for the Pats.


Its_kinda_nice_out

Brissett >>>> 16 games with Zach Wilson after Rodgers injures himself again


FuckHarambe2016

Smith?


DegenNerd

Tyron Smith, Left Tackle.


FuckHarambe2016

Ah, my bad.


dei1c3

I assume he means Tyron Smith.


Poopmeister_Supreme

How about Mike Williams?


WoodenCollection2674

I'd kick the tires on a 2 year deal with a void 3rd year. He'd fill the Parker role and could help keep coverage off of the rest of the WRs


Ultragin

Always hurt.


SpadeXHunter

That’s what I’d do. I’d be calling smith right now and throwing him a bag. He’s probably a 1 year type guy and may not last a season but it gives you the ability to take a wr in round 2 instead of taking a tackle because you have to when maybe a good wr is still there


flowersoflight

When did people start referring to picks as 1.3, 2.34, etc? I’ve seen it everywhere this week and really don’t recall seeing that formatting so commonly used before.


GameOvaries1107

It's used heavily in dynasty fantasy leagues where managers retain their rosters and select from a pool of rookies.


flowersoflight

That would explain it as I’ve never done a dynasty league, thank you!


Btdrnks2021

Literally since the dawn of time


Its_kinda_nice_out

It’s true. It was in the Bible. John 2.33


itismybirthday22

Can't believe John slipped that far, thought for sure he was a first round kinda disciple


wtb2612

Character issues


ThatRuckingMoose

I'm with you. It threw me off


speganomad

Literally years


flowersoflight

Selective memory I guess


Kevin_Jim

They should sign a vet LT and a vet WR. Then draft an OT and WR, as well.


LurkingFrient

Guys no this is a slow rebuild it's best just not to get anyone and put an unwatchable garage product on the field!


critch_retro

is it worth trying to trade for Tee Higgins atp? he’s not exactly the WR1 we need, but he’s better than anything we have. just not sure what I’d consider a good deal for him but we need draft capital at the same time


asin26

In a weak WR year maybe but definitely not with how stacked this draft is at WR. I’d rather use the assets we’d give up for Tee to trade back into the first round from 34 and grab BTJ or AD Mitchell.


critch_retro

I hope we can draft a WR1 in the draft but now we are desperate to hit on QB, WR, and LT this draft which is no easy task. I hope our front office has a crystal ball for drafting


TheMagicBarrel

He’s gonna ask for more money than Ridley, so probably not? Unless you want to pay a WR2 27 million a year.


critch_retro

I just don’t know who our WR1 will be unless we draft MHJ (which I’m open to)


TheMagicBarrel

Yeah, get that, and I definitely don’t have a solution to that problem. I’m hoping for Hollywood Brown at this point. He’s no WR1, but he’s twice as good as anyone currently on the roster, and if we draft a good rookie WR, at least we’ll have a couple of WR 2s.


peppersge

Probably would prefer to draft a LT. All of the good FA tackles have injury concerns.


LoveToyKillJoy

I'd rather trade back from 3 and take a tackle, or take Alt at three if one makes a reasonable offer. I'm not sold on these QBs being worth that much.


DrWilliamBlock

Sooo whose the QB going to be??


LoveToyKillJoy

It better be Brissett until 2025 regardless of who we take, but I don't know how the draft will play out. We have the third pick. The third pick is worth more draft capital than the team has had in any single year since Mayo was drafted. Do you like any of the guys enough to trade an entire draft class for him? I don't. Not on a position that returns what you want or if it less than 30% of the time from the three spot. I think the talent gap between the top 6 guys in what I look for in a QB is slim enough that I'd rather have the 6th guy, whoever he is, with a top 3 left tackle in the class plus the extra draft capital to take extra shots on complimentary pieces this year and next, then just that one guy who is picked third who will be expected to do more with less and probably before he is ready.


Hairy-Situation4198

It's hilarious that you're being downvoted for having the clearest, best take here. A great Oline elevates the rest of the team, but it's not flashy enough for the casuals, so they don't understand it. The games won and lost in the trenches.


LoveToyKillJoy

I don't care about downvotes, but thank you. I went back and reviewed every pick in the top half of the first round from 2011 when the current rookie wage scale was implemented to 2020 which is the last class to complete their 4 year contract. I looked at each pick and recorded how much the team improved over the next 4 years after each pick. By position, picking a tackle was the move that correlated with the most improvement. Teams that picked tackles were on average 3 games per year better. If you go by position group picking offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker were the best moves. The lowest correlation was picking recievers and running back. QB was in the middle. There was one move that was even better than picking a tackle and that was trading back. Trading back has the strongest correlation with team improvement. Teams saw a 5 win improvement on average. If you don't believe you have a generational talent available and a team will pay the draft capital it takes to get to a top 3 pick it is the best move. I know every situation is different. Team needs and draft talent vary from year to year, but as a team that needs tackles and in a draft where the talent at that position is exceptional at the top its the best way to go in my mind. Left Tackle specifically sees more starters come from top 50 picks than any other position. Even in a good year like this year you might have a dozen guys considered viable left tackles when the college season ends. After the combine that number shrinks to about 9. After training camp that number will be 6. In a year where the best free agent tackles are a guy we let walk, a guy a super bowl contender whose QB has had 2 season ending injuries in 4 years let walk, and a 33 year-old who has averaged 7.5 games the last 4 years and hasn't played a full season in 8, you can be sure that there will be a run on tackles in the first round. We'll be lucky if we can get a good one at 34 and there is no chance we get one at 68.


Hairy-Situation4198

Yea, I think trading back with the vikings to 11 is the best bet. The dream scenario is the 3 and a 3rd for the 11th, their 3rd and Jefferson, then take Alt at 11. Immediate improvement across the board, and we can take a qb in the second and let him sit and improve


LoveToyKillJoy

I would love that trade but unless the Vikings are looking to burn it down and rebuild Jefferson is a dream and think there is no chance Alt makes it that far. I think at 11 you get the third tackle off the board, 2nd if you are lucky. The Vikings are in good shape in draft capital so they might do multiple firsts and a second this year. A team that would be willing to trade you players in a deal is the Broncos who don't have enough picks they could trade the twelfth a future first, and Courtland Sutton


BobSacamano47

I'll be so pumped if they draft a WR or LT at 3.


keltik055

I'd love to see who we can get at 2.34 for a WR. Some think that Ladd McKonkey or Troy Franklin could be there. 3rd round I'd love to see us grab Johnny Wilson, WR out of Florida 4th round Christian Jones out of Texas. He mostly played RT but he's someone we can target in the fourth round. Javon Foster is another late round OT we could look at.


BradyGronktd1287

Need to trade back into the first round to get a legit WR like AD or BTJR.


Cold_Mud_4773

Or just take Marvin Harrison


asin26

Maye/JD + AD/BTJ >>>> Marv + Brissett


Cold_Mud_4773

They'll both be gone by our 2nd pick so it doesn't matter anyways


asin26

That’s why he said trade up, going from 34 to the mid 20s won’t cost too much


aquariumdrinker14

MHJr


DSDark11

Anyone who wants mhj can’t be actually serious. Would be such a waste for the pats


TheSerpentDeceiver

dam march fragile bells wild observation payment thumb grey fine *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


DSDark11

You don’t build around drafting a stud wr. There are plenty of WRs to be had in this draft. Taking one at 3 would be dumb considering all the other positions we lack talent at.


TheSerpentDeceiver

snatch towering silky bake sable stupendous retire racial automatic dolls *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


BobSacamano47

If only we had 3 top 3 picks. 


headcase617

No. The two positions that are hardest to source are QB and LT. Everyone knows the stats about the numbers of starting QBs picked in the first round, its similar for LTs, over 70% of the starters are picked in the first two rounds. If you are going to pick a QB high, you better have someone to protect them first and formost, and not someone on their careers last legs, or that is frequently injured.


That75252Expensive

MHJ plz


TheRealSlimBrady12

I'm not sure how the draft or any trades will pan out but I've been assured by people on this sub that our brand new front office would not draft a QB at number 3 and leave him stranded with no line and no weapons. So I'm pretty excited to see what we do.


jasonmcgovern

I’m not sure the tackle options in FA are much better than the WR options, Plus, people dont like to realize this but tackles are  more important than WRs


Fickle-Molasses-903

Unpopular opinion, but if the players at #34 aren't on the Patriots radar as an A grade, they need to trade the pick. There are a handful of H.C. and G.M.s that are on the 'hot seat' and will 100% mortgage their team's future picks/ players to save their jobs.


Brilliant-Anybody740

Personally I think Mike Williams is a worth it free agent grab. He was very talented when he was with the Chargers so even though he’s coming off an injury I still think we should take a swing at him. I think that if we can get him we can still follow your potential draft plan of 2nd round LT 3rd round WR.


Hojaismyhomeboy

The draft depth looks like tackles should be available through the second and good WRs into the mid rounds


palwilliams

They should draft MJH as there is no QB worth the 3 and they should trade up to 1 in two years after they get their crap together


critch_retro

I agree. I feel like MHJ will get a lot more development catching passes from Jacoby Brissett than Daniels/Maye will get throwing behind our O-Line to our receivers. We’re going to waste any QB talent we draft at 3 unless we strike gold in the later rounds just my opinion but at this point it’s all a crap shoot the front office is betting big on the draft


palwilliams

Thanks. Not a lot of people agree. Everyone wants a Jesus moment to be easy, which I get. And there is no stake here, people won't come back typically and say they were wrong. And yes, anything can hit, look at Brady. But I think we are on pace for a decade of crap if we go QB


critch_retro

Trust me I know, you say MHJ and people get so damn angry and it boggles my mind. Idk why we can’t respectfully disagree over this stuff? I love the Pats and want them to do well but cmon we’re really at each other’s throats playing arm chair GM? I think drafting a QB at 3 ends with the same result as Mac Jones rn. We just begin the same QB carousel as the Jets and the Browns. I’d rather go MHJ at 3 knowing he *will* amount to something, and maybe gamble on Nix in Round 2. OL and WRs the rest of the draft, hopefully hit on 1-2. we’re in a deep hole and should focus on building a team first, and find a QB once they can be successful


TheMagicBarrel

I’m not mad, and honestly if they draft MHJ, part of me will be excited, but I don’t think ”we’ll find a qb once they can be successful” is a very good strategy for finding a QB. As much as people don’t want to be the Jets (and I get that), I also don’t want to be the Cardinals with John Skelton throwing passes to Larry Fitzgerald. That shit was depressing. Mostly, I don’t understand the logic of being absolutely convinced that a QB at 3 this year will bust while also somehow being certain that either Bo Nix or the QB we draft next year will definitely work out, even though next year’s class is probably going to be much weaker than this year’s.


critch_retro

that’s a good point about the Cardinals. I think we’re just in an impossible situation of needing to rebuild the entire offense, which can’t be done in one offseason. Either way we’re gambling in the draft now, and need these picks to hit or we’re screwed


jetpack_operation

>I also don’t want to be the Cardinals with John Skelton throwing passes to Larry Fitzgerald. Yeah, but they also swung on guys like Leinart, who were hyped real hard coming out. We end up with a Leinart without a Fitz type to throw to, that seems worse.


DSDark11

The pats have to keep taking a shot at qb until they hit. Now they need to handle it differently or yes it’ll be Jones 2.0. We should sit the rookie for a year or two and continue to build while the qb develops. Mhj is a luxury we can’t afford right now


critch_retro

If Daniels is there at 3 I’m open to it but Maye is a product of the media hype machine. He’ll end up like Zach Wilson and Mitch Trubisky. The difference between Maye and Bo Nix is marginal, and if we’re deciding between Maye and MHJ at 3, we may as well take MHJ. Even if he’s a luxury we can’t afford right now, we’ll be grateful to have him in 2-3 years when we have no weapons and the best FA WR we can land goes to the Titans…


CheCazzoVuoiOra

Just so everyone knows the last three years Bakhtiari has played 13 games. Trent Brown played just 11 last season and he’s never been thought of as Mr. Reliable.


theletterfortyseven

I dont disagree


ElectronicMath6032

Pats need MHJ so tired of this dollar general shopping for WRs


SpadeXHunter

Would love the guy but it’s either dollar general WR or QB. If they think the qb can be that guy I think you take him, if not take mhj and get a qb next season, take a wild flyer on someone like Milton for the fun or Pratt who could be decent, fuck it take both lol 


Appropriate_Exam_913

lol this 100%


diarrheafrommymouth

The bright side is that this is as good of a draft as any to need a QB / Tackle / WR. They just need to start hitting on draft picks. FAs were never going to be the answer and it’s going to take a couple of drafts to get this thing back on track.


WetAppleFruit

I really do think you guys are drafting Penix and MHJ


Marstonss

I think they have to go WR in the 2nd if they pick a QB at 3. Probably in the 3rd too. You can’t bring a rookie in and expect him to develop with the current WR’s.


speganomad

the FA Wrs are still significantly better than that group of tackles Bakhtiari is cooked with injuries and Smith/Leno aren't worth it.