PatsPropaganda

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Archives for March 16, 2016

Patriots sign Shea McClellin

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What a day Wednesday was! Just when we thought we had the Martellus Bennett deal to digest for a bit, the Patriots sign Shea McClellin, a linebacker also from the Bears, to a reported three-year deal.

I can’t lie, I really like this signing because McClellin was one of my favorite players coming out of the 2012 draft. I had him 12th overall on my Patriots-only big board. McClellin started out as a defensive end but seemed to find his stride once he was moved to linebacker in 2014. What I loved about him was his athleticism, and now, joining Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, McClellin should fit right in.

Experience Everywhere

He has experience doing just about everything the Pats could ask him to do — rushing the passer, playing in space, covering. You can easily see him atop the depth chart at middle linebacker in regular, or doing any number of things in a sub-package. This is essentially what they do with Collins and Hightower now and why McClellin’s athleticism and versatility make so much sense for New England.

In short, he’s the perfect kind of swiss army knife Belichick loves and best of all he fills a significant need at linebacker. It also makes me happy to see it being a three-year deal. You love to have guys like Chris Long and Bennett brought in, but on one-year deals you know you can’t get too attached.

That’s not the case with McClellin, who should see a significant role on defense and compliment Hightower and Collins really well. Jonathan Freeny now slides down the depth chart and can focus more on special teams. The lack of an impact third linebacker really killed the Pats last year and they should add another one in the draft as well. But for now, McClellin solidifies things at the top.

So yes, that makes four former first round picks in two days for the Pats (not that I’m holding much hope for getting anything out of Donald Brown but still…).

I’m liking how this 2016 team is shaping up.

Patriots Acquire Martellus Bennett in Trade

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Patriots acquire Martellus Bennett

Rob Gronkowski has a new tight end buddy.

It’s been an interesting two days in Patriots Nation. One day after trading Chandler Jones and signing Chris Long, the Patriots acquire Martellus Bennett and a sixth round pick in a trade with Chicago Bears for a fourth round pick.

After seeing him in Hard Knocks with the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie, I always got the impression Bennett was somewhat of a space cadet and that always scared me away from tying him to the Patriots. But it seems like he’s matured a bit and the fact that he’s got just one year left on his deal should be huge motivation for him to (not) keep it weird.

If Bennett has a big year he should cash in next offseason, when he’s still just 30 years old.

Belichick Loves Him Some 12 Personnel

This is another attempt to position a tower of power opposite Rob Gronkowski as the Pats did last year with Scott Chandler to mixed-at-best results. Bennett had 53 catches and three touchdowns in 11 games last season, and those total are almost certain to go up. With Gronkowski pulling coverage, especially in the red zone, the Pats should be deadly inside the 20.

In 2014, Bennett had 90 catches and six touchdowns. The numbers are promising if he can assimilate into the Patriots locker room, one known to not take kindly to guys who aren’t on the same page as everyone else. Nothing wrong with personality, but the focus must be on football first and foremost.

This is the kind of move you never really see coming, in part because it was a trade, but also because the Pats already have the best tight end in the game. It’s telling that the team felt the need to actively pursue a second tight end who is a proven playmaker. Last year’s team, without the emergence of Chandler, were unable to run the two tight end offense with any consistency. Brady never developed a trust in Chandler and he was all but eliminated from the gameplan in the AFC Championship, playing just five snaps.

As a result, they relied more on three wide receiver sets, featuring more of Danny Amendola than a big tight end. This made the offense less physically demanding to play against, and now it would appear they’ve once again committed to re-establishing the personnel package that they had before Aaron Hernandez went on a killing spree.

The Pats also signed running back Donald Brown today in a move that I hope makes him nothing more than a seat filler for a promising rookie draft pick. Brown has had two quiet years in San Diego after busting in Indianapolis as a first-round pick. This is classic Patriots, fill every hole on the roster before the draft so you don’t have to make any rash moves to fill holes.

Patriots Free Agency Analysis: Value Strikes Again

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No one values value more than Bill Belichick and that’s just what has been on display once again in Patriots free agency this year. In years past, I took a look at just how Belichick maximizes value, turning single draft picks into multiple players and future draft picks.

The 28th overall pick in the 2007 draft was turned into Randy Moss, Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable, Ryan Mallet and then this year’s 7th rounder from Houston that they got for Mallet. That’s right, nine years later the value of that one pick is still paying dividends.

The 23rd overall pick in 2009 was turned into Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Darius Butler and Brandon Tate. Gronk and Edelman are the core of the Patriots offensive weaponry, while Butler and Tate have gone on to have solid pro careers even though not in New England.

This is what Belichick understands, that the draft is a crapshoot and even when you get good players they often get injured. The only way to consistently build a good football team that can overcome the under-performance and injuries that plague all professional football teams is to have quality depth and always work to strengthen that depth.

This philosophy was on display once again yesterday when the Patriots effectively flipped Chandler Jones for a 2nd round pick, and a once-promising guard in Jonathan Cooper, while also adding defensive end Chris Long at less than half what Jones was scheduled to make. Jones was a talented player who would’ve made an impact for the Patriots in 2016, but the long-term health and overall depth of the franchise is once again what the Patriots gained by making these kind of trades and acquisitions.

Long has had two years of injuries, but had never missed a game prior to 2014. It’s very possible that Long will rejuvenate his career if he can stay healthy in New England, and could easily be a more impactful pass rusher than Jones would’ve been. At the very least, Long will likely get his first taste of the playoffs and by that time he should be playing with his hair on fire. That’s the kind of play that helps you win championships.

As for Cooper, the Patriots loved him coming out of college but never had a shot at him as he went 7th overall in 2013. This is what makes the Patriots even more impressive, they rarely get a chance at the best talent in the draft. Instead they have to wait until they either fall out of favor or have their careers derailed by injuries. That’s when they pounce. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Screen Shot 2016-03-15 at 12.50.50 PMThere’s no denying Cooper has talent and if he can find a way to rekindle that, the Patriots will have improved a vital part of their offensive line. If anyone can get to Cooper, it’s Dante Scarnecchia.

But perhaps most important is the second round pick. The Patriots now have both the 60th and 61st picks in the draft, and by the draft value chart that’s enough to package and get them all the way into the top of the second round, if not the late first round. That kind of flexibility is invaluable and opens up a number of doors that were closed to them without it.

Once again, it’s all about value, and with 11 draft picks the Patriots have the ammo to do as they please during draft day, maximizing each and every pick not only for this year but for the years to come.