Mike Dussault

Looks like Doug had a “Come to Hoodie” moment! He lays out some solid points here, and really you’re never going to get the impact players you want in the low-20s.

Based on what I see on the draft board I agree that trading back and filling out the mid and low round picks would be a good move. However the problem with continually drafting like this is what we saw last year, you end up having to cut 2nd and 3rd round picks like Tate and later Price who might not have had a fair shake in the system.

By this token you wonder if maybe just once BB will trade up and grab quality over quantity. I’ll believe it when I see it. Otherwise expect the Pats to take one player in the first and trade the other pick for more picks. It just makes too much sense based on what we’ve seen in the past.

I’m sure a lot of Pats fans won’t want to listen to this but if I’ve gotten over my Mangini hatred so can you! I think people fail to recognize that Mangini’s insight into the Pats is the closest thing we’ll ever get to someone who has been there and really truly knows how things work in Foxboro.

This podcast with Simmons is loaded with great Patriots stuff. Plus there’s nothing I enjoy more than Simmons getting put in his place by a real football guy.

The most egregious example? When Simmons says how he was sure the Patriots were going to steamroll the Ravens in the AFCCG until he talked to Mangini who told him it would be close.

Was Simmons the only Patriots fan on the planet who thought the Pats would easily beat the Ravens? I think so.

Otherwise Mangini has some real insight into the Patriots way of operating, including an assessment of whether or not the Pats should get Mike Wallace, a move Simmons predictably thought was a slam dunk. Mangini points out, as we’ve pointed out numerous times when talking about Wallace,  the question is not if he’s a great player, the question is if he can process the Patriots offense. Can he line up in the no-huddle, read the defense and know exactly where Tom Brady wants him to be? Let’s not forget the Steelers run one of the most straight forward offenses in the NFL as well.

For those who can stomach it I highly recommend you check this podcast out. Mangini might just win you over.