PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Dussault

It’s Time to Talk Some Patriots Draft

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It’s hard to believe that April is quickly approaching. I guess that’s what happens when your football season stretches into February. Between parades and celebrations it didn’t feel like the offseason even really started until a couple of weeks ago. Ah, the spoils of being a Patriots fan.

This of course means that the draft will soon be on us. I’ve got to be honest with you guys… I’m kind of over the draft. Well, not the part where the Patriots get some new toys to play with, the lead-up part where everyone’s an expert and no one is really an expert. There are mock drafts upon mock drafts and vehement arguments about who’s a good fit and all that. I’m over it.

And with the Patriots (currently) not picking until the third round it makes all the speculation even more silly.

Anyway, I’ll still proceed with my draft research, which, since 2011 has consisted of putting together a Top 50 Patriots Prospects Board and one single glorious mock draft. You can see all of it in the menu bar above, including my tragic fall from grace last season when I got Cyrus Jones and only Cyrus Jones.

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Spoiler Alert: Cooks Fits Patriots Offense

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In case you were wondering, yes, Brandin Cooks is a perfect fit for the New England Patriots offense. I’m not sure how anyone could possibly think that the Patriots wouldn’t figure out a way to make Cooks fit. Many have some preconceived notion that Julian Edelman is a prototype and how anyone outside of that prototype might struggle in New England.

There’s no question, Tom Brady has had plenty of receivers he just didn’t jive with, but there’s little reason to think Cooks would end up like Chad Jackson, Joey Galloway or any of the others who came with promise and flamed out. PFF put out this chart on Wednesday, but it’s really just a jumping off point.

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Pats Posits: Brady Jersey Recovery Means a Butler Speculation Break

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We’re lucky this morning that the rash of speculative Malcolm Butler-to-the-Saints articles have been knocked to the background, if for only a day, because Tom Brady‘s Super Bowl 51 jersey has been found! And crazy enough, they found the Super Bowl 49 jersey with it.

Here’s the scoop from Jay Glazer:

So here’s actually what happened. The FBI and the NFL security, along with Patriots security and the Houston PD, they actually went through all this video to try and track somebody down, and they zeroed in on somebody, a person of interest.

That person of interest, from what I’m told, is an international member  of the media. I don’t believe he’s actually a member of the media, but he was posing as a member of the international media. Got credentialed, it’s been going on for quite some time.

And he actually, from what I’m told, they have him going into the locker room right behind Bill Belichick as if he’s with the team. Goes in there, loiters around a little while and is seen leaving the locker room — this is the video they’re trying to look at right now — seen leaving a little bit later with something under his arm. 

Just another bit more lore for Tom Brady and his Super Bowl aura, and really, in what is slowly developing into the quiet lull in between free agency and the draft, this is just the kind of offseason story to break the monotony. Because let’s face it, we could be hanging on Butler-to-the-Saints for another month since Butler doesn’t have to sign his tender until late April.

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Get 20% Off at ScoreArt.com!

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Exciting new partnership to announce today with ScoreArt.com, makers of officially licensed art and featuring some awesome Patriots canvas prints that would make the perfect new addition to any Patriots fan’s blank wall. The best part is that with code “PatsProp” you can get 20% off!

Let’s face it, the big part of winning a Super Bowl for the fans is all the new swag and decorations we have to add to the collection. There’s commemorative footballs, DVDs like Three Games to Glory V, and of course massive wall art that will forever remind you of the Patriots’ crazy victory in Super Bowl 51.

Here’s just one of the awesome prints you can choose from, including the one now in the sidebar as well. You’re guaranteed to find something perfect!

Resetting Patriots Offseason To Do List

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With the re-signing of Dont’a Hightower, along with the other significant free agency moves the Patriots have made over the past two weeks, the 2017 team is starting to round into form. There’s still a big question mark surrounding Malcolm Butler and, to a lesser extent, Jimmy Garoppolo, but it would appear that outside of those two most of the heavy lifting this offseason is close to done.

What we know? The offense looks ready to evolve once again with the addition of Brandin Cooks. He’ll bring a whole new level of explosiveness and if Rob Gronkowski can return to form and everyone stays healthy, who knows what the ceiling is for this offense.

Defensively, the Pats swapped Logan Ryan for Stephon Gilmore and Jabaal Sheard/Chris Long for Kony Ealy. On paper those moves look like they made the Patriots better. There are still depth questions at linebacker and defensive end, but those should be manageable. If Malcolm Butler returns it’s not crazy to think this defense will be even better than last year’s that led the league in points against.

What holes do the Patriots still have? Whose contracts could be extended or released? There’s still plenty of moves to come, and with the Pats currently having no draft picks before the third round, there’s a good chance they’ll look to round out their picks so they can still grab some impact rookies.

Here’s what I see as the priorities going forward with the rest of free agency and the draft.

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Report: Dont’a Hightower Returning to Patriots (phew)

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It’s been an interesting couple of weeks as Dont’a Hightower made the rounds to the Titans, Jets and Steelers, but in the end found that the best fit was to remain in New England according to Adam Schefter.


I was slightly pessimistic about Hightower’s chances of returning once he was set to hit the open market. What I underestimated is how Hightower’s skillset is somewhat of a unique fit in New England. While I’m sure he would’ve been fine in the Jets or Steelers system, the Patriots know exactly how what to do with the 260-pound linebacker.

But how do the Patriots use Hightower? By the end of the 2016 season, he would often play at a traditional inside linebacker spot on early downs, although when the Patriots employed their “6-1” look, Hightower would slide to the weakside outside linebacker spot where he was strong setting the edge. On passing downs the Patriots used Hightower often as a blitzer. And I think this is a good excuse to post one of my favorite GIFs from SB51 as an example.

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Report: Patriots Sign RB Rex Burkhead

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While we were waiting not-so-patiently on Butler and Hightower the Patriots signed running back Rex Burkhead, as reported by Field Yates.

Burkhead was drafted in the 6th round of the 2013 draft and waited three seasons before injuries gave him a shot in 2016. He delivered with 4.6 yards-per-attempt on 74 carries with two touchdowns. He also pitched in with 17 catches for the Bengals, had six kickoff returns in 2016 and played close to half of the special teams snaps. Clearly he brings some value and can contribute in a number of ways. At 5’10”, 210 pounds, Burkhead should compete for early down carries.

Rushing & Receiving Table
Games Rushing Receiving
Year G GS Rush Yds TD Lng Y/A Tgt Rec Yds TD RRTD Fmb
2013 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2014 9 0 9 27 1 10 3.0 10 7 49 0 1 0
2015 16 0 4 4 0 2 1.0 15 10 94 1 1 1
2016 16 1 74 344 2 17 4.6 20 17 145 0 2 1
Career 42 1 87 375 3 17 4.3 45 34 288 1 4 2
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/14/2017.

 

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