New England Patriots Mock Draft: 7-Round Predictions, Post-Combine | Bleacher Report
Frenz drops a mock draft filling all the needs, including the ever-present Rutgers need, with some good fits.
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i dont see how ridley walks. who would want to pay him anything? then again, I said the same thing about green ellis. gonna hurt losing vereen because he is so useful when he’s healthy. unfortunately, one good year is all it takes to get paid. vereen is a great safety valve and the 11 catches in the sb prove it. so they can get someone to play that role, but they cant’ get someone to replace him.
I guess the question is whether the Patriots want to pay him anything. That could be the most likely scenario, a one-year highly incentivized deal, but I could see him looking for a new start somewhere and I’d bet there’s at least one team out there willing to give the same kind of money the Pats would.
As for Vereen, not many people remember this was the first full season in his career and his production came in an offense designed to get him the ball. IS he going to produce the same kind of way in a lesser offense? I have my doubts.
A lot of us were concerned about handing the job to Vereen and letting Woodhead walk. (I still kinda wish they kept Woodhead). So while there’s definitely concerns about understanding pass protection, I don’t think that this receiving back spot is much different than the slot receiver spot in the offense.
Any capable back should produce in the role, but it does take a bit of time to assimilate.
I’m coming to accept that with all the money that needs to be spent on defense as well as at the guard spot (at least one), Vereen might just be the cap casualty this offseason.
I was thinking that if mayo came back on certain passing downs about the possibility of Hightower-Chandler-Easley-ninkovich with Collins and mayo as linebackers, what do you think about that
I like it. I like it a lot. Teams would probably try to run on it, but in terms of pass rush and overall speed, it’s hard to think you could do much better than that lineup.
Are you really confident with Bolden as the go to 1st/2nd down back going forward assuming Ridley walks? I still see him more in a rotational role… just haven’t seen that spark since his earlier carries (when he was using PEDs).
Nah, I think Blount would be okay in that role, and I think Bolden MIGHT be okay as a stopgap/insurance as the passing down back. But really that’s a huge role in this offense, and there should be additions unless they really think James White and Tyler Gaffney can step right in, which seems like an incredible long shot. With a deep RB draft, I’d expect at least one to be taken. It’s seeming more and more to me like Vereen walks.
Patriots could use repeat Corey Dillon-like pickup | Boston Herald
Patriots could use repeat Corey Dillon-like pickup | Boston Herald
Good read from Karen Guregian, with a tidbit that she’s already hearing how focused on getting SB #5 Belichick and Brady already are. There as so much pressure built up on getting SB #4 it feels like that’s now released. Maybe that will help them, along with a less-than-daunting schedule.
New England Patriots quick-hitting thoughts – ESPN Boston
New England Patriots quick-hitting thoughts – ESPN Boston
Good Sunday notes from Reiss, including a mention that Tyler Gaffney is now fully healthy. Gaffney is a bit of an unknown, but with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen’s futures up in the air, there could be opportunity in the Patriots’ backfield.
One thing I’ve been wondering, is could Brandon Bolden hold the fort long enough for James White or another new receiving back to come along? I generally think Bolden is just a spot carry guy, but the Pats continued to give him carries late last season and even gave him a contract extension, which I viewed generally for special teams ability. He’s not Vereen, but he’s solid enough as insurance if a rookie or White were to be eased into the job.
Vereen was far from proven when he took over for Danny Woodhead as the primary receiving back.