Don’t know if you’re fielding questions this Friday, but I’m curious if you think there were any players in the first round who had realistic chance of slipping to the Patriots, that they would have drafted instead of making the trade with the Vikings.

I’m always taking questions, sorry for being a little MIA this week, dealing with some personal issues that have now been resolved.

As for your question, it’s tough to say. Considering what the Vikings gave up, they really made the Patriots draft. I’d still love to think that if Datone Jones was there on the board they might’ve taken him, but it seems clear to me now that the priority was solving the linebacker coverage issue, not the interior rush issue. At least they must feel good about Tommy Kelly and Armond Armstead and what they can bring to the fold from an interior rush perspective. 

I just didn’t think they’d pounce that highly on a coverage linebacker that high, which is somewhat foolish in hindsight because it was statistically the most glaring hole left to be filled. No one knows how Jamie Collins will fit in, including the coaches, but it seems clear he will be a big part of sub-packages early on, moreso for his coverage than his pass rushing explosiveness.

But ultimately the trade with the Vikings was far better than any chance they might’ve taken on any particular player.