PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Making Sense of Brady, Gronk and the Future of the Patriots

by

This offseason sure has had a different feel to it than any other in the last 17 years. Yes, there was always turnover, interesting moves that surprised us all, but the holy duo of Belichick and Brady were always secure and that meant that the Patriots were basically secure.

Now, after a year with plenty of rumblings about off-field problems, we still don’t know if Brady or Gronk are fully in for the 2018 season and that uncertainty is splitting Patriots fans down the middle even as they prepare for what should be an exciting couple of weeks featuring the release of the schedule and the draft.

There are so many camps right now within Patriots Nation. There’s those still furious and waiting for an explanation from Belichick about why he benched Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl. There are those who are frustrated with Brady and Gronk for dragging this stuff out well into the offseason as we’re staring down the barrel of 2018. And then there are those outside of New England, content to watch it all finally burn to the ground.

I also know there are plenty out there who think it’s all “fake news”, that this is all media-driven and everything will be a-okay when the opening game comes around, with Brady throwing touchdowns to Gronk then both high-fiving Belichick as they begin another campaign for title number six. As a faithful blogger of the team I’ve been a big “Ignore the Noise” kind of guy, but there’s too much noise this time to believe it’s all a total fabrication, especially when reports are coming both locally and nationally.

There’s too much smoke for there not to be some kind of fire and now the million dollar question is can that fire be put out in time for another run in 2018?

[Read more…] about Making Sense of Brady, Gronk and the Future of the Patriots

2018 PatsPropaganda Draft Big Board

by

Welcome to year eight of the PatsPropaganda Big Board! The goal here is to hit as many Pats’ draft picks as possible with these 50 players, so it’s a combination of fits and needs, even if Bill Belichick doesn’t subscribe to need picks.

These are the football nerds, the team leaders, the special teams demons, the kind of players that would buy into the Patriot way and be able to make some sort of impact or at least push the starters. Next week I’ll release my mock draft featuring my favorite of this list.

The biggest areas I focused on were athletic off-the-ball linebackers, mid-round quarterbacks, potential left tackles and versatile edge players. Those are the biggest glaring needs as I see them, though I can certainly see running back, tight end and defensive back being taken because there are quite a few good fits in this draft class.

Am I missing someone you love as a fit? Let me know in the comments!

[Read more…] about 2018 PatsPropaganda Draft Big Board

Should Patriots Move Up in Draft for a Quarterback?

by

With reports in recent days that the Patriots are “most interested” in Lamar Jackson, including, gasp, Tom Brady calling Jackson a beast, the fires of speculation that the Pats could move up in the first round have only added more fuel. Quarterback is the most vital position in football so it’s no wonder why players like Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen are all expected to be taken in the top 10.

How exactly they’ll be drafted will be the subject of great debate over these next couple weeks. If you feel good about how things might unfold Sports Betting Dime has locked in a few good sites with some draft prop bets.  But for the Patriots it’s unlikely they’ll mortgage their huge draft pick capital just to take one player who won’t even play this year, injuries willing, especially with so many holes to fill.

But Jackson could be within striking distance and is certainly an intriguing prospect. What’s not up for debate is that he’s an elite athlete at the position, a next-generation quarterback who could really develop with a year or two behind Tom Brady.

[Read more…] about Should Patriots Move Up in Draft for a Quarterback?

PatsProp Bruins Diary: Bruins Playoff Preview

by

Something a little outside the norm here on this usually-Patriots-only blog as I take a little dive into, gasp, hockey and specifically the Boston Bruins. It’s the slowest time of the NFL season and while researching draft prospects is keeping me busy, the urge to write about hockey has been overwhelming so it’s time to throw a little changeup.

First, a little background on me because most of you only know me as the Bill Belichick Hoodie blogger guy who’s been writing about the Pats for over a decade. But the weird thing is that the Bruins were really my true love when I was growing up. Those early 90’s years were lean for the Patriots but the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup hunt every year and they helped eased the pain of one- and two-win Patriot teams.

I played hockey all the way through college, with many players who went on to pro careers. Since moving back to Boston I’ve found myself re-immersed in the sport that was really everything to me growing up.

Last fall, I started reffing youth hockey, which is probably worth its own blog post series itself, and have been lucky enough to work with Jimmy Murphy and CLNS producing the Garden Report on Ice. I’ve been credentialed for a bunch of Bruins games and practices this season so yes, I’ve been enjoying this unexpected season up close and personal. Here’s the latest video we put together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75rxGiOUQL0&t=3s

As the season has progressed I’ve found myself getting the itch to write some hockey posts more and more. So what am I going to do? Start another whole blog from scratch? Ask some other blog to let me write for them on their terms? Nope. I’m just going to fire them up here from time to time.

If you’re here just for the Patriots stuff there will be plenty more coming, with the Top 50 Big Board on tap for early next week, along with my mock draft, more Patshow broadcasts, and plenty more draft analysis as the picks and signings start to come in. You can stop reading now, while any brave souls who happen to love the Bruins like they love the Pats will hopefully enjoy some of my Bruins analysis as they embark on a playoff run that starts with a tough Toronto Maple Leafs team.

Let’s do that hockey!

[Read more…] about PatsProp Bruins Diary: Bruins Playoff Preview

Patriots Stocking Brady’s Potential Weaponry with Matthews, Niklas

by

The Patriots continued to round out the middle portion of their roster this week with three moves, all on the offensive side of the ball, starting with offensive linemen Luke Bowanko and TE Troy Niklas, and ending for now with wide receiver Jordan Matthews.

Matthews was a second-round pick in 2014, was traded to the Bills last preseason but ended the year on injured reserve, meaning the Patriots got him a good discount. He works primarily out of the slot, which makes him a good candidate to help replace Danny Amendola. However, Matthews isn’t exactly the quick-open kind of guy that Amendola or Julian Edelman are. He’s a bigger slot receiver but with good hands and a good feel for getting open.

More on him and Niklas as we get closer and closer to the draft!

[Read more…] about Patriots Stocking Brady’s Potential Weaponry with Matthews, Niklas

First Two Rounds Will Be Patriots’ Playground

by

After moving Brandin Cooks and picking up their second first-round pick for 2018’s NFL Draft, there’s much speculation as to what the Patriots will do with the capital that includes two second-round picks as well. Could they trade up for a quarterback? Or an offensive tackle? Or a linebacker? Or just trade them all for dozens of picks in 2019?

What happens will depend entirely on how things unfold above them, but after the top ten has passed the Patriots are in play for almost every pick during the first two days of the draft. Up, down, into the future…picks will be flying and it should make for an exciting weekend for Patriots fans.

The more I dig into this draft the more excited I am about the potential players that could be available at 23 that would not have been available at 31. Someone at a position of need will fall, and who knows, maybe they’ll move up to grab the right guy.

[Read more…] about First Two Rounds Will Be Patriots’ Playground

Patriots Trade Cooks to Rams, Pick Up Another First-Round Pick

by

Brandin Cooks had one of the more interesting first seasons for a new Patriots receiver. He put up over 1,000 yards on 65 catches with seven touchdowns, yet there was still debate if Cooks was everything Patriots fans expected him to be. After all, these same fans had been complaining about the lack of a deep threat since Belichick traded away Randy Moss, and yet now Cooks is gone after just one season, traded to the Rams for a first round pick, while also swapping a fourth-rounder down to a sixth rounder.

The Pats’ picks are now:

1.23 (LAR)
1.31
2.43 (SF)
2.63
3.95
6.TBD (LAR)
6.210
7.219

That’s plenty of ammo to move up and down the draft board to give a much-needed influx of talent in necessary spots such as left tackle, linebacker and defensive end. Just for fun, based on the draft value chart the Patriots could get all the way up to ninth overall with a package of the 23rd and 31st pick. But I doubt they’ll do that.

The trade of Cooks isn’t a total shocker and re-allocates some capital into the first round of the draft.They’ve made just two first-round picks in the last five years, and only Malcom Brown is still on the roster. Now, with two first rounders the Pats look ready to do some damage. It will also open up more cap space, with @Patscap currently having their number at $14.7 million.

[Read more…] about Patriots Trade Cooks to Rams, Pick Up Another First-Round Pick