PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

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The guy that stands out to me [as a comparison] when it comes to style of play is Marshall Faulk. He can run between the tackles and be physical inside. He has the ability to pass-protect on third down. He can catch the ball as a wide receiver, or coming out of the backfield. He can be an every-down guy and is the type of player who is going to rise to the occasion with the opportunity to compete. He has that competitive spirit. He’s already a talented young man, but the thing that separates him from a lot of guys is his work ethic and that he’s smart. He understands football, so he’ll adjust to things because of his football IQ.

Cal Running Game Coordinator Ron Gould on Shane Vereen

https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-guy-that-stands-out-to-me-as-a-comparison/

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Most people on the outside looking in at a draft only see it on a need basis. Unless you have the same information as a team, you really can’t have a value board. Either way, these players haven’t even stepped on the field yet, which makes it premature to assume how they will perform.

Let’s wait and see how much Jermaine Cunningham has developed and what’s happens when veterans are available.

Pat Kirwan, predictable voice of reason

https://www.patspropaganda.com/most-people-on-the-outside-looking-in-at-a-draft/

ESPN: Meriweather 8th best safety in NFL

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ESPN: Meriweather 8th best safety in NFL

This one should spark some debate! ESPN’s writers ranked the top 10 safeties in the NFL and Meriweather came out at 8th. The numbers are a bit deceiving because he didn’t even get a vote from 3 of the 8 writers, and Mike Sando’s 5th ranking really helped his stock a lot.

Meriweather has slowly developed into one of the most polarizing players for Patriots fans. At times he delivers crushing hits that border on or cross into the illegal territory. Really his problem is just inconsistency, which was evident by his silde down the depth chart in early 2010 for “freelancing”. And of course the off-field stuff like the shooting incident that he was at least present for in early 2011.

It’s hard to say how last season and this offseason are going to effect how the Patriots view Meriweather. Can he ever develop consistency and learn to always play within the system? No one will argue that when he’s doing that he’s a very, very good safety.

However, just coming off his second Pro Bowl and with only one year left on his deal at a manageable cap number it might be the right time to get some value out of Meriweather. Especially if they believe that he’ll walk in 2012 and that Ras-I Dowling shows enough to prove he’s the future at Free Safety.

James Sanders is a solid insurance plan if the Pats decide to move Meriweather, otherwise let’s hope playing in a contract year will force him to consistently play up to his potential.

Anatomy of Draft Value: What became of the Patriots 2007 28th overall pick?

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As the first round of the 2007 NFL draft wound down, the New England Patriots still had needs to fill. They had just lost in the AFC Championship in disappointing fashion to the Indianapolis Colts and the fans across Patriots nation were calling for more weapons to surround Tom Brady with.

The Pats had already taken safety Brandon Meriweather with the 24th overall pick that they had gotten for Deion Branch, and now could have their choice of any of the wide receivers who were about to be drafted in the next 18 picks: Anthony Gonzalez, Craig “Buster” Davis, Sidney Rice, or Dwayne Jarrett.

Instead the Patriots did what they almost always do, they traded down and began a journey of value returns from that pick that would continue through the next four drafts.

The initial trade was with San Francisco and gave the Patriots a 1st round pick the following year, as well as a 4th rounder in 2007 (110th overall). These two picks would net the Pats two star players.

The 2008 first rounder pick ended up getting traded down from 7th overall to 10th overall, netting the Patriots future defensive captain Jerod Mayo and future PatsPropaganda boo Shawn Crable. While a bust, Crable did give the “We Need Pass Rush!” crowd a glimmer of hope for a few seasons.

But it was the 2007 110th overall pick that would end up making history for the Pats. They flipped that 4th round selection to the Raiders for Randy Moss and we all know how that ended up going. Moss set the receiving TD record in 2007, and closed out a four year Patriots stint with 50 total touchdowns.

In 2010 the Patriots traded Moss to the Vikings in exchange for a 2011 3rd round selection, which ended up being the 74th overall pick where they took QB Ryan Mallett. Who knows what Mallett’s career with the Patriots will hold, but with him carries the legacy of the 2007 28th overall pick.

So to sum up the Patriots have thus far gotten the following out of that first round selection that they chose to trade to the 49ers who took Joe Staley with it:

  • Randy Moss
  • Jerod Mayo
  • Shawn Crable
  • Ryan Mallett
  • 2016 6th Round Pick (for Mallett via Houston)

That is what value drafting is all about.