PatsPropaganda

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Forget pass rushers, Patriots biggest need is interior offensive line

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We’ve entered the “disinformation” stage of the draft buildup where you’ll hear a lot of “team x loves this player” and most of the time it’s more full of shit than Rex Ryan. Knowing who another team might like would be a great advantage, so if you’re one of the few teams like the Patriots who are CONSTANTLY competing, it makes sense to try and confuse the living crap out of everyone.

As always New England will be the premier power player in the draft, maneuvering up and down the board to get the handful of players that truly fit their system. When all the dust settles they’ll have a bunch of promising rookies and at least a couple additional picks for 2012. It’s just how BB rolls.

While I really see some Patriots promise in JJ Watt and Cameron Jordan, I’m not sure either of them will be there at 17. And I don’t see a cash all your chips and move up to take Robert Quinn scenario, nor am convinced that Aldon Smith is a sure-fire stud for the Pats system.

So if Watt or Jordan are not available, what do the Pats do? It’s looking more and more like a trade down situation to me; just a few spots to grab an interior lineman like Derek Sherrod, Danny Watkins, or Clint Boling.

Interior line is really a huge need that no one is talking enough about. Stephen Neal retired, Logan Mankins is going to skip town as soon as he can, and Dan Koppen is entering his final year.

I would even argue that they should go for a G/C at 17 over Watt or Jordan, but given the available talent I think they’ll be able to trade down and still get a step-in-and-start guy in the early to mid 20s. You could add Mike Pouncey to that list though I’m not as sure he’s as versatile as some say he is.

As much as people might be clamoring for a defensive end or outside linebacker, the current roster depth is far greater at those positions than it is at interior line. Imagine if under the new CBA Mankins is allowed to walk, or the Patriots decide to trade him. Then throw in an injury to Dan Koppen. Who’s your starting LG-C-RG?

Wendell-Ornberger-Connolly? Eeeeeek! That’s not what a 34 year old Tom Brady needs.

At least there’s some experienced depth along the defensive line and outside linebacker. They might not be ideally talented, but they will certainly be better than they were last year with Ty Warren, Mike Wright and Myron Pryor back, along with a year’s experience for Kyle Love and Brandon Deaderick.

So it’s time to utter my favorite phrase around draft time…. DON’T BE SURPRISED… if the Pats take a center/guard with their first pick, whenever that might be. It’s the biggest need none of the pass rush fanatics are talking about, and it’s certainly not a sexy selection, but it’s the kind that teams who consistently compete for Super Bowls need to make.

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Low round Patriots prospect: Craig Marshall (DE/OLB, 6-04, 265, South Florida)

He might not be classmate Jason Pierre-Paul but he sure looks a lot like him. From the video you can tell this guy is a beast. He’s raw, but check out what National Football Post says about him:

Displays a good first step as a pass rusher and possesses the length and upper body strength to eventually shed himself free from blocks. Also is very nifty for a guy his size with the body control to cleanly change directions and accelerate up the field. However, again, is still learning to play with leverage and maintain balance when extending his arms into blocks. Consistently waits until he is engaged to try to start working his hands and allows his pad level to pop upright consistently into contact, keeping him from generating maximum power on his bull rush and/or fighting his way through contact.

He’s a good-looking piece of clay who has a skill set and frame that is NFL caliber. Needs some work, but definitely looks like a draftable prospect on pure upside alone. More of a developmental guy at this stage who could end up paying off big time if you are patient.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/low-round-patriots-prospect-craig-marshall/

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_kX

Martez Wilson is scheduled to visit the Patriots. Here you’ll see him playing a stand-up linebacker role similar to what Gary Guyton does for the Patriots. He’s got good size (6-04, 250) and it looks like he can run.

You’ll hear a lot about upper round OLB guys like Justin Houston, Aldon Smith and Robert Quinn, but there are some lower round guys like Wilson who seem to fit the Pats OLB mold.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/martez-wilson-is-scheduled-to-visit-the-patriots/

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So what happens when the Patriots decide to put a player through a private workout? According to multiple agents and players, during most private workouts, the Patriots rely heavily on film. Typically, they’ll spend the first part of the workout watching tape with a player, while quizzing them about what’s on the screen. Then, the player and the coaches will take them to the field to have them execute something they learned in the tape room. If a player is able to show an ability to bring those skills from the film room to the field while under the watchful eye of a New England coach, then, the Patriots know they really have something.

Chris Price/WEEI

(MUST READ ALERT)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/so-what-happens-when-the-patriots-decide-to-put-a/

Breakfast-gate continues, Reiss looks at coaches respect angle

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Breakfast-gate continues, Reiss looks at coaches respect angle

Wow, you have to love it when BB does something that gets even Mike Reiss fired up! Look, Reiss makes valid points here, but in the context of the real world I think it’s pretty common in any business setting for the old partner-type who has been part of the company forever to blow stuff off that they don’t feel like doing.

Is it disrespectful to the young up and comers? Sure. Does BB give a shit? Nope. Do I give a shit? Definitely not. If they don’t like it they can all beat his football team and get him fired. Then he won’t even have a table to not sit at.

An imaginary breakfast interview with Bill Belichick

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The Boston media was clamoring this morning when Patriots coach Bill Belichick was the only NFL head coach to blow off the breakfast interview circuit. Yes, Belichick did speak with the media yesterday, touching on topics like the proposed change to kickoffs, and other gems as recounted by Mike Reiss below:

The importance of draft picks as a commodity compared to other years when there was free agency before the draft. “I think they’re an important part of your team-building process, but they always are. I don’t think that changes.” 

Do those picks increase in value? “I don’t know. I think they are important.” 

On the team’s No. 28 overall draft pick being available in a trade. “I don’t know. We’ve traded them before. We haven’t traded them.” 

His philosophy on trading draft picks. “My philosophy is to try to do what’s best for the football team. Plain and simple.” 

On being reluctant to trade up. “We’ve traded up before.” 

So in an effort to appease those like Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe who tweeted…

Belichick should have talked today because Patriots fans deserve to hear about the team. He didn’t talk at combine. There’s a lockout.

We’ve put put together an imaginary breakfast interview with the coach to illustrate why “In Bill We Trust” hoodie heads like myself don’t really give a shit that he didn’t talk today…

Q: Rex Ryan said today he took the benching of Wes Welker as a sign of respect, could you comment on that?

What they want to hear: Obviously having Wes go and make personal comments about another team’s coach is not what we’re looking for so I sat his ass down to let him think about what a moron he was. Obviously that ended up basically costing us the game, right fellas?

What they would here: I was just trying to make decisions that are in the best interest for the team.

Q: Now that you’ve had some time to go back and look at the film exactly what went wrong in that loss to the Jets?

What they want to hear: Well TFB played like shit, Patrick Chung dropped the ball, literally. Our defense didn’t get a turnover for the first time in forever. Jets played just about flawlessly. We were outcoached and outplayed, but not outclassed and that’s all that matters!

What they would hear: Just didn’t do enough to win.

Q: There’s a lockout going on right now, how does that effect your offseason?

What they want to hear: Well obviously we have a huge list of free agents like Steve Smith, Chad Ochocinco, Antonio Cromartie, Eric Smith, Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes that we’d like to pursue, so that’s all on hold. Basically any Free Agent who played for the Jets because they are awesome. Or over-priced, over- aged wide receivers with no experience in our system. We want a bunch of those too.

What they would hear: We’re just getting ready for the draft, when they tell us Free Agency is starting we’ll get into that too.

Q: There are rumors that you’d like to trade the 28th pick, is that accurate?

What they want to hear: Absolutely. Ideally we’d like to get into the top ten to get Robert Quinn since our pass rush is obviously the one and only thing we’ll try to address in this draft. But if he’s not there then maybe we look at Aldon Smith a little later. I’d just trade all our picks to get to that number one overall slot. Then we can pick the can’t miss player of our choice.

Either way I just want to make it clear to the other 31 teams what our intentions are and what players we like so they can have every advantage in making sure that it doesn’t happen for us.

What they would hear: We’ll do what we think is best for the team.

Q: Tom Brady was last seen dancing in Brazil, can you comment on his recovery from foot surgery.

What they want to hear: I was really impressed with TFB’s dance moves, for a white guy he sure dances like a white guy. Maybe we can get Braylon Edwards to teach him how to Dougie.

As for his foot he fractured the third bone in his right foot during the sixth offensive pay against the Ravens. The bad news is that if anyone or anything lands directly on it next season it will snap in half like a chicken bone in Rexy jowels. So let’s make sure that all the defenders we have to play against are well aware of that and know not to hit him too hard, especially on his foot.

What they would hear: I’m sure Tom’s doing whatever he needs to do to prepare for next season. We expect he’ll be ready to go.

Q: Randy Moss expressed great admiration and respect for you and the Patriots. Any chance you bring him back?

What they want to hear: Are you kidding me? Did you miss the fact that he can only run one route now, and when he’s not running that one route he’s getting loco crazy at press conferences? Have you been paying attention? Does that seem like the kind of guy we want back here? Wake up.

What they would hear: Randy’s a great player and we have all the respect in the world for him. We’ll evaluate our options this offseason as it develops.

Q: Reports are that you’ve worked really hard to bring back Logan Mankins, but that Robert Kraft has balked at paying him what you want to pay him. Could you comment?

What they want to hear: Logan is a badass mauler and exactly the kind of player that we try to bring in here. We value trench players on both sides of the ball very highly and if Mr Kraft would just open up the purse strings a little bit we could lock him up long term no problem. If you’re going to cook the dinner you’d at least hope they’d let you buy the groceries.

What they would hear: We can’t have any discussions about contracts until the lock out is resolved. Logan is a great player and we’d love to have him back.

Q: The Patriots haven’t won a playoff game since beating the Chargers in the 2007 AFC Championship games, including two first round exits the last two seasons. Is the magic gone?

What they want to hear: Oh yeah, clearly we just don’t have the players any more to compete in the post season. Sure, we had the best record in the NFL for the regular season, but when you have players who are not named Bruschi, Harrison, Vrabel or Seymour it’s impossible to win a game in the playoffs. We’d renounce the right to play in a playoff game if the NFL would let us because what’s the point really? If we can trade for one of those old Pats, or get some of them like Bru or Hot Rod to come out of retirement, we might actually have a shot again.

What the would hear: Are you a f’ing idiot?