An Independent Patriots Blog
One of the Patriots’ top needs is the pass rush, so it was notable when Rams personnel chief Billy Deveaney kicked things off this morning by noting that this is a deep draft for pass rushers. Deveaney thinks good pass rushers will be available into the second round, regardless of whether a team runs a 4-3 or 3-4 defense.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/one-of-the-patriots-top-needs-is-the-pass-rush/
I heart secrecy and mystery.
The Boston media that’s at the Scouting Combine in Indy cornered Logan Mankin’s agent Frank Bauer today and got a lengthy dissertation on the contract situation:
“A young man came to them as a first round draft choice and played four solid years and made two Pro Bowls and one alternate,” he explained. “After the 2008 season was over, I approached Bill (Belichick) about a long term deal which most of that small group of Pro Bowlers always gets (rewritten). So what happens is that, we were told that because of the uncertainty of the CBA that (they) weren’t going to do anything with any players. Then they started rewriting players in the (2009 training camp). They were the lesser players and (Tom) Brady and Logan were the big contracts and they would take some time to get through. Logan was a little upset that other players were getting rewritten when everyone was told they weren’t going to get rewritten. And then Bill sat with Logan and talked about it and we said, ‘OK, we’ll play the 2009 season and play it out at $1.4 million. When we get to the uncapped yuear, there’s no rules, no regulations…being an uncapped year we can do what we want. Negotiations started and they started low. And it’s been pretty bad ever since.”
Look, none of us fans are going to exactly shed tears over Mankins’ situation because he stands to make $10.1 million dollars in 2011 playing under the Franchise Tag. I won’t get on too much of a high horse (or perhaps “Low” horse is more appropriate) because these guys are putting their bodies on the line every week and they’re just one play away from a wheelchair for the rest of their lives…. BUT…. $10 million is more than about 99% of us will ever make in our entire lives so yeah…
Then there’s also the little contract offer of 5 years, $35million that Bauer and Mankins turned down. So don’t act like it’s a travesty just because they didn’t want to make you the highest paid guard in the NFL. If that’s what you expected out of the Patriots you’ve been asleep for the past decade.
I’m just so tired of this whole situation. Mankins fell into one of the worst possible draft slot situations in history along with Vincent Jackson. Their teams have had them by the balls for a long, long time, and they still have them by the balls. And any time an employer has an employee by the balls it’s never a good situation. So I feel for Logan a little bit. And of course I love him as a player.
But this has just gone on for so long, the time has come for him to sign his tender and for the Patriots to trade him as far from New England as possible. I hear the NFC West is a great place in the fall and it’s even close to a lot of Logan’s favorite… cattle ranches!
There’s just been too much vitriol, too much damage done, to honestly believe that a long term deal could still get done. It’s time for both the team and the player to move on. I’m just happy the Pats will control where he goes.
Holy Hoodie, I need this jacket for the 2011 season!!!!!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/holy-hoodie-i-need-this-jacket-for-the-2011/
Props to our friend Richard Hill for bringing up one of the guys we’re most excited to see after a year of experience and training in the Patriots system, Dane Fletcher.
Some things I’d like to add…
Fletcher’s role this year really began as a spy covering running backs in passing situations, and occasionally blitzing. This was his role for the majority of the year, though he actually did see some time in the 3-4 base defense at outside linebacker against the Jets in the 45-3 game. That will be something we’ll definitely go back and take a look at to see how he did.
Fletcher’s speed and long arms are definitely intriguing, though at 6’2" 244 he’s really not the ideal height for an OLB, but Richard is right, with some added weight he very well could be up to the task. The biggest thing for him would just gaining the strength necessary to “stack and shed” offensive tackles.
Rob Ninkovich is 6’2" as well but 255 and he’s able to do it, so height isn’t necessarily a deal breaker.
However what is lost in discussing a move for Fletcher to OLB is that first and foremost he looks like, at the very least, he will definitely challenge Gary Guyton as the top passing down linebacker next to Jerod Mayo.
Guyton had some big plays this year, but he also had some rough outings. Going into his fourth year he’ll really need to develop some consistency if he wants to keep his spot.
So even if Fletcher does not come back ready to stop the run at OLB, there should definitely be a role for him. Let’s remember he saw some significant snaps in the playoff game and that shows BB trusts him. He also had a tackle on third down that forced a punt in that game.
Fletcher as an OLB is certainly intriguing, but regardless of where he projects he looks like a solid football player that BB likes so there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about him.
And let’s not forget, he spits hot fire!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXk
JJ Watt Highlights set to the Fletch theme? Oh boy!
In various mock drafts I’ve seen Watt go at 10th overall, I’ve seen him go 32nd overall. Impossible to say exactly what his ceiling or floor are at this point, but we’ll certainly have a better sense once we get accurate measurements on him and see how he tests. But he certainly has to be on the Patriots radar given his size and strength, whatever the exact numbers might be.
Just remember when it comes to the combine, it’s all ball bearings these days.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/jj-watt-highlights-set-to-the-fletch-theme-oh/
