Mike Dussault

Haha, I like that. But really it’s not like Brady is without his weaknesses and that feeds into why I disagree with people who think putting a small really fast receiver like DeSean Jackson into the mix is going to transform Brady and the offense to what it was in 2007 with Moss.

Mallett was about as close to a one-trick pony as you can get at the QB spot, and his lack of touch is what ultimately sealed his fate here I think. There’s no question, Belichick is intrigued by uniquely talented football players. He’ll at least kick the tires on them, even if they’re old vets with barely anything left in the tank.

I know what you’re getting at and I think there is a kernel of truth in here but it’s also an oversimplified view of how BB drafts. I’d say Brandon Browner was essentially the kind of player who is great at one thing, but has holes in his game. They made it work last year.

What about Jamie Collins? He didn’t really have one position he stuck at in college and was essentially “good” at a lot of things but not “elite” at anything. He did have immense athleticism though and that allowed the Pats to find a spot for him.

Versatility is always a plus and it’s applicable to almost every position – defensive backs (zone awareness, man coverage athleticism/physicality), defensive linemen (one gap explosion vs. two gap strength), linebacker (downhill run stopping power, coverage ability), offensive linemen (zone blocking athleticism vs. man blocking power), running back (carrying, catching), etc. There are not a lot of players who do one thing so overwhelmingly well that their inability to do anything else is overshadowed.

I’d almost put Dominique Easley in that category, but his elite explosiveness in his pass rush also helps him do other things like we saw when he played some defensive end last year and did a good job setting the edge.

What are the single most valued skillsets in the modern NFL? The only one trick ponies who can get any recognition are pass rushers, otherwise at other positions you have to be able to be competent across the board or you’re getting attacked.

Look at Patrick Chung – very good in the box safety but his solid pass coverage, something he has been picked on before in the past, was a huge part of the Patriots beating Baltimore in the AFC Divisional playoff.

Other positions like wide receiver, where a player could have phenomenal deep speed over everything else, is where I don’t think the Pats are interested. Specialization will always be part of the game, but football has opened up so much more that athletes who can do a number of things in space are the most valuable and necessary parts of your team.

I think they’ll draft a cornerback but I suspect it will in the third round or lower. I use McCourty and Darius Butler as the benchmarks for what the Pats look for in a high-round potential corner. Yes, Butler flamed out, but it gives us an idea of the boxes they’re looking to check – all-around athleticism, versatility and ability to play special teams are all significant factors.

Someone like Byron Jones does seem to fit that mold, but he’s not one of these shutdown man guys like some might expect Johnson or Peters to be. Strictly as a cornerback those guys are better, but when taking in the whole picture that’s why the Pats might like someone like Jones better.

I think they do need to add another corner, preferably one with better than average size, but when I look at this class the best fits are often undersized. So I’ll be curious to see what they do.