PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Draft

Patriots Address Linebacker Need With Bentley and Sam

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After I lamented the Patriots lack of draft capital invested in the front seven, they made two picks on Saturday at the middle linebacker position, taking Ja’whaun Bentley and Christian Sam in the 5th and 6th rounds respectively.

Both should immediately step into competition with Elandon Roberts and could possibly push for playing time as rookies, especially if injuries strike. That’s how thin the Patriots are at off-the-ball linebacker. But both players reinforce our image of what the Pats look for at linebacker.

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Patriots Draft CB Duke Dawson, Trade for OT Trent Brown on Draft Day Two

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You have to hand it to Bill Belichick. Every year even the most astute draft pundits are completely pretzeled by Belichick’s drafts, and this year has been more pretzel-inducing than most.

Look, I get it. He’s the genius… the best coach in history, he has a plan, knows what fits and will coach up an empty bag of potato chips and it should still be enough to win the AFC East and make a playoff run. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still pull our hair out wondering about all the moves he made.

Day Two of the 2018 NFL Draft began with the Patriots trading for offensive tackle Trent Brown, a hulking right tackle once called by Von Miller the best in the game. But he’s had injury issues and was supposedly way out of shape when he reported to San Fran this season, and with Marcus Cannon atop the right tackle depth chart (and a Patriots family favorite), along with the Day One selection of Isaiah Wynn, how exactly Brown fits in is very much up in the air. And the Pats paid a pretty hefty price, the 95th overall pick.

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Patriots Select RB Sony Michel 31st Overall

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oz9tQsdevc

The days of the running back position being a free agency afterthought are over as the Patriots selected Georgia running back Sony Michel 31st overall, the first time they’ve selected a running back since James White in 2014 and the first time they’ve taken one in the first round since 2006 with Laurence Maroney.

Michel is a one-cut, no-nonsense runner who is explosive, along with being a two-time captain. But most impressive is that he understands pass protection and that should get him on the field immediately. He brings the kind of home run hitting ability the Patriots have lacked from their backfield. He’s not the elusive Dion Lewis or the hulking LeGarrette Blount, he’s a down-your-throat slasher who will get every yard that’s there and more and that’s why picking him feels like a return to the roots of the Patriots offense.

Michel is a total package and screams Patriots which frustrates me even more because I was lulled to sleep on running backs in recent years and didn’t include him on my big board despite the obvious traits that he fit. But just like that, the Pats zag once again and add an exciting piece who could help transform the offense.

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Patriots Select OL Isaiah Wynn 23rd Overall

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0U__4WNog

After months of speculation about needs and wants, potential trades and fits, the Patriots finally cut through all the noise and made their first selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn.

With most of Patriots nation wanting linebacker Rashaan Evans, the Titans jumped ahead of the Patriots and selecting him one pick before the Pats took Wynn. Who knows if the Pats would’ve even selected him, but it’s hard not to think Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson thought Evans could be Bill Belichick’s target.

So now we get Wynn, which has a lot of layers to it. First is that he checks every offensive lineman box you could want except one big one — size. He’s athletic and mean, versatile and experienced, but he’s just 6’3″, almost unheard of for an NFL left tackle and that’s why most projections had him sliding inside to guard. Still, there are plenty out there who believe Wynn will compete to stay at left tackle and that could be very helpful to the Patriots.

But with starters Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney returning it’s hard to see Wynn stepping in and dethroning either of them immediately. But with Mason entering the last year of his deal, today’s stability can easily turn to next year’s need. Wynn will contribute one way or another, sooner or later.

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2018 PatsPropaganda Patriots-Only Mock Draft

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If ever there was a Patriots offseason that needed an injection of fresh storylines, this is it. After Rob Gronkowski‘s weird press conference last week, the NFL Draft will give those of us wanting some real football news a reprieve from all the sideshow drama.

The NFL Draft is spring Christmas, when we get all kinds of new presents to incorporate into our favorite football team. For a team that’s been to the Super Bowl three of the past four seasons, it’s strange saying they really need to solidify their foundation, but this is an important draft for the Pats.

With eight picks the Patriots are really set up to give their team a much-needed injection of youthful talent and what they need is pretty obvious.

There was just too much turnover and too many injuries in 2017. It started with Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard leaving, then Rob Ninkovich retiring, then injuries to Julian Edelman, Dont’a Hightower, Marcus Cannon and plenty of other bumps and bruises along the way that often left the Pats scrambling to insert new, unproven players. They’ve built some good depth, but they definitely need a talent injection at the second-level of their defense, with more athleticism and more edge depth.

The offense needs to have an eye on the future so they don’t get stuck in a turnover year like the defense did last year. And there’s a very interesting competition at left tackle shaping up, with LaAdrian Waddle and Tony Garcia officially back in the mix, free agent signees Matt Tobin and Ulrick John joining second-year players Jason King and Andrew Jelks, all in the mix for significant roles as the starting LT and swing backup tackle.

I know Belichick doesn’t draft for need, but here arejust three critical ones for the long-term health of the team.

  1. Off-the-Ball Linebacker
  2. Offensive Tackle
  3. Defensive Edge

This speaks to the depth they’ve already built, and while they should take a CB, QB, RB and WR, there aren’t many truly pressing needs for 2018.

These are my favorite Patriots fits, taken about when I think they’ll be available. Let’s see if I can crack a two-year streak of no hits in my mock draft!

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2018 PatsPropaganda Draft Big Board

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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!

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Should Patriots Move Up in Draft for a Quarterback?

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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.

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