PatsPropaganda

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Patriots Extend Patrick Chung Through 2018

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Patriots extend Patrick ChungI’m not sure there’s been a more interesting player path than Patrick Chung’s with the Patriots. His latest extension, the second since he returned to the Pats after a one-year stint in 2013 with the Eagles, is just another marker that Chung has lived up to his second-round draft status in 2009.

Chung was an early favorite of the blog. You can scan through all the archived posts about him here. What excited me most about him was his fiery play that would hopefully bring back the enforcer presence Rodney Harrison left behind the year before Chung arrived. Nick Caserio famously said it only took an interview at the combine to sell the Pats on Chung:

One story of note came when he recapped the team’s 15-minute interview with second-round draft choice Patrick Chung at the combine. “That made an impression,” Caserio told the crowd of about 50. “After 15 minutes, we were ready to run through a wall. It was like ‘sign me up.’ … This is one of these guys, the more you’re around him, you like what you see.”

Belichick Chews Out Chung After Blown Fake Punt 2010 AFCDG

Belichick Chews Out Chung After Blown Fake Punt 2010 AFCDG

But his first three years were marred with injuries and forgettable plays. There was the fake punt he called without BB’s approval in the 2010 AFC Divisional round that backfired. Instead of going into the locker room down just 7-3, the Jets put up another touchdown to go up 14-3.

Then there was the millimeter Chung was late for Mario Manningham’s game-winning-drive-sparking catch in Super Bowl 46.

Chung was a special teams player as a rookie, but stepped into a starter’s role in 2010, aka the Patriots worst year of pass defense of the Belichick era. In 2011 he’d play just eight games, and in 2012 he began to fall down the depth chart:

Of Patrick Chung’s 16 snaps, 14 come on the final three drives when the outcome was well in hand. He has really fallen out of favor when all players are healthy, as rookie Tavon Wilson is playing over him in the dime. Chung is essentially a special teamer and depth option at this point, which is a hard fall for the 2009 second-round draft choice who opened the year as a starter.

The defense was playing more Cover-2 in those days and Chung was moved around between two spots he didn’t excel in — free safety and slot corner. Part of that was due to injuries and Chung did his best filling in, but his game was physicality, not coverage.

Now the Patriots keep Chung mostly in the box or covering tight ends, and last year he took his game to a new level. The game is slowing down for the veteran now and he’s playing more under control which is keeping him healthy. Chung is still just 28 years old and in his prime and it seems clear the Patriots feel he’s now a player to build around. The biggest key for him will be to stay on the field and not let the injuries that plagued his early career.

 

Patriots Sign Terrance Knighton

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Multiple outlets are now reporting that the Patriots signed Terrance Knighton, a defensive tackle whom the Pats last saw blowing up their impotent offense in the 2013 AFC Championship game while he was with Denver.

This now gives the Patriots maybe the best defensive tackle group in Bill Belichick’s history with the team, a group that is so diverse they can play any front and any style of game. Knighton is a monster inside, weighing somewhere around 350 pounds. Pair him with the equally huge Alan Branch and the Pats have over 700 pounds at the heart of the defense.

Patriots sign Terrance KnightonThen there’s the first round picks from the last two drafts – Malcom Brown, who just kept getting better as rookie and was their most solid defensive tackle by the end of the season, and Dominique Easley, the explosive first rounder from 2014, who has flashed huge potential despite having his first two seasons end on IR.

Add in veteran Chris Jones, who missed all of last season, free agent signing Frank Kearse and the always-hanging-on Joe Vellano, and it’s hard to think of a better interior group in the Patriots recent history.

I’m a firm believer that games are won or lost in the trenches and additions like this are the ones that get me most excited. The Patriots now have the size to create incredible problems for offensive lines, especially in the middle. They must choose whether one or both of the 350 pounders need to be double teamed, and either way it’s going to open up matchups on the edges for Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long.

The Patriots’ defense took big strides last season, partly due to an easier schedule that wasn’t the murderer’s row 2014 was. But this year they’ll face every top offense from last season, including the Steelers, Seahawks, Bengals and Cardinals. They’ve added some significant pieces to the front seven and with the continued development of their young stars, this should be one of the most fun defenses in the NFL to watch.

Report: Patriots signed Clay Harbor

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Adam Caplan reported today that the Patriots signed Clay Harbor, their second free agent tight end signing of the offseason. Harbor now joins Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett atop the Patriots’ depth chart.

Patriots sign Clay HarborF-TE Still a Need

The combination of Gronk and Bennett should be deadly as the Pats have never had two top “Y” tight ends who can both block and catch. Harbor is more in the “F” tight end mold, and can be moved around the formation both as a fullback or H-back. With only second-year player AJ Derby as the other move tight end, this signing makes sense.

If there’s on joke that can stick on Bill Belichick’s tenure with the Patriots it’s his attention to tight ends, often to the point of what feels like overkill. When it works, like it did with Benjamin Watson and Dan Graham, and Gronk and Aaron Hernandez, it can be devastating. They’ve certainly built another group with the potential to be devastating this year.

Derby has good size at 6’5″, 256 pounds, but was out of commission for all of last season and has a lot to prove as a former quarterback who had only played a single season at tight end at Arkansas. He still did well enough for the Pats to take him in the sixth round, and he will now have both a mentor and competition in Harbor.

But realistically any “F” tight end, H-back, Fullback or slot receiver is going to have their snaps eaten into by the presence of two great Y tight ends.

 

 

Report: Patriots sign EJ Biggers

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Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports that the Patriots will sign veteran cornerback EJ Biggers to a one year deal. We’ve been waiting for a depth signing at cornerback, and expected it might be Tarrell Brown, who looked like he might be a starter prior to re-injuring his foot early last season.

Biggers has some versatility, seeing time both in the slot and at safety in recent years with the Redskins and Eagles. He played 46 percent of the defensive snaps and 60 percent of the special teams snaps for the Eagles last year, starting three games at cornerback.

He’ll add some veteran depth at the corner position, but I’d still take Brown back as well. Last year we had remarkable health in the secondary. Usually that is one of the hardest hit positions for injuries. While I’d be fine rolling with Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler starting on the outside, with Justin Coleman in the slot for another season, you can never have too many guys for training camp.

This doesn’t affect my view of the draft need for a corner. There are quite a few corners who match up well with the Pats, but whether or not the Pats take them will depend on value not need.

Patriots sign EJ Biggers

2016 New England Patriots Draft Picks

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2016 New England Patriots Draft Picks

These are the official 2016 New England Patriots draft picks, as announced by the NFL today. I had been tracking them with each new trade that rolls in since there’s no easy way to officially get the draft order until the NFL releases it.

If you go by the draft value chart (which is admittedly just a rough guideline) the Patriots could package the 60th and 61st picks and get all the way to the top of the second round if they wanted to. However this draft seems to be like most drafts — not a lot of truly elite prospects — but this one has considerable depth, making the Pats four selections on day two carry a lot of power.

You can never make up for the loss of the first round pick, but with the number of selections that the Pats have, they should be able to mitigate the damage.

The big hole will come at the start of Day Three, when the Pats will have to wait almost 100 picks to make a selection. Expect #196, #204 and both of the seventh rounders to be trade bait for them to move up and make a pick somewhere in the fourth or fifth round.

The compensatory picks cannot be traded this year (that will change in 2017) so the 6th round is guaranteed to be busy with three selections within 13 slots. Hitting a sleeper pick in that group could very well make or break this draft. It’s too bad we don’t have pick #199.

As for Day One, PatsFans.com is organizing a Blackout Initiative for all Patriots fans. It’s a great idea but it will take all of us to make any kind of dent. Click on over and show some support for my favorite Pats messageboard on the web.

NFL Draft Needs: Patriots – Draft Analysis – Rotoworld.com

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NFL Draft Needs: Patriots – Rotoworld.com

1. Offensive Line

2. Running Back

3. Defensive Line

Source: NFL Draft Needs: Patriots – Draft Analysis – Rotoworld.com

You’re never going to get much complaining from me focusing on the offensive and defensive line. My extensive list of the Patriots needs can be found here, but the closer we get to the draft the less it’s about need and the more it’s about fit. So while this mock draft has the Pats going with an unpolished defensive end with their first pick, not something I’m really on board with, who can say it isn’t what they’ll do? That said, I don’t think Yannick Ngakoue is a great fit for the Pats.

However as for the rest of this mock draft, I have six of the nine picks on my big board, so there are quite a few good fits in this mock draft.

So many mock drafts are simply paint-by-numbers based on need, especially when they’re written by someone who doesn’t know the depth the team has. The Patriots rely on development as much as any team as we saw last year with the changing of the guard at cornerback. Those are always the kind of moves that make fans the most worried, handing the starter’s keys to the youngsters and hoping they can deliver. But that’s the only way to truly find out the potential of players like Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan.

I think it’s less important to look at immediate needs in the draft and more important to look at the long-term health of the franchise. That’s why I agree that tackle is the priority in this draft. It’s a critical position that isn’t easy to rebuild in free agency without overpaying, unlike cornerback where I think it’s a lot easier to plug someone in and get by with them.

2016 Top-50 New England Patriots Draft Big Board

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It’s year six of the PatsPropaganda Top-50 New England Patriots Draft Big Board. You can find previous year’s big boards here. As always, the goal is to get as many Patriots picks on this board as possible. Given that the Pats don’t have a first rounder this year it makes things a little more difficult, because I try to be realistic so you won’t find any of the usual top prospects here. Still, the Pats do have enough ammo to move up in the second round, all the way to the top if they choose to, so that gives us a bit of flexibility.

Here’s how I’ve done in the first five seasons of the big board and mock drafts:

New England Patriots Draft Big Board History

The goal is to get 50 percent on the big board, as I haven’t gotten close since 4-of-9 in 2011. Some disclaimers:

  • “mm” signifies how many matching measurables as compiled by Doug Kyed of NESN. These are the number of height/weight/testing results that matchup with what the Patriots like at each position.
  • The numbers are the scouting rankings from NFL.com, giving us a rough idea of how that site’s scouts project them.
  • Prospects who have met or worked out for the Pats are designated with (met) per Pats Pulpit’s great list.
  • The list is fluid and will be updated up until the draft. If there’s someone you feel is a perfect Patriots fit LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

I make no claims to being a scout, but I know what the Patriots like and look for. This is all for fun trying to beat myself. If you love or hate a prospect let me know in the comments, this list will be fluid up until the draft. I’ll drop my single mock draft a week or so before the draft.

Let’s do it!

New England Patriots Draft Big Board

  1. Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma, 5.77 5102 194 (mm5) – maybe the most Patriots-ready wide receiver in the draft. Polished route running, stop-on-dime ability and a willing blocker in the run game. Size is a bit of an issue, but great burst with both long speed and quickness. Might sneak into the first round.
  2. Austin Johnson, DT, Penn St., 5.98 (met) – Good size and athleticism, Johnson would fit well on the interior of the Pats’ defensive line. More of an effort pass rusher, Johnson still has the goods to mix single- and double-gapping.
  3. Jason Spriggs, Indiana, 5.51 (mm 10) 6050: Like Nate Solder, Spriggs is a former tight end and after four years at left tackle at Indiana, that’s probably where he’s headed in the pros. If he can adjust to the power of the NFL game he could possibly make the switch to right tackle and that’s where the need truly lies.
  4. Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn, 5.84, 6’060 313 – Cancer survivor who plays with toughness and handles himself like a pro already, Coleman is already 25 years old having spent extended time off the field while he was sick. Pats didn’t shy away from this kind of thing with Marcus Cannon (cancer) and Sebastian Vollmer (older prospect), Coleman could be the developmental right tackle they need for 2017, but by then he’s already closing in on 30.
  5. Joe Haeg, T, North Dakota St. (met) – Good size (6’6″, 304, 33 3/4 inch arms) and athletic performance. Played both sides but coming from a small school will need a year to develop. Sounds like NE would be a good spot for him. He seems like he’ll be right in the Pats sweet spot in the second round, but could go in the third so they’ll have a decision to make.
  6. Willie Beavers, T, Western Michigan, 5.48 (mm 4) 6040 324, Three-year starter who’s athletic enough to play the left side in the pros. Good burst off the snap, and has the ability to get into space to block screens that the Patriots love. Beavers is just what I’m looking for with the Pats in this draft and he should be available to them if they feel the same.
  7. Jordan Jenkins, LB, Georgia, 5.91 (met) – Jenkins played both at linebacker and as a pass rusher in the four-man front, a similar role to Dont’a Hightower coming out. He’s got those tweener traits that make some wonder how he fits, but he was a captain and is athletic and strong. He’d fit right in with the Patriots linebacking corps. Not a huge position of need, but a great fit, and one who’d need to play special teams out of the gate.
  8. Le’Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech, 6.05 (met) (mm 4) 6050 312 – Clark might be better suited at left tackle and that doesn’t fill the need I want. There are concerns about his college offense not translating to the pros, but he has the athleticism that would be an interesting evolution at the right tackle spot. I think that’s where the game is going.
  9. Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas: The Patriots certainly saw plenty of Ridgeway as they scouted 2015 first rounder Malcom Brown. Some think he’ll be even better than Brown. Good size with unique movement skills, Ridgeway would be an excellent fit next to Brown once again.
  10. Alex Collins, RB, ARK 5.7 (met) – North-South runner who can also catch, Collins developed into a team leader at Arkansas while putting up big numbers.  Biggest concern is 16 career fumbles, a big no no in New England and something that could drop him off this board. Still, he’s just what the Pats need as an early down back to soften up the defense. Stylistically he’s my favorite Patriots fit at RB and a realistic option.
  11. Kenneth Dixon – LA Tech, 5.69, 5’10”, 210 (mm8) – Determined runner, good speed and hands, but up and down in pass protection. Fights for every yard. Reminds me a bit of Ridley. Seems like this is the guy always atop the running back board who is available when the Pats pick.
  12. Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers, 5.34 5’117 211 – Yup, a Rutgers guy, but Carroo fits beyond that. Polished route runner with attention to detail and a good combination of speed and quickness. Knows how to set up defenders. Assault charge is a question mark, but on the field Carroo seems to have what it takes to succeed as a WR in NE. Good ability on deep balls, something that could help the Pats’ offense.
  13. Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh, 5.9 6014 197 – Lined up all over the place for Pitt, including as a returner. Great hands, but isn’t going to be the deep threat some want, but would be bring some size to the Edelman position. Worries about his durability. Smooth runner, not sure if he has the quickness in and out of his routes for the full Pats route tree.
  14. Devontae Booker, RB, Utah – Do-it-all back with good size (5’11”, 220), doesn’t have a great burst of speed and had six fumbles last season, but can make a cut and go. Also good on short yardage. Tough and determined. Team captain.
  15. Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame – With huge knee injury issues Smith is likely out for 2016, but he’d be a surefire first rounder if he was healthy. Given BB’s love for linebackers and the patience they’ve shown in the past, I have to think the Pats could easily take a flyer on Smith.
  16. Joshua Perry – MLB, Ohio St., 5.31 (mm7) – Noted leader, who’s physical at the point of attack, Perry is a good MLB fit. Good instincts and physical, but not a destroyer like Spikes. He seems to see the plays develop and knows where to go.
  17. Braxton Miller, Ohio State, 5.4 6’013 201 (mm7) – Former quarterback is raw in his route running, but has the smarts to adapt with practice. Unquestioned athleticism with good size. Biggest question is durability and how well he’ll handle an NFL pounding. Tough to read, seems to be thinking on every snap and that tells me with the Pats offense he’d need at least a year to grasp the offense.
  18. Jonathan Williams, RB, ARK 5.65 – Stock has dropped after a foot injury this past season. Still, good size at 5′ 11″, 225 pounds, will just have to work at lowering his pad level. Another early down pounder, a role the Pats need in their rotation.
  19. Harlan Miller, CB, SE Louisiana, 5.78 – Fiery competitor who’s not afraid to tackle, Miller played both press and off-man coverage, usually following the top receiving threat.  Plays with a chip on his shoulder and fits what the Pats like in the corners and their scheme.
  20.  DJ White,  CB, GTech, 5.56 (met)- One of my favorite CB options this year, White is undersized but has played all kinds of coverage and is a captain with instincts. About the same size as Logan Ryan, some thing that’s undersized but he has the aggressive play to overcome that.
  21. Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama (met) – Classic undersized but fearless corner who plays special teams that the Pats love, coming out of one of the best programs in the country. Four punt returns for TD as a senior. Has been consistently improving.
  22. Carl Nassib, Penn St. 5.61 – One year wonder but all the measurables and work ethic. Nassib is seems like an ideal DE fit for the Patriots, but I worry that he’s one of those try-hard guys who can’t win with effort alone in the NFL. Still, his rise at Penn State after being told by Bill O’Brien that he’d never make it has Patriots written all over it.
  23. Blake Martinez – MLB, Stanford, 5.32 (mm5) – A Captain and highly aggressive linebacker who would fit nicely into the middle of the Pats defense as a mid-round selection. In a potential two-down role, Martinez’s lack of speed in coverage could be mitigated.
  24. Matthew Ioannidis, DT, Temple, 5.57, (mm7) – Country strong two-gapper, Ioannidis isn’t going to be a flashy player, but is equipped to do the dirty work inside. Non-stop effort, he played both inside and outside and is coachable.
  25. Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame, 5.55 – Two-year captain who is super athletic with quick hands, he’s in the Easley interior rusher mold. Problem is he is just six feet tall with short arms and has durability concerns. Still, a great teammate and has pass rush skill.
  26. Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan: Small school receiver but even the scouting reports think he’s the prototypical Patriots slot receiver type. Definitely undersized but there seems to be little doubt he’ll be able to get open in the NFL.
  27. Jihad Ward, DE, Illinois, 5.57 – Versatility to play inside or outside on the defensive line with good size (6’5″, 297) and long arms (33 5/8 in.). Has the athleticism to do multiple things in the Patriots front. Seems very much in the Chandler Jones mold, so he could make sense as part of a replacement plan.
  28. DeAndre Houston-Carson, S, William & Mary, 5.56 – Moved from corner to free safety. Was a team captain and a special teams demon. Question is level of competition, but could be groomed as a Duron Harmon replacement as he enters his last year.
  29. Sean Davis, S, Maryland, 5.4 – Big frame and a hard hitter who’s played all over the secondary. There are some man coverage concerns but could be groomed for a role that works around his weaknesses. Third-best 3-cone time at combine.
  30. Justin Simmons, BC, 5.36 (mm 7) – tall SS with cornerback experience. 2nd best three cone, future coach, played both FS and SS, lanky but physical, interesting Pats SS projection, has size for taller slot/TE coverage.
  31. Devon Cajuste, WR, Stanford, 5.43, 6030 216 – Former TE who moved to WR had the best 3-cone, but might lack the pull-away speed that might make him more of an H-back in the NFL. Interesting mismatch player who was underused in Stanford’s offense.
  32. Joe Dahl, G, WSU, 5.4 (mm 8) – Left tackle who will move to guard has great work habits and the football smarts. Well-balanced player who might not be the mauler the Pats often like, but would do well in their pass protection game.
  33. Connor McGovern, G, Missouri, 5.37, (met) (mm 10) – Weight room warrior but it translates to the field and doesn’t hinder his athleticism. Can play tackle in a pinch as well. Checks every box the Pats like for the position, but need and value probably won’t match up.
  34. Dan Vitale, FB/H-back, Northwestern, 4.85* (met) (mm8) – Like projects to an H-back, Vitale has surprisingly nice routes for his size and good toughness. Highly coachable leader, Nick Caserio took time to speak with him privately at Northwestern’s pro day. Checks a lot of boxes and could compete for a third-TE/H-back role in NE’s offense.
  35. Jake McGee, TE, Florida, 5.3, (mm 1) – Former QB with great hands, McGee’s one season in Florida ended early with a broken tib/fib.  Total team guy with the smarts to potentially pick up Pats’ system.
  36. Aaron Burbridge, WR, MSU, 5.49 6000 206: Emerged as starting X last season, committed to working at his craft and makes the tough catches. Possession target with good size.
  37. Keenan Reynolds, RB, Navy, 4.96: Making the transition to RB from QB, and has fumble issues, but I just have to put a star Navy player on here because you know he’s on BB’s radar. D-1 record for touchdowns and set FBS rushing record.
  38. Glenn Gronkowski, FB, Kansas St. (met) (mm6): He’s a Gronk so he’s on here. Committed to blocking and has the desired temperament, but got limited touches in college so that’s a bit of an unknown. But he checks some boxes and the Pats have already had two Gronks, a third has to be a consideration.
  39. Juston Burris, CB, NC St., 5.42 – Doesn’t have great play speed but is physical, reliable, and experienced. Also a willing run defender, a necessity to play in New England.
  40. Devon Johnson, RB, Marshall, 5.31 – Played a bunch of different positions, Johnson runs like a “bull in a china shop”. At almost 240 pounds he seems to be in the LeGarrette Blount mold. Injury history needs investigating.
  41. Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina, 4.94 – Tall running back who runs hard, but lacks creativity. A number of small injuries held him back at times in college. Has great hands. Intriguing low round guy.
  42. Nelson Spruce, WR, Colorado, 5.38 6011 206 – Average speed and quickness but a reliable route runner with soft hands and the ability to make tough catches in traffic.
  43. Tyler Matakevich – LB, Temple, 6’/233, Productive but undersized. Instinctive and physical despite his limitations. Leader with great work ethic.
  44. Steve Longa – LB, Rutgers, 5.27. Productive but not overly athletic. Played all three LB positions.
  45. Dean Lowery, DE Northwestern, 5.2 -Max effort edge player who lacks an explosive quick twitch. Can set the edge but might not have enough to get after the passer.
  46. Lawrence Thomas, DL, Michigan St. 5.17 (met) – Athletic, try hard guy, but hasn’t put it all together yet. Played linebacker, defensive tackle and defensive end.
  47. Theiren Cockran, DE, Minnesota, 4.65 (met) – Long defensive end who has rushed the passer both standing up and down. Coaches son, leader, but gets pushed around.
  48. Michael Thomas, WR, Southern Miss, 4.99 – Hair on fire.
  49. Ben Braunecker, TE, Harvard 5.23, (mm7) – Top performer in all combine drills, Braunecker is a tough blocker who runs quality routes. Coming out of Harvard a bit of a concern with the NFL jump but seems to have all the skills needed.
  50. Joel Heath, DL, Michigan St., 5.11, (met) (mm10) – Devout leader with good size (6060, 291), Heath checks all the boxes. Classic grinder who was overshadowed in college. Pats love to give these kind of guys a look, especially when they have Heath’s character.