An Independent Patriots Blog
First Madden-style glimpse of Mallett as a Patriots. He better not go with that facemask, need a better look than that! And I doubt they’re bringing Babe Parilli’s 15 out of retirement for you.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/first-madden-style-glimpse-of-mallett-as-a/
Most people on the outside looking in at a draft only see it on a need basis. Unless you have the same information as a team, you really can’t have a value board. Either way, these players haven’t even stepped on the field yet, which makes it premature to assume how they will perform.
Let’s wait and see how much Jermaine Cunningham has developed and what’s happens when veterans are available.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/most-people-on-the-outside-looking-in-at-a-draft/
ESPN: Meriweather 8th best safety in NFL
This one should spark some debate! ESPN’s writers ranked the top 10 safeties in the NFL and Meriweather came out at 8th. The numbers are a bit deceiving because he didn’t even get a vote from 3 of the 8 writers, and Mike Sando’s 5th ranking really helped his stock a lot.
Meriweather has slowly developed into one of the most polarizing players for Patriots fans. At times he delivers crushing hits that border on or cross into the illegal territory. Really his problem is just inconsistency, which was evident by his silde down the depth chart in early 2010 for “freelancing”. And of course the off-field stuff like the shooting incident that he was at least present for in early 2011.
It’s hard to say how last season and this offseason are going to effect how the Patriots view Meriweather. Can he ever develop consistency and learn to always play within the system? No one will argue that when he’s doing that he’s a very, very good safety.
However, just coming off his second Pro Bowl and with only one year left on his deal at a manageable cap number it might be the right time to get some value out of Meriweather. Especially if they believe that he’ll walk in 2012 and that Ras-I Dowling shows enough to prove he’s the future at Free Safety.
James Sanders is a solid insurance plan if the Pats decide to move Meriweather, otherwise let’s hope playing in a contract year will force him to consistently play up to his potential.
As the first round of the 2007 NFL draft wound down, the New England Patriots still had needs to fill. They had just lost in the AFC Championship in disappointing fashion to the Indianapolis Colts and the fans across Patriots nation were calling for more weapons to surround Tom Brady with.
The Pats had already taken safety Brandon Meriweather with the 24th overall pick that they had gotten for Deion Branch, and now could have their choice of any of the wide receivers who were about to be drafted in the next 18 picks: Anthony Gonzalez, Craig “Buster” Davis, Sidney Rice, or Dwayne Jarrett.
Instead the Patriots did what they almost always do, they traded down and began a journey of value returns from that pick that would continue through the next four drafts.
The initial trade was with San Francisco and gave the Patriots a 1st round pick the following year, as well as a 4th rounder in 2007 (110th overall). These two picks would net the Pats two star players.
The 2008 first rounder pick ended up getting traded down from 7th overall to 10th overall, netting the Patriots future defensive captain Jerod Mayo and future PatsPropaganda boo Shawn Crable. While a bust, Crable did give the “We Need Pass Rush!” crowd a glimmer of hope for a few seasons.
But it was the 2007 110th overall pick that would end up making history for the Pats. They flipped that 4th round selection to the Raiders for Randy Moss and we all know how that ended up going. Moss set the receiving TD record in 2007, and closed out a four year Patriots stint with 50 total touchdowns.
In 2010 the Patriots traded Moss to the Vikings in exchange for a 2011 3rd round selection, which ended up being the 74th overall pick where they took QB Ryan Mallett. Who knows what Mallett’s career with the Patriots will hold, but with him carries the legacy of the 2007 28th overall pick.
So to sum up the Patriots have thus far gotten the following out of that first round selection that they chose to trade to the 49ers who took Joe Staley with it:
That is what value drafting is all about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjlg88LX8Vo
Relive the Patriots taking Ryan Mallett again without the “why the F are they taking Ryan Mallett” ringing in your head…
https://www.patspropaganda.com/relive-the-patriots-taking-ryan-mallett-again/
Walter Football: 2012 Mock Draft… why not?
It’s not too early for a mock draft yet is it? Patriots picking 29th and 31st, which means the Saints were good, the Patriots were better but the Packers win back to back Super Bowls.
New England Patriots: Tydreke Powell, DE/DT, North Carolina 
I’m tired of these Patriot selections because Bill Belichick either trades them or makes picks out of left field.
One of these days, Belichick will draft a five-technique. He has to, right?
New England Patriots: Ryan Broyles, WR/PR, Oklahoma 
If the Patriots can draft two running backs in the first three rounds, they can certainly add a receiver to complement Wes Welker, Deion Branch and the two tight ends.
ProFootballWeekly: Nawrocki gives Patriots an A
New England Patriots
The king of manipulating the draft, Bill Belichick, once again worked his magic with the help of personnel boss Nick Caserio, stockpiling a boatload of future draft picks while recognizing value throughout. With the pick acquired from Oakland in exchange for Richard Seymour, the Patriots nabbed their left tackle of the future in Nate Solder, who should benefit highly from the tutelage of OL coach Dante Scarnecchia. They dealt their 28th overall pick to the Saints for an additional first-round pick next year and a second this year, used to add change-of-pace RB Shane Vereen late in the second round. Rather than dealing down from the top of the second, they added press CB Ras-I Dowling, whose graded out like an early-round talent last season before injuries derailed his season. Belichick acquired third- and fifth-round in a deal down with Houston, adding inside banging RB Stevan Ridley and OL Marcus Cannon, who has starter potential in 2012 once he recovers from recently-diagnosed cancer. With the pick secured from Minnesota for Randy Moss, Belichick nabbed troubled, heavy-footed QB Ryan Mallett, who perfectly fits the Patriots’ offense and should benefit from a veteran locker room. The Patriots sent their third- and fourth-round picks to Oakland in exchange for a seventh-rounder (CB Malcolm Williams) and a second-rounder in 2012. TE Lee Smith could contend for a job as an in-line blocker and LB Markell Carter has developmental potential. To keep alive a string of trades with the Eagles that started when he arrived in New England, Belichick swapped one spot in the sixth round with the Eagles. They also previously shipped off Laurence Maroney for a two-round exchange of picks, acquired Deion Branch for a fourth-round pick and landed Quinn Ojinnaka from Atlanta in exchange for a seventh-round pick. The Patriots were as active dealing as any team in the draft and recognized value extremely well throughout, taking worthwhile chances on Mallett and Cannon, upgrading an aging backfield and coming away locked and loaded for next year’s draft. Knowing when to unload disgruntled veterans affecting chemistry in the locker room and which veterans can still function in his system remains a great strength that reflects in the Patriots’ drafts. Belichick can be justified taking some calculated risks, as he did, and landed some niche talent to supplement his roster.
Grade: A