This video was posted by ESPN’s AFC East blogger Tim Graham, and in summation of that post and this video, the Pats are in position to do some serious damage in the draft this year.
Even moreso because free agency hasn’t started yet (outside of Matt Light who should re-sign the Pats have minimal free agency issues unlike the Jets), and players cannot even be traded if there’s no CBA. Teams are therefore left with only their draft picks as currency and no one has more than New England.
The funniest part of this whole thing is that back in late summer of 2010 (before the season) I tweeted something to the effect of the Patriots having so many draft picks in 2011 was “scary”.
Well this sparked a multi-tweet debate between myself and Tim Graham who took exception to my tweet and coming at me with examples like Laurence Maroney and Chad Jackson as proof that the Pats might have a lot of picks but they weren’t good drafters. It went back and forth for a while much to the entertainment of many of our followers.
Then the 2010 season happened. McCourty made the Pro Bowl. Gronk had 10 touchdowns. Hernandez looked like a 4th round steal. Ectcetera… etcetera… And now we have this post from Graham with this quote from Mel Kiper Jr.:
“I believe with a strong draft,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said, “Tom Brady may get two more Super Bowl rings – if this draft is productive.”
Scary.