Make those picks
Pats’ best bet is to fill roster for future success
After a couple of ho-hum years at the draft with no firstround picks, this year is once again must-see viewing from a Patriots perspective.
Give Bill Belichick two picks in the first round and four picks in the top 63, and it’s hard not to think that tonight there will be some fireworks, most playing out behind the scenes, of course.
During the past few weeks, there have been plenty of pundits attempting to forecast Belichick’s moves, or giving their two cents on what he should do with his ammunition.
Let’s just say it’s easier picking the trifecta in the Kentucky Derby than predicting how Belichick will play his chips in any draft.
During his tenure here, Belichick has made 20 draft-day trades in which he moved up, 22 draft-day trades in which he moved down and 21 draft-day trades involving players.
So you might say he’s been all over the map.
If we were in the Patriots war room, what would we do, particularly with those first four picks in mind?
Stand pat and make the picks.
While there’s temptation to package the picks and move up for a top tier prospect, those four selections in the first two rounds are assets the Patriots need to build up the roster. They need to continue to supply the next generation.
And, unless someone blows them away with an offer for No. 23 or No. 31, or some player unexpectedly drops that qualifies as a no-brainer to move up, it makes sense to just accumulate talent and take care of some obvious needs.
That’s where the value is in this draft for the Patriots. It’s in the quality of numbers, not making the big splash by sending those money picks away for a potential stud nearer the top.
Looking at the roster, the Patriots not only have to take care of some needs but account for the fact that many of their core players are aging or in a situation where they might only be playing a few more years.
After quarterback Tom Brady, who turns 41 before the season starts, two of his top targets, Julian Edelman (31) and Chris Hogan (30), are also getting up in age. His tight end, Rob Gronkowski, is 28 and just came off an offseason where he pondered retirement before telling the boss Tuesday he planned on playing in 2018. Flipping to the defense, cornerback Jason McCourty is 30. So are safeties Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty.
They need more players who are going to follow the lead, take the baton, start the next generation toward another championship.
The Pats already have some cornerstones in place in Trey Flowers, James White and Joe Thuney, but still need to add young talent to the roster. They need building blocks.
And while Belichick isn’t into drafting players for need, per se, he’s about getting great value and bringing in good football players. The philosophy has brought five championships to New England.
“I think it’s important to acquire good players wherever they are,” he said during his pre-draft press conference. “If you take a player at a position that you might have a so-called need but he’s not good enough to fill that need, then it’s a wasted pick. So, I don’t understand the whole need thing. I understand player value, and that’s what we try to go by.”
His track record is pretty good. That’s why he should make as many picks as possible. Don’t package them up for a single shot.
Let the Hoodie select as many players in those first few rounds as he can to reload for the next championship run, this season and beyond.
That’s the ticket from this view.