I hate to do all this Patriots bashing, but one has to wonder what they are doing standing pat this off-season (no pun intended). So far the Patriots have simply resigned their own players, which is good news all around, but doesn't necessarily improve the 2009 team that went 10-6. They have glaring needs in the secondary, at linebacker, on the defensive line, at tight end, and even at their skills positions. Sure, they helped keep their mediocre-at-best secondary intact by locking up Leigh Bodden, and secured one of the best interior d-lineman in the game in Vince Wilfork, but these signings do not address the huge holes that were exposed in a blowout playoff loss to Baltimore. The Patriots need to boost their pass rushing, no offense to Tully Banta-Cain. They need a more solid veteran presence in their secondary while youngsters Darius Butler, Patrick Chung, Brandon Meriweather, and Terrence Wheatley HOPEFULLY develop into viable starters. Adalius Thomas seemingly doesn't want to play football anymore, and Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, and Gary Guyton are certainly not every down linebackers right now. And that's just the defense.
Offensively, the Patriots deficiencies show how far they are from being the 2007 juggernaut they once were. Brady is injury-plagued and needs a solid backfield to help establish the air game. Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and Laurence Maroney all showed flashes of greatness last season, but none were consistent, and Maroney just can't hold onto the ball. The offensive line has been solid, and stays completely intact for the time being. The Patriots would be last in the league in tight end talent if the season started today, simply because they don't have one. But finally we come to the wide receiver situation. It was common knowledge that there would be a plethora of young, big-time talent available via free agency and trade this off-season at the wide-out position. Free agents such as Antonio Bryant, Chris Chambers, Antwan Randle El, Kevin Walter, Nate Burleson, Derek Mason, and Kassim Osgood were all available to be had without penalty, yet the Patriots have sat back and watched. Brandon Marshall seems to be on the outs from Denver to anywhere but New England, and Miles Austin and Vincent Jackson can be at least made offers as restricted free agents. And finally we come to the cream of the crop: Anquan Boldin. Long rumored to be a future Patriot, the Ravens traded a third and fourth round pick in exchange for Boldin and a fifth-rounder. The Ravens pick lower in both of those rounds than the Patriots. The Patriots have a better quarterback to throw to Boldin than the Ravens. The Patriots have a glaring need for a physical presence at receiver, just as the Ravens did. But the Patriots let the Ravens beat them out for Boldin. In the meantime, the WR-lacking Ravens signed Donte Stallworth to bolster their already extremely talented team.
I'm going to take the situation the Patriots are facing this season at WR a step further than most people. I think the Patriots are royally screwed. Wes Welker isn't walking through that door anytime soon. Julian Edelman is NOT Wes Welker (which seems to be a common misperception, simply because he is small and white). Randy Moss is up to his antics again, and isn't getting any younger. David Patten isn't going to catch 50 passes, and who knows if Brandon Tate will ever play. And Sam Aiken simply blows. So yes, the Patriots are a shell of the 2007 team stocked with pass-catching talent.
Speculation is the Patriots could have landed Boldin with one of their THREE second round picks, or even match the Ravens deal because the Patriots pick higher. And then there was the contract extension issue, where Boldin got $28 million for a 4 year extension as part of conditions of the trade. The Patriots didn't want to "disrespect" Welker by paying him less than half of what Boldin makes, but come on, this is a business and the bigger names just get paid more. You don't use Terry-Francona type tactics when trying to improve your football team. The Patriots should have made a simple move that would have given them a lethal trio of WRs, but Belichick or the Krafts decided to stand pat with their current mediocracy.
Finally, we come to an extremely baffling set of facts. Take a look at the players Belichick has WASTED second round and third round picks over the past decade and it offers further proof of the extreme lack of common sense on behalf of the Patriots (by year and pick order, and not including players who have yet to seen valid enough playing time). Chad Jackson, Ellis Hobbs, Gus Scott, Eugene Wilson, Bethel Johnson, and Brock Williams, none of whom are still with the team. And that is just the list of inconsistant, poorly performing picks. In fact, the Patriots probably would trade any of their second or third round picks of the past ten years for Boldin at this point, with Sebastian Volmer and Matt Light possibly excluded. So what are they waiting around for? Why haven't they made a splash? Because at this rate, the Patriots will be looking at the 2020s for their next Super Bowl team....
No comments:
Post a Comment