A-
New England Patriots
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Patriots a A-.
by Smonze ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 0 steals
· 6 reaches
The trade table was a mismatch, and the Patriots were on the right end of it, hauling in a fortune in surplus value. Just about everything broke right, and the A- follows.
The Stover pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots. The interior defensive lineman hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
If Stover pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. The Breece Hall deal gives the class an established piece to lean on.
A strong weekend's work, and a rare one to find this little fault with.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 10 they get a blindside protector. A clean fit for the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. at slot 34 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A conviction pick on Junior Colson at Round 3, Pick 4 that the board grades a round light. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Cade Stover at TE-EDGE with interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots open.
Darius Robinson at the 103rd overall pick is a conviction pick that outran the value. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They liked Braelon Allen enough to skip the value, taking him in pick 139. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They went early on Isaiah Williams in the Round 6 slot, and the value did not follow. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The board had cheaper options than Matthew Jones at the 224th pick, and it noticed. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.