B+
New England Patriots
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Patriots and Eichenberg: B+.
by SD ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 4 steals
· 0 reaches
Call it larceny. Tommy Eichenberg sat on the board until pick 180, and the Patriots did not need to be asked twice. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B+.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. They will regret leaving interior defensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it. The veteran additions, A.J. Brown chief among them, give the class a floor the rookies alone would not.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.
Pick-by-Pick
A tidy little value on Keon Coleman in No. 48, a step better than break-even. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Chris Braswell at slot 68 is the proof. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They took Khyree Jackson at par in the 104th overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. A minor itch, scratched.
They will replay Michael Pratt at the Round 4 slot for years; that is how good the value is. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Cedric Gray at pick No. 136 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
No edge and no loss on Malik Mustapha in Round 5, Pick 7; it is a wash and a sensible one. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
MarShawn Lloyd is a better player than pick 145 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A need, and now a little less of one.
Tommy Eichenberg at the 180th pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Roger Rosengarten in pick No. 182. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A clean, defensible pick in No. 229 with a little surplus value in Jha'Quan Jackson. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.