B-
New England Patriots
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Patriots a B-.
by Chris122990 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 17 picks
· 4 steals
· 5 reaches
The Patriots clearly saw something nobody else did in Sam Hartman, taking him 68 picks ahead of his grade. The board is not convinced. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain.
The Knox steal is the beam this whole class leans on.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
Nothing to complain about; Bo Nix went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Good price on Ladd McConkey in slot 38, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
No edge and no loss on Bralen Trice in pick 63; it is a wash and a sensible one. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Nice patience on Ja'Lynn Polk, who had no business lasting to the 82nd pick. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Blake Fisher at pick No. 88 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A straight-up fair deal on Brenden Rice at Round 3, Pick 33, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, MarShawn Lloyd at Round 4, Pick 8. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They paid sticker price for Spencer Rattler in slot 117, and that is fine. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Roger Rosengarten in the Round 5 slot is fair value, right on his grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A wild overpay on Myles Cole in pick 168, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Cody Schrader at No. 180 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the running back. A need, and now a little less of one.
They reached a country mile for Sam Hartman at the 190th pick, and the board is aghast. The roster fit checks out.
They read the board right and Julian Pearl was the payoff at pick No. 215. It fills a real need, too.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Frank Gore Jr.. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Emani Bailey in the 231st pick, miles early. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Trey Knox in pick 235 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A big swing on Devin Leary at the Round 7 slot, well ahead of any board in the building. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.