3 needs, all filled, and the whining continues

[Real fan 02]

No Polk is not the burner that we wanted but he is absolutely a major upgrade to the room. Have no problem with the pick.

The burners were there at 3 but we went QB. I’m fine with that too.

Snafu man Juju must feel the heat. With this pick does this make him expendable?

 

[Bill Lee]

We drafted a WR after a run on WRs happened right in front of us. We drafted an OT after a run on OTs. I’m sorry but this draft rhymes with all the other recent drafts that fans here hate.

There was so much value at defensive positions in the second. First round value. We decided to think short term instead of long term.
Let’s hope being a contrarian works out for us this time and Polk is our Deebo/Metcalf/Brown and everyone else got it wrong.

Perceived value, not actual value.

Actual value won't be known for months if not years.

If Maye ends up being a franchise-level QB and the WR and OL end up being starters, this will be our best draft evah.

If Maye ends up being a franchise-level QB and the WR and OL end up only being rotational players, it'll still be viewed as a great draft.

The reason we weren't in the run for OL or WR was because we preferred to use our #3 pick on a potential franchise-level QB instead of trading down and locking in studs at WR and OL.

That's the choice most of us would have taken, IMO.

 

[woolster22]

I'd prefer R1 tackle to r1 qb.

A blue chip OT makes a mediocre QB better.

A blue chip QB behind a **** OL?

We've been laughing at the jets because of this exact problem for literally decades.

Rodgers didn't even last a game.

I didn't think he'd last the season, because turnstile OTs. Now the pats are what, 3 years into ignoring the problem?

Trent Brown is going to save us? Lol.

 

[gobesmug]

Odd statement considering the unprecedented run on OTs this draft. That’s why I wanted Patrick Paul, a first round talent physically, athletically, and temperamentally, in the second round.

Receivers are easier to grab mid rounds.

I do love Ja’Lynn Polk. But a pick too early?

They did have Wallace in for a top 30 visit so maybe they really did have him rated as their top OT prospect even at #37.

But if they had Paul rated higher than it was a mistake not taking him there because even if Polk didn't last to their pick in the 3rd their was still plenty of WRs with impact potential left to draft at that spot like Jermaine Burton or Roman Wilson.

Only time will tell if they made the right decision. After watching some videos of Polk I can see the appeal and he is definitely not another Harry.

 

[woolster22]

Snafu man Juju must feel the heat. With this pick does this make him expendable?

His bad knee makes him expendable.

We let the only decent WR we had walk so that we could overpay an older, more established but injured version of himself.

It was one of the more brain dead moves of the BB era. Ditto signing Zeke.

 

[Wozzy]

They overdrafted Polk because our new WR's coach worked with him at Washington before getting hired. Terrible...

And if Juju is healthy this kid is not going to take his job, or Bourne's, or Osborn's... Polk is a similar player with less professional experience. Hell I'm not sure if Kayshon Boutte gets his head screwed on right he's not better than Polk.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

A lot of pre draft chatter noted Polk as a fast riser and even possibly a 1st rounder.

at least he is fast at something, because he is not fast at running!

 

[Uptown]

He doesn't have very good size/athletic traits... he has decent speed and vertical leap, beyond that he's not overly wide and his agility drills sucked.

A tackle can make up for shorter arms by being quick on his feet and mobile... which doesn't happen with bad agility drills. This was a desperation pick after they got caught napping at offensive tackle in the second round.

Wrong. He has very good size. 6’5” 315 lbs- Athleticism- 5.1 40 at 315 lbs/ 34 inch arms/ damn near 11 inch hands/ Graded out as the 7th rated overall lineman athletically/ 1.7 10 yard split/ 10 inch broad jump; with better fundamentals & technique than Fashanu. Obviously, he has some concerns (as do all prospects) but people are being overly dramatic as usual.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Maye is a major "if" and you can't put him behind the offensive line! Also he has zero weapons. If you take a QB at #3 and he can't beat out a career journeyman back up, then you have issues.

The right tackle from Penn St. seems like a decent pick, but didn't you just pay Owenu to play right tackle?

Slow Polk pick because he played for the WR coach in high school?

Starting to think BB was not the problem in the draft room.

 

[archstanton543]

It was one of the more brain dead moves of the BB era. Ditto signing Zeke.

Huh? Signing Zeke was a solid move. He played well last year.

 

[Brotherblues]

Wrong. He has very good size. 6’5” 315 lbs- Athleticism- 5.1 40 at 315 lbs/ 34 inch arms/ damn near 11 inch hands/ Graded out as the 7th rated overall lineman athletically/ 1.7 10 yard split/ 10 inch broad jump; with fundamentals & technique than Fashanu. Obviously, he has some concerns (as do all prospects) but people are being overly dramatic as usual.

Interesting, because the chatter is he struggled against athletic pass rushers. Maybe they think his problem in that area is coachable--as opposed to an uncoachable deficiency like simply not having the athletic ability to play LT, which I think is what the complaints are about.

 

[archstanton543]

Folks wanted our future QB, a WR and an OT. We did all three while making our 5th a 4th. For me, I couldn't have expected more, although my personal preference was a CB at 37 instead of a WR.
================================
The QB is who we wanted and who the staff wanted. They will be given plenty of time to develop him. He is our QB for 2024-2026. We will evaluate him and make a decision whether to pick up his 5th year option, as we did with Jones, and the either extend or him or try again in the 2027 draft. The Jones choice at 15 didn't work out. The major failure was the poor coaching. With better coaching, we likely would still have drafted a QB this year, and Jones would have the bridge instead of Brissette. We took our turn at the golden ring. Only one of the QB's worked out.

The WR was one of a dozen WR's rated as having 2nd round value. The staff knows him well and will make sure that he doesn't fail. His ceiling is obviously TBD. But he is very unlikely to be a Shuster, a Parker or a Thornton.

The OT is a disappointment in that many of us wanted us to get a Guyton or Mims. We were OK with using 68 to move up to get one of the two, or perhaps even Morgan. Apparently, Wolf tried, but it takes two, so we settled for getting a WR and a developmental OT. He could be a future starter at almost any one of the line positions, or he could be a top backup, or he could be dud who doesn't work out after 2-3 years of trying. However, I am fine with waiting after the top 8 were gone. We took an OT rated lower than others. However, we also have higher rated WR than if we had drafted an OT in the 2nd and a WR in the 3rd.

BOTTOM LINE
Wolf did what he needed to do. And he has a chance at two more solid picks early in the 4th (instead of one).

I wouldn't say the needs are filled. They're addressed but will see if they pan out. Maye may be a blue chip but the other two guys? Eh...as soon as I heard Polk is a 50/50 specialist, I had reservations. And a late Day 2 tackle after a run at that position also is another "Eh" from me. Especially when they're talking about versatility and that he's never really played LT.

BUT, they did address the three positions of need which BB flat out refused to do in the last couple of drafts. So that is a positive development from Wolf and co.

 

[State]

They did have Wallace in for a top 30 visit so maybe they really did have him rated as their top OT prospect even at #37.

But if they had Paul rated higher than it was a mistake not taking him there because even if Polk didn't last to their pick in the 3rd their was still plenty of WRs with impact potential left to draft at that spot like Jermaine Burton or Roman Wilson.

Only time will tell if they made the right decision. After watching some videos of Polk I can see the appeal and he is definitely not another Harry.

My guess is that they targeted athletic RTs playing with elite LTs. Specifically at Notre Dame and then Penn State.

The most interest they showed was with Blake Fisher and that Georgia State project who figures to go late day three.

I consider Wallace Plan B if Fisher was gone at 68 and selected LTs— as indeed they were.

Smart approach actually. Especially if you have in mind “weaponizing” the offense at round two.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The right tackle from Penn St. seems like a decent pick, but didn't you just pay Owenu to play right tackle?

Wolf says he feels wallace can play LT so it looks like thats where he’ll be. We’ll see

 

[Uptown]

 

[p8ryts]

It's not the position people are complaining about. It's the possible "value" of these players or "possible" lack of motivation by Pats brass to move up to take higher rated players at both of those spots. We saw how the draft board fell and we know who those players were. Yes we have other holes as well but we should have tried harder to use our resources to get better value. I know we won't know until the season starts in what we have but I had other preferences, including moving up to take Payton Wilson. He's a big gamble but it's Brian Urlacher-lite payoff if he stays healthy.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda! Value, Shmalue!!! We don't have a clue. We have guys we like; they have guys they like. They get fired if they are wrong. We don't. I'm willing to give their guys a chance.

 

[jmt57]

Folks wanted our future QB, a WR and an OT. We did all three while making our 5th a 4th. For me, I couldn't have expected more, although my personal preference was a CB at 37 instead of a WR.
================================
The QB is who we wanted and who the staff wanted. They will be given plenty of time to develop him. He is our QB for 2024-2026. We will evaluate him and make a decision whether to pick up his 5th year option, as we did with Jones, and the either extend or him or try again in the 2027 draft. The Jones choice at 15 didn't work out. The major failure was the poor coaching. With better coaching, we likely would still have drafted a QB this year, and Jones would have the bridge instead of Brissette. We took our turn at the golden ring. Only one of the QB's worked out.

The WR was one of a dozen WR's rated as having 2nd round value. The staff knows him well and will make sure that he doesn't fail. His ceiling is obviously TBD. But he is very unlikely to be a Shuster, a Parker or a Thornton.

The OT is a disappointment in that many of us wanted us to get a Guyton or Mims. We were OK with using 68 to move up to get one of the two, or perhaps even Morgan. Apparently, Wolf tried, but it takes two, so we settled for getting a WR and a developmental OT. He could be a future starter at almost any one of the line positions, or he could be a top backup, or he could be dud who doesn't work out after 2-3 years of trying. However, I am fine with waiting after the top 8 were gone. We took an OT rated lower than others. However, we also have higher rated WR than if we had drafted an OT in the 2nd and a WR in the 3rd.

BOTTOM LINE
Wolf did what he needed to do. And he has a chance at two more solid picks early in the 4th (instead of one).

I'm going to respectfully disagree.
You seem to believe there was a steep decline after the #8 OT; I did see a drop, but nowhere as severe as you do.

To me Wallace was a wasted pick; just my opinion. Perhaps the plan is to just throw him out there this year, draft a LT in the first round in 2025, and at that time moving Wallace to RT and Onwenu to RG. If so then just sign a veteran OT to a one year contract, and use your Day 2 pick on another position.

Before anybody accuses me of being a spoiled fan, I've been a draft defender far more often than not over my lifetime.
I'm not one of those who is a habitual whiner no matter what happens.


Which of these two hypotheticals looks better?
Take your pick on any of the OTs and WRs that were available; it doesn't have to be Paul and Franklin.

Pick #2: OT Patrick Paul (or Blake Fisher, or Roger Rosengarten, or Kingsley Suamataia)
Pick #3: WR Troy Franklin (or Jermaine Burton, Roman Wilson, Jalen McMillan, Luke McCaffrey, Javon Baker or Malik Washington)

-or -

OT Caedan Wallace and WR Ja'Lynn Polk

 

[State]

That’s my sense from Penn State’s terrific OL coach, Phil Trautwein, who says Caedan Wallace put the bong down and started showing up early to meetings and improving his play this past season.

Let’s hope it continues as the young man will have more free time and more money now that he’s a pro.

 

[Real fan 02]

His bad knee makes him expendable.

We let the only decent WR we had walk so that we could overpay an older, more established but injured version of himself.

It was one of the more brain dead moves of the BB era. Ditto signing Zeke.

When juju was signed he was rehabbing. The former GM knew of this. As Myers mentioned it was over a million dollars he didn't resign.

Zeke wasn't bad he played well down the stretch.. the entire offense was so bad so really hard to say anyone outside pop had any really production and impact.

 

[TommyD4207]

Apparently, Wolf tried,

This is getting very tiresome to be asked to swallow every time.