Those were all cheap options. No big name or big money guys with the exception of Matthieu. The new players to help the line were all backups at their previous stops. The draft wasn't that different to me. Reid fell to them (Cunningham did the previous year), Rankin was brought in at the wrong position. Brought in two okay tight ends and the 6th rounder was better than the 3rd rounder. Coutee and Duke couldn't stay healthy; not their fault and we didn't have any major contribution from UDFAs like we've gotten used to. edit: my bad we did have the punter. It was a good draft but I don't think it was that much different from what the previous GM would have done. The trade was definitely a good sign though.
you cant just discount a good draft pick as "fell to them" Its not like they were forced to take him and didn't have anything to do with the decision. You also cant say this draft is not different from previous because we would previously consistently crap out on picks that were 3rd round or later and he did this without having a 1st or a 2nd round pick. If coutee can stay healthy we may have 2-3 major starters from a draft that did not have a 1st or a 2nd round, to me that is really good
Saying that Justin Reid fell to them isn't discounting a good draft pick, it's just discounting it as very different from the previous GM. Hence why I put Cunningham in parentheses. In a couple years, Akins could be your 3rd round "crap out". Rankin wasn't that good of a pick either if he couldn't play at the position he was drafted to play. The injury bug has been an issue with previous draft picks and we consider them busts (Kevin Johnson, Posey). Yes it is a really good draft, not denying that. But would you say it was better than the previous year (Watson, Cunningham, Foreman, Davenport, Watkins)? Or 2016 (Fuller, Martin, Braxton, Tyler, Reader)? Or 2014 (Clowney, XSF, CJF, Savage, Blue, Prosch, Hal)? All those drafts had 2 or more starters come from rounds 3-7.
He will either tear something and the Pats will replace him with an unemployed plumber from Vermont that ends up grading out as an above average starter or Bennett will play like an All Pro.
