The New England Patriots finalized their coaching staff this week as Head Coach Bill Belichick has hired a third generation Belichick by hiring his son Steve as a coaching assistant. Steve had played both lacrosse and football at Rutgers and now he follows his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps into coaching.

But more importantly, the Patriots have finally removed the “Defensive Coordinator in-waiting” tag from Matt Patricia and named him the Defensive Coordinator. Belichick has been grooming Patricia for quite some time and he has held various positions at the defense.

Longtime Belichick and Patriots assistant Pepper Johnson will now move to be the linebackers coach, essentially switching coaching positions with Patrick Graham. Josh Boyer will coach the cornerbacks and Brian Flores will coach the safeties.

Belichick has long had a philosophy of keeping his coaches like his players, versatile and will frequently move them around to different positions to make them better more rounded coaches.

Finally George Godsey will now coach the tight ends due to Brian Ferentz’s departure and Joe Judge was hired as a Special Teams assistant after being on the staff at Alabama under Nick Saban. The coaching staff like the roster is now rounding into form quite nicely before heading into the off-season workouts.

New England Patriots Coaching Staff For 2012

Bill Belichick- Head Coach

Dante Scarnecchia- Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line

Josh McDaniels- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Matt Patricia- Defensive Coordinator

Scott O’Brien- Special Teams Coordinator

Pepper Johnson- Linebackers

Josh Boyer- Cornerbacks

Ivan Fears- Running Backs

Patrick Graham- Defensive Line

Brian Flores- Safeties

Chad O’Shea- Wide Receivers

George Godsey- Tight Ends

Harold Nash- Strength and Conditioning

Moses Cabrera- Assistant Strength and Conditioning

Steve Belichick- Coaching Assistant

Joe Judge- Special Teams Assistant

Listen to our podcast radio show, Patriots4thand2 every week as we bring you the best in Patriots talk as well as some great guests. With host Russ Goldman, Derek Havens, Damien Jarrett and myself it’s always an entertaining and informative show.

Check all of us out on PatsFans.com, there are always interesting stories, features and great stats compiled by Ian Logue on there. Kind of like, your one-stop Patriots news source for information.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG

With the draft now (finally) behind us, it’s time for the PatsPub “much too early” Roster Projection for the New England Patriots 53 man roster for opening day.

Since they haven’t even taken the field yet, it is strictly a projection and expect many changes to occur, but if I had to make the team (on paper) right now, this would be my team for opening day.

Offense: 25

Quarterback-
Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer,

The Patriots will again carry three QBs into the season, but I think Mallett supplants Hoyer as Brady’s backup this season

Running back-
Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Joseph Addai

The team’s depth was added to by the signing of Addai, who’s been beset by injuries the past few years. But he won’t be the feature back, the Pats don’t have one, but he will add depth as well as veteran presence and is a good pass blocker, receiver. Ridley, Woodhead and Vereen will the feature guys at least initially.

Fullback-
Spencer Larsen

Larsen has the versatility, having also played linebacker in Denver. How will the Patriots use a fullback in their offense this season? Expect some different looks with McDaniels back in New England.

Wide Receiver-
Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Donte’ Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Matthew Slater, Julian Edelman

Lots of new/old faces here, Lloyd will bring versatility to the team, Stallworth and Gaffney already have been successful with Brady and will upgrade their WR corps from last year. Branch slowed late last year so he and Ocho find themselves out and Ebert to the Practice Squad

Tight end-
Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Daniel Fells

Fells will add depth and can catch the odd pass, no more extra tackles on the line. Gronkowski and Hernandez are the gold-dust twins at TE.

Offensive tackle-
Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Matt Kopa

With Matt Light retired it means both Solder and Cannon have to step up. One guy to watch will be undrafted signee  Markus Zusevics, the Patriots always have an undrafted guy make the roster and he may be it.

Center/guard-
Logan Mankins, Brian Waters, Dan Connolly, Robert Gallery

This is if and it’s a big “if” Mankins is ready to play on opening day and not placed upon the PUP. But he was seen working out without a brace which is a good sign. If they go with less WRs they could add another body here, a definite possibility.

Defense: 25

Interior defensive lineman-
Vince Wilfork, Kyle Love, Brandon Deaderick, Jonathan Fanene, Gerard Warren

Lots of bulk as well as versatility here, expect these guys to move around a lot this season.

Defensive end/outside linebacker-

Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, Markell Carter

If Andre Carter is brought back, and we think he may be if healthy, then he joins the mix that looks much more deep and talented than last year.

Inside linebacker-

Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Donta’ Hightower, Dane Fletcher, Tracy White, Jeff Tarpinian,

White and Tarpinian were standout special teams players last season who had to fill on defense, this season they won’t have to as the linebacking corps is deeper and more versatile. Hightower is more comfortable inside but can move outside as well.

Cornerback-
Devin McCourty, Kyle Arrington, Ras-I Dowling, Will Allen, Sterling Moore, Alfonzo Dennard

There is the plenty of potential depth here, but who steps up will depend upon how training camp works out. Dowling will get another shot to play on the outside, meaning moving Arrington into the slot role. Moore remains in the mix and newcomer Dennard may find himself at safety like McCourty has been rumored to be. Denard may be a better fit at safety in the NFL, we’ll see how it works out.

Safety-
Patrick Chung, Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson

Chung remains the only sure bet here, but he has to stay healthy, it will be interesting to see how Wilson fits in the mix. I really think they move Denard to safety and regardless this unit needs to perform much better than in 2011, where they were a mess. One guy to watch will be Nate Ebner, not as a safety but as a special teams addition. He may supplant someone else on the roster.

Special Teams- 3
Stephen Gostkowski K, Zoltan Mesko P, Danny Aiken LS

The team could bring in another long snapper to compete with Aiken, but otherwise this area is pretty much set and solid.

This is an initial projection of the 53 man roster, this will change when the players hit the field and the inevitable injuries occur. But this team will be much deeper this season especially on defense and at wide receiver.

Listen to our podcast radio show, Patriots4thand2 every week as we bring you the best in Patriots talk as well as some great guests. With host Russ Goldman, Derek Havens, Damien Jarrett and myself it’s always an entertaining and informative show.

Check all of us out on PatsFans.com, there are always interesting stories, features and great stats compiled by Ian Logue on there. Kind of like, your one-stop Patriots news source for information.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG

The NFL world was rocked yesterday with news that Junior Seau, standout linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots had reportedly committed suicide. Seau died from an apparent gun-shot wound to the chest and the rumors have abounded that like former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson, Seau had hoped that his brain would be examined in the study in Boston where the results of repeated concussions are being charted. But that is just speculation at this point.

One common theme from exposure to repeated concussions are periods of black depression followed by suicide attempts. This has been a common theme among former NFL players as well as returning soldiers from combat in the Middle East.

Seau back in 2010 was accused of spousal abuse after a fight with his girlfriend, after being released from jail, his SUV drove off a bluff on the beach in San Diego. At the time, Seau claimed to fall asleep, no drugs or alcohol were found but this could have perhaps been a sign of things to come.

The number of military personnel suffering from concussions through exposure to explosions, bombs, weapons firing etc. has to be astronomically higher. However, given the 10+ years of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and soldiers being subjected to multiple tours of combat have increased the chances of experiencing multiple concussions in a relatively short amount of time.

But the problems run deeper, in amateur scholastic sports, that there are a reported 300,000 injuries consisting of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with over 60,000 occurring in high schools alone.  It is estimated that 15% of student athletes will suffer some sort of concussion injury every year. 63% of these injuries will occur in football and further, it is estimated that nearly 1 in 5 football players will suffer a concussion each year. The younger the person is, the bigger the chance of a repeat injury, for athletes or military members under the age of 21, the chances of having another concussion once already injured are 4 – 6 times more likely.

Concussion refers to a traumatic force that is applied to the brain during any type of bone jarring collisions often found in contact sports such as football and hockey. But many times, it can be found in seemingly “safer” sports such as soccer and baseball.  Concussions are sometimes referred to as an “invisible injury”. That’s because unlike a common knee or foot injury where a player is seen on crutches, there are no visible signs of injury. Is there a way to make athletes safer on the field without taking away what the game is essentially, a violent contact sport?

What is a concussion is exactly?  A concussion is the result of significant force or trauma applied to the head of an athlete. Symptoms of concussion are often quite different, and vary for each person suffering from one, which often makes it harder to identify although there are a host of symptoms most frequently attributed to concussion.  An athlete doesn’t need to lose consciousness in order to be diagnosed with a concussion.  Some general symptoms encountered with a concussion include:

• Poor memory & inattention
• Headache or “pressure” in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to sound or light
• Concentration or memory problem
• Confusion
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy

Doctors use both computerized cognitive testing and standardized protocols for measuring recovery from sports concussion.  A key to this is his consultation with both trainers and coaches following a concussion to assure for managed return to play.

Cognitive testing or cognition refers to the sum of all thinking, planning, and problem solving within the brain. Traumatic brain injury has the potential to alter cognitive skills such that these “automatic” processes no longer work as efficiently as they once did.

The tests consists of identifying words, shapes and colors that flashed on a computer screen for the test subject, then words, shapes and colors are played back and the tester has to respond whether or not it was part of the original group flashed to him.

Once the baseline is established, he can re-administer the test when a subject is recovering from his injury. He showed some startling test results from subjects who although were given medical clearance to resume activities, their brain functions were still far from recovered.

However, we’ve heard stories of trainers on professional sports teams encouraging players to “not do their best” during cognitive testing, therefore allowing them to score higher after a brain injury and allow them to return to action much faster than normally would be allowed. This practice must be stopped and players need to realize that while they may return to game action a week or two earlier, the damage they can do, long-term to their brains, may be permanent.

Once an athlete or soldier is injured with a concussion, the people immediately involved with the medical/administrative care of the injured need to look for the following:

• Increased problems paying attention/concentrating
• Increased problems remembering/learning new information
• Longer time required to complete tasks
• Increase in physical symptoms (e.g., headache, fatigue) during mental tasks
• Greater irritability, less tolerance for stressors

Once an injured person is cleared to resume normal activities, his or her play has to be done gradually with no further symptoms.

• Rest
• Aerobic exercise (.e.g., stationary bicycle)
• Sport Specific training (e.g., running, skating)
• Non-contact drills (includes cutting and other lateral movements)
• Full-contact controlled training
• Full-contact game play

This is a gradual process and one that we see all the time violated in the NFL and NHL. We see a player concussed on Sunday, cleared by doctors on Tuesday or Wednesday and return to practice by the end of the week. Where doctor’s involved with traumatic brain injury frequently state, it should be done over a period of weeks not hours or days.

If the NFL/NHL is truly worried about player safety, they need to follow the guidelines of the doctors who study this medical condition and not rush the players back before they are ready. If the rules regarding players being placed on the “injured reserve list” need to be tweaked allowing players to return in 4-6 weeks during a season, then it should be done. Rushing players back from brain injuries are not helping either the team or the player in the long run.

The NFL is trying to crack down on the incidents of concussions or traumatic brain injuries by punishing those players it deems, “headhunters” or people who try to knock a person out. The recent suspensions of members of the New Orleans Saints coaches and players for the recent “Bounty-Gate” are well known. But the Saints are hardly alone in this matter. There are the frequent offenders to this rule and those players and incidents need to be rooted out of the league.

Those players who took part in the Bounty Program in New Orleans have all vowed to appeal their suspensions. I don’t know if it will happen or not, it’s not my place to be the judge in these matters. But if I am the NFLPA, how can you defend this action and yet go to the league screaming for better player safety and long-term health benefits?

The NFL needs to take serious action in their quest for player safety, but of the trickle-down effect it has upon colleges, high schools and youth football programs. The league needs to remove, permanently these types of plays and players who target other players heads to make the “highlight” film of the week. The sports networks are as much to blame, on one hand lambasting player conduct and on the other showing it time and again with the requisite “BOOM!” voice over.

While players such as Junior Seau, bring a national face to the problems of traumatic brain injury and what it can cause, it’s happening right now, in your town, your high school and your college. With players suffering concussions throughout their playing lives, it is a problem that will not go away. The game itself is a violent one and doesn’t need to be even more so with over the top actions. If the NFL takes a stand on this issue, it will affect every level of football down the line.

Players need to wake up and take notice…the brain you save may be your own.

Jabar Gaffney was released today by the Washington Redskins and I think he would make a great addition to the 2012 New England Patriots.

While the Patriots already have an over-abundance of wide receivers on the roster, Gaffney would make a compelling case to bring back. During the 2006 pre-Moss/Welker/Stallworth season, Gaffney quickly earned the trust of QB Tom Brady and became a go-to guy during the playoffs catching 21 passes and 2 TDs in three playoff games.

Even during the 2007 season, Gaffney filled his role and very well catching 36 passes and 5 TDs, without Brady in 2008 he chipped in 38 more. The Patriots had planned on keeping him around but Josh McDaniels had other ideas and threw a $10 million contract at him to go to Denver and the Patriots certainly weren’t going to equal that.

Gaffney is hardly a slouch, chipping in with 68 pass receptions for 947 yards and 5 TDs in 2011 in Washington as he and Donte Stallworth played with the likes of John Beck and Rex Grossman as QBs, not in the same class as Tom Brady and not exactly conducive to putting up huge numbers.

Gaffney has never been one to whine about getting the ball or his number of snaps. He’ll do his job, run good routes and be in the position that Tom Brady wants him to be in. Gaffney is not a #1 receiver, but will thrive in the role as the #2-3 guy who is singled up and make big plays. With all the names the Patriots are stockpiling at WR, adding one more veteran who was successful here in New England and with Brady makes total sense. The WR battles during training camp would be fantastic to watch as something will have to give.

The Patriots should give him a long look and consider bringing him in for the competition during camp, the only other place that makes sense for Gaffney would be Indy, a good veteran presence there would do wonders with a rookie QB.

Listen to our podcast radio show, Patriots4thand2 every week as we bring you the best in Patriots talk as well as some great guests. Until the draft is over, two of our PatsFans writers and 4th and 2 contributors Damien Jarrett and Derek Havens are doing a weekly draft show. Check it out for some outstanding draft talk.

Check all of us out on PatsFans.com, there are always interesting stories, features and great stats compiled by Ian Logue on there. Kind of like, your one-stop Patriots news source for information.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG

By now everyone has heard about John Harbaugh’s comments about both the Saints bounty program and Bill Belichick and Spygate.

Harbaugh, doing an interview with Baltimore’s 98 Rock radio station was asked about the Saints and gave his opinion on both that and the Patriots. One thing about Harbaugh is, he’s never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. About the Saints and Patriots he said:

“In the end, everything is brought before the light of day, when it’s all said and done,” Harbaugh said. “What happens, even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now. It’s been stained.”

He was asked if he’d ever consider bending or breaking the rules to his advantage to his team’s advantage and his answer was very direct and adamant.

“To me, it’s never worth it,” Harbaugh said. “You have to figure out ways to use the rules to your advantage, you have to figure out ways to make the most of everything. We have new work rules here as far as what we can do and what we can’t do with our players, and we’re going to make the most of it. What we’re finding is, ‘Man, maybe we can do some things even better than we did before, because these rules make us focus more on some things that we didn’t focus on before. You just have to make them work for you. That’s what success is in the world. You have to find a way to do things better than somebody else. But if you’re cheating, in the end, you’re going to get discredited. It’s not worth it.”

A couple of things worth noting is that Bill Belichick actually recommended Harbaugh for the Ravens job a few years ago and that Harbaugh respects him greatly, calling him “the greatest coach in our league right now, and that’s proven. That’s why you get so excited to play against him as a coach” prior to the AFC Championship Game this season.

The other is that it is well known how Bill Belichick holds a grudge against someone who crosses him and it’s well known that he likes and respects Harbaugh as well. So, could he see this as a friend crossing the line and breaking the Belichickian code of “Omerta”? We’ll certainly find out in Sept. when the Patriots face the Ravens again. I would think that the Patriots and Belichick will be even more fired up than normal for the game against the Ravens.

Patriots fans are certainly all fired up over Harbaugh’s interview this morning, Twitter is all agog with fans, taking shots at Harbaugh, Cundiff and Ray Lewis, dredging up stuff from 2000 giving the party line of “sour grapes” etc. But Patriots fans were the first to skewer the Saints for their sins and now want everyone else to drop the Belichick bashing. While it is comparing apples to oranges, it most certainly was against the rules. Did they gain from it, no one knows really and if so it may have been dubious gains at best, but they did do it, so why the outrage?

The bottom line is this, Harbaugh was asked his opinion and he gave it. Is what he said, that way out of line and outrageous? He was asked a specific question and answered it with his feelings on the subject. Is answering a question truthfully all that bad? His comments are seen as over the top, but were they?

Listen to our podcast radio show, Patriots4thand2 every week as we bring you the best in Patriots talk as well as some great guests. Until the draft is over, two of our PatsFans writers and 4th and 2 contributors Damien Jarrett and Derek Havens are doing a weekly draft show. Check it out for some outstanding draft talk.

Check all of us out on PatsFans.com, there are always interesting stories, features and great stats compiled by Ian Logue on there. Kind of like, your one-stop Patriots news source for information.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG

“Some guys do one thing very well, other guys have some versatility, other guys can do a lot of different things. Whatever their deal is, it is. And that’s what they come with.” Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, at his Thursday post draft press conference

The New England Patriots did both the unusual and the normal during the 2012 NFL Draft this week at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The normal was that the Patriots drafted players that were versatile (a common Belichick theme) and they did the inevitable trade down, that actually made quite a bit of sense this season. But what they also did, was trade up in the first round to select two players that the team coveted, something that they don’t normally do.

The Patriots and Belichick after the 2011 season which saw them lose in the waning moments in the Super Bowl to the Giants, knew that the defense needed an upgrade, and in the draft they spent the first six of their seven picks on defense.

A common theme heard before the draft was that the Patriots needed to upgrade their front seven and a secondary that was under fire all season. At the ESPN Draft Party held at Gillette Stadium on April 5, the question was asked of the panel what the Patriots needed to do more, draft secondary help or get help with the pass rush in the front seven.

The reply from the esteemed panel of Mike Reiss, Adam Jones, Adam Schefter and Tedy Bruschi was that the Patriots needed to upgrade the front seven and specifically the pass rush, which has been inconsistent since Willie McGinest left town. Bill Belichick obviously agreed with that sentiment because the Patriots added a lot of front seven help and players who are extremely versatile.

Below are listed the Patriots draft picks for the 2012 NFL Draft:
(Round, Player Selected, Overall Player Selected, Name, Position)-

1          21 (21)            Jones, Chandler      DE

1          25 (25)            Hightower, Dont’a    ILB

2          16 (48)            Wilson, Tavon          FS

3          27 (90)            Bequette, Jake         DE

6          27 (197)         Ebner, Nate              DB

7          17 (224)         Dennard, Alfonzo    CB

7          28 (235)         Ebert, Jeremy            WR

Chandler Jones while at Syracuse played with both his hand down and standing up, something he’s said he’s comfortable doing. Jones was raved about by NFL analyst Mike Mayock as someone who is the best pure pass rusher in this draft. Mayock thinks in 2-3 years Jones may be the best defensive player taken in 2012. Extremely, high marks, eventually the Patriots will work Jones into the “Elephant” role popularized by McGinest. But for this season, at least initially, I see Jones as a sub-rusher, a dedicated pass rusher. As he becomes more comfortable in the Patriots scheme, they’ll add more and more to his plate.

Don’t’a Hightower was primarily an inside linebacker for Alabama, but he also was moved around the field quite a bit in Nick Saban’s schemes. Expect more of that here as the Patriots have the flexibility and versatility to move Hightower inside or outside. He did play some DE in the Crimson Tide’s sub-packages. Right now he’s expected to compete with Rob Ninkovich for snaps at SLB position.

Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Hightower will give the Patriots a big, physical presence at LB with the flexibility to move players around and mix and match. The depth now at LB is a position of strength for the team.

Tavon Wilson’s selection garnered a collective spewing of wrath at Belichick as being either a wasted pick or someone who could have been taken much later. While his selection at #48 was a surprise to the fans and draftniks, it wasn’t to the Patriots.

The team had scouted him extensively, and apparently so had other teams, he had been worked out by six other teams, and rumor has it that San Diego, choosing right after the Patriots were poised to pluck Wilson. Much of the criticism leveled at Wilson may be because he was never settled at one position. He started at corner for Illinois, and when injuries piled up, they asked him to play strong safety. Last year he moved back to corner but started another game at safety when the need arose.

In other words a classic Belichick player, versatile, flexible and willing to play whatever role the team needs. So Wilson will be primarily a safety but could also be a slot corner if the need arises. This summer it will be interesting to see how he adapts and plays in the role the coaches put him in.

Jake Bequette is another versatile player who moved all over the field for Arkansas. Primarily a DE, he’s played inside, outside and even some at OLB, which he did at the Senior Bowl. “Every Sunday, I would turn on NFL games and it seems like half the teams in the league now at least are running a 3-4 kind of hybrid defense or a 4-3,” Bequette told the press. “I know New England is very flexible, and you watch certain players, they have certain outside linebackers who play standing up and in the three-point stance on passing downs. I’m very excited, and if that’s what the coaches want me to do, then I can’t wait to do it.”

Bequette again, fits that flexible, versatile mold the Patriots covet in their players. Not the most gifted athletically, the 6’5, 275 lb Bequette possesses a relentless motor and drive and never quits on a play. Bequette, Jones and Trevor Scott will all vie for playing time at the “Elephant” position. If the Patriots return Andre Carter (if healthy I think they do) he will provide the veteran leadership and presence that Belichick loves to have.

Nate Ebner, S from Ohio State while still raw football wise was an accomplished rugby player who possesses great athletic ability and a willingness to get his nose dirty by coming up and making a tackle. Former Patriot LB and now Ohio State Mike Vrabel was probably consulted on this pick, Belichick always respected Vrabel and it will be interesting to see how they try to work Ebner into the system. One possibility would be the hybrid LB/S role they have used from time to time in their dime package.

Alfonso Dennard, CB from Nebraska was considered a strong 3^rd round talent prior to landing in hot water this week for a fight and an assault allegation. The team looked into it and deemed him worthy of the risk. If so, Dennard is a steal in the 7^th round.

Dennard has the ability to start at either corner or safety (versatility, thine name is Belichick) and while not the biggest of corners, has outstanding athleticism, his vertical jump at the combine was 37 inches. But best of all, Dennard is a corner who CAN play press coverage. Total low-risk, high-reward move for the Patriots.

And finally, the Patriots did select an offensive player with their final pick and # 238 in the draft with Jeremy Ebert, WR from Northwestern. Ebert is mainly a slot receiver, which is a tad surprising considering the team already has three (Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Anthony Gonzalez).

Ebert, like Edelman was a high school QB who transitioned to WR, but he had very good production from the slot in his senior season, 75 receptions for 1060 yards and 11 TDs and he has the ability to play special teams so his value, at least initially will be tested there. If successful, he may play himself into a larger role especially if Welker and Edelman leave after next season.

The Patriots value players who are versatile and flexible and they drafted seven players who are both. The defense needed an influx of talented, athletic playmakers and they have succeeded in getting that. Now the defense is deeper, more talented and versatile to play in many fronts as well as substituting freely, keeping fresh legs on the field.

While giving draft grades the day after the draft ends is patently ridiculous (check back in 2-3 years), it is safe to say that the Patriots identified their needs and selected players that should fill the needs perfectly. Now they have to prove it on the field. One thing is for sure, the training camp competition should be outstanding this summer. I can hardly wait…

Welcome to the PatsPub NFL Mock Draft 2012, while there are so many variables involved in the NFL Draft that it’s hard to accurately predict what will happen, it is always an enjoyable fan favorite come April.

But Patriots fans want to know who the Patriots will covet and pick, right? And every year we pick an edge rusher who is fast and athletic and every year, the team passes on those type players and opts for someone nobody sees coming.

So what’s in store this spring? Rumors abound (just like every year) that the Patriots will actually move up in the first round this year. Will it happen? Possibly if someone they truly covet is available in the mid-teens- early 20s is still around. But with no draft picks in the 5^th, 6^th or 7^th rounds this year, I can pretty much guarantee that they will trade one or perhaps both of their first or second round picks this year for a package of picks to include the later rounds this year and either a first or second next season.

So with that in mind, I made these picks firmly in the order that the draft follows as of today. And no trades are made, but put a check mark next to #27 or #31, because the Patriots will invariably trade one or both.

2012 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

1.         Indianapolis- Andrew Luck  QB    Stanford
Surprised? Really? If you don’t have this pick, you’ve been living under a rock for the past 6 months.

2.         Washington-Robert Griffin III     QB      Baylor
See above comment….

3.         Minnesota- Matt Kalil         T          USC
The Vikings need help at the OL and Kalil is the player most often mentioned in the draft after Luck and Griffin. Simply the best OL available this year.

4.         Cleveland- Trent Richardson     RB      Alabama
The Browns need a RB and Richardson is the best available RB since Adrian Peterson. They also need a WR but Richardson will be hard to pass up. He can do it all.

5.         Tampa Bay- Morris Claiborne     CB      LSU
Bucs defense took a big step backwards last year and with Ronde Barber in his last season. Aqib Talib won’t be a popular player with no-nonsense coach Greg Schiano, so this move makes sense. Claiborne is a very talented corner and can be a difference maker on defense.

6.         St. Louis- Justin Blackmon         WR     Oklahoma St.
The Rams need help and a lot of it after stumbling badly last year. With Brandon Lloyd now in NE, they need WR help and Blackmon is just the guy. Tall WR with great hands…I think Bradford will agree

7.         Jacksonville- Quinton Couples  DE      North Carolina
The Jaguars defense was a bright spot last season but still needs help with their pass rush and Couples is arguably the best at that in this year’s draft.

8.         Miami Ryan Tannehill    QB     Texas A&M
The Dolphins need a QB, regardless of their posturing now, they courted Peyton Manning and also Flynn so this one is no shocker

9.         Carolina- Luke Kuechly    ILB      Boston College
Carolina may be trying to trade out of this slot, however if they keep this pick Kuechly or Kirkpatrick makes sense here.

10.      Buffalo- Riley Reiff  T         Iowa
Reiff adds a nice addition to an offense that shined early but struggled down the stretch with injuries.

11.       Kansas City- Jonathan Martin    T          Stanford
KC stumbled last year after a 13 win season, Martin or Hightower may be the guy for them.

12.       Seattle- Melvin Ingram      DE      SC
Seattle needs a pass rusher and Ingram has lined up at DT, DE and OLB. Versatility and a flair for big plays that the Hawks need.

13.       Arizona- Alshon Jeffery    WR     SC
Arizona may opt to go defense here but a big target opposite Larry Fitz would be a nice fit but if not, look for them to seek help along an OL that gave up way too many sacks.

14.       Dallas- Mark Barron   S     Alabama
The Cowboys scouted Barron at his pro day in ‘Bama, and is an obvious fit….sorry Pats fans, many wanted the Patriots to draft Barron but he gets the Star on the helmet. Elvis has left the building

15.       Philadelphia- Michael Brockers   DT     LSU
Philly got Demeco Ryans in free agency and now by adding Brockers they improve even more down the middle. Instant upgrade, the middle of that defense is now solid.

16.       New York Jets- Courtney Upshaw  OLB          Alabama
The Jets defense struggled getting after the QB last season, even with their overloaded blitz packages. Upshaw can do that and drop into coverage.

17.       Cincinnati- David Wilson   RB       VT
Cincinnati has been linked to Wilson a lot in the draft talk and his choice makes perfect sense, it’s a position of need and Wilson could step right in and contribute.

18.       San Diego- Nick Perry      OLB/DE         USC
Perry stays in Southern California as he brings the edge rush the Bolts need opposite Antwan Barnes

19.       Chicago- Michael Floyd    WR     Notre Dame
With Brockers off the board, this move makes sense for ‘Da Bears’, Floyd isn’t blistering fast but makes catches and will thrive with a QB that can throw the ball

20.       Tennessee- Whitney Mercilus    DE/OLB         Illinois
The Titans really need a DE and Mercilus is the best player available. Explosive off the line and makes a lot of plays.

21.       Cincinnati- Janoris Jenkins  CB             North Alabama
With a bookend to go with BenJarvus Green-Ellis in the books, the Bengals go for help at CB. Jenkins has off-field issues but is very talented…seems like these players gravitate toward Cincy.

22.       Cleveland- Cordy Glenn   T/G      Georgia
The Browns need OL help and Glenn could play T or G and will immediately step in and contribute.

23.       Detroit- Dre Kirkpatrick     CB      Alabama
Detroit needs a CB and Kirkpatrick is a perfect fit for them. Arguably one of the top 2-3 CBs in the draft at #23 is a steal.

24.       Pittsburgh- Dontari Poe   DT       Memphis
Pittsburgh has bigger need along the OL, but Poe may be hard to pass up with a defense getting long in the tooth

25.       Denver- Stephon Gilmore  CB    SC
The Broncos have Peyton Manning and adding the Gamecock Gilmore will add depth to the defense. He’ll have Champ Bailey to learn from and be ready to step in for, if the need arises.

26.       Houston- Kendall Wright              WR    Baylor
The Texans already have big WRs in Johnson and Walters so Wright at 5’10” doesn’t have to be a big target to be successful. He’s fast and can get separation, opposite Johnson, he should thrive in Texas.

27.       New England- Andre Branch  DE/OLB   Clemson
The Patriots are always looking for depth along the defensive line and Branch will give them that. Can play DE in a four man front or is athletic enough to play OLB in a 3-4 defense. That is if the Patriots don’t trade out of this position which they most certainly will in either the #27 or #31 spot.

28.       Green Bay- Kevin Zeitler G         Wisconsin
Zeitler can play G or C and should step in and contribute to the Packers offense. They may opt for defensive help here if any of the pass rushers fall.

29.       Baltimore- Peter Konz       C         Wisconsin
The Ravens have been linked a lot to Konz this off-season and he will eventually take over for Matt Birk at C.

30.       San Francisco- Stephen Hill   WR          GT
The Niners need a WR and CB help and Hill can provide the help they need outside and provide a viable target with Vernon Davis.

31.       New England- Dont’a Hightower  ILB    Alabama
Invariably a trade down here. Best player available, Hightower is a bone-crusher at ILB who runs straight downhill. His selection gives the Patriots flexibility and depth to switch players out and possibly move Jerod Mayo more to the outside where he will be able to make plays.

32.       New York- Mike Adams  T Ohio State
Adams is an excellent pass blocker and not  exactly a road grader in the run game, but he should be able to step in contribute to the Giants offense.

Listen to our podcast radio show, Patriots4thand2 every week as we bring you the best in Patriots talk as well as some great guests. Until the draft is over, two of our PatsFans writers and 4^th and 2 contributors Damien Jarrett and Derek Havens are doing a weekly draft show. Check it out for some outstanding draft talk.

Check all of us out on PatsFans.com, there are always interesting stories, features and great stats compiled by Ian Logue on there. Kind of like, your one-stop Patriots news source for information.

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG

Trey Wingo, Mike Reiss, Adam Jones, Adam Schefter and Tedy Bruschi at the ESPN Draft Party in Gillette Stadium (Steve Balestrieri photo)

On Thursday evening, Gillette Stadium was the setting for the ESPN 2012 Draft Preview Party brought by ESPNBoston.com. It was a typical affair that is hosted in the house that Kraft built, first class all the way.

From the time you entered and were checked off the guest list, (I wasn’t, but was put on fellow Pats Fans blogger Russ Goldman’s invite. Thanks to Stefanie for giving me her ticket.) and handed all of the paraphernalia, there was plenty of good food spaced out all across the Putnam Club in the facility, a lot of bars were open on the floor so there was no waiting, always a plus. There were also current players Pat Chung and Rob Ninkovich and Pats Alumni members Steve Grogan and Patrick Pass as well as Pat the Patriot and a couple of the lovely Patriots cheerleaders.

But the real reason we were there was for the draft talk and they didn’t disappoint. ESPN put together a great panel of football minds on the stage to talk and interact with the fans. Mike Reiss from ESPN Boston (formerly the Boston Globe), Adam Jones (ESPN Boston radio), Adam Schefter (NFL Network) and Patriots legend Tedy Bruschi who now works as an analyst for ESPN.

The discussion was emceed by ESPN anchor Trey Wingo who kept everything moving quickly, injecting a lot of humor in the proceedings. So what was the general consensus of the draft talk?

Defense
First- All of the members believe that the Patriots will try to shore up the defense first in the draft. They seem to have retooled the offense a bit in free agency, sans adding a veteran running back, but Schefter added that there was still plenty of time to do that between now and the start of training camp.

When asked whether the Patriots should once again add help in the secondary first or draft a pass rusher, it was Bruschi who said they needed to address the pass rusher position first and that they need to get impact players on defense.

Mike Reiss mentioned that the Patriots had in Michael Brockers the defensive tackle from LSU on Thursday for a pre-draft visit and that may signify the Patriots interest in moving up in the draft to possibly get that impact player. Brockers is rated the 2^nd DT in the draft by ESPN and the 14^th ranked player over all.

Kraft speaks- Patriots President Jonathan Kraft spoke as the proceedings got underway and he signified that the Patriots plan on making use of all of their draft picks this year. Whether that means using them in the position they are currently slotted or trading up or down remains to be seen.

Right now the Patriots own two 1^st round draft picks, two 2^nd round picks and one pick each in the 3^rd and 4^th round. Currently the team owns no picks in the 5^th – 7^th round. Another consensus of the panel was that the Patriots will be picking in the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th rounds, so read into that what you will.

A final note on Kraft, he speaks off the cuff with his remarks as well as any politician should speak. His talk was as if he had a teleprompter in front of him, maybe he has a photographic memory and has a speech already prepared. Either way ….very impressive.

Speaking about subterfuge and draft day “smokescreens” Mike Reiss had an interesting comment, he said “we all remember Bill Belichick and the very public pre-draft dinner he had with Tim Tebow at Tresca in the North End. A lot of people were putting down the Patriots to landing Tebow, which they passed on.”

“Now contrast this with Nate Solder’s pre-draft visit last year” Reiss said. “The Patriots scheduled this workout with Solder and at the last minute cancelled it. Many people thought that signified that they had lost interest. Come draft day, the Patriots draft Solder with their #1 pick, you can never count out a bit smoke-screening.”

On the same note, Adam Schefter said, “I never ask the Patriots what their plan is, but I will ask them what they feel other teams are going to do. They have a real good feel for that and that will affect how they will proceed when their time is on the clock.”

Schefter added “It truly is nearly impossible to say how a team is going to address the draft because it will all depend on how the board plays out in front of them. Only then will they know in which direction they’re going to go.”

There was a great question and answer session where audience members got to ask the panel or an individual a question on the draft or the Patriots in general and it flowed very nicely. Each of the panelists gave some great, clear, concise answers. The discussion flowed and the pace kept everyone involved. Thanks to Gillette, and ESPN for a fun filled football evening.

The New England Patriots continue to re-tool the offense during the free agency period and have been paying a lot of attention to the Fullback position. They recently signed Cowboys free agent FB Tony Fiametta as well as FB/LB Spencer Larson.

Without having a true FB on the roster since Heath Evans left for New Orleans in 2008, they used Sammy Morris in that role a bit and have used an extra tight end before bringing in Lousaka Polite last season before jettisoning him yesterday. So does this mean the Patriots are going to go with more two back sets on offense?

Not necessarily, they may line up in short yardage situations and give the FBs some carries there to ease up the burden on youngsters Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. And the diminutive Danny Woodhead is not a real short yardage guy, so that makes sense from that end.

But the real reason may be in pass protection, with Kevin Faulk probably going to retire this season, the Patriots best pass blocker in the backfield is going away. Look no farther than Buffalo who upgraded their pass rush with Mario Williams. And no one will benefit more by having Williams on one side than Mark Anderson who notched 12.5 sacks with the Patriots last season. Buffalo now goes from a poor pass rush team to an excellent one. Miami and the Jets are also looking to upgrade their pass rushers.

The Patriots offense under Josh McDaniels, has always featured a FB, now with some competition there, the Patriots under Bill Belichick, as always, are a step ahead of the game and are preparing to have players who can stay in and block and if necessary catch the ball out of the backfield. Neither Ridley nor Vereen (in limited action) stood as pass blockers. Woodhead is too small to effectively do it, and it takes the 3rd TE out of the equation while keeping a FB in the backfield to better protect QB Tom Brady. They won’t be taking a lot of carries away from the other three backs but offering a change of pace guy and a versatile one who can block or slip outside and catch the ball will make the offense even more difficult to stop.

Stay tuned to Patriots 4^th & 2 podcast as we’ll be keeping up with all the moves in free agency as well as a special Wednesday, March 28 show with Mike Felger from CCSNE on the “Cap is Crap, or Is It?” We’ll also be broadcasting some special NFL Draft episodes coming with Damien Jarrett and Derek Havens.

Stay informed on all the moves on Free Agency and the Draft by checking out all of our talented writers on PatsFans.com, as well as some great stat pages by Ian Logue.

Follow me on Twitter at SteveB7SFG

The New England Patriots have been incredibly busy this off-season signing nine players from different teams as well as getting a couple of their own free agents.

Much to the chagrin of many in the fan base, the Patriots were quiet during the early days of free agency, but that has never been Bill Belichick’s way. While everyone quietly (and not so quietly) imagined the possibilities of Mario Williams on the Patriots defense, they money they would have had to spend would have made it impossible to do much else.

Instead, Belichick has done a really nice job of adding some quality veterans that will fill holes and create competition in training camp, something he loves to instill. Let’s take a look at the moves (so far) at what they’ve done:

• Tender DL Kyle Love – Love was a pleasant surprise and a big contributor on the Patriots DL last season. He and Vince Wilfork teamed up to create a nice tandem in the Patriots middle.
• Tender QB Brian Hoyer – Hoyer remains Brady’s backup, but that may change on draft day with team’s still looking for QB help.
• Re-Sign ST/WR Matthew Slater – Slater was a core special teams contributor and his remaining on the team shows the value that Belichick places on it.
• Re-sign ST/LB Niko Koutouvides – Koutouvides is another standout special teams player. He may even compete for a few snaps at linebacker this year
• Re-sign ST/LB Tracy White – White was an outstanding member of the Patriots coverage units last year. Struggled at times at LB, but worth keeping for his STs experience and value.
• Re-Sign OL Dan Connolly – Connolly is a super sub that can play anywhere along the line and last year ended up as the starting center, a position he will probably keep going into camp.
• Sign DL Jonathan Fanene – Fanene is a nice quality signing by Belichick. He wasn’t highly sought after, but will provide good, solid run support as either a 3-4 DE or at DT in a four man front. Can rush the passer a bit but is not a dominant one. He should immediately compete for starting snaps.
• Sign S Steve Gregory – Gregory’s signing is to me, a lukewarm one. Is a he a step up from the dreadful safety play of last season? Yes, but he is not the solution at starter across from Chung. What he does best is cover in the slot and that is where I hope he’ll be utilized. Can play corner in a pinch and is a very solid STs player. Versatility is the key and Belichick loves versatile players.
• Sign WR Anthony Gonzalez – Gonzalez is another bit of a head scratcher. The injury prone Gonzalez is best out of the slot and the Patriots have two slot receivers in Wes Welker and Julian Edelman. But his signing, a low-risk, high-reward type is a typical Patriots insurance policy.
• Sign OLB/DE Trevor Scott – Scott is a great signing. Scott played very well his first two seasons before being injured. Scott can rush the passer and is a nice depth signing who may push for quality reps if the team can’t bring back Mark Anderson. He’s another very good STs contributor.
• Sign WR Brandon Lloyd – The big piece of the offensive puzzle missing last year was a bigger, physical WR who can stretch the field horizontally as well as vertically. Lloyd knows the Patriots offense and should be a huge piece of the puzzle next year.
• Sign TE Daniel Fells – Is a big blocking TE that should relieve Nate Solder of those duties next season. He can on occasion catch the ball and may end up being a nice red-zone target due to Gronkowski being doubled.
• Sign WR Donte Stallworth – Stallworth is another big WR who has the speed to go deep and make those deep intermediate catches. He caught 46 passes in NE in 2007 and should compete hard for some quality reps. He and Lloyd will make the opponents attempts to cheat safeties into the box a dangerous affair.
• Sign OL Robert Gallery – Absolute steal for Bill Belichick, he loved Gallery when he came out in the draft, stating he would take Gallery first. Now with word that Logan Mankins played the Super Bowl with a torn ACL, it makes even more sense. Mankins won’t be pushed back too early and Gallery and Cannon still give the Patriots two good guards to choose from, especially if Brian Waters retires.
• Sign CB Marquice Cole – Cole is primarily a STs player who will provide depth at cornerback

Needs Filled – With these moves Bill Belichick has achieved a couple of needs at different positions that were glaring at times last year while adding to the overall depth of the roster. While these moves are a great start, free agency and the NFL Draft still await and the Patriots still need help at S, DL and RB and could use an influx of youth at WR to still name a few positions.

What’s Next? – With Wes Welker being franchised but not yet signed, expect the Patriots to draft a WR in April, their receiver core is all over 30 and could use (finally) a drafted WR who works his way into the offense.

There is still a need in the defensive line and I would expect veteran Gerard Warren to be invited back once again. Warren played some quality snaps down the stretch and into the playoffs. Warren provides, as always nice depth along the DL. Chargers free agent DL Luis Castillo was in for a visit this past weekend and he would an excellent pickup if they can agree on terms. Castillo played a different style of 3-4 defense in San Diego but I believe that he’d be a huge impact player in New England.

I think the Patriots will attempt to bring back either Mark Anderson or Andre Carter but doubt both return. Anderson is generating plenty of interest and it remains to be seen how Carter will heal up from his quad tear but they both provided a nice edge rush.
Deion Branch may still be brought back as veteran minimum and be allowed to compete for his job back but I doubt they’ll offer much more than that. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is exploring his options but the market for him seems limited and wouldn’t be surprised to see him return. At safety, James Ihedigbo is a good depth player and a solid special teams contributor but struggled in the starting lineup, it’s expected that he will return but they still need to address the position in either free agency or the draft.

So while the process continues, the Patriots, while not making the “big splash” type of signing have improved their team immeasurably and place them in prime position for the NFL Draft come April. With two picks in both the first and second round, they can be sellers or buyers depending upon who is available.

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