http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/55639/should-patriots-trade-first-round-pick

Tied for fewest picks for 2013 draft.  Patriots have been trying to revamp since 2005. And, depending on one's perspective, have had questionable success in getting our defense to the top 5. 

There are different ways to skin a cat, but it still seems that we need more talent at DE/OL and at the DB position.

It will be interesting what the patriots will do to shore up holes on the team. We still need to improve OL, DE/OL, and DB more than WR. Who knows if BB will keep the existing picks, trade up, or trade down. 

No, those picks won't haunt us, certainly didn't help us though. More times than not, those picks aren't huge contributors. 

Cannon, Ebner, Smith, Mesko, Larson, Pryor, Ingram, Bussey, Slater, Ruud have been the 5th and 6th round picks we've had since '07.

 

Some of them have been contributors. But I wouldn't say losing any of those players would have haunted this team.

 

Pats will just need to be extra diligent on the picks they do have and signing undrafted FA's/

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In response to ClarkGriswold's comment:

It's a numbers game for the draft.  Obviously, they won't be able address all of the needs via the draft alone. As much as people want to say it's a science...it's not.
To me, it's important for the team to get over the hump defensively. If it remains like it is for the next two years, I think the chances to make it to another SB while TB is here will fall.

 

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If BB has a short list, has 18+ mil in cap space and likes most of his young team, I like our chances.

Uggh.

What is wrong with you crusty?

Do you purposely mislead or are you really this dumb?

The Pats don't have 18M to pick up about 5 persons of need to get over the hump.

They have 18M to replace or re-sign about 20 guys.  3 of those guys alone could(will) eat up that 18M, if you keep them.  Then you have guys like Edelman, Woody, Arrington, Branch, Chung, stalworth, White, ect who will demand more than 1.5 M each to keep or replaced with some 500k jags.  Some will be in the draft, 5-7 but that also takes 3.5-5m to sign.  That still leaves another 6-8, 3-400k guys.  Then you have some unproductive Guys (not Fa's) that need to be cut and replaced.

Then you have the 5-8M BB likes to keep for emergencies.

Sorry, but those numbers don't add up. All told, to sign or replace the top tier quys, you need that 18, another 10-15 to re- sign 1o second tier guys and another 5-7 to sign the draft picks and the remaining guys.  Then you have 5-7 for emergencies.

The minimum, I see is 35M to replace those 18+ guys  and have some reserve.  If they don't resign Volmer, Wes and Talib, you can do it but who replaces them for cheap?  You would have to add more money , -18 + ?????? for their replacements.  These guys are not on the team.  Who are they going to replace more than half  of the secondary with AGAIN?  Arrington, Barret, Chung, Cole, Martin, Talib, ALL fa's.

Of course losing wasted picks hurt.  Those picks are more than likely cheaper alternatives to washed up FA's .  You are not going to build a team for the future with them.

There will be casulties of good players that will have to be replaced with cheaper models and possibly weaken the team,

The D blows, plain and simple.  You are the only person in the world who doesn't know that.

There are a handful of guys (7 out of 27) worth keeping and the ONLY thing they are close to is more impending disaster, more last minute game losing drives, more failed 3rd down conversions and another 100, 20+ yard passes flying overhead for TD's and more so-called starters  being replaced. AGAIN!!!