Today's Q&A with Mike Reiss

i'll be there

mike reiss is the man

Love these weekly chats Mike.
By far the best Pats blog on the web.

The Pat's need a new uniform. The helmet logo has to go. Because the logo looks goofy on the clothes most of us want to buy at the sports shops.

I suggest a Florida State look. Gold helmet, with Indian arrows. ND Navy blue uniform tops, with gold pants.

Bobby Orr's uniform in that 1972 poster looked really cool, compared to Brady's uniform.. Gold matters. As you will find out in the next few years. Even Kraft is allocating more of his $1 billion into gold.

Bill I think you are wrong the uniforms are fine as they are.

Bill, can't see how this is germane to MikeR's draft chat promotion, but I can't resist.
I think the current deep gray/blue color scheme is fine, but frankly I'm a little embarrassed by the logo.

The description "Flying Elvis" says it all: a hideous logo design that most Pat fans have never warmed to. The continued popularity of old Pat merchandise is convincing evidence: the fanbase speaks loudest with its dollars.

But don't expect any changes soon: the scope & scale and sheer cost to re-design and fully deploy an new NFL franchise brand mark is pretty prohibitive. And Kraft Inc. is having it both ways now with big profits rolling in from TWO symbols!

Mike: The Patriots have the third toughest schedule in the NFL in 2009. Last year the Steelers overcame the league's toughest schedule to win the SB, but, historically, teams with comparably tough schedules have faced a daunting challenge. Good teams with excellent QBs seem best suited to meet and overcome the challenge of a tough schedule [See, John Clayton's ESPN article of April 13th]. However, given the tough schedule as well as Brady's return from reconstructive knee surgery, is it realistic to expect an 11 or 12 win season as some have predicted?

Mike,

Thank you for your excellent reporting!

Hey Mike!

Great work, enjoy the frequent updates on anything Patriots. Would you say that with the right addidtions, the 2009 Pats could be better than that of 2007? With the tough schedule, I´m not expecting a perfect season, but it seems we could be well stacked on all positions. Also, how much will that Pats focus on CB early in the draft? We already have Bodden and Springs through FA, and Wheatley and Wilhite, with a year under their belts

How about moving Lawrence Maroney to tight end?

Hello MIke what do you think the chances are the patriots could make a move on Robert ayers?

Thanks Mike, enjoyed the Pats chatter. As for the logo, don't knock the one we have, we have 3 sb rings with this logo!!!

Hi Gerry. I think it's realistic, given good health, to predict an 11- to 12-win season. I'm not a big strength of schedule guy. Frederik, I hadn't really put too much thought into the 2009 team vs. 2007, but I think they could be as good, if not better. It's just too hard to project right now. We have to go through the process on the field in camp to get a better idea. I could see them picking a CB if the right guy is there. Maine fisherman, I don't see a Maroney move to TE. Benny, if Ayers is there are 17-18-19, and they feel strongly about him, I could see it.
--Mike

Andre Smith, Oher, Davis, Maualuga; these are all potentially top 20 players that could imaginably “fall” to the Patriots at 23, but players, nonetheless, that don’t quite fit what the Patriots need most where they need it most, square pegs for round holes. Any of those USC linebackers would eventually contribute & develop into a role for the Patriot’s; but, at 23, the value’s not certain. Plus, it’s hard to fairly evaluate those kinds of prospects, when you see 6+ draft-eligible players from the same side of the ball from the same team. Together, they all make each other look better than they really are. Maybe the Patriots have to think about how they can move around to try to get the guys they need at a better value along with what I’d call a little bit of “defensive drafting.”

For example: the Steelers, are arguably the biggest obstacle between the Pat’s and another SuperBowl victory for their 50th anniversary season. And probably the biggest obstacle for any team in their own division. And they really, really, need a Center. But so do the Bengal’s, Texans, Cardinals, Eagles, Chiefs, & Vikings. And the Steelers probably want Alex Mac at that 32nd spot. But they’re also a team that could still get value out of Davis at 32nd and wait for Eric Wood to fall to them. So, what would happen if the Pats enticed a team like the Bengals, a team that’s in the Steeler’s division (with Marvin Lewis in the hot-seat, desperate for a quick turn-around to stave-off firing), that, with the Pats’ 23rd spot, could presumably reach for either player, like, in exchange for their second pick this year and, roughly, the equivalent remaining value in one pick in next year’s draft (it works out to a pick somewhere around the 76th pick)?

Well, if the Bengals take the deal, they do so in the hope that they can use Davis as an all-purpose DB for some time to come. And, if he’s sign-able, they’ll take, him. This forces Philly, Tennessee, and Arizona, respectively, to consider where they can get the best value at the around the 30th pick: the 3rd or 4th best at a skilled position (corner, receiver, etc) or, potentially, the best of a good crop of guards & centers? I figure this leads Andy Reid to take Unger, who can develop and compete at both center & guard; which, in turn, forces Fischer to take a harder look at Mack. And, depending on what running-backs are still available, Wisenhunt could also pull the trigger on a pure center like Mack. At best, it leaves the Steelers with the third best CB or Eric Wood to choose from, and at way too high to reach for either. And if they don’t take either, both Woods and Luigs are sure to be gone by the time they get to pick again.

Of course, if the Bengals were to go with a center, that high, they’d take Mack for themselves, but only partly for that he answers a need; that is, his value, for them, is enhanced in that it keeps a vital piece from a division rival. In this scenario, a team like the Ravens would have to weigh the benefit of taking on a project like Davis against getting the next best receiver or insider-linebacker. Either way, it triggers Philly to go for Unger, but this time generating a run on the position, with both the Cardinals and the Titans looking to acquire Wood before he passes through Pittsburgh; and with more than a few teams looking to take Luigs before the Steelers can pick again. It’s not too much unlike the Pats taking Maroney, so that the Colts would have to take Addai.

But, beyond all of this, it gives the Pats another 2nd round pick, right where it seems most of the value is, for the types of players we’re talking about: Sintim, Brown, Barwin, English, Delmas, Meredith, Robinson, Moore, etc.. But, if you all think the Pat’s would pull the trigger on Unger @ 23….

For the first time, the "chat" box didn't work today. Didn't work when I clicked "watch now" nor when I clicked "replay." It says at the bottom of the screen "javascript (0)". Anyone else having problems--or know a solution?

Do you see the Pats trading a pick for Chad Johnson at all?

I would let him pee on my feet..

Go Mayo!

Like John, I was also not able to open the replay.

If the Globe (as is rumored) wants to start charging for access to Boston.com, the least they could do is make the technology work.

Very disappointing and frustrating for all the fans of Mike Reiss who are being shut out today.

Trade 1 and a 2 for Boldin?

John and Tom, it worked for me. If it still doesn't work by Friday morning, email me and I'll take care of it. Apologies.
--Mike