New England Sports Thread

[phincsfan]

This observation might not matter for beans, but Boutte is proving that LSU WRs in the NFL are kind of like Kentucky guards in the NBA: worth drafting

went from (I think) barely making the roster to looking like a piece worth keeping moving forward

If there’s a reason to tank not for a QB it’s this year. NE can get a haul if they can get the loss.

Boutte has that crazy betting story in college.

[31to6]

This observation might not matter for beans, but Boutte is proving that LSU WRs in the NFL are kind of like Kentucky guards in the NBA: worth drafting

went from (I think) barely making the roster to looking like a piece worth keeping moving forward

If there’s a reason to tank not for a QB it’s this year. NE can get a haul if they can get the loss.

Boutte has that crazy betting story in college.

I'm all about losing this game and trading the #1 to NYG for #4, and taking Hunter or McMillan

[31to6]

Gibson just fumbled a handoff so bad that I wonder if they slipped him a few hundos to do it
GREAT PLAY

[31to6]

Milton continuing to look good and even Javon Baker caught a pass(!)
Patriots may need to lay the ball on the ground at least one more time to lose this

[31to6]

lol good game Pats; still draft Hunter or TMac assuming one of them is there at #4

[ParticleMan]

mayo can't even get losing right. so long and thanks for all the fish jerod.

[Parliament10]

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[TSmith0197]

Pats win and Celtics lost bad day for NE sport teams.

[Parliament10]

Pats win and Celtics lost bad day for NE sport teams.

Maine Won.

[31to6]

going from #1 to #4 in the draft is peanuts compared to going from Mayo + staff to Vrabel + staff

Now we can fret about if Eliot Wolf is the guy to make the decisions in FA and the draft, but hat tip to the Patriots for moving quickly on this -- assuming Vrabel signs on the line that is dotted

[fallguy]

I'm going to hammer this thread with Red Sox content all summer.

[31to6]

I'm going to hammer this thread with Red Sox content all summer.

look forward to it. Do you like their pitching additions?

[fallguy]

I'm going to hammer this thread with Red Sox content all summer.

look forward to it. Do you like their pitching additions?

Yeah, very much. I'd still like one more power arm from the right side out of the bullpen but they have the depth to weather a few injuries in the rotation and they've raised the staff's overall ceiling. I'm also bullish on Bello to make a leap this year.

The lineup imbalances and infield defense feels like they will take until next offseason to fully realign though. But I will take a wild card and rookie years from Campbell, Anthony and (maybe) Mayer and be quite happy.

You?

[31to6]

Spoiler:

I'm going to hammer this thread with Red Sox content all summer.

look forward to it. Do you like their pitching additions?

Yeah, very much. I'd still like one more power arm from the right side out of the bullpen but they have the depth to weather a few injuries in the rotation and they've raised the staff's overall ceiling. I'm also bullish on Bello to make a leap this year.

The lineup imbalances and infield defense feels like they will take until next offseason to fully realign though. But I will take a wild card and rookie years from Campbell, Anthony and (maybe) Mayer and be quite happy.

You?

me = don't follow MLB much, total bandwagon Sox fan. I'm sorry I didn't lead with that! I appreciate your analysis.

[ParticleMan]

I'm going to hammer this thread with Red Sox content all summer.

look forward to it. Do you like their pitching additions?

Yeah, very much. I'd still like one more power arm from the right side out of the bullpen but they have the depth to weather a few injuries in the rotation and they've raised the staff's overall ceiling. I'm also bullish on Bello to make a leap this year.

The lineup imbalances and infield defense feels like they will take until next offseason to fully realign though. But I will take a wild card and rookie years from Campbell, Anthony and (maybe) Mayer and be quite happy.

You?

Bello pulling a Tanner Houck would be so huge but he's such a tease I refuse to get my hopes up. Very happy about Crochet, he was the one guy I wanted this offseason. Makes our whole rotation better, Houck is a weak #1 but a strong #2. Not sold on Walker Buehler, hoping he gets back to form but not counting on it. Also what's with collecting all these pitchers coming off TJ surgery? Seems dicey.

[cl2117]

If I'm Drake Maye I'm telling Mayo/Kraft to let me play and then ensuring that they lose this game to secure the #1 pick.

Can't risk handing the keys over to Jacoby or Joe Milton and having them do their version of Drew Lock's ridiculous week 17 performance that lost the Giants control over the #1 pick in the first place. Go out there and do what needs to be done, throwing as many easy pick 6's as you need to, at the end of the day everyone will love you for it.

This is the #1 overall pick we're talking about. You can stay put and pick the #1 overall prospect in Travis Hunter to pair with Maye (or Gonzalez on defense if you want to go that route). You can probably trade back to #3 and still get Hunter as well as an extra 2nd or two or even a 1st. You could trade back even further and pick up multiple 1sts while still getting a top 10 talent.

We're locked in at 4th overall regardless, but the swing from #4 to #1 is probably worth a first round pick if not more. There is no way in hell a week 18 win against a Bills team that's likely playing it's 2nd/3rd string guys is in any way, shape or form worth losing that pick.

For the love of god please don't **** this up.

You were on this early my guy: Milton 10-for-10 and just threw a 48y strike to put them up 14-7.
Hope the Bills backups give a **** and start playing some defense

Par for the course that we managed to screw ourselves one last time this season. In all fairness we didn't deserve the #1 pick, but that makes it sting all the more given that we could have ended this year having seemingly landed a franchise QB and in pole position to make moves to put a ton of talent around him, and we **** the bed at the final hurdle.

I've got the sinking feeling that we trade back now. Which sucks because both the QBs with round 1 grades will be off the board by #4 and teams generally don't pay the same premium to move up for non-QB talent. Would much rather stick there and take T-Mac and hope he can be our Mike Evans for the next decade. At the moment drafting a tackle seems to be the prevailing consensus on what we should do, but it's a weak class, as much as we need O line help to keep Drake alive I think you gotta go for upside with such a high pick. Swing for the fences.

Not the end of the world, but talk about fumbling away a golden opportunity.

[jmr07019]

Like everybody else I was frustrated with the win in Foxborough last weekend. Felt like we didn’t open things up and sling the ball around like that all season. Where were the half back dives up the middle when you need them?!

Hoping a third QB rises and Pats get Travis Hunter or maybe we do a small trade like Milton + 4 for 3. Pats need to change the culture and their perception around the league. Hunter (and new coaching staff) will do that. I would make him full time WR.

Nobody wanted to come to New England last offseason when we had money and I’m worried we will find the same thing this offseason. The new coach is going to have to sell guys on his vision. This is partly why I want Hunter. If he has a good rookie season the Pats will have some buzz headed into ‘26 FA and finally be able to sign some guys.

Do people have strong feelings on Ben Johnson vs Vrabel? I’d be happy with either but I am hoping for Johnson. I want an offensive minded coach.

[cl2117]

Like everybody else I was frustrated with the win in Foxborough last weekend. Felt like we didn’t open things up and sling the ball around like that all season. Where were the half back dives up the middle when you need them?!

Hoping a third QB rises and Pats get Travis Hunter or maybe we do a small trade like Milton + 4 for 3. Pats need to change the culture and their perception around the league. Hunter (and new coaching staff) will do that. I would make him full time WR.

Nobody wanted to come to New England last offseason when we had money and I’m worried we will find the same thing this offseason. The new coach is going to have to sell guys on his vision. This is partly why I want Hunter. If he has a good rookie season the Pats will have some buzz headed into ‘26 FA and finally be able to sign some guys.

Do people have strong feelings on Ben Johnson vs Vrabel? I’d be happy with either but I am hoping for Johnson. I want an offensive minded coach.

I think the Travis Hunter ship sailed when we won last week. It's going to cost a lot more than Milton to get the Giants to move off that pick. Even though they snagged Nabers last year, they'll either double up this year or trade back trying to get a haul way in excess of Joe (assuming the Titans and Browns go QB 1/2). Someone else will leapfrog us if that pick is getting moved. I wouldn't be surprised if Milroe or Ewers go in the 1st round but I don't see either being picked at #3 (more likely Giants move back from #3 to like #11 and take Milroe there while picking up another 1st).

And can you imagine the optics of us trading something like a 2nd or 3rd to move up one spot to get Hunter when all we had to do is lose week 18 to have him anyway? Not that optics should ever get in the way of snagging a superstar, but talk about salt in the wound.

I think I'd lean towards Ben Johnson as well as that probably will help develop Maye the quickest by pairing him with an offensive minded coach. Snag T-Mac at #4 and then spend the cap space on veteran O-line support that can keep Drake upright and we could have the makings of something special on that side of the ball. Vrabel would be great too, he managed to get more from less when he was with the Titans, but ultimately the NFL is a QB driven league so anything we can do to elevate Maye towards being an elite QB we should pounce on.

[31to6]

I don't have an opinion on Vrabel vs Ben Johnson, but I'm glad if the Patriots interview both of them. And then ... who is making this decision? Mostly Robert Kraft? Is Wolf just kind of hanging around, like last year?

[Parliament10]

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