2018 NFL off-season thread: Mr. Alex Smith goes to Washington

To be fair, the Patriots traded a first-round pick to the Saints for him last year along with a third-rounder and got back a four.

In the trade with the Rams, the Patriots are also giving up a fourth-round pick and getting back a sixth-rounder.

 

The Rams' first rounder is number 23. Cooks went for better than that last year. Local speculation here is that the pick accumulation is so that Belichick can move up and draft another QB to replace Garoppolo whom Kraft ordered him to trade. Or, and this one indicates how we've legalized marijuana here, that Belichick wants Beckham, Jr.

 

Cooks is 24, no way is he over the hill. I'm guessing the Pats were hoping to extend him but didn't like the number they got back. Somebody will pay him$14m a year in his next contract.

 

He was also knocked loose from his senses in the Super Bowl. Both sides have to share medical reports, but maybe Belichick is a little spooked because of Edelman missing a whole year.

 

Cooks also won’t be essential because Malcolm Mitchell will be back as a deep threat. I think Brady was more comfortable with Mitchell as a rookie than Cooks last year.

 

The genius of Belichick is managing the cap, more than any offense or defensive innovation. And it isn't like football has those analytics like baseball where you can forecast what the net result will be before making a move.

 

There's some wishful thinking. They sure as hell wouldn't have traded a number one for Cooks if they thought they were getting him for just a year, then they'd get back the guy they really wanted.

 

Any NFL beat reporters looking for a good off-season story bound to get a few clicks, put together a list/seating chart of NFL ownership as if it was a school cafeteria.
Who sits with who? Who are the outcasts?
I'm guessing Jerry Jones hangs with Kroenke, Davis, York, Bidwell and Spanos (the "cool kids"). Mara hangs with Rooney, Hunt and Kraft (the respectable kids who get good grades) McCaskey and Martha Ford hang out, (probably working on a project) Dan Snyder probably sits with Paul Allen and maybe Shahid Kahn and Biscotti (the geek squad) The families of Bowlen, Adams, and Benson share a table (their older siblings were much more popular). McNair hangs out with Richardson, talking crud about everyone in the room in a low voice than cackling hysterically.

I have to think Mike Brown is the kid selling milk in the corner while nibbling on his PB&J.

 

What's wishful about it? I'm not saying they preferred Mitchell, just that he and Brady seemed to have better chemistry. Cooks was fine. He wasn't deadly. He was a threat but I didn't think he was essential. Mitchell will be back so I'm fine with getting a draft picks for Cooks.

 

They got a year of Cooks for a pick 9 slots ahead a year later. Pretty good deal. And the speculation in the Globe is the opposite of that.

 

The speculation I've heard and read so far has the Patriots using those picks to replenish the roster rather than packaging them to move up for a quarterback or for Beckham.

I'm sure Belichik could make things work with Beckham just as he did with Moss, but I'm not sure he'd want to do that. The Patriots need to rebuild their depth and they have concerns on the offensive line and on defense.

 

They do need a quarterback, but could do as you say and also use a pick to grab a second-tier prospect.