New England Patriots: 3 draft strategies Robert Kraft would love

Second, the New England Patriots expand their pool of possible draftees

No great revelation here. The past strategy was loopy and failed. Time for a new strategy, especially when the guy who writes the checks says he ain’t happy. Kraft wrote out a check for about $150M or so to cover free agency. Ouch! He has a right to expect more.

So, hopefully, the Patriots will employ a maximalist rather than a minimalist strategy in their evaluation of players. Meaning, understand that there are more than a handful of players who can play for the Patriots in the NFL draft. Just try to find the right ones.

This means that the foolishness of trading up to essentially dump draft picks is out the window and a logical, rational strategy of maybe trading up but only for an exceptional player is to be advised.

A guy like linebacker Grant Stuard of Houston, who knows, could be the next Tedy Bruschi. Take a flier on players like that in the 6th and 7th rounds. You never know.

Quantity is to be looked upon as an attribute, especially in the lower rounds. Draft more players and the likelihood of hitting on a few of them is higher than just drafting a few, wasting picks on them, and having them flop as in last year’s draft.

The Patriots’ path is clear in 2021, trade up to get the young quarterback (whatever it takes) and then draft the lower rounds for steals.