The Value of a 1st Round Pick

by Rawbeezeitz

There are people on this site, and elsewhere, that think the Patriots “got away with murder” and only received a proverbial slap on the wrist. There are people who think that losing a 1st round draft pick is not much of a punishment. There are people clamoring for Bill Belichick to be suspended. But if I could trade a 2 or 3 game suspension for the draft pick the Patriots lost, I would do it in a heartbeat. Hell, even a 4 or 5 game suspension.

Some common arguments out there are the comparisons to Cowboys’ QB to Wade Wilson being suspended for 5 games for possession of HGH. Then there’s the argument that suggests this punishment is nothing because the Patriots have two 1 st round picks in the 2008 draft. There was one person who even suggested that this will save the Patriots money because they won’t be paying for an extra 1 st round pick.

I just want to show the value of a 1st round pick in the hands of the New England Patriots, by showing the men selected by Belichick’s staff in the 1st round.

2007: DB Brandon Meriweather

2006: RB Laurence Maroney

2005: OL Logan Mankins

2004: DL: Vince Wilfork

2004: TE Benjamin Watson

2003: DL Ty Warren

2002: TE Daniel Graham

2001: DL Richard Seymour

So that’s the entire Patriots defensive line, the starting RB, the starting TE, a former starting TE, and a starting O-lineman. That’s nothing to sneeze at. A 1 st round pick, even a very late one, is a valuable commodity. It’s what the Patriots use to get new talent without overpaying in the free agent market. It’s why they can afford to have such a high turnover in top players. This punishment is not a slap on the wrists. It hurts. And it'll hurt a lot more next season, and the season after that, and the season after that.

So if you guys would rather have Belichick suspended, I’ll be the first one to sign any petition. Because I’d rather have a player of Laurence Maroney’s ilk for a few years, than not have Belichick for a few games.

JuTMSY4Legend

837 days ago

Score 1

So...the moral of the story is...when the chick drafts D-lineman, he does ok...everything else is a crapshoot?

Permalink | Reply

BrittschrammRed-Shirting

837 days ago

Score 0

My thoughts exactly.

Permalink

JuTMSY4Legend

837 days ago

Score 0

Well, obviously meriweather and Maroney are pushes (we don't know)...

Warren, Wilfork and Obviously seymour are studs...

and Watson, Mankins and Graham...well...ehhhhh

Permalink

BrittschrammRed-Shirting

837 days ago

Score 0

Watson has the ability (his rundown of Champ Bailey two years ago was very impressive for a TE) and Mankins is a year or two away from being a stud. I can't explain Graham though.

Permalink

RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

837 days ago

Score 1

I'd say Graham had a solid tenure in New England. Mankins is part of a very impressive offensive line. Watson looks good so far. Maroney and Meriweather it's still early.

Permalink

MetsJetsDevilsDraft Pick

837 days ago

Score 0

While I don't believe it is an either or situation, I think that suspended Bellicheck would have been the right thing to do. Surely taking away a draft pick is punishment, but teams have mutliple draft picks, go plenty of drafts without a 1st rd pick for one reason or another, and can easily compensate for lack of picks through the free agent market. Whats more is that by giving the either or penalty, the league signals that they don't want the punishment to be too severe. In that regard, Seymour and Warren were both picked early in the draft, so if the Pats did gain that pick, that would mean they were out of the playoffs and they would retain their 1st rd pick and lose their 2nd and 3rd. Furthermore, if San Fran finishes last this year, NE gets the 1st overall pick anyway.

Permalink | Reply

RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

837 days ago

Score 1

When teams don'thave a 1st round pick, it's because they've traded it for something, like other picks, or a player. When you get nothing for it, it is a major loss. A loss that is felt for years, not just a few weeks.

Permalink

Yakob878MVP

837 days ago

Score 1

its spelled belichick

Permalink | Reply

Silencer76AAA-er

837 days ago

Score 0

I had expected a two game suspension and forfeiture of 2nd, 4th and 5th rounders. That was what I felt would be a solid hand out. I don't think people are saying the Patriots got away with murder so much as that they are voicing the displeasure that the Pats still will have a first round pick due to the deal they made with San Fran. If Goodell really wanted to drop the hammer, he easily could have revoked both of them from the New England organization.

Permalink | Reply

Taytay 24All-American

837 days ago

Score 1

Why does this keep coming up? Having two first rounders next year doesn't make losing one painless.

The Patriots already gave up their 2007 first round pick to get San Fran's first rounder next year--that price has already been paid. They had planned on getting two first round selections next year; now they only get one. That's a punishment.

If they felt it was worth two first round draft picks, they would have been much more likely to take the Pats picks in 2008 and 2009. The fact that the Pats acquired a second first round pick from the 49ers, and the likelihood that the pick will be better than the pick the Pats lost, is irrelevant.

Permalink