WWBD

What would Bill do?  Or more appropriately, what will Bill do?  Nobody seems to know. I don’t think even Belichick knows what Belichick will do.  He has so few peers he sometimes has to play mind games with himself. He doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis.

I don’t think my mindset going into the NFL draft is much different from other Patriots’ fans.  I secretly entertain the hope Trader Bill moves up the board to take a defensive difference maker, but I am resigned to the fact that Belichick is far more likely to trade down or into next year than he is to make both his first round picks.  I chuckle when a co-worker asks, “Do you think he’s trading down again?” 

“Oh, yeah,” I say, in a weak attempt at the reverse jinx.  “He’s trading down.  Or into next year.”  I nod, I shrug, I give that palms up gesture that says “I got nothing.”

I actually think it’s better than even money he trades away both 27 and 31. 

That would not be the sexy.

As for trading up, I have to say, who’s worth it?  At this point, just about every player in the draft has had some holes punched in his game by the Pigskin Pundits and Bobbleheads.  Mentally, I’ve crossed off the names of every player who has ever had a surgery, or a broken bone, or an arrest, or has as many baby-mamas as he has babies, or was inconsistent but with the right coaching staff he might meet his full potential. In all likelihood, a guy who was a lock for the Top 10 four weeks ago will fall to #27 Thursday night.  Why not sit tight and see how things shake out? Maybe it was a minor surgery that’s fully healed and he ran well at his pro day. Maybe boys will be boys and while they’re being boys sometimes they get arrested.  It was simply the follies of youth. He really grew up since that DUI, really turned his life around.

But I know what you’re thinking because I’m thinking it, too. 

Tom Brady is 35.  That’s like 62 in football years!  We’ve only got so many years left with Tom Terrific under center.  If there’s a Clay Matthews in this draft, the Patriots need to identify him and do whatever it takes to move up and take him!

Or not. 

As sexy as trading up and making a big splash is, there’s really nobody I see in the draft I’d be willing to give up 27 and 31 for.  The only Top 10 talent in this draft I would love to see in a Patriots uniform is Alabama running back Trent Richardson and New England would probably need to give up more than 27 and 31 to get him.

So, let me throw an icy cold glass of “Don’t draft a running back in the first round” in my face and move on.

My best case scenario is that Belichick doesn’t make a trade and at least 5 of the 6 picks are on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage. 

Even better, Thursday afternoon, Matt Light makes the announcement that he’s changed his mind and he’s coming back for one more season.

We’re getting the band back together!

Okay, that’s probably not happening.  It seems more likely that when we get to opening day kickoff, Brady will be the only man on the roster from the 2001 team that brought the first Lombardi Trophy to Foxborough. Maybe that’s the way it should be. A fresh start. A new team. A new season. It all starts Thursday night.

It’s got a beat; I could dance to it…

That's me* on the left.

*Not really.