According to Malcom Brown, he is the best player the New England Patriots have ever drafted. Tom Brady might have something to say about that as well the other players that get selected in later rounds by the Super Bowl winners. The Patriots opted to address their defensive needs and select Brown who will likely fill the void of Vince Wilfork on the line. With that need out of the way, day two of the NFL Draft could see another running back or wide receiver head to Foxboro.
According to the Boston Herald, LeGarrette Blount's suspension and Danny Amendola's inconsistencies may lead to the Patriots selecting skill position players in round two or three of the draft. Blount will be out the first game of the year after violating the league's substance abuse policy. The Herald believes there is a real chance the running back gets released at some point to save cap space. These types of suspension normally do not sit well with the Patriots and if they draft a back soon, it could be the end for Blount.
The Herald reports that while Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon were looked at in pre-draft visits, players like TJ Yeldon, Tevin Coleman or Duke Johnson could be the ideal fits while not costing the team too much. The Patriots have depth on the roster, but it is unclear who will remain and who will not. Jonas Gray and James White would be quality options while Brandon Bolden returns are being injured last year.
The Patriots took a lot of time this offseason to look at free agent wide receivers. They were linked to trade deals for both Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. They did sign Brandon Gibson to a short-term contract, but he is not guaranteed to make the roster along with Aaron Dobson who struggled last year. Getting a late-round wide receiver could be a solid option for the Patriots who relied heavily on Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell. Chris Conley, Devin Smith and Sammie Coates will be around in later rounds and could work well with Brady by giving him another true down-field threat and scoring option.
