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| Andrew Perna & The Patriots Board. 10th April, 2008 - 1:51 pm
 Here at RealGM our hearts beat thanks to the thousands upon thousands of posters who frequent our forums on a daily basis. With the NFL season still months from kicking off, but the ever-important NFL Draft just weeks away, what better time than now to check in with the people who care about football even more than some of the players on the field?
2007 Record: 16-0 (1st in AFC East)
Additions: Victor Hobson, LB, Fernando Bryant, CB
Subtractions: Asante Samuel, CB (PHI), Donte Stallworth, WR (CLE), Randall Gay, CB (NO)
Draft Picks: 7th (from SF)
The Answers
1. What was the best thing(s) that happened in 2007?
Celtics_Champs: Going undefeated in the regular season, and making it to the Super Bowl.
Basketball Jesus: Going undefeated during the regular season.
TheCelticTruth: Playing football to near perfection early on.
Pats19and0: Going 18-0.
sunshinekids99: Posting a 16-0 regular season record was the best thing.
2. What was the worst thing that happened in 2007?
Celtics_Champs: Marquise Hill passing away.
Basketball Jesus: Take your pick: the death of Marquise Hill, losing a true perfect season in the Super Bowl to an inferior team, or something about cameras…
TheCelticTruth: Off the field the loss of Marquise Hill. On the field, choking in a playoff game for the second time in two years against a Manning.
Pats19and0: Losing Marquise Hill.
sunshinekids99: I suppose I'm heartless for not saying Hill, but I have to go with losing the Super Bowl to an average NFL team.
3. Who had a breakout season?
Celtics_Champs: James Sanders is one player who had an unexpectedly great year.
Basketball Jesus: On offense Logan Mankins, who was arguably the best guard in the league this past season. On defense, Vince Wilfolk. With Richard Seymour not at one-hundred percent and Ty Warren having a down season, Wilfolk fit in nicely and established himself as one of the best young tackles in the game.
TheCelticTruth: Sanders was called ‘the steadiest player on the team’ by the coaches, so I’ll go with him.
Pats19and0: Sanders
sunshinekids99: Offensively, Wes Welker because the guy was always open and made a lot of huge plays for the team. Defensively, Wilfolk who was like an immovable object. He had a dominant year, and I think he’ll only get better. Vrabel shouldn't get overlooked either.
4. Who was the biggest disappointment?
Celtics_Champs: Some will say Adalius Thomas, but I will go with Seymour. His injury was a huge disappointment.
Basketball Jesus: Offensively, Light. Despite the plaudits and accolades, he regressed to merely an adequate left tackle this season. Defensively, Wilson. He came back from injury and looked nothing like the standout back he was in 2005-2006.
TheCelticTruth: Wilson by far, and maybe Chad Jackson if we hadn't had so many receivers.
Pats19and0: Light or Seymour.
sunshinekids99: Light, because he's average at best. I still can't believe that he was an All-Pro. Also, Ellis Hobbs. Early in the year I thought he played well, but as the season went on he regressed.
5. How could the team have been more successful?
Celtics_Champs: The offensive line could have showed up in the Super Bowl.
Basketball Jesus: If we paid more attention to depth along the offensive line and in the secondary.
TheCelticTruth: Had the offensive line not played like a junior varsity team in the Super Bowl, also the defense finishing games.
Pats19and0: If we beat the Giants.
sunshinekids99: Had we kicked a damn field goal on 4th and 13.
6. What do you make of the team’s offseason progress at this point?
Celtics_Champs: It could be better, but we re-signed Randy and that was number one on the list. I’m glad we got it done.
Basketball Jesus: Re-signing Moss and Jabar Gaffney was critical to repeating the offensive success we enjoyed in 2007. Releasing Rosy Colvin was a bit of a head-scratcher but probably necessary due to his injury history and cap hit.
TheCelticTruth: As always, hard to say with certainty. I like the cheap fill-ins we signed, and Fernando Bryant is a solid player.
Pats19and0: Good, we kept Randy.
sunshinekids99: The return of Moss and Gaffney was huge for the Pats, but the real question will be if the corners they brought in can get the job done.
7. Where are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Celtics_Champs: Linebacker, cornerback, and the offensive line.
Basketball Jesus: An infusion of youth on the offensive line, presumably a right tackle. Ditto on linebacker, and the secondary could also use an impact corner.
TheCelticTruth: Inside-linebacker and cornerback are our biggest needs.
Pats19and0: Inside-linebacker and corner, as well.
sunshinekids99: Offensive line, linebacker, and defensive back.
8. Who do you hope the team drafts with their first pick?
Celtics_Champs: Vernon Gholston.
Basketball Jesus: Darren McFadden or Leodis McKelvin.
TheCelticTruth: I hope we trade our pick because the guaranteed money for a seventh pick is huge. If we keep it, Gholston has enough talent to justify, as do Jake Long and Ryan Clady.
Pats19and0: Hopefully, we can trade it for a shutdown corner.
sunshinekids99: I expect them to trade down and take the best corner available.
9. Which player will be on the hot seat in 2008?
Celtics_Champs: Tough one. I really do not know.
Basketball Jesus: Light. Teams now know he is a liability and will attack his side more frequently with speedy rushers.
TheCelticTruth: Is it possible that Tom Brady could be on the hot seat? Laurence Maroney, Seymour, Brandon Meriweather, and Thomas are my other candidates.
Pats19and0: Light.
sunshinekids99: Light. He could actually lose his job this coming season.
10. What are the realistic expectations for 2008 at this point?
Celtics_Champs: If we fortify both the cornerback and linebacker positions, I expect us to be back in the Super Bowl. Hopefully, winning the whole thing – four out of eight would be sweet.
Basketball Jesus: A sharp decline, but still a playoff team and a contender.
TheCelticTruth: As crazy as it is, another Super Bowl pursuit is what is in the works. Simply a playoff berth is the likely worst case as they might flirt with perfection again (not that it is any more likely than before).
Pats19and0: Winning the Super Bowl.
sunshinekids99: Super Bowl or bust.
Surf over to RealGM’s NFL forums to weigh in on your favorite team as we continue to hold ‘Summit’ conversations on each of the league’s thirty-two teams.
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