The New England Patriots went on an offseason spending spree, adding high-priced defensive players, including Milton Williams and Carlton Davis. The Pats had money to burn and holes all over the roster, which partially explains their big-money binge.
The other facet of the equation is filling holes provides flexibility come draft time, but New England still has big gaps, including at left tackle and the lack of a playmaking receiver.
Despite those easily identifiable voids, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf told season ticket holders on Sunday that the club plans to take the best player available in next month's draft. Wolf admitted that the team might have gone overboard trying to fill needs last season.
"No, we don't (feel compelled to draft for need). The best player available is going to be the way it is," he said, via Karen Guregian of MassLive. "Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year. Obviously that culminated in us drafting Drake Maye, so it wasn't all bad.
"But, just moving forward, it's taking the best player, and understanding that we've filled a lot of needs already in free agency."
With Williams, Davis, edge rusher Harold Landry, linebacker Robert Spillane, and right tackle Morgan Moses imported to Foxborough, New England has papered over many weaknesses entering Mike Vrabel's first season in charge.
However, there is a glaring hole at left tackle, with few options left on the open market after Cam Robinson chose to head to Houston last week. There's a better chance New England can add a veteran wideout to the mix, with several still sitting on the open market. Plugging that gap is part of Stefon Diggs' visit to Foxborough. Wolf didn't get into talks but noted they wanted to get a closer look at the receiver, who is coming off a season-ending knee injury.
"We feel really excited about the some of the names that we've added. We still know there's a lot of work to be done," Wolf said. "(We've had) a lot of defensive adds, a few offensive adds, we're always looking. We're still looking. The Diggs' visit is part of that.
"We're just really excited to be able to go into the draft not forced to pick something."
Competent teams lean on taking the best player available. Poorly managed teams take lesser players to fill holes -- it rarely works out well. However, if two players are graded closely, most clubs will side with the one that better fills a gap.
The Pats might not be forced to pick something, but landing a left tackle remains a priority, whether that's at No. 4 overall or later in the process. Last year's plan went awry quickly. To ensure Maye's future isn't characterized by getting pummeled, they must solidify that position in the moving month.
