New England Patriots Top 3 Draft needs

The New England Patriots proved that their team is a very complete team during their championship run, but any team can always be improved and that is what the Patriots will look to do in the NFL Draft. Unlike many prior Super Bowl champions, the Patriots may not lose many, if any, key contributors to free agency, and therefore it looks like they may only get better than this years Super Bowl winning team. A good draft would really help them get better, so I will outline their three biggest needs in the 2015 NFL draft.

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1. Interior Defensive Line

Statistically speaking, the defensive front actually had a good year, but it did clearly lack depth and the Patriots should try to add some more in the 2015 NFL Draft. Vince Wilfork isn’t getting any younger and while he is still playing at a good and consistent level, he just isn’t the dominant force that defensive lines had to double or sometimes even triple team on run plays to keep him from making a tackle.

The biggest problem with Wilfork is his contract. His cap hit is $8.1 million, and after really struggling to come to terms with him last year, cutting him could be an option for the Patriots, especially since they are trying to lock up Revis and McCourty.

After Wilfork, the Pats already have a lack of depth. Sealver Siliga is a restricted free agent, so he should be staying around. They also have Chris Jones and Joe Vellano, but neither of them are really long-term starting material. Dominique Easley was a huge disappointment for the Patriots last year, and the Pats must hope that he can regain his full health and begin making an impact. With Easley’s injury history, I would still be sceptical if I were the Patriots, so adding another interior defensive player is probably a good idea for the Pats.

Oct 5, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman (23) attempts to tackle New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley (22) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

2. Running Back

The need of this position could not be that great if the Patriots manage to keep both Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, but to me, Vereen has one foot out the door already. While I do think Ridley could become the same effective rusher that he was two years ago, the Patriots might be well advised to add another running back to get some depth.

If Vereen leaves, the Patriots would definitely need a third-down back, because currently only Brandon Bolden or James White have shown any ability to make an impact in the passing game. Adding a good rusher would be a good help as well, but a Vereen replacement would be the most important.

3. Wide Receiver

Julian Edelman has clearly become a number one wide receiver in the NFL, and Brandon LaFell has also developed into a very reliable pass catcher for the Patriots. Still, the Patriots really lack any depth, as Amendola seems to be saved for important moments, and the rest of receiving corps might have some promise, but has been unable to show that on the field. Unless the Patriots have a lot of faith in Brian Tyms or Aaron Dobson, they would probably be best off drafting another wide out, especially since this years wide receiver draft class is pretty strong once again.

Next: New England Patriots: Futures of Vereen and Ridley

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