While I meant to include this in the previous post, I decided that it merited its own; just keep in mind that it goes hand in hand with what I said about trading for Javon Walker. The Patriots made some interesting choices in the draft, but their decision regarding receiving was a smart one and spoke of a good strategy. It might not necessarily lead to a Super Bowl win in 2006, but in the long run it will definitely help them remain competitive and the team to beat. Of all the skill positions, it is their receiving that can either be their biggest strength or biggest weakness. Drafting Chad Jackson was a good move; I fully believe in his ability to adapt to the next level and play better than he was able to play down in Florida. He might not be completely successful this year, but next year he should develop and perform nicely, plus he will be signed cheaply for at least a couple years after that. This year is a concern however, as he there is a gap at the #2 position. Filling that gap will be the key to the season, and the sooner the Patriots do so the better they will play. Chad Jackson is a viable candidate, and the person I think will fill it in the long run, but a more immediate contribution might come from either Reche Caldwell or Bethel Johnson. Bethel Johnson is the long shot; he has not lived up to expectations and might not be given another chance after this season. I hope he can contribute; I am sure everyone would love to see his speed and explosiveness allow him to become a more consistent threat. Caldwell is the one that I think will do well, believe it or not; I think he had bad luck in San Diego and never really got a chance to showcase his talent. Bill Belichick does a good job of evaluating players so I think Caldwell will be able to perform; the General Manager of the Chargers came out and spoke on behalf of Caldwell, saying he thought going to a team like the Patriots was the best thing that could happen to him. His performance will let us know whether this is the case; if he is able to stay healthy and gain a rapport with Tom Brady, he should do fine. If not, it was a low risk trade, giving the Patriots another body to throw on the depth chart and spread out the defense with. If none of the receivers are able to step into the #2 role, New England's offense is not out of options-either a combination of #3 type receivers or their depth at Tight End will fill the gap. Ben Watson is the one I think will break out; how many catches he will get depends on how often he is used, but he can be lined up all over the field and is capable of running through defenders. Daniel Graham is amazing as well; while not as fast as Watson, he more than performs when called upon and I think he will continue to do so. Having both healthy and available will definitely help the offense out, and if the receivers struggle, Watson and Graham will have great stats. On top of these receiving threats and the two 1st round Tight Ends, another pair of tight ends were drafted in this years draft and could make a difference. David Thomas and Garrett Mills were selected in the 3rd and 4th rounds, filling in the depth chart and allowing Seymour and Vrabel and others to focus on defense instead of being backup TE's, even though I am sure Vrabel likes to catch those touchdown passes. They should do more than keep the defense from playing offense, however; Thomas has exceptional hands, making him an excellent receiver, while Mills is capable of lining up anywhere and helping out with his versatility. Neither are going to be the #1 TE, but both are capable of really stepping it up and challenging defenses to cover the different TE options that the Patriots have. Taken as a whole, I would not be that worried about their receivers. I think that there is the talent to get it done, only time will tell if they do or not. If they struggle, it might almost be an advantage for the Patriots; they will be forced to use two or three TE sets and leave defenses guessing where the TE's will line up. With the athletes that they have across the skill positions, I think that they will get it done; and if that weren't enough to worry about, they also have Maroney to help spell Dillon in the backfield, maybe even coming out and catching a few passes as well. Who knows what will happen, but I bet Belichick will be scheming a lot this year.