Bill Belichick annually maneuvers up, down and all around the draft board with more voracity than any of his counterparts, and the Patriots are equipped with the capital to do it again this week if they so please.
In Belichick’s 15 drafts, the Patriots have traded up 17 times and down 17 times. Some of those transactions have benefitted the organization with franchise-caliber players, while others have been little more than a fart in the wind.
The Patriots enter the draft as one of two teams (along with the Saints) with five of the first 101 picks — only four others have as many as four in the top 101 — so they have the freedom to jockey the board.