The draft is the protein and fats. Free agency, waiver claims and trades are the carbohydrates.
All those macronutrients are needed to sustain an NFL roster.
But while those latter types of acquisitions often serve as the faster-acting supplements, those draft picks and undrafteds – if chosen wisely – provide the building blocks for future growth.
And it doesn’t take a dietitian to tell you that’s something the New England Patriots have balanced quite well under Bill Belichick.
A total of 72 players currently reside in the Patriots’ fold, and 27 of whom were drafted by the head coach’s war room while 16 others signed their first professional contracts with New England as undrafted rookies.