Who was the biggest Pats bust ever?

[Neurotic Guy]

Bledsoe.

Whew...brave of you to say so...Unfulfilled potential.  I have to agree, all hopes were pinned on Bledsoe.

I couldn't disagree more.  Say what you will about the guy but he had a hall of fame career.  He is top 10 in almost all passing stats.  He brought us to a superbowl, and was responsible for us winning the 2001 superbowl, (See second best off the bench peformance of all time in the 2001 AFC Championship...First was Pedro against Cleveland in 99). 

And nowadays when it seems like Athletes are more spoiled now more than ever, can you picture any other Franchise QB getting hurt, replaced, and then mentoring and supporting a late draft pick?  Drew was a class act and a great player while he was here.

Wow!  Bledsoe is not even close to being a bust.  Look at the last 30 1st overall picks. Who was better than Bledsoe?  Elway, Bruce Smith, Aikman (maybe), Peyton -- that's about it.  A couple more recent guys not clear yet -- but, Bledsoe should not be in a bust discussion.  Disppointing - maybe a little because he didn't lead the team to a championship; but not anywhere near a bust.

1980 Billy Sims
1981 George Rogers
1982 Kenneth Sims
1983 John Elway
1984 Irving Fryar
1985 Bruce Smith
1986 Bo Jackson
1987 Vinny Testaverde
1988 Aundray Bruce
1989 Troy Aikman
1990 Jeff George
1991 Russell Maryland
1992 Steve Emtman
1993 Drew Bledsoe
1994 Dan Wilkinson
1995 Ki-Jana Carter
1996 Keyshawn Johnson
1997 Orlando Pace
1998 Peyton Manning
1999 Tim Couch
2000 Courtney Brown
2001 Michael Vick
2002 David Carr 
2003 Carson Palmer
2004 Eli Manning
2005 Alex Smith
2006 Mario Williams
2007 JaMarcus Russell
2008 Jake Long 
2009 Matthew Stafford
2010 Sam Bradford

[2short]

Biggest bust ever was Kenneth Sims.  And I'd take Hart Lee Dykes ahead of Chad Jackson for biggest WR bust ever.

Sims was a number 1 overall pick in 1982.  He played 8 lackluster seasons -- 17 career sacks as a DE.

Jim Plunkett cannot be said to have had a 'bust' career, but he was a bust with NE.  Another #1 overall selection (1971), he was mediocre at best in 4+ seasons for NE.  BTW -- I was at his first game as a Patriot.  Everyone thought he was going to be something special.  It took him about 10 years to hook up with the Raiders who allowed him to heave up long balls for Cliff Branch and hand off to Marcus Allen.  He was perfect there -- but was pretty bad for the Pats.

#1 & #2 right there
Plunkett however took a BEATING with New England, too many young fans don't remember how bad for a long long time the patriots were. 

[Bahku]

Bledsoe.

Whew...brave of you to say so...Unfulfilled potential.  I have to agree, all hopes were pinned on Bledsoe.

I couldn't disagree more.  Say what you will about the guy but he had a hall of fame career.  He is top 10 in almost all passing stats.  He brought us to a superbowl, and was responsible for us winning the 2001 superbowl, (See second best off the bench peformance of all time in the 2001 AFC Championship...First was Pedro against Cleveland in 99). 

And nowadays when it seems like Athletes are more spoiled now more than ever, can you picture any other Franchise QB getting hurt, replaced, and then mentoring and supporting a late draft pick?  Drew was a class act and a great player while he was here.

Wow!  Bledsoe is not even close to being a bust.  Look at the last 30 1st overall picks. Who was better than Bledsoe?  Elway, Bruce Smith, Aikman (maybe), Peyton -- that's about it.  A couple more recent guys not clear yet -- but, Bledsoe should not be in a bust discussion.  Disppointing - maybe a little because he didn't lead the team to a championship; but not anywhere near a bust.

1980 Billy Sims
1981 George Rogers
1982 Kenneth Sims
1983 John Elway
1984 Irving Fryar
1985 Bruce Smith
1986 Bo Jackson
1987 Vinny Testaverde
1988 Aundray Bruce
1989 Troy Aikman
1990 Jeff George
1991 Russell Maryland
1992 Steve Emtman
1993 Drew Bledsoe
1994 Dan Wilkinson
1995 Ki-Jana Carter
1996 Keyshawn Johnson
1997 Orlando Pace
1998 Peyton Manning
1999 Tim Couch
2000 Courtney Brown
2001 Michael Vick
2002 David Carr 
2003 Carson Palmer
2004 Eli Manning
2005 Alex Smith
2006 Mario Williams
2007 JaMarcus Russell
2008 Jake Long 
2009 Matthew Stafford
2010 Sam Bradford

First of all, it would be great if people recognized that I put a "Winky" guy emoticon after my post, which meant it was intended as "tongue-in-cheek" and light-heartedly ... I knew saying it would bring a downpour of exclamations, and that's why I put the emoticon there.

Now, the reason I said Bledsoe, (tongue-in-cheek), is because, despite his great numbers and incredible talents, he did not make the most of his career, even though he had the abilities to be one of the greatest in the history of the game. His time in Buffalo was a downward spiral, and in Dallas he ended his career in a very disappointing way.

I won't post the disparity of his numbers in the last few years of his NFL journey, but those who watched closely know that he let his head get the best of him, and his attitude deteriorated along with his game. I loved Drew as a Patriot, and I still think he was one of the most talented QB's ever ... but the way he ended his career left much to be desired, and was nothing to be praised for, unfortunately.

Whatever you think about him, to me his overall career was mostly about a player with more talent for the position than most I've ever seen, that just plain did not make the most of his opportunities, and became a master of making excuses for sub-par performance in his latter career. Drew was a great QB, but he could have been much greater ... in fact, one of the greatest, but he just plain got in his own way, (and he knows it).

Sorry, I was a huge Bledsoe fan in his early years at New England, but in the grand scheme of things, his overall career was a disappointment.

[thirstyboots18]

I did see your winky, Bahku....I, however, did not put one on.  I do feel that, as good a quarterback as Bledsoe was, he was expected to bring home at least one, if not multiple, championships.  My husband and I have this "discussion" all the time, he being a Bledsoe fan, and me, being a Bledsoe fan with reservations!  The same with Barkley, Malone, etc.  Bust may be too a harsh word...but as good as they were they never reached the final goal.  What truly made them great, in the face of failure, was that they never stopped trying. 

[Fafnir]

Disppointing - maybe a little because he didn't lead the team to a championship

He earned his ring that first SB season though, coming in and taking snaps at a key juncture in the playoffs.

[thirstyboots18]

As I have been reminded, any cog in the wheel is, at any given time, the most important cog in the wheel.  Bledsoe did get a championship ring.  I sugjugate myself before my husband and you, Fafnir.  Bahku is right again, (Bahku...are you alway right    ) disappointing is the word.  Bust is too harsh.

[Roy Hobbs]

Christian Peter was a pretty solid draft pick, since he was never offered a contract.    He's not the biggest bust -- a 5th rounder can't be, by definition -- but he was one of the more stupid draft picks.

[nickagneta]

In 1985 the New England Patriots, needing interior line help on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball decided to trade down from the 16th pick in the first round to the last pick in the first and second round. The ability to drop 12 slots and still pick up the best offensive lineman left on their board while grabbing a second round pick on top of this seemed brilliant strategy at the time.

Trevor Matich turned out to be at best an average player. Ben Thomas, their second round pick turned out even worse.

With that 16th pick in the NFL Draft in 1985 the San Francisco 49ers ended up picking Jerry Rice, a player some pundits have called the greatest football player ever.

And so was born in New England a belief that drafting the Best Player Available is always smarter than drafting for need.

Considering who they gave up in comparison to his career, maybe Trevor Matich is the biggest bust in Patriots Drafting History.

[Neurotic Guy]

Bahku -- for the record, I did see your 'blinky' and so I didn't react to your post -- I knew you were kidding. 

My response was to (I think) ThirstyBoots who seemed to be affirming Bledsoe as a bust. 

[Eja117]

Wow Christian Peter. Good one.

Bledsoe lifted this team into respectability. It's just that it seems awkward being beaten out by a 6th rounder who wins a Super Bowl in his first year playing.  If that didn't happen no way are we talking about Bledsoe as a bust.

i'm not sure a pro bowler can be a bust

[Eja117]

Oh wait. Now that I think about it the biggest bust ever was Pete Carrol.

The guy should be coaching at San Diego State or something

[Greenbean]

If Crable as a 3rd rounder qualifies as a bust...how about Kevin O'Connel. What a waste of a pick. Did they know that Tom Brady was onyl 30 when they made that pick???

[the_Bird]

Wow Christian Peter. Good one.

Bledsoe lifted this team into respectability. It's just that it seems awkward being beaten out by a 6th rounder who wins a Super Bowl in his first year playing.  If that didn't happen no way are we talking about Bledsoe as a bust.

i'm not sure a pro bowler can be a bust

Bledsoe had all the tools except mobility.  Had a cannon.  Pretty decent accuracy.  Tried to do WAY too much, especially as the team worsened around him.  Took WAY too many sacks, holding the ball too long instead of either making a quick decision or throwing it away.  Seemed to be a pretty smart guy, too.  Pretty tough (remember him playing with that busted finger on his throwing hand?)

He's obviously not a bust except in the sense that he *could* have been a lot better.  Could have been a perennial Pro Bowler.  Not to bring Brett Favre into every conversation, but outside of Favre maybe having a little more mobility Bledsoe always kind of reminded me of a poor man's Brett; cannon arm, good-enough accuracy, tough, good leadership, tendency to do dumb things that ended up hurting the team.

[Donoghus]

Wow Christian Peter. Good one.

Bledsoe lifted this team into respectability. It's just that it seems awkward being beaten out by a 6th rounder who wins a Super Bowl in his first year playing.  If that didn't happen no way are we talking about Bledsoe as a bust.

i'm not sure a pro bowler can be a bust

Bledsoe had all the tools except mobility.  Had a cannon.  Pretty decent accuracy.  Tried to do WAY too much, especially as the team worsened around him.  Took WAY too many sacks, holding the ball too long instead of either making a quick decision or throwing it away.  Seemed to be a pretty smart guy, too.  Pretty tough (remember him playing with that busted finger on his throwing hand?)

He's obviously not a bust except in the sense that he *could* have been a lot better.  Could have been a perennial Pro Bowler.  Not to bring Brett Favre into every conversation, but outside of Favre maybe having a little more mobility Bledsoe always kind of reminded me of a poor man's Brett; cannon arm, good-enough accuracy, tough, good leadership, tendency to do dumb things that ended up hurting the team.

Bledsoe was quite fine when you consider the alternative, Rick Mirer.

That was a HUGE debate back in the day.  Thankfully, this was one that the Pats actually got right.

[flipirish1]

How about Tommy Hodson.