New England Patriots: Darius Butler Signs, What About the Rest of the Picks?

The Pats made news today by signing second-round pick Darius Butler (cornerback) to a four-year deal worth about $3.9 million.

What's more newsworthy is the fact that they've only signed two of their 12 total draft picks. This is a less-than-encouraging figure, but this will hopefully resolve itself by training camp (set to start July 30.)

It has become increasingly important to sign rookies by the start of camp, as the adjustment players face in transitioning from the college game to professional football is a harsh one. When a player misses camp, it seems he turns a learning curve into a learning cliff face.

Matt Leinart, JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn are but three examples of players who missed significant time because of holdouts and struggled early. The jury is still out as to whether any of the three will be successful pros.

What makes the Patriots' situation more perplexing is the current state of sports economics. With the economy the way it is, players are more likely than ever to sign quickly, simply because they need the money in their pockets.

The numbers seem to bear this out. As ESPN's Len Pasquarelli points out in this July 3 article, players are being signed at a relatively fast pace, indeed one of the fastest in modern memory.

Yet the Patriots seem to be bucking this trend, and at a relatively inconvenient time.

It is quite likely that, over the course of the season, the team will be forced to call upon rookies for some snaps (likely in the secondary), and it is imperative those players be well-drilled and versed in the intricacies of the game.