FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The last time the New England Patriots had a first-round selection as high as this year's (No. 15) was a decade ago. They took offensive tackle Nate Solder No. 17 overall with a pick that is timely to revisit because it represents how the Patriots often adopt a "two-year window" approach.
Solder didn't fill an immediate need in 2011. The Patriots had veteran Matt Light returning at left tackle, with Sebastian Vollmer entering his third season as the top right tackle.
But the decision was later referenced by coach Bill Belichick and former director of player personnel Nick Caserio as an example of how forcing to fill a short-term need could cost the team an opportunity to find a long-term answer at a different position.