The Patriots spent real capital to be 85 picks early on Shaun Dolac, and the board is going to hold them to it.

Getting Tuten where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. The trades bled value they could not afford to lose. A whole weekend of picks and interior defensive lineman is somehow still a want.

Stockpiling next year's capital is patient, if unglamorous, asset work.

In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.