The New England Patriots are often the best in the league at keeping rumors out of the mainstream conversation. Leaks weaken the team's position in negotiations and every piece of leverage helps head coach Bill Belichick and director of player personnel Nick Caserio on draft day.

While there is now talk about the Patriots possibly trading up to the end of the first round, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has two positions to keep in mind on the second day of the draft.

"The Patriots are a hard team to get solid info on," Miller writes in his league-wide compilation of draft research. "But one scout said strong safety could be targeted with one of their two Round 2 selections. Scouts familiar with New England's draft plans said the team will target a stand-up pass-rusher to replace Chandler Jones with one of the Day 2 picks."

We've been preparing everyone for the Patriots to take another safety in the second round, and this just another source of smoke for the fire.

The Patriots already have two strong safety types in Patrick Chung and Jordan Richards, both of whom are under long term contracts. Duron Harmon is a free safety and will be a free agent after the 2016 season, and it's expected that Devin McCourty will slide back to that position in 2017.

But that isn't enough. The Patriots are looking to transition to a full-time three-safety defense and will need to add another prospect into the mix to prepare for Harmon's inevitable departure.

The draft is full of safety prospects, especially in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, including the likes of Ohio State's Vonn Bell, West Virginia's Karl Joseph, Florida's Keanu Neal, Boise State's Darian Thompson, Clemson's T.J. Green, Duke's Jeremy Cash, Boston College's Justin Simmons, Middle Tennessee's Kevin Byard, and Southern Utah's Miles Killebrew.

Miller also says that the Patriots are interested in finding a "stand-up pass-rusher" to replace the departed Chandler Jones, who was sent to Arizona in exchange for a 2nd round pick and offensive guard Jonathan Cooper. It would be poetic if the Patriots used that 2nd round pick to find Jones' replacement.

There are definitely options at pass rusher, but the term "stand-up pass-rush" implies a player more alike a 3-4 outside linebacker. Someone like Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun, Utah State's Kyler Fackrell, Boise State's Kamalei Correa, Georgia's Jordan Jenkins, Marylad's Yannick Ngakoue, Wisconsin's Joe Schobert, or Oklahoma's Charles Tapper would fit into the Patriots' flexible defense as a 2nd or 3rd round option.

Now some of these players are better fit for hand-in-the-dirt defensive end duties, like Calhoun and Tapper, but all offer great athleticism and potential for growth.

I'm of the camp that the Patriots could transition 2015 3rd round pick Geneo Grissom into the now-vacant interior sub-rusher role where Dominique Easley was so productive. Grissom would have to pack on 20 pounds of anchor weight, but he has college experience at defensive tackle and he would offer an in-house solution.

The selection won't just be a replacement for Jones, but will serve as a 2017 replacement for the free agent trio of Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, and Chris Long. The potential in Grissom, Trey Flowers, and Rufus Johnson shouldn't be enough to deter the Patriots from making a 2nd round selection if an elite prospect is on the board.