LloydBraun

Yes, I am looking ahead & should not be. But, that is my curse. I enjoy the now, but I always look ahead. When the draft ends in April, I start looking at the next year.

That being said, from what I can find online and estimating n app. $125 mill cap next year, the Pats could be nearly $45 million under the cap.

Does this mean another 2007 like jump into trades & free agency? A Mario Williams? A Brandon Lloyd ( with a McDaniels return), a FA safety? A trade for some established players?

In "War Room", the strategy is mentioned that outside players are rated as to if/how much better they are than what we already have. Therefore, areas of upgrade should include DE, OLB, CB, WR & S. perhaps a 1st & 3rd traded for Williams & a Burfict type is targeted in round 1 as well. Burict is a throwback type beast of a LB, and versatile, all BB qualities. Imagine the D with those 2.

Brady has app. 5 years left & the team is in position to load up for those years.

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"Your mother was right. You never could compete with Lloyd Braun."- Frank Costanza

PatsFaninME

Nah, I don't think Belichick "sells out" for one bang year of FA's and high picks. First of all, his current strategy is allowing team to win now and be strong for "tomorrow". Secondly, I think the "end" for Brady is further away that people think. Barring a major injury, I think he plays 6-8 more years.
Therefore, I think he continues his "value" theme.

ctpatsfan77

Heck, even in 2007, he didn't go out and sign anyone other than Afailius Thomas to an oversized contract.

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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IllegalContact

don't spend a dime on defense. keep using the draf tuntil they can get it right...at a minimum, become more athletic

go sign vincent jackson, re-sign wes welker, bring koppen back for reasonably short $$ (he may not be all that as a starter, but there is a spot for him in the rotation)

I think the consistency between the pats, packers, and saints is that they have designed their defenses to dare other teams to try to beat them by throwing the ball and as long as the opponent is throwing the ball alot, that these 3 teams like their chances in a shootout

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“ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.

resdubwhite

Seriously..


45 Million?

Thats a lot of coin.
Maybe they can take Holmes from the Jets.


Or maybe not.

MoLewisrocks

Not sure what you're basing your guesstimate on given Miguel has been on sabatical since August and doesn't offer a future cap estimates page anymore. But looking at our list of RFA and UFA to re-sign the majority of those players or replace them would take up roughly $30M in cap space in and of itself. Somehow I just don't ever see Bill trading a 1st and 3rd (franchise tag level compensation which is why so few of them ever get tendered by another team) for anybody given the contract that would then also entail. And I bet when they rate the competition they also factor in things like a salary curve because of what they can do with the difference...

cstjohn17

I like V JAX but it is this kind of crazy talk that has created the defensive mess.

Drafting is high risk, at best the player is 50/50 to make any impact. The team has an ok core on defense but no impact players or play makers. It could take 2-3 years to groom a draftee. I hope they do spend their money on the defensive side of the ball, they have thrown money at DE/OLB in the past (Colvin, Thomas).

IllegalContact

colvin and thomas are not good examples of spending money.....add some value guys, sure, but I don't believe there will be much in terms of FA value available.

if you're going to spend money on a guy for the offense, which position would you try to address first? I say an outside WR.

On defense, use the top 4 picks and round up some athletic OLB types as well as a safety and maybe a CB

__________________
“ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.

Calciumee

And that worked out well...

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conway

Does everyone think Mario Williams is out of the question? I'm guessing yes, but it's nice to dream.

Thoughts on a free agent positional priority list? Ignoring the draft for a moment, and treating our FAs as free agents and not assuming they are necessarily re-signed:

1. Center
2. Wide Receiver
3. Safety
4. Defensive End
5. Outside Linebacker

Re-signing Koppen, Welker, and Branch would obviously resolve #1 and maybe #2.