Great offseason so far! Here's what's next...

[amazinPats]

I'm really happy so far with the offseason activity, but there are still a few things still to do.

1. We've got to do something about the defensive line. Wilfork, Seymour, and "$5m man" Jarvis are all set to leave next year. Backup, Mike Wright has already left. Sounds bad, right? Well, we've got some advantages too with five first day picks. First, we have to pull out all the stops to extend Vince. If he doesn't cooperate, then we will likely franchise him next year. But let's assume, he gets extended. Okay, next step is to deal with Seymour and Jarvis. I don't think the team is big enough to hold the two of them beyond this year. I would trade one of them for a first day pick, and trade a couple of our first day picks to move up and select one of the top two or three DE's in the draft. If we trade Jarvis, then we will likely have to franchise Seymour next year (remember, I am assuming that Big Vince has been extended.) If we trade Seymour, then Jarvis would have to be extended to a long term contract. Either way, we will draft a future replacement with our top pick.

2. Extend Mankins. We can't let this road grader get away.

3. Sign Jason Taylor. With either Seymour or Jarvis traded away for a first day pick, the cap room is available to sign Taylor to a one- or two-year deal.

4. Package a couple of our remaining first day picks to either move up this year, or obtain a first rounder for next year. This should still leave us with enough to...

5. Draft a safety and cornerback in the first day.

6. It may be a deep draft, but there are only so many roster spots available. This team is stacked again, and it wouldn't hurt to move some of the picks on to 2010. But we will have to draft, DL, S, CB, WR, OLB, ILB. We should be able to get it done.

This is a very stacked football team right now. A fourth Super Bowl is a real target.

 

[signbabybrady]

The way I see it right now our biggest need going into the offseason was DBs and we retained a safety and brought in two CBs with skills. Losing Vrabel was unexpected and tough but we already brought back TBC to shrink that void. With the draft still to come and the multiple high picks we have I think anything else would be gravy.

I expect some small things still to come some of our own FA still on the market and a few minor holes. Maybe Taylor.

 

[stevedogc]

Day 1 consists of round 1 and 2 of the draft. no team in their right mind is going to give up a day one pick for Jarvis Green. The best I see for him is a 4th. I do agree that his situation needs to be addressed. A back up DE with a 5 million cap hit is way to much. If they are not going to resign him, I would rather see them released him and use that cap someone else. Taylor? Wright? He is still a free agent.

 

[Ring 6]

You sound like you think Jarvis Green is Ty Warren.
I know that BB clearly feels Green offers something of value.
But he is a backup, and many times not the first guy off the bench. Mike Wright, and even sometines LeKevin Smith have gotten reps instead of him.
$5,000,000 is an awful lot for a guy like that, (but its not a 5mill decision, more like 3mill with 2 in dead money) but by the same token losing him would not be very painful because of all the same reasons.

 

[amazinPats]

Jarvis is no Ty Warren.

As mentioned in my first post, we would have to possibly move up a few spots in the draft to get one of the top two or three DE's in the draft. That person will be the replacement and not Jarvis, if we decide to keep him.

I correct myself on his likely trade value. Jarvis wouldn't fetch anything higher than a 4th rounder. I guess he's a target to be cut. $3m is $3m. Getting Jason Taylor is more important.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

Jarvis Green + #34 = Julius Peppers. Just a thought, I 'm not saying it is going to happen.

 

[spacecrime]

A back up DE with a 5 million cap hit is way to much. If they are not going to resign him, I would rather see them released him and use that cap someone else.

You are confusing cap hit with salary. If you cut him, you don't save $5 million, you save $2 mil. THe other three mil are for singing bonus and for incentives earned, which he was paid already. The cap hit just falls this year.

$2 million. That's what it will cost us to keep Green. $2 mil, not $5 mil.

He is worth $2 mil easily. You won't replace him for $2 mil, that's for sure.

 

[yopats]

Jarvis Green + #34 = Julius Peppers. Just a thought, I 'm not saying it is going to happen.

I like that.. scenario..

 

[strongside]

I'm really happy so far with the offseason activity, but there are still a few things still to do.

1. We've got to do something about the defensive line. Wilfork, Seymour, and "$5m man" Jarvis are all set to leave next year. Backup, Mike Wright has already left. Sounds bad, right? Well, we've got some advantages too with five first day picks. First, we have to pull out all the stops to extend Vince. If he doesn't cooperate, then we will likely franchise him next year. But let's assume, he gets extended. Okay, next step is to deal with Seymour and Jarvis. I don't think the team is big enough to hold the two of them beyond this year. I would trade one of them for a first day pick, and trade a couple of our first day picks to move up and select one of the top two or three DE's in the draft. If we trade Jarvis, then we will likely have to franchise Seymour next year (remember, I am assuming that Big Vince has been extended.) If we trade Seymour, then Jarvis would have to be extended to a long term contract. Either way, we will draft a future replacement with our top pick.

2. Extend Mankins. We can't let this road grader get away.

3. Sign Jason Taylor. With either Seymour or Jarvis traded away for a first day pick, the cap room is available to sign Taylor to a one- or two-year deal.

4. Package a couple of our remaining first day picks to either move up this year, or obtain a first rounder for next year. This should still leave us with enough to...

5. Draft a safety and cornerback in the first day.

6. It may be a deep draft, but there are only so many roster spots available. This team is stacked again, and it wouldn't hurt to move some of the picks on to 2010. But we will have to draft, DL, S, CB, WR, OLB, ILB. We should be able to get it done.

This is a very stacked football team right now. A fourth Super Bowl is a real target.

Although I'm encouragred with the the guys we have brought in, an offsean in which we lost one of the all time great Patriot players, to me, can never be considered great.

 

[Disco Volante]

Jarvis Green + #34 = Julius Peppers. Just a thought, I 'm not saying it is going to happen.

In turn meaning we traded Matt Cassel, Mike Vrabel and Jarvis Green all for Julius Peppers.

 

[DaBruinz]

You sound like you think Jarvis Green is Ty Warren.
I know that BB clearly feels Green offers something of value.
But he is a backup, and many times not the first guy off the bench. Mike Wright, and even sometines LeKevin Smith have gotten reps instead of him.
$5,000,000 is an awful lot for a guy like that, (but its not a 5mill decision, more like 3mill with 2 in dead money) but by the same token losing him would not be very painful because of all the same reasons.

Andy - Wright was first off the bench many times last year because Green was nursing an ankle injury all season.

Smith got reps cause of said injury as well.

The Pats would gain almost 3.3 million in cap savings if they cut Jarvis. However, they could restructure his deal into another extension and free up just as much, if not more.

People are writing off Wright, though he hasn't signed with another team yet. And I find that surprising given that Denver and Green Bay could certainly use someone with 3-4 NT/DE experience. As could Arizona since they lost Bertrand Berry and Antonio Smith.

 

[farn]

I love what Vrabel gave for so many years... and I do think he still has value. But, I'm not crying about the fact that BB and friends made a tough call to free up space and move in a diff direction. It has been a good offseason. I for one am not in love with the players on the team. I enjoy setting aside everything else for a few hours on Sunday and watching my favorite team play. I want them to win. If that would mean trading away every player on the roster, so be it. I want to see the Patriots win.

Overall, the Patriots seem to be quite set up for the draft : most positions are in decent shape, so they can truly go with the best player on the board. Obviously, I'm hoping the best DEFENSIVE player on the board is the one they choose over and over again.

ps : Green may indeed have played hurt, but that doesn't change the fact that he is not Ty Warren.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

In turn meaning we traded Matt Cassel, Mike Vrabel and Jarvis Green all for Julius Peppers.

I guess that is one way to look at it. Ok, how about Green + #47 = Peppers?

 

[JackBauer]

I'm not all that interested in a CB or a S on the first day, unless the value at the pick is too great to ignore.

I'm also not all that sure why people think BB would trade away a 34 year old Mike Vrabel only to bring in a 34 year old Jason Taylor.

I'd rather draft OLB/ILB/OT on day one, and CB/S on day two. Perhaps resign Lew Sanders for depth.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Although I'm encouragred with the the guys we have brought in, an offsean in which we lost one of the all time great Patriot players, to me, can never be considered great.

I disagree. If someone gave me the choice of Vrabel or Leigh Bodden or Shawn Springs, for this team with these needs, it's a no-brainer. I love Vrabel, and have all the sentimental attachment in the world for his contributions. I love World Championships more.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

This is a very stacked football team right now. A fourth Super Bowl is a real target.

This team is not stacked. LB's are a serious issue right now. Even though I would love the addition of Jason Taylor or Peppers, it's not a sure thing. In addition, the Pats could use another safety to compete with Sanders.

With the recent release of Ken Lucas, I would love for the Pats to find a way to get this guy. He's a big, physical corner and just turned 30.

 

[matt1073]

Jarvis Green + #34 = Julius Peppers. Just a thought, I 'm not saying it is going to happen.

I would do it in a heart beat

 

[supafly]

This team is not stacked. LB's are a serious issue right now. Even though I would love the addition of Jason Taylor or Peppers, it's not a sure thing. In addition, the Pats could use another safety to compete with Sanders.

With the recent release of Ken Lucas, I would love for the Pats to find a way to get this guy. He's a big, physical corner and just turned 30.

I agree, still some holes to fill--and surely we could use another safety

Also FWIW, we have 4 day one picks not 5 (1 1st, and 3 2nds), and Mike Wright isn't gone quite yet either. It could be argued that Green is surely worth his cap hit (I guess somewhere between 2-3 mill as some have pointed out, the dead money's gone) A replacement for that value with someone who knows our system and has excelled at times might be harder to find than you think. We'll have to wait and see

 

[letekro]

I like that.. scenario..

Why the throw in? #34 should get it done. The Panthers have zero leverage.

 

[carolinatony]

RESIGN Gostkowski .
His contract is pu next year I believe. We don't want to lose him.