Good players available during TC?

[Spiral]

With no cap this year, and a strike looming in 2011, there may be a lot of good veterans available on the cheap before the final cut-down date. Think of MLB or the NBA before their trading deadlines. It would be pretty easy for an owner to look at his roster and the upcoming season, and figure out that he could replace 2-3 good veterans with mid to late-round draft picks and reduce his payroll by $10M or so, which would flow right to his bottom line. By telling the team's fans that the draft picks were out-performing the veterans (even if they aren't) he may be able to cover his arse with his fanbase. It would certainly be less obvious than it would be to cut a proven starter in March or April. I don't know such a scenario will happen, but it's certainly plausible, and you could probably name a few team owners who would be likely to entertain such a strategy. For an owner who's willing to take on some payroll, there may be a good opportunity to upgrade a roster.

 

[satz]

We have 89 or 88 players with non of the draft picks signed.

so we are now in the process of cutting 20 to 21 players before the camps to make the 80 .

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We have 89 or 88 players with non of the draft picks signed.

so we are now in the process of cutting 20 to 21 players before the camps to make the 80 .

That number includes the unsigned draft picks; there's a hard cap of 80 players under contract.

 

[satz]

That number includes the unsigned draft picks; there's a hard cap of 80 players under contract.

Makes sense !! doh

so we have to cut 9 players before camp.

 

[Spiral]

...and the Patriots will have to cut another 27 players before the start of the season. That's no reason not to look for better players on other rosters. The Patriots are value-seekers. There may be some good values out there come late August.

 

[Iceman778]

. It would certainly be less obvious than it would be to cut a proven starter in March or April.

 

[Reckedtrek]

...and the Patriots will have to cut another 27 players before the start of the season. That's no reason not to look for better players on other rosters. The Patriots are value-seekers. There may be some good values out there come late August.

Absolutely! If we can land a couple of good quality players, especially any combination of DE, OLB and/or RB, things start looking pretty good. It's going to be an interesting August/early September.

 

[crowell33]

Absolutely! If we can land a couple of good quality players, especially any combination of DE, OLB and/or RB, things start looking pretty good. It's going to be an interesting August/early September.

Which OLB or DE do you think will be released?

 

[Spiral]

First, I'd follow the money. Look for team owners who are likely to be in the position of wanting to unload payroll. My guesses are: Carolina, Jax, TB, Tenn, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Oakland, Arizona. Maybe some others, depending on stadium debt service and some other factors. Then start looking down these rosters for any veteran player with a salary of $3M or more, and/or significant LTBE incentives, contract escalators or roster bonuses. You could probably take the rosters of those teams and make some educated guesses as to who could be availalble.

 

[crowell33]

First, I'd follow the money. Look for team owners who are likely to be in the position of wanting to unload payroll. My guesses are: Carolina, Jax, TB, Tenn, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Oakland, Arizona. Maybe some others, depending on stadium debt service and some other factors. Then start looking down these rosters for any veteran player with a salary of $3M or more, and/or significant LTBE incentives, contract escalators or roster bonuses. You could probably take the rosters of those teams and make some educated guesses as to who could be availalble.

Sounds good. Any guesses of which OLB and DE's might get cut, thus making them available to the Pats?

 

[Spiral]

OK. I'll bite. Chris Long, St. Louis Rams. A nice pick up if you could get him in August for a 4th round pick.

 

[crowell33]

OK. I'll bite. Chris Long, St. Louis Rams. A nice pick up if you could get him in August for a 4th round pick.

Sold ! If we can get a 6'3" 276 DE/ OLB, who just turned 25 a few weeks ago, who was the second pick in the entire draft just two years ago, had 43 tackles and 5 sacks last year in only his second season, and only has a salary of $3.6 million.............for a fourth round pick, that would be awesome !

 

[patsinthesnow]

Sold ! If we can get a 6'3" 276 DE/ OLB, who just turned 25 a few weeks ago, who was the second pick in the entire draft just two years ago, had 43 tackles and 5 sacks last year in only his second season, and only has a salary of $3.6 million.............for a fourth round pick, that would be awesome !

sarcasm detector beep beep

The only great player I see left is T.O. We don't need him now, but he would provide one year of pro bowl play on a good team.

 

[Reckedtrek]

Which OLB or DE do you think will be released?

I don't own a crystal ball. The whole idea is "you might be surprised by who's available in late August" -so if I'd be surprised, don't you think it would make it hard to predict now?

 

[Reckedtrek]

sarcasm detector beep beep

The only great player I see left is T.O. We don't need him now, but he would provide one year of pro bowl play on a good team.

The idea isn't who's available now, it's who could be available in late August.

The whole thing comes about as a cash dump, so any "likely" players are making a lot of cash, or at least more than they're worth- presumably during the second half of this coming training camp season.

Not to shoot down your idea, Spiral, but if Chris Long is only making $3.6 mil he's not likely to get cut, at least under the suggested premise.

 

[Urgent]

Tough to project.

Maybe:
Robert Geathers, DE, 6-3 280, Bengals -- drafted Carlos Dunlap 2010, Michael Johnson 2009, re-signed Frostee Rucker, also have Antwan Odom at DE. He made $2.4mm salary in 2009.
Osi Umeniyora is a candidate for release, 6-3 260, but he had a poor year in 2009.
LB Julian Peterson carries a huge salary, but tough for Detroit to release him after trading Ernie Sims.