Players playing their last contract year.

[Betterthanmost]

DE Mark Anderson 	WR Deion Branch 	DE Andre Carter
OL Dan Connolly 	DE Shaun Ellis 	        RB Kevin Faulk
RB BJGE      	        LB Gary Guyton          QB Brian Hoyer
S James Ihedigbo 	DB Nate Jones 	        C Dan Koppen
LB Niko Koutouvides 	S Bret Lockett 	        DL Kyle Love
CB Antwaun Molden 	FB Lousaka Polite 	WR/S Matthew Slater
DL Gerard Warren 	WR Wes Welker 	        LB Tracy White

How many of these guys return in 2012?

I say about 33% Return? Players I don't expect back, Faulk, Warren, Molden, Koutouvides, Ihedigbo.......oh oh oo Guyton....

Other than Welker, I don't see much of a tough decision at all on any of these guys. I have a soft spot for BJGE and Anderson. I don't know about Carter. This is tough business, I will not like to be the one letting people go.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Got the list from Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak on ESPN boston

 

[patsfan-1982]

back in 2012

Wes Welker,
Matthew Slater,
Kyle Love,
Brian Hoyer,
BJGE,
Dan Connolly,
Dan Koppen,
James Ihedigbo,

not back in 2012

Niko Koutouvides,
Antwaun Molden,
Gerard Warren,
Shaun Ellis,
Gary Guyton,
Nate Jones,
Bret Lockett,
Lousaka Polite,
Kevin Faulk,
Tracy White,

could want more then the pats will pay ?

Andre Carter,
Mark Anderson,
Deion Branch,

 

[DarrylS]

Question Hoyer, unless Mallett has not developed during his Red Shirt Year...

Think Branch is gone.. but somehow they will keep either Anderson or Carter, maybe both.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

back in 2012

Wes Welker,
Matthew Slater,
Kyle Love,
Brian Hoyer,
BJGE,
Dan Connolly,
Dan Koppen,
James Ihedigbo,

not back in 2012

Niko Koutouvides,
Antwaun Molden,
Gerard Warren,
Shaun Ellis,
Gary Guyton,
Nate Jones,
Bret Lockett,
Lousaka Polite,
Kevin Faulk,
Tracy White,

could want more then the pats will pay ?

Andre Carter,
Mark Anderson,
Deion Branch,

I don't see Koppen coming back,I think the team moves on

Belichick seems to like Tracy White as a STer...he'll return

 

[SpiderFox53]

I don't see Koppen coming back,I think the team moves on

Belichick seems to like Tracy White as a STer...he'll return

I disagree. I see Koppen coming back until he loses his job to somebody better in Training Camp. I don't see anybody being able to do that who is currently on the roster.

 

[patfanken]

My list of the people who will be back in 2012

Wes Welker,
Matthew Slater,
Kyle Love,
BJGE,
Dan Connolly,
James Ihedigbo,
Tracy White,
Andre Carter,
Mark Anderson


That's 9 out of 21 which will open up 11 roster spots

 

[ivanvamp]

DE Mark Anderson 	WR Deion Branch 	DE Andre Carter
OL Dan Connolly 	DE Shaun Ellis 	        RB Kevin Faulk
RB BJGE      	        LB Gary Guyton          QB Brian Hoyer
S James Ihedigbo 	DB Nate Jones 	        C Dan Koppen
LB Niko Koutouvides 	S Bret Lockett 	        DL Kyle Love
CB Antwaun Molden 	FB Lousaka Polite 	WR/S Matthew Slater
DL Gerard Warren 	WR Wes Welker 	        LB Tracy White

How many of these guys return in 2012?

I say about 33% Return? Players I don't expect back, Faulk, Warren, Molden, Koutouvides, Ihedigbo.......oh oh oo Guyton....

Other than Welker, I don't see much of a tough decision at all on any of these guys. I have a soft spot for BJGE and Anderson. I don't know about Carter. This is tough business, I will not like to be the one letting people go.

I think the "surprise" guy that won't be around next year is Koppen. They've proven that they have enough guys to fill that role just fine (heck, at times this year they've used their *4th* string center). To keep him would cost a lot. I think they should keep Welker, Slater, Anderson, Connolly, Love, and Ihedigbo. I'm ambivalent about some of the other guys. I like BJGE and would love to retain him, but I think he probably could get a lot of $$ elsewhere. Hoyer is fine, but I think Mallett will be fine as the #2 guy next year. Guyton, Ellis, Faulk, Branch...all useful players but I'm ok if they replace them.

But yeah, Koppen is the likely surprise guy who I don't think will be back. Just too much money and they don't need him, really.

 

[tatepatsfan]

IMO, we will keep: Anderson, Connolly, Ihedigbo, Welker, Koppen, Love, Slater

We may keep: Molden, Branch, Ellis, Koutouvides, Carter, Hoyer (depending on how comfortable they are with Mallett), White

We will not keep: BJGE, Warren, Polite, Lockett, Jones, Faulk (retire), Guyton

 

[resdubwhite]

Whats the guess work on what BJGE will be looking for next year?

3 or 4 Mill a year?

 

[Fencer]

Some of my thoughts

back in 2012

Wes Welker, AGREE
Matthew Slater, AGREE
Kyle Love, AGREE
Brian Hoyer, DISAGREE -- BY HIS CHOICE TO HAVE MORE CAREER UPSIDE ELSEWHERE
BJGE, AGREE
Dan Connolly, AGREE
Dan Koppen, AGREE -- THINK OF THE MATT LIGHT EXAMPLE
James Ihedigbo,

not back in 2012

Niko Koutouvides, DISAGREE -- WITH THE WEAKNESS AT OLB THE TEAM CAN CARRY LOTS OF ILB TYPES
Antwaun Molden, AGREE
Gerard Warren, AGREE -- WHEN A VET FALLS TO THE END OF THE BENCH HE'S USUALLY GONE
Shaun Ellis, AGREE -- THE GOOD GAMES ARE TOO RARE
Gary Guyton, AGREE -- HE SURE SEEMS TO HAVE STOPPED IMPROVING
Nate Jones, AGREE
Bret Lockett, AGREE
Lousaka Polite, NOT SURE
Kevin Faulk, AGREE, SADLY.
Tracy White, WHY NOT? HE'S HAD A GOOD YEAR?

could want more then the pats will pay ?

Andre Carter,
Mark Anderson,
Deion Branch,

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

My list of the people who will be back in 2012

Wes Welker,
Matthew Slater,
Kyle Love,
BJGE,
Dan Connolly,
James Ihedigbo,
Tracy White,
Andre Carter,
Mark Anderson


That's 9 out of 21 which will open up 11 roster spots

Agree with this list, plus Deion Branch if he has a good playoffs/offseason and can still play at the level he's at now.

After Welker and maybe Carter/Anderson, should be quite easy to retain the rest.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

DE Mark Anderson 	WR Deion Branch 	DE Andre Carter
OL Dan Connolly 	DE Shaun Ellis 	        RB Kevin Faulk
RB BJGE      	        LB Gary Guyton          [COLOR="Red"][B]QB Brian Hoyer[/B][/COLOR]
S James Ihedigbo 	DB Nate Jones 	        C Dan Koppen
[COLOR="red"][B]LB Niko Koutouvides[/B] 	[B]S Bret Lockett[/B] 	        [B]DL Kyle Love[/B][/COLOR]
CB Antwaun Molden 	FB Lousaka Polite 	WR/S Matthew Slater
DL Gerard Warren 	WR Wes Welker 	        LB Tracy White

Note that the players in red are not UFAs, and the Pats control their rights.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Sign welker...NOW

 

[Rob0729]

I actually think Branch will be back. Just not as a starter. I think he will sign for an one or two year minimum deal with incentives. The Pats will upgrade the starting position in free agency or the draft. I just don't think Branch is going to get a lot of action and would rather finish his career here rather than somewhere else. No one is going to sign him as a starter at this point. Even in the Pats' offense, the guy disappears far too much.

Carter's injury will probably mean he will be back if he is going to be healthy. At his age, that injury made him go from a decent contract to an one year veteran contract with incentives.

The good news is that about a quarter of the league are free agents. The Pats should be able to upgrade many positions very easily in free agency.

 

[DaBruinz]

Kyle Love is an RFA, not a UFA. He'll be back.

I believe the following will be brought back.

Mark Anderson
Matt Slater
Ryan Wendell
James Ihedigbo
Antwan Molden
Tracy White
Wes Welker


Contrary to CTPatsfan, Niko Koutivides and Brian Hoyer are NOT RFA. They are UFA. As is Brett Lockett. All have a minimum of 4 years in the league.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Anyone else want colston from the saints?

 

[ALP]

back:

anderson
connolly
BJGE
Ihedigbo
Wes
Carter
Love*
Slater
White

not back:

Molden
Warren
Ellis
Guyton
Jones
Polite
Faulk
Hoyer
Koppen
Koutovides

Limbo:

branch
Lockett

*=Restricted UFA

its extremely difficult for BB to find good pass rushers for this team, thereby both anderson and carter will be back (if healthy) and i do not forsee them costing that much

BJGE will be back, you cannot have only 2nd year RBs (and woodhead) plus i dont think other teams will pay that much for him

branch is interesting, if he is back, it will be for an extremely limited role (ala Ocho this year), his is the easiest position to upgrade on this offense, and if it is upgraded to a guy who can beat man coverage....this offense just got that much better

Koppen is not that much better than our other options at C this year, and i do not expect him back, if we do not draft a C this year, we can do w/ the other player for one more year till a young guy is drafted next year

Lockett i dont know enough about, but i foresee his ST play to be moved to a rookie/FA, and i do not expect him back b/c slater and White are better STers....however since Slater went to pro bowl, he may want more money than we are willing to give him, hence Bret will be back

the safety will be back, i dont think BB wants to pull another 2011 with the safeties

 

[Rob0729]

Anyone else want colston from the saints?

He's a possibility. Also, Robert Meachum from the Saints might be a good pick up. They will probably resign one, but not both.

Also, Vincent Jackson who cannot be franchised. The Pats already chased Brandon Lloyd once, they might again. Although he could be franchised. I expect Bowe to be franchised so he is probably out.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Patriots in 2012

Wes Welker,
Andre Carter... injury and age hurt his open market FA value
Mark Anderson, OK it May be Carter or Anderson who re-ups
Deion Branch... nobody else is gonna pay $$$ for him
Matthew Slater,
Kyle Love,
Brian Hoyer... nobody else will pay megabucks for this valued backup
BJGE,
Dan Connolly,
Dan Koppen... injury and age hurt his open market FA value
James Ihedigbo,
Niko Koutouvides,
Tracy White


GONE in 2012
Antwaun Molden*
Gerard Warren...past his shelf sell by date
Shaun Ellis...past his shelf sell by date
Gary Guyton...Guyton era is OVAH; another UFA with upside will replace him
Nate Jones*
Bret Lockett*
Lousaka Polite*
Kevin Faulk...Retires a winner

* Only their mothers care about these guys

Combine this with bubble guys, Brace & Cunningham come to mind, the normal bottom of the roster and over the hill handful of CUTs, and then factoring in that some of these guys and others (Pryor) are on IR not the 53 it leaves 8 or more likely openings.

I'm concerned because BB is an analytical guy and can count so there's risk he notices the missing later round picks, trades down our 1s and 2s for a bunch of those favored later round picks to staff up the 53