Normal Patriots Talk

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Wearing my homer pants today but I don't care. I think that we're going to get at least 2 LaFell level FAs out of our group this year. By that I mean FAs who contribute significantly more than we ever expected.

Chandler is going to be a beast. Sheard is going to give us someone opposite of Chandler and Nink who will create as much disruption as they do.

But the 2 FAs I think we're going to be pleasantly surprised by are Fletcher and Cadet. Cadet won't replace Shane Vereen but he'll be close enough to his production to make that departure less painful. (I think Vereen will probably be the FA who goes on to have the most success of any player we've let walk)

Fletcher was, IIRC, the 3rd rated Corner in 2013 or something like that? I think the change of scenery is going to be huge for him and we won't have Duane Starks pt deux. Increased pressure up front and a player of McCourty's caliber in the backfield are going to help him Fletcher have a solid recovery year. Not sure who is going to play opposite of him. Ryan or Butler, I'd guess.

 

[Ross12]

Wearing my homer pants today but I don't care. I think that we're going to get at least 2 LaFell level FAs out of our group this year. By that I mean FAs who contribute significantly more than we ever expected.

Chandler is going to be a beast. Sheard is going to give us someone opposite of Chandler and Nink who will create as much disruption as they do.

But the 2 FAs I think we're going to be pleasantly surprised by are Fletcher and Cadet. Cadet won't replace Shane Vereen but he'll be close enough to his production to make that departure less painful. (I think Vereen will probably be the FA who goes on to have the most success of any player we've let walk)

Fletcher was, IIRC, the 3rd rated Corner in 2013 or something like that? I think the change of scenery is going to be huge for him and we won't have Duane Starks pt deux. Increased pressure up front and a player of McCourty's caliber in the backfield are going to help him Fletcher have a solid recovery year. Not sure who is going to play opposite of him. Ryan or Butler, I'd guess.

Agreed on all counts! Fletcher has been both outstanding and awful, but his true capabilities are somewhere in between I feel. He should be a pretty solid and perhaps above average corner, which should be good enough if your pass rush is awesome and your safety play is good-to-great. The corner situation is obviously a downgrade from last year, but the front 7 overall is a pretty big upgrade, and the safeties could be an upgrade too if Harmon takes another step forward or if Richards develops fast.

And yeah, Chandler is gonna rock 'n roll as the second TE. I'm looking forward to a set with Chandler and Hooman/Wright at TE with Gronk split off the formation, Edelman on the other side and Blount/Cadet in the backfield. Opposing defenses will s*** their pants...