- Joined
- May 1, 2008
- Messages
- 16,682
- Reaction score
- 3,686
A week ago I posted a 4 round mock offseason and draft. Based on last week's loss to Miami and how things currently look, I thought I would make a revised attempt at what just a Pats offseason might look like:
Assumptions:
1. 2010 is an uncapped year.
2. Pats finish 10-6, win the division, and lose to Indy in the playoffs. As such, we are a "2nd 4" team in the group of 8, which has different rules than the "top 4" for signing external FAs.
3. The Pats have the #20 and #52 picks in the draft, plus #42 (Tennessee) and #50 (Jacksonville).
Free Agency:
1. The Pats re-sign (or franchise) UFAs DT Vince Wilfork and TE Ben Watson.
2. The Pats re-sign UFA CB Leigh Bodden for 4 years, $24M.
3. The Pats tender RFAs OG Logan Mankins and K Stefan Gostkowki high tender offers.
4. The Pats sign UFA OLB Shawne Merriman for 4 years, $24M.
5. The Pats sign UFA RB Reggie Bush for 4 years, $14M.
6. The Pats do not re-sign UFAs Stephen Neal, Kevin Faulk, Jarvis Green, Derrick Burgess, Pierre Woods or Junior Seau (total savings about $15M).
7. The Pats cut CB Shawn Springs (savings about $2M).
8. The Pats trade OT Matt Light to Kansas City for the #70 pick in the draft (savings abuot $5.5).
The cuts, trades and lack of re-signings dave about $22.5M. That should cover most of the FA signings except for Wilfork (Bodden and Merriman about $6M each, Watson about $3M, Gostkowski about $2-3M, Bush $3-4M, and Mankins $4-5M = $24-27M). Wilfork would likely cost about $8M/year on top of that. Not impossible to manage.
Draft:
1. Rolando McClain, ILB. NE trades #20 and OLB Adalius Thomas (and probably some picks; James Sanders could also be a throw-in) to either Denver or SF to move up to the 10-12 range. With Merriman at OLB a pass rusher is not necessary with the 1st pick. McClain is a stud, and Merriman-McClain-Mayo will form one of the best LB corps in the NFL. CB Joe Haden or DE Cameron Heyward would get consideration if McClain is gone. If anyone thinks this is totally out of the question, consider what the Jets gave up last year to move up from 17 to 5.
2(42) Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB. A raw physical freak to pair with Merriman. Greg Hardy or Greg Romeus could also be options here, or possibly Everson Griffen or Jerry Hughes. Allen Bailey could also be an option as a 3-4 DE, in which case we would go DE/OLB with the #70 pick from KC.
2(50) Maurkice Pouncey, OG/C. An inside stud. OG Mike Iupati or OT/OG Gabe Carimi would also get consideration. A small trade up might be necessary here.
2(52) Joseph Barksdale, OT. A RT who would bring a physical dimension (with LT caliber footwork) to he right side like Vollmer brings to the left. Gabe Carimi would also be an option.
3(70) Corey Wootten, DE. A 6'7" guy who was considered a 1st round prospect at the beginning of the year. If we went DE instead of DE/OLB in the 2nd round, then someone like Austen Lane or Jeremy Beal could be an option here.
That offseason would fix our primary problems at OLB (including the pass rush), OL, and 3-4 DE. Merriman would give a veteran presence and a proven pass rusher, combined with a young guy to develop. Those additions, along with ILB Rolando McClain and the return of Tyrone McKenzie, would immediately upgrade our LB unit from the weakest area of the defense to possibly the strongest. Reggie Bush would replace Kevin Faulk and add an all-purpose threat to complement Maroney, with the right side of the line getting an upgrade.
Priorities in 2011 could include a shut down CB such as Patrick Peterson with the Raider's pick, and getting one of the available top WRs to develop as an eventual replacement for Moss.
Assumptions:
1. 2010 is an uncapped year.
2. Pats finish 10-6, win the division, and lose to Indy in the playoffs. As such, we are a "2nd 4" team in the group of 8, which has different rules than the "top 4" for signing external FAs.
3. The Pats have the #20 and #52 picks in the draft, plus #42 (Tennessee) and #50 (Jacksonville).
Free Agency:
1. The Pats re-sign (or franchise) UFAs DT Vince Wilfork and TE Ben Watson.
2. The Pats re-sign UFA CB Leigh Bodden for 4 years, $24M.
3. The Pats tender RFAs OG Logan Mankins and K Stefan Gostkowki high tender offers.
4. The Pats sign UFA OLB Shawne Merriman for 4 years, $24M.
5. The Pats sign UFA RB Reggie Bush for 4 years, $14M.
6. The Pats do not re-sign UFAs Stephen Neal, Kevin Faulk, Jarvis Green, Derrick Burgess, Pierre Woods or Junior Seau (total savings about $15M).
7. The Pats cut CB Shawn Springs (savings about $2M).
8. The Pats trade OT Matt Light to Kansas City for the #70 pick in the draft (savings abuot $5.5).
The cuts, trades and lack of re-signings dave about $22.5M. That should cover most of the FA signings except for Wilfork (Bodden and Merriman about $6M each, Watson about $3M, Gostkowski about $2-3M, Bush $3-4M, and Mankins $4-5M = $24-27M). Wilfork would likely cost about $8M/year on top of that. Not impossible to manage.
Draft:
1. Rolando McClain, ILB. NE trades #20 and OLB Adalius Thomas (and probably some picks; James Sanders could also be a throw-in) to either Denver or SF to move up to the 10-12 range. With Merriman at OLB a pass rusher is not necessary with the 1st pick. McClain is a stud, and Merriman-McClain-Mayo will form one of the best LB corps in the NFL. CB Joe Haden or DE Cameron Heyward would get consideration if McClain is gone. If anyone thinks this is totally out of the question, consider what the Jets gave up last year to move up from 17 to 5.
2(42) Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB. A raw physical freak to pair with Merriman. Greg Hardy or Greg Romeus could also be options here, or possibly Everson Griffen or Jerry Hughes. Allen Bailey could also be an option as a 3-4 DE, in which case we would go DE/OLB with the #70 pick from KC.
2(50) Maurkice Pouncey, OG/C. An inside stud. OG Mike Iupati or OT/OG Gabe Carimi would also get consideration. A small trade up might be necessary here.
2(52) Joseph Barksdale, OT. A RT who would bring a physical dimension (with LT caliber footwork) to he right side like Vollmer brings to the left. Gabe Carimi would also be an option.
3(70) Corey Wootten, DE. A 6'7" guy who was considered a 1st round prospect at the beginning of the year. If we went DE instead of DE/OLB in the 2nd round, then someone like Austen Lane or Jeremy Beal could be an option here.
That offseason would fix our primary problems at OLB (including the pass rush), OL, and 3-4 DE. Merriman would give a veteran presence and a proven pass rusher, combined with a young guy to develop. Those additions, along with ILB Rolando McClain and the return of Tyrone McKenzie, would immediately upgrade our LB unit from the weakest area of the defense to possibly the strongest. Reggie Bush would replace Kevin Faulk and add an all-purpose threat to complement Maroney, with the right side of the line getting an upgrade.
Priorities in 2011 could include a shut down CB such as Patrick Peterson with the Raider's pick, and getting one of the available top WRs to develop as an eventual replacement for Moss.