2013 Reloading for another Decade of Dominance

[yopats]

Hi Guys..

Here is my shot at what a 2013 Off Season Looks like with the sole intention of keeping this train moving towards 2020.

Free Agency

Re-Sign
Edleman
Arrington
Woodhead
Vollmer
Talib

Signed Free Agents
Ed Reed (Saftey) -- BB makes his Rodney off season move and goes and gets a guy he has always wanted..

UnSigned
Welker bricks -- I know this one will be unpopular BUT tough choices have to be made for the better of the team..

Traded
Logan Mankins to Minnesota for Percy Harvin -- (Yes I am crazy.. but I think the Pats need to think about making tough long term choices .. This get's them the best of both worlds with a replacement for Welker who is younger and more dynamic.

Mankins huge salary goes out the door with him.. Donald Thomas is more than capable in filling the LG postion.

Extended Patriots
With not much of a Salary Cap Increase this year the Patriots have a ton of players coming into Free Agency in 2014.. Look for them to extend a couple key cogs like they did last year with Gronk and Hern

This is all made possible due to the trade of Mankins and the money that it freed up.

Brandon Spikes 5 year extension
Devin McCourty 5 year extension


Draft
1. 32/ Jesse Williams DT - Alabama 6-4 / 320lbs -- A Monster to share space with Big Vince and gives BB even more flexibility on the Dline

2. 61 - Robert Woods WR USC 6-1 / 190lbs - A young Dynamic Reciever that can be groomed behind B. Lloyd -- The Pats might have to move those 2 7th round picks to move up and get Woods.

3. 93 - Tyrann Matheiu (HoneyBadger) Slot CB LSU - 5-9 / 180 -- HoneyBadger comes in and competes with Arrington for an ever increasing important Slot CB postion. He is a playmaker and with the addition of Ed Reed and McCourty at Safety's the mentor young Tyrann into an elite weapon for BB.

Overall the Pats tighten things up on D and add a good vetran mix with a young core

LB's - Spikes/Mayo/Hightower
DT - Williams/Wilfork/Love/Deadrick
DE - Jones/Francis/Nink/Cunningham
CB- Talib/Dennard/Dowling/Arrington/HoneyBadger
S- Reed/McCourty/Gregory/Wilson

On Offense the Pats build on more layers of speed and flexibility with Harvin added and Edleman back in the mix along with rookie Robert Woods and don't forget about a full off season for Jeff Demps..

WR's - Lloyd/Edelman/Harvin/Woods
RB - Woodhead/Ridley/Bolden/Vereen/Demps
TE- Gronk/Hern/Ballard/Hou



The Future looks good!

 

[patsfaninpa]

Interesting model. I said that I didn't think Ed Reed would leave if Lewis is still around. He might take a peek now. I don't think Mankins has any trade value because of his contract and health issues. Harvin has one year left and not making much. He has injury issues as well and prob wouldn't cost too much to get here. Like the Moss trade in 07. We could afford him and Reed if we let Welker walk.

 

[mayoclinic]

I've already presented my thoughts on reloading ad nauseum:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/13/959894-my-blueprint-pats.html

I obviously don't have a monopoly on the blueprint business or a crystal ball, but I personally am a bit dubious about a couple of things:

1. Trading Logan Mankins for Percy Harvin. Seems like a pipe dream to me. A nice one, but I'm skeptical that Minny would take on that kind of contract for a 31 year old Mankins.

2. Taking Tyrann Mathieu in the 3rd round. Seems crazy to me. JMHO.

3. I'm of the opinion that building around a 35 year old Ed Reed doesn't make a lot of sense. Great player, but he's at the twilight of his career, even if he does choose to move on from Baltimore. He's a short term option at best.

Love the Jesse Williams pick.

 

[kennyb]

Jesse Williams reminds me of Ron Brace a little bit. Kind of sluggish. Good space eater but the NFL is more about penetration now. Just sitting back and "stopping the run" won't do much. I'll probably get flamed for that of course.

Honey badger probably gets banned for a long time for failing drug tests at the pro level. Not sure why you draft a tiny little cb like that in the 3rd round when he'll just be suspended most of the time. Pac man with a drug problem basically.

Why would Ed Reed want to leave Baltimore and the system/people/places he's known for his whole career and start anew at age 35? Even if he did get slightly more money?

I like the outside the box thinking of jettisoning Mankins and Welker. Not sure if you could get rid of Mankins huge salary. Welker I hope comes to his senses and stays for reasonable money.

 

[Wilfork#75]

While I would have no problem trading Mankins, it wouldn't happen until at least 2014. He has a negative cap savings of $2mil for 2013, so not only would we have to take on his $10mil cap hit for 2013, we would also have to take on an additional $2mil in dead money. At least in 2014 we would save $2.5mil by cutting or trading him, but its still a lot of dead money ($8mil).

 

[manxman2601]

Jesse Williams reminds me of Ron Brace a little bit. Kind of sluggish. Good space eater but the NFL is more about penetration now. Just sitting back and "stopping the run" won't do much. I'll probably get flamed for that of course.

Honey badger probably gets banned for a long time for failing drug tests at the pro level. Not sure why you draft a tiny little cb like that in the 3rd round when he'll just be suspended most of the time. Pac man with a drug problem basically.

Why would Ed Reed want to leave Baltimore and the system/people/places he's known for his whole career and start anew at age 35? Even if he did get slightly more money?

I like the outside the box thinking of jettisoning Mankins and Welker. Not sure if you could get rid of Mankins huge salary. Welker I hope comes to his senses and stays for reasonable money.

There is absolutely nothing about Jesse Williams' game which suggests "sitting back". He plays a two gap NT but does so very aggressively. He might not be a penetrator but he's borderline an elite prospect as a run-stopper. And if BB prioritises anything on our defense, it's stopping the run.

As for Ed Reed, you're assuming that the Ravens will want to spend the money re-signing him. They probably will but as far as Ed Reed to the Pats goes, most people who think that that is possible add the caveat that it will happen "only if he becomes available".

 

[manxman2601]

While I would have no problem trading Mankins, it wouldn't happen until at least 2014. He has a negative cap savings of $2mil for 2013, so not only would we have to take on his $10mil cap hit for 2013, we would also have to take on an additional $2mil in dead money. At least in 2014 we would save $2.5mil by cutting or trading him, but its still a lot of dead money ($8mil).

Good to see you back Wilfork. Are sticking around between now and the draft?

 

[Wilfork#75]

Good to see you back Wilfork. Are sticking around between now and the draft?

Thanks manx, I'm starting to get back into draft mode now. I'll be posting my new mock in a few hours and I'm expecting it to create some controversy and debate. I'll definitely be here through the draft, once I get hooked I cant stay away.

 

[mayoclinic]

Thanks manx, I'm starting to get back into draft mode now. I'll be posting my new mock in a few hours and I'm expecting it to create some controversy and debate. I'll definitely be here through the draft, once I get hooked I cant stay away.

Definitely good to see you back. You've been missed.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Thanks manx, I'm starting to get back into draft mode now. I'll be posting my new mock in a few hours and I'm expecting it to create some controversy and debate. I'll definitely be here through the draft, once I get hooked I cant stay away.

Gotta love a site where the draft guys think skill positions mean the line of scrimmage

 

[manxman2601]

Gotta love a site where the draft guys think skill positions mean the line of scrimmage

The Patriot way.

 

[Marqui]

3. I'm of the opinion that building around a 35 year old Ed Reed doesn't make a lot of sense. Great player, but he's at the twilight of his career, even if he does choose to move on from Baltimore. He's a short term option at best.

I'm sure no one looks at Reed as a long term option or someone to build around for the future. Some just feel if the Pats could get 1-3 great years out of him like they did with Rodney (while a draft pick safety like Elam or Reid develops), it would be a great situation.

 

[kennyb]

I'm sure no one looks at Reed as a long term option or someone to build around for the future. Some just feel if the Pats could get 1-3 great years out of him like they did with Rodney (while a draft pick safety like Elam or Reid develops), it would be a great situation.

Why would he want to jump ship at age 35? Rodney got cut or at least allowed to walk with no interest from the chargers.

 

[manxman2601]

Why would he want to jump ship at age 35? Rodney got cut or at least allowed to walk with no interest from the chargers.

Ravens have to find the money to pay Flacco from somewhere assuming they go that way.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I've already presented my thoughts on reloading ad nauseum:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/13/959894-my-blueprint-pats.html

I obviously don't have a monopoly on the blueprint business or a crystal ball, but I personally am a bit dubious about a couple of things:

1. Trading Logan Mankins for Percy Harvin. Seems like a pipe dream to me. A nice one, but I'm skeptical that Minny would take on that kind of contract for a 31 year old Mankins.

2. Taking Tyrann Mathieu in the 3rd round. Seems crazy to me. JMHO.

3. I'm of the opinion that building around a 35 year old Ed Reed doesn't make a lot of sense. Great player, but he's at the twilight of his career, even if he does choose to move on from Baltimore. He's a short term option at best.

Love the Jesse Williams pick.

Got to agree with you on this. Especially on the honey badger. I doubt he is on BB's board.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm sure no one looks at Reed as a long term option or someone to build around for the future. Some just feel if the Pats could get 1-3 great years out of him like they did with Rodney (while a draft pick safety like Elam or Reid develops), it would be a great situation.

I've always been a bit of a dreamer, but personally the idea of the Pats signing 35 year old Ed Reed - who has talked of retirement for years and who has a history of neck and shoulder injuries - and getting 3 years out of him sems about as likely to me as the idea of trading Logan Mankins for Percy Harvin. If the Pats sign Reed I'll pray for as much as we can possibly get from him, but I wouldn't design my offseason plan around him.

 

[Marqui]

I've always been a bit of a dreamer, but personally the idea of the Pats signing 35 year old Ed Reed - who has talked of retirement for years and who has a history of neck and shoulder injuries - and getting 3 years out of him sems about as likely to me as the idea of trading Logan Mankins for Percy Harvin. If the Pats sign Reed I'll pray for as much as we can possibly get from him, but I wouldn't design my offseason plan around him.

Well remember Reed has played all 16 games + playoffs for 2 years now. It's not completely crazy to expect at least 1 year from him, which I would be fine with.

But yeah, I would only do it if the cost was reasonable and nothing longer than a 3 year deal.

 

[manxman2601]

I've always been a bit of a dreamer, but personally the idea of the Pats signing 35 year old Ed Reed - who has talked of retirement for years and who has a history of neck and shoulder injuries - and getting 3 years out of him sems about as likely to me as the idea of trading Logan Mankins for Percy Harvin. If the Pats sign Reed I'll pray for as much as we can possibly get from him, but I wouldn't design my offseason plan around him.

What about the knock on effect for Tavon Wilson of having the best safety ever to learn from?

 

[mayoclinic]

What about the knock on effect for Tavon Wilson of having the best safety ever to learn from?

I'm fine picking Ed Reed up for cheap if he's available. I'm sure he'd be a great asset as a teacher, and hope we could get at least a year out of him. I'm not fine with spending a lot to get him given our cap situation and his age and injury history (injuries have a tendency to catch up with you with age, even though he's been relatively healthy - he did have shoulder issues this year, though he played all 16 games), and I wouldn't make him a centerpiece of my off-season strategy because I think the likelihood of that happening is low. If it happens that way, fine. If not, I move on. That's just me. I understand others feel otherwise.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm fine picking Ed Reed up for cheap if he's available. I'm sure he'd be a great asset as a teacher, and hope we could get at least a year out of him. I'm not fine with spending a lot to get him given our cap situation and his age and injury history (injuries have a tendency to catch up with you with age, even though he's been relatively healthy - he did have shoulder issues this year, though he played all 16 games), and I wouldn't make him a centerpiece of my off-season strategy because I think the likelihood of that happening is low. If it happens that way, fine. If not, I move on. That's just me. I understand others feel otherwise.

I don't think anyone wants to spend big on Reed or make him a centrepiece of a strategy. Any talk of Reed to the Patriots I think merely reflects the knowledge that BB is a big fan. As Ocho, Red Bryant and Reggie Wayne prove, BB isn't adverse to trying to sign those players he respects the most. Of course they also prove he isn't willing to sell the family treasures to sign them either.