I wouldn't cut Kelly unless I was certain the injury had ended it for him. You won't replace him (who he was before he got hurt) for that kind of money, plus he's good veteran leadership.
I like Kelly also, but I think we can clear Kelly's cap hit and then bring him back in the preseason if he is healthy. He is 33 years old and coming off a significant injury and his last strong season was in 2011, so I do not think teams will be bidding for his services, he can be a Gerard Warren type edition. I do not see any reason to carry a $2.6M cap hit for him.
I do not know if he is a good leader, from what I heard he was a bit of a problem child in Oakland.
A. Wilson will likely get cut, but I wouldn't do it until I gave him a chance to show I had to cut him. The play in the Superbowl that most stands out to me is Kam Chancellor destroying Demarius Thomas very early on. Tone-setters are hard to find. If Wilson can't go, okay then, but there's no harm in taking the wait-and-see approach.
Wilson will turn 35 years old within the first 6 weeks of 2014s season, Chancellor is 25 years old, as much as I wish we had a 25 year old Wilson, we do not. My belief was that if Wilson was going to be a difference maker it had to be in 2013, a 35 year old safety return from a major injury who was already on the decline is very unlikely to help us.
I really think we need to get away from relying on these end of life veterans and find long-term solutions for these roles. We are turning over positions on a YOY basis, consistency and continuity cannot develop.
We need to get back to the day when we had consistent presences on our defense –
- Tedy Bruschi – 13 seasons
- Willie McGinest – 11 season
- Ted Johnson – 10 seasons
- Ty Law – 10 seasons
- Mike Vrabel – 8 seasons
- Richard Seymour – 8 seasons
- Ty Warren – 8 seasons
- Jarvis Green – 8 seasons
- Rodney Harrison – 6 seasons
- Eugene Wilson – 5 seasons
- Asante Samuel – 5 seasons
- Roman Phifer – 4 seasons
I don't like giving up on older players who have a desire to play. Miami paid a ton to get Ellerby, and Carlos Dansby outplayed him by a mile last year.
Dansby just turned 32 in November so his 2013 season was primarily played at age 31, and he was not coming off an injury.
Also, is it possible that BB will move Jamie Collins to SS in certain sub-packages? if that's a possibility, we should grab another linebacker (we probably should anyway!).
I agree on the LB addition, I was thinking a player like Pat Anger could be low risk high reward signing.
Would love the FA's you mention, though I doubt we'll get Mack. I'm coming around on Talib and Edelman coming back, though, with the cap increase and Mankins hinting that he'd be open to restructuring.
$6.5M APY would make Mack the third highest paid OC in the league, that is a solid payday and he gets to play for a winner, I could see it happening. I am hoping Lombardi has a connection to him and his agent.
Not crazy about Johnson, though - would rather either try to lock in Lamar Houston for a few years, or grab a Will Smith of Justin Tuck for a year.
I think Tuck is going to be looking for a crazy payday. Smith is just Andre Carter the 2.0 and I like Carter but I would really like to sign someone who can help the team for more than 1 maybe 2 seasons.
Houston is an interesting prospect, he can also move inside.
If we retain Edelman, we don't need Cooper. Edelman, Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, Thompkins, Harrison, Moe...
I am going to hold off on the roster spot for TJ Moe and Mark Harrison until they makes it through an OTA session. In addition, I believe Thompkins was the 2013 version of Justin Francis and Sterling Moore, players that filled a need but lack the talent for a sustainable NFL career, my prediction is that Thompkins is cut at the end of the preseason.
Riley Cooper would give us a deep threat, he does not need to start or even play many snaps but he can be used to stretch the field, and I do not think he will come at a high cost. We need to add something to the WR lineup; essentially, you are relying on 2 UDFA who were on injured reserve last season to be the difference between 2013s corps and 2014s.
No way Houston swaps #33 for Mallett. Can't see it. Would love it, but can't see it. I suspect the Pats won't get higher than a 4th, and won't sell lower than a high 3rd...unless it's part of a bigger package.
I am not sure why you believe that, Mallett was a top 25 talent in 2011, and now he has been behind the GOAT for 3 season, he beat out Hoyer who was a starter in the NFL last season after just one season for the backup job. I think we all think Mallett is not worth that much because he does not play, but would you really expect him to overtake Tom Brady on the depth chart? He is the second best QB on the team Tom Brady plays on, are you not willing to give up the 33rd overall pick for the second best QB on a team that has Tom Brady?