Chris Price: 20 Best FA Signings in the Belichick Era

[IcyPatriot]

patriots - 20 best free agent signings of Bill Belichick era, 2016 edition - WEEI | Christopher Price

,the rules for inclusion are fairly standard:
A player had to be signed as a free agent by the franchise from when Belichick took control in 2000 until the present day. In putting together who was ranked where, we included contract, value and overall impact on the franchise, both on and off the field, as well as something indefinable we'll just call intangibles.

1. Rodney Harrison (2003)
2. Mike Vrabel (2001)
3. Darrelle Revis (2014)
4. Rob Ninkovich (2009)
5. Julian Edelman (2013)

6. Dion Lewis (2015)
7. Junior Seau (2006)
8. Brian Waters (2011)
9. Danny Woodhead (2010)
10. Andre Carter (2011, 2013)

11. Rosevelt Colvin (2003)
12. Antowain Smith (2001)
13. David Patten (2001)
14. Roman Phifer (2001)
15. Jabaal Sheard (2015)

16. Bryan Cox (2001)
17. Danny Amendola (2013)
18. Alge Crumpler (2010)
19. Anthony Pleasant (2001)
20. Adalius Thomas (2007)

 

[fnordcircle]

I love Dion but you got to put Seau, Waters, Woodhead, Antowain, Cox, Sheard, Pleasant and Amendola ahead of him for now.

 

[Joey007]

I feel bad that Adalius is anywhere on the list, even if it's 20.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I love Dion but you got to put Seau, Waters, Woodhead, Antowain, Cox, Sheard, Pleasant and Amendola ahead of him for now.

Is a bit soon ... but I like his attempt to rattle the cage.

Jabaal under Roman caught my eye .

Also there's no way Patten makes this team makes the list.

 

[Joey007]

Also there's no way Patten makes this team makes the list.

Say what?

 

[IcyPatriot]

Say what?

A 2004 epic thread here in the forum ...
After weeks of arguing the epic thread was made:

New England Patriots- News Rumors stats - Patsfans.com Talk Forums- Welcome - Viewing threads in PatsFans.com Messageboard

At the end ... comparing PK Sam to David Patten .... ha

 

[Joey007]

A 2004 epic thread here in the forum ...

"There's no way David Patten Makes This Team" ... wish I had a link.

My apologies for questioning such an experienced poster. I guess that was a good six years before my time here

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

Wasn't Tedy Bruschi re-signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2000 after he tested the market? If Edelman is on the list, Bruschi would be pretty close to Harrison at the top.

 

[Rob0729]

How is Phifer so low? The guy was a starting LB during most of the Dynasty era. He was a far bigger impact than Carter or Seau.

 

[Galeb]

Ted Washington wasn't a Patriot for very long, but I think he should be on the list.

edit: Pats traded for Washington

 

[AtomicDawg]

Revis over Edelman? Both meant a lot in the 2014 season but JE caught the go-ahead TD in SB49. Not to mention throwing the TD to DA in the Divisional Round. And....he's been a Patriot longer. I remember he balled his ass off in the 09 Wild Card game when practically no one else gave a crap.

 

[IllegalContact]

I would put Kieth Traylor ahead of Brian Waters.....Wilfork wasn't ready and this guy came in and stopped the run game bleeding...Tyrone Poole is another one

how do you put Anthony Pleasant on this list and not Bobby Hamilton?

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I think it's a little silly and disingenuous to include a resigning like Edelman in the list. What's the difference between him and Tom Brady? One was resigned before free agency, the other after. Same difference, yet no credit is being given for Brady's ridiculous contracts.

The general point of these types of things should be to rank the evaluation of external talent brought in. Not resignings. Just my opinion.

 

[IllegalContact]

Ted Washington wasn't a Patriot for very long, but I think he should be on the list.

they traded for him

 

[IllegalContact]

Otis Smith?

 

[nabwong]

I love Dion but you got to put Seau, Waters, Woodhead, Antowain, Cox, Sheard, Pleasant and Amendola ahead of him for now.

On the flip side, if Dion wasn't injured, he'd be higher. Above Ninko. Just IMO. He literally transformed our offense. He couldn't be stopped.

 

[IllegalContact]

how the hell does crumpler make the list and not fauria?

 

[IllegalContact]

On the flip side, if Dion wasn't injured, he'd be higher. Above Ninko. Just IMO. He literally transformed our offense. He couldn't be stopped.

dion lewis is still behind the midseason pickup of blount after the steelers dump him

 

[IcyPatriot]

I would put Kieth Traylor ahead of Brian Waters.....Wilfork wasn't ready and this guy came in and stopped the run game bleeding...Tyrone Poole is another one

how do you put Anthony Pleasant on this list and not Bobby Hamilton?

Bobby was the glue of the DL ... he was a major team leader keeping players together on and off the field.

 

[Kontradiction]

Why is Edelman on that list? Yeah, he was a FA signing, but he was already in house. If he can make that list, shouldn't Brady be at the top? How about Wilfork? I agree with the top three. After that, the list has a lot of problems.