Does the 2017 free agent class need to be reevaluated?

[BobDigital]

The big name free agents of 2017 are

Hightower Collins Sheard Bennett Vollmer Cannon Branch Long Ryan Harmon.

Also Bolden Blount Develin Mingo are worth noting.

So we are 5 games into the year and maybe it is time to revisit this topic.

Hightower and Collins are often talked about the most and while i really like both players there are just a few things that are hard to ignore. I don't think with Hightower's style he will ever play 16 game for this team in the future. He looks good when healthy and to his credit player through injury when it can but I don't think this issue is going away. As for Collins we keep waiting for him to be consistent and he has not been able to be. At times he is down right dominate but at times he just doesn't appear to be on the field

At this point i think it is fair to look at both these players and understand these issues will not be going away most likely. If so how does this effect their market value in the NFL and what their market value is for the team?

Obviously both are very good players but are they worth the Keuchly type contracts we will need to give both?

At this point considering the history of both i put their value below the 10M a year mark which I was hesitant to do before but these trends keep continuing and is part of the player's make up.

Sheard has done well but he seems to me an above average starting DE and beyond that is arguable but certainly isn't playing like a top 10 guy and during his time here due to injuries and everything else he has failed to produce like we all hope. While still a player i want to keep I wonder if we over value his market here.

Bennett on the other hand is falling into the must sign camp and the only question about him is he will be 30 next year. However on a 3 year contract it could be a good deal and at this point the league has learned i think not to over pay for offensive players who look good for the Patriots. The Brady effect was clearly seen even this year

Cannon a year ago was seen as an easy cut but now it seems the Pats will need to part ways with Vollmer due to injury history and use Cannon as a bridge. He has looked capable this year so his value maybe went up.

We could go down the whole list but you get the idea. Has your opinion in any way changed on the 2017 FA class even if at it is is changing what you think the price should be?

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Re-sign Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower. Our defense would go to **** without those two. You need stars to win on D. What stars on D would we have without those two?

Franchise Bennett. Cheap for tight ends.

 

[ausbacker]

A lot of what may transpire may rest on the shoulders of what happens with Jimmy Garoppolo. If the Patriots are able to trade him for a small fortune, then that may change the position the team has on some of the listed players. Mind you, the Patriots are starting to get that I'll take a discounted rate to stay here because I like competing for championships feel about the veteran acquisitions. Big money is nice but ask Long and Bennett what their current level of job satisfaction is compared to the previous teams.

 

[supafly]

The big name free agents of 2017 are

Hightower Collins Sheard Bennett Vollmer Cannon Branch Long Ryan Harmon.

Also Bolden Blount Develin Mingo are worth noting.

I've never believed for one second that we'd keep both Collins and Hightower on long term extensions, so we'll have to see how that pans out. I found it hilarious that some people actually felt that they'd keep Chandler Jones, Collins, Hightower AND Butler in the same year. Now it's fully possible that they'll only hand out major extensions to 1 or 2 of the four players, considering that Butler can be tendered at a reasonable rate while he continues to set his future value. Some here have been ready to hand out a 14m dollar AAV deal for Malcolm Butler since last season.

The fact that they'll have a nice amount of cap space does NOT mean that Bill Belichick is going to step outside of his comfort zone and overpay for any player, and in a year where both of Collins/HT will be seeing top market value in conjunction with our own FA needs, I'm not seeing it. Perhaps they will choose to extend one and franchise the other, but either way, they'll have a plan. Rest assured.

Also, some of these names on the list will move on just the same as any other year. As usual, many will overreact (Vereen, Anderson, Ayers, Hicks) in dramatic fashion for no good reason whatsoever, but the world will keep spinning and those "names" will be replaced via draft picks (Belichick's preference) and/or other free agents. As usual, Belichick will likely choose to prioritize some of the core players who aren't exactly stars to the rest of the league like Develin etc over others, just the same as any other year.

 

[supafly]

A lot of what may transpire may rest on the shoulders of what happens with Jimmy Garoppolo. If the Patriots are able to trade him for a small fortune, then that may change the position the team has on some of the listed players.

To take this idea one step further (or maybe a "leap" to some), if Belichick has any thoughts of trying to keep Garoppolo for an additional year or two where Brady may wrap up and pass the torch, that could certainly play into cap management just as well.

The idea sounds like a stretch, but franchise QBs don't fall out of the sky, particularly in our system, so if Belichick feels that it's in his best interests to overpay at the position of QB for a couple of years, it's something that could be worked out by keeping a few cap dollars in reserve.

 

[thecore762]

We have to do everything we can to keep Collins, he is much more valuable than Hightower, ideally I want to keep both but if one had to go then I'd take Collins over Hightower because of his coverage ability.

I'm okay letting Ryan and Branch walk, we got some young talent that should be able to fill those roles.

I do hope our team can finally get an offensive lineman that is solid that can protect Brady.

 

[slash83]

We have to do everything we can to keep Collins, he is much more valuable than Hightower, ideally I want to keep both but if one had to go then I'd take Collins over Hightower because of his coverage ability.

I'm okay letting Ryan and Branch walk, we got some young talent that should be able to fill those roles.

I do hope our team can finally get an offensive lineman that is solid that can protect Brady.

I for one am liking the line so far this season, just need to stay healthy.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I for one am liking the line so far this season, just need to stay healthy.

Shoulda kept Ayers (edit:Akiem Hicks) That was the screw up of the offseason.

 

[DarrylS]

With 60+ million in cap room next year.. a lot of this can be worked out, with creative contracts..

My priorities are Collins, Hightower, Butler, Ryan...

Then there are the second tier guys..

It might make more sense to try to keep your own, as next year there is a lot of extra money floating around the league and the ass hat GM's who will win the Superbowl in April by overpaying for players will overpay and inflate the market value for players in general..

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Shoulda kept Ayers. That was the screw up of the offseason.

He left before the 2015 season.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He left before the 2015 season.

My bad. I meant Akiem Hicks.

Too many Akeems or Akiems

 

[Hael]

I think we have to decide whether we want Collins, or Hightower and Butler assuming all are healthy. Likely pick one or the other.
I think we likely might pick Hightower and Butler as their cap hit will be both smaller, and we might get more of a discount.

Collins is an all world lb and one of the best defenders in the NFL. His athleticism alone guarantees his value is scheme independent. Some team will pay him an absolute fortune. As much as I would like to keep him, I don't think BB is willing to overpay.

Perhaps it will come down to health at the end of the day.

 

[Ivan]

Shoulda kept Ayers. That was the screw up of the offseason.

Huh?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Huh?

I meant Akiem Hicks. Not Akeem Ayers

 

[Ivan]

My bad. I meant Akiem Hicks.

Too many Akeems or Akiems

They tried, he wanted more than they were willing to give him.

 

[slash83]

Shoulda kept Ayers (edit:Akiem Hicks) That was the screw up of the offseason.

I agree,but was talking about the o-line, sorry.

 

[Ivan]

Bennett was the move I wanted them to make in the offseason and my hope is that they can get him signed to a new deal before they hit free agency, his presence makes their run game so much better and makes it incredibly difficult to stop them. With Gronk and Bennett they can go no huddle and dictate to defenses all day long, go big and try to stop the run and they will throw all over you, go to nickel and dime packages and they will run you into the ground and keep your offense on the sideline. They really need to find a way to keep him, and given how happy he is playing here it is a strong possibility.

 

[RobertWeathers]

They tried, he wanted more than they were willing to give him.

That's the issue. They didn't get it done. 2/yr$10m for a DT who is good v run and can rush the passer is reasonable

Thought I heard that they wanted to do 3/12m and $5m guaranteed which is not bad but clearly less

 

[RobertWeathers]

I agree,but was talking about the o-line, sorry.

Oh. My bad. Thought combo was d-line

 

[Ivan]

That's the issue. They didn't get it done. 2/yr$10m for a DT who is good v run and can rush the passer is reasonable

Thought I heard that they wanted to do 3/12m and $5m guaranteed which is not bad but clearly less

I thought they made him a fair offer, they can't simply raise the bar each time another team ups the ante they have to set values and stay to them for the most part. There are exceptions but they are going to lose players when teams are willing to keep going higher.