Extending our 2017 FAs

[long distance]

With the 2016 roster taking shape maybe we can have another look at 2017 FA situation.
I think it was Reiss who suggested a few days ago that we can expect new extensions coming up soon - though not necessarily from the big FAs.

So outside of the big 3 (High, Collins, Sheard) who would you like to see extended now - before the price goes up.

Here is the list of the rest FAs (in current cap hit order):
Vollmer, Bennett, Cannon, Ninko, Branch, Mingo, Cooper, Long, Ryan, Harmon, Bolden, Blount, Develin.

In my view there is no hurry for the guys who's price is not likely to go up from now to the mid or the end of the season. I guess that would be Vollmer, Ninko, Bolden, Blount.

Then there is another group of vets who's price range is more or less established and will not jump too much even if they have a great season due to their age or importance of position: Branch, Long, Develin.

In the last group we have the guys where performance can have a big impact on their price: Bennett, Cannon, Mingo, Cooper, Ryan, Harmon.

So if no big 3 extensions are expected in the near future (although High's & Sheard's could increase cap space) I would like to have it from the guys in 3rd group. Since Cooper is a complete ?, Bennett and Mingo have to first prove themselves in the new environment and Cannon better not be mentioned in this context after the Freeny shock (although I do believe he gets extended at some point) I hope the next guy extended is Duron Harmon (I guess Ryan would prefer to wait and test the market). Harmon looked like a genuine monster in preseason and I'd lock him now before he explodes on a big scene.


p.s.
Most people think Collins is going to be the most difficult to extend (of course franchise tag is possible). Reading Miguel's account today I had a funny thought - in the light of Mingo : Collins comparison - that Collins might end up in Cleveland. Miguel projects $100M cap for the Browns next year (NE between 55-80). They cleaned the house, they have a crazy draft capital (13 picks, 2-1st, 2-2nd) and they could offer Collins basically whatever he wants. Of course what he wants might not be Cleveland.

 

[WazzuWheatfarmer]

I wouldn't hold your breath on Collins playing for NE after 2016. Patriots won't pay him what he wants. Someone else will. I think they are taking a look at Mingo as a possible replacement.

 

[TBR]

Logan Ryan - if they can pull off one of those slick below-market deals. But it would have to leave room for Butler.

Although Cyrus Jones might be seen as Ryan's eventual replacement by Bill & co...

In that case, maybe Harmon? If Bill thinks he's capable of replacing McCourty for a few million cheaper, then trade McCourty for a high 2nd in the off-season?

I like McCourty and I'd be hesitant to trade him due to how well he stabilized the secondary since his switch to FS, but if Bill thinks Harmon can get the job done on a cheaper contract... you never know.

Bennett is most likely a 1-year rental, looking to ball-out and cash in in FA.

Vollmer is old and injured but if he wants to come back on a cheap deal as a rotational, depth OT, then go for it.

 

[ahmed]

However things play out...it will be brutal for us because we are going to have to lose some of them. Hopefully we will have able replacements and the compensatory picks are good.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The only guy on this list that I really would like to see extended is Hightower.

Collins is going to bring us a third round pick and possibly 4th's for sheard and Logan.

Should be interesting whatever bb decides.

 

[CelticPatriot]

I'd keep Collins at (almost) any cost. Guys is a top 5 defensive player in the league. You don't get them much

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

You keep Collins and Hightower at any cost

 

[supafly]

The only guy on this list that I really would like to see extended is Hightower.

Collins is going to bring us a third round pick and possibly 4th's for sheard and Logan.

Should be interesting whatever bb decides.

Hard to disagree that HT is the top priority, but I'd definitely like to see more than just #54 extended, particularly with the laundry list that we have.

 

[BobDigital]

The guys I want particularly are Collins, Hightower, Sheard, Mingo, Anthony Johnson(he is just on a 1 yr contract I think and depending on his year could cost something). I think they make you young, athletic and able to rush the passer.

I would keep Sheard and let Nink walk if it comes to it. I would let Vollmer walk due to injuries. I would let Ryan/Harmon walk so i can afford the other guys.

Collins - 12M/yr
Hightower 12M/yr
Sheard 8M/yr
Mingo/Johnson 5M/yr

With Brown/Valentine you have good cheap DTs for 2 more years. Fill in as needed on the 3rd big DT spot in FA or a draft pick.

Flowers gives you a cheap DE opposite Sheard and you can great a depth guy in FA or the draft or just resign Long for cheap if you decide to let Nink walk. Also Mingo is more of a DE pass rush specialist than LB.

Ryan is replaced by one of the Jones or you draft someone or just sign him if he is cheap enough.

Harmon going is sad but someone needs to and we can't spend that much on a luxury depth spot.

 

[supafly]

The guys I want particularly are Collins, Hightower, Sheard, Mingo, Anthony Johnson(he is just on a 1 yr contract right). I think they make you young, athletic and able to rush the passer.

I would keep Sheard and let Nink walk if it comes to it. I would let Vollmer walk due to injuries. I would let Ryan/Harmon walk so i can afford the other guys.

You may be right about all of the players in your second paragraph. I think both sides want to see how Sheard fares here over the course of another season.

After all, how would you even attempt to gauge Sheard's current value at the moment? Is he closer to the player we saw last season (5.5m), the player who may take another step forward (9-10m a year?) or the player who was nothing more than mediocre in his days at CLE? Lots of gray area there.

 

[doesntmatter1]

You have to keep Hightower and Collins at almost any cost. I love our secondary but linebacker play is far harder to replace. It may take some time but we eventually find guys good enough to play cornerback, whether they be first round picks or udfas. Collins and Hightowers of the world just don't grow on trees. Mingo himself was a top 10 pick.

I literally suffered watching Gary Guyton play. I never want to see that again. Watching Guyton=what fans of garbage teams like the Browns go through or having Tebow miss wide open guys lol.

 

[Se7eN]

The guys I want particularly are Collins, Hightower, Sheard, Mingo, Anthony Johnson(he is just on a 1 yr contract I think and depending on his year could cost something). I think they make you young, athletic and able to rush the passer.

I would keep Sheard and let Nink walk if it comes to it. I would let Vollmer walk due to injuries. I would let Ryan/Harmon walk so i can afford the other guys.

Collins - 12M/yr
Hightower 12M/yr
Sheard 8M/yr
Mingo/Johnson 5M/yr

With Brown/Valentine you have good cheap DTs for 2 more years. Fill in as needed on the 3rd big DT spot in FA or a draft pick.

Flowers gives you a cheap DE opposite Sheard and you can great a depth guy in FA or the draft or just resign Long for cheap if you decide to let Nink walk. Also Mingo is more of a DE pass rush specialist than LB.

Ryan is replaced by one of the Jones or you draft someone or just sign him if he is cheap enough.

Harmon going is sad but someone needs to and we can't spend that much on a luxury depth spot.

I think Sheard may end up costing more than 8M/yr but asides from that this is pretty spot on

 

[DarrylS]

According to Miguel the Pats are have already committed 99 million salary cap dollars to their players in 2017, the salary cap next year is estimated to be 166 million.. so this team has a lot of cash as well to spend wisely.

 

[slash83]

I would be pleasantly surprised if either 91 or 54 is extended before the start of the season, especially 91.

 

[IllegalContact]

looks like we're getting a lot of 3rd round comp picks in 2018

 

[BelichickFan]

Collins is going to bring us a third round pick

Worst case with Collins will be to Franchise and trade him. No way they will let him walk for a late #3 comp pick. We need to get Hightower signed then we can Franchise Collins. Either to have him another year or to trade for a heck of a lot more than the comp pick.

 

[long distance]

According to Miguel the Pats are have already committed 99 million salary cap dollars to their players in 2017, the salary cap next year is estimated to be 166 million.. so this team has a lot of cash as well to spend wisely.

Its a great cap situation but ironicaly we might see a lot of sad departures.
Half of the board wanted to keep Garoppolo extended on a semi-back up semi-starting contract. Now the tide has turned a little but it might again. Then there's Gronk, Butler, Amendola again ...

I hope we can enjoy this stacked team when they all hopefully return for the second part of the season.

 

[PatsFan2]

B Mingo is not that imposing as Collins but if he's a poor mans Jamie Collins I think we can live with that. The Patriots are not giving Collins the moon but you can be sure some other cap loaded Team will. If I am Collins knowing how you are one injury away in Football you always take the $$$$. Collins and Hightower are now household names in this League.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

You keep Collins and Hightower at any cost

I made the statement about Collins (although I think I would apply it to Hightower as well) that it would be the biggest front office blunder in the last 15 years if they let Collins (or Hightower) leave via free agency when we have a lot of cap room and the cap keeps increasing every year..

If the Seahawks managed to extend like 8 of their star players with top of the market contracts and still field a competitive team, including doing trades for players like Jimmy Graham etc, then we should be able to figure out how to do that with 3-4 of ours

 

[mihap]

They have chance to extend High and Collins last year, when Seattle extended Wagner and the before the cap raised. SO i guess they ll pay more if they wanted.
And besides tehy extendend the super future HOF LB Jontahan Freeney so who needs other players like High, Collins, Butler, etc.