Free Agency - Week Two has ended

[Deus Irae]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

11 teams signed zero free agents so far this season.

The patriots signed Banta-Cain, Neal, Bodden and Faulk this last week.

In addition, we extended Wilfork and made a minor acquisition before the free agency began (Patten).
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Make no mistake, we would be in much, much, much worse shape had we not signed any free agents this week. Banta-Cain and Bodden were MAJOR signings.

I would argue that only Chicago did better this last week.
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For those who think that we are 3rd in the division, you are certainly entitled to your positions. IMHO, the patriots are the division winners last year, and need to solve their receiver situation to repeat. As far as defense, the youngsters are just that; they will improve. We have re-tooled. And yes, we expect to upgrade for Green at DE and add a LB.

The Patriots did nothing but sign their own players, which was something that should have been done long before. Giving them credit for this is like giving a 35 year old healthy adult with an above average I.Q. credit for remembering to pee in the toilet instead of his pants.

 

[WhoaDirty]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Is there any reason why our guys could not have been resigned between when we lost to the Ravens and last week?

Yes there is a reason - uncertainty about whether or not there would be a cap this year. It made sense to wait until it was known whether or not to sign contracts to take advantage of the uncapped season.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Sure,

A) The patriots have two Practice Squad players, one of whom Belichick probably likes as the backup TE.

B) We should easily be able to draft our starting 2010 TE in the 4th.

Therefore,

C) there is no need to trade for a TE or pick one up in free agency.
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Analysts who are produce stuff like this work for the lions or the raiders.
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I expect the patriots to do AT LEAST 2 of the following:

1) sign a free agent TE

2) trade for a free agent TE

3) draft a tight end in the first or second round
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regarding TE's......



I have been hearing that is is the deepest Draft for TE's in quite sometime.


even in round 4.... the likely hood of drafting a good player for TE is very possible and probable. It is suppose to be very very deep draft w/ many good Tight Ends.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

You may think that re-signing Bodden wasn't a big deal. I disagree.

The Patriots did nothing but sign their own players, which was something that should have been done long before. Giving them credit for this is like giving a 35 year old healthy adult with an above average I.Q. credit for remembering to pee in the toilet instead of his pants.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

You may think that re-signing Bodden wasn't a big deal. I disagree.

As I noted, they re-signed their own players. You may think that keeping your own players is impressive. I disagree, especially when one of the players that would have made signings more complicated was traded even before the last season began.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Choose to judge the first week of this offseason by the last week of last year's offense if you wish.

As I noted, they re-signed their own players. You may think that keeping your own players is impressive. I disagree, especially when one of the players that would have made signings more complicated was traded even before the last season began.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Choose to judge the first week of this offseason by the last week of last year's offense if you wish.

If I had done that, I'd clearly have chosen to do so. However, that's not what I did. I judged the first week of this offseason by the first week of this offseason.

Kindly name for me all the players the Patriots were able to sign that were not on the team last season, beginning with those who'll be starters and high impact players.

 

[BostonPatriot]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

The Patriots did nothing but sign their own players, which was something that should have been done long before. Giving them credit for this is like giving a 35 year old healthy adult with an above average I.Q. credit for remembering to pee in the toilet instead of his pants.

I agree with this. Belichick and co have set the bar very high for themselves, and as in any business, doing the things that you are expected to do is not what seperates you from the rest of the crowd.

I'm not going to rip the Pats about free agency yet, because I want to see what they do in the draft, and other than Bolden, I didn't see any fa's worth bringing in that would have made sense; Peppers was way to expensive.

If the pats can make a move with one of the second rounders for Olson, swing a trade for a wr and then have a nice draft, I'd be happy with that haul.

 

[crowell33]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

11 teams signed zero free agents so far this season.

The patriots signed Banta-Cain, Neal, Bodden and Faulk this last week.

In addition, we extended Wilfork and made a minor acquisition before the free agency began (Patten).
==================================

Make no mistake, we would be in much, much, much worse shape had we not signed any free agents this week. Banta-Cain and Bodden were MAJOR signings.

I would argue that only Chicago did better this last week.
==================================

For those who think that we are 3rd in the division, you are certainly entitled to your positions. IMHO, the patriots are the division winners last year, and need to solve their receiver situation to repeat. As far as defense, the youngsters are just that; they will improve. We have re-tooled. And yes, we expect to upgrade for Green at DE and add a LB.

Ben Watson, Chris Baker, Jarvis Green, and Wes Welker ( late season return ? ) are out. Marques Murrell (ST) is in. For the Patriots to be as good as last years team they will need to draft players ready to start in their rookie season and make an impact. Thats quite a challenge, but its not impossible.
I'm not ready to chalk this up to another rebuilding year just yet.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Now, you made yourself clear. The signings of Wilfork, Neal, Faulk, Banta-Cain and Bodden don't count because they were really no-brainers.

If that is the standard, then I agree the patriots did nothing this last week.

If I had done that, I'd clearly have chosen to do so. However, that's not what I did. I judged the first week of this offseason by the first week of this offseason.

Kindly name for me all the players the Patriots were able to sign that were not on the team last season, beginning with those who'll be starters and high impact players.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

8 of them are prevented from doing so until they lose a free agent.

Not entirely true. They can sign players who were cut by other teams... And there were plenty of cuts..

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

The Patriots did nothing but sign their own players, which was something that should have been done long before. Giving them credit for this is like giving a 35 year old healthy adult with an above average I.Q. credit for remembering to pee in the toilet instead of his pants.

No, these signings couldn't have been done "long before". As we found out with the Dolphins trying to CUT Joey Porter, the 2009 Cap was still in affect until Free Agency started. Any extensions would have had ramifications on the 2009 year due to how 2010 was going to be uncapped.

I wish people would understand that and stop saying that PATS should have re-signed them previously because, in some cases, the PLAYERS chose to hold off signing ala TBC.

 

[HarkDawg]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

just ignore my drafting post.....


go back a few pages.


TE's can be found easily this year


very deep draft for TE's

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

The Patriots did nothing but sign their own players, which was something that should have been done long before. Giving them credit for this is like giving a 35 year old healthy adult with an above average I.Q. credit for remembering to pee in the toilet instead of his pants.

Obviously you're too young to have prostate issues...

 

[WhiZa]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Not entirely true. They can sign players who were cut by other teams... And there were plenty of cuts..

I thought it was the other way around. They can only sign if they cut or lose a player of equal value

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Final 8 rule

The rule will restrict the final eight teams in the playoffs from signing free agents. The final four teams shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any unrestricted free agent to a player contract except for players who acquired their status by being cut or were on the final four team when their contract expired. Playoff teams five thru eight get a break to sign one player with a salary of $4,925,000 or more and any number of players with a first-year salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase of no more than 30 percent in the following years. There is a mechanism to permit the final eight teams to sign an unrestricted free agent for each one of their own unrestricted free agents who sign with another club as long as they don't spend more than what their own lost player received from his new club

2010: An uncapped year odyssey

Plus, players who are CUT are not UFAs and anyone can sign them.

 

[DarrylS]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has Started

Interestingly, as of 3/13 midday-

Seven teams -- Dallas, Carolina, Philadelphia, Seattle, New York (Giants), Tampa Bay and Oakland -- have not signed or re-signed a UFA.
(scratch Philly they just signed very minor deal with Baskett)

17 teams haven't signed an UFA from another team

12 teams haven't signed any of their own UFA's

There was an interview with Peter King last week and he spoke of how last year that Indy or New Orleans did not make a free agent splash during the firt week...

Do not recall Indy, New Orleans, Pittsburgh or San Diego having made much of a splash up to this point.. they along with the Patriots are considered the upper echelon by Las Vegas...

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

I thought it was the other way around. They can only sign if they cut or lose a player of equal value

No. They can't sign or trade for a UFA/RFA unless they lose someone first. Then they can only sign someone of equal value. They can sign players who have been cut by other teams.

A player who was CUT by one of the top 8 teams does not count in terms of being able to sign a UFA/RFA.

For example, the Jets lost Murrell so they can only sign someone to a contract of equal value to his..

The Jets CAN sign LT. However, the Jets cannot trade for Marshall unless they lose someone who is equivalent pay wise.. And, to my knowledge, they don't have anyone like that who is likely to be signed by another team.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

Final 8 rule

The rule will restrict the final eight teams in the playoffs from signing free agents. The final four teams shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any unrestricted free agent to a player contract except for players who acquired their status by being cut or were on the final four team when their contract expired. Playoff teams five thru eight get a break to sign one player with a salary of $4,925,000 or more and any number of players with a first-year salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase of no more than 30 percent in the following years. There is a mechanism to permit the final eight teams to sign an unrestricted free agent for each one of their own unrestricted free agents who sign with another club as long as they don't spend more than what their own lost player received from his new club

2010: An uncapped year odyssey

Plus, players who are CUT are not UFAs and anyone can sign them.

Thanks PWP. I wish that the Uncapped Free Agency Rules were still a sticky.. Not sure who unstickied them but they did the board a disservice.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Free Agency - Week Two has started

No, these signings couldn't have been done "long before". As we found out with the Dolphins trying to CUT Joey Porter, the 2009 Cap was still in affect until Free Agency started. Any extensions would have had ramifications on the 2009 year due to how 2010 was going to be uncapped.

I wish people would understand that and stop saying that PATS should have re-signed them previously because, in some cases, the PLAYERS chose to hold off signing ala TBC.

The Porter problem was an issue with cap acceleration. That has nothing to do with the ability of the Patriots to sign players before their deals ran out last season. As of January, 2010, for example, Miguel had the Patriots about $2 million under the 2010 cap, not that such money would have been needed to make any deals.

Miami Dolphins try to cut Joey Porter, but told they must wait - Inside the NFL - MiamiHerald.com

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2009 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page