I was wrong and new signings

[mcbee]

I was wrong about Cincy. Thought they'd win for sure. Blowout.

Anyway, who is an UFA next year?

Koppen?
Graham?
Wilson?
Samuel?

Is that it?

That's alot of extra cap space next year taken up if they sign them all. maybe 10M or so.

Plus it leaves them not really having any holes to draft into. Maybe a CB and a couple LBs.

 

[DaBruinz]

I was wrong about Cincy. Thought they'd win for sure. Blowout.

Anyway, who is an UFA next year?

Koppen?
Graham?
Wilson?
Samuel?

Is that it?

That's alot of extra cap space next year taken up if they sign them all. maybe 10M or so.

Plus it leaves them not really having any holes to draft into. Maybe a CB and a couple LBs.

Instead of guessing, why don't you actually look on Patscap.com? Wilson is NOT a ufa after this season. Here is the list, courtesy of Miguel @patscap.com.
UFA:
Tully Banta-Cain, LB
Troy Brown, WR
Heath Evans, FB
Chad Scott, LB
Daniel Graham, TE
Larry Izzo, LB
Dan Koppen, C
Patrick Pass, FB
Hank Poteat, CB
Asante Samuel, CB
Junior Seau, LB

RFA :
Randall Gay, CB

ERFA:
Brandon "Bam" Childress, WR
Matt Shelton, WR
Gemara Williams, CB
Mike Wright, DT

 

[mcbee]

Instead of guessing, why don't you actually look on Patscap.com? Wilson is NOT a ufa after this season. Here is the list, courtesy of Miguel @patscap.com.
UFA:
Tully Banta-Cain, LB
Troy Brown, WR
Heath Evans, FB
Chad Scott, LB
Daniel Graham, TE
Larry Izzo, LB
Dan Koppen, C
Patrick Pass, FB
Hank Poteat, CB
Asante Samuel, CB
Junior Seau, LB

RFA :
Randall Gay, CB

ERFA:
Brandon "Bam" Childress, WR
Matt Shelton, WR
Gemara Williams, CB
Mike Wright, DT

Good idea, I thought of that later. I wonder if they sign Samuel? CBs seem pretty expensive on the FA market and that's what they have to meet.

Graham probably a couple million per year only. Koppen about the same. That's what I'd think.

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Hank Poteat, CB

why don't we just sign this guy long term?

 

[Lockdown06]

the way they've played so far, i'd say tully banta-cain and especially mike wright could use extensions.

 

[patsox23]

agree especially on Mike Wright. He's done a terrific job.

 

[R_T26]

Koppen may be the most expensive.

 

[broadwayjoe]

Every one should enjoy their look at Daniel Graham for this season because I feel certain someone will overpay for him my first choice being the Broncos.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I'm the second-biggest fan of Dan Graham on this board, I think, but even I have to admit that he didn't exactly advertise himself in the shop window against the Broncos.

 

[Kasmir]

I'm the second-biggest fan of Dan Graham on this board, I think, but even I have to admit that he didn't exactly advertise himself in the shop window against the Broncos.

Shanahan isn't going to base his opinion of Graham on the Denver fans' view of him from that game or any other game. Graham has quite a body of work on game film.

I think Graham is an immense talent, a better all round tight end than Watson, and heretofore underutilized in the passing game. I'd much rather lose Deion Branch than Daniel Graham. I predict Graham will get a good contract from somebody.

The Patriots may indeed sign him again , because Belichick values tight ends similarly to the way he values DL -- there just aren't a lot of big, fast, explosive football athletes out there who can both block like lineman and catch like wide receivers. Graham is one of them.

Fans sometimes get down on players irrationally, and it's difficult for the player to restore their reputation. Graham had a few drops, Faulk his fumbles, and each now have a legion of vocal detractors. But when I go back and look at "Three Games to Glory" II & III, I see these two guys making huge play after huge play. Daniel Graham seems to be making a key block in every g*ddam big running play we've had in the last 3 years, and has a surprising number of clutch touchdown and 3rd down receptions. IMO, the only real knock on Graham is his injury history.

As an aside: now we have fans dumping on Caldwell because of his endzone drop in a freakin exhibition game. Has anyone noticed how many first downs this guy has? And what kind of YAC he has because of his quickness? I'm really starting to like Reche Caldwell

Fortunately, Belichick could give a rat's *ss what we fans think of Graham, Faulk, or Caldwell. He makes his decisions on objective film-based analysis of the players' value to the team, and makes contract offers based on their estimated market replacement cost. I don't know if he agrees with me about Graham, but I do know he likes tight ends...

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

Every one should enjoy their look at Daniel Graham for this season because I feel certain someone will overpay for him my first choice being the Broncos.

Hell, I think he's overpaid now. While I recognize he's one of the best blocking TEs in the league, he's not lived up to his billing and contract as a player drafted in the first round nor as a complete TE. He simply drops too many passes and 20-25 receptions per year is insufficient. There's really little reason to pay a blocking TE a first round draftee's salary when decent to good blocking TEs can be picked up on day 2 of the draft or from the waiver wire.

 

[fnordcircle]

I think Graham is an immense talent, a better all round tight end than Watson, and heretofore underutilized in the passing game.

If he's underutilized he has himself to blame. Grahambo has dropped a lot of passes that his his hands over the years to the point where it was looking like he was gonna be a bust. He's clearly not a bust but he has himself to blame for those dropsies. As I recall he dropped one that nearly cost us the Houston game that went to OT.

I'd much rather lose Deion Branch than Daniel Graham. I predict Graham will get a good contract from somebody.

I'm mostly with you on this one, Graham's blocking ability cannot be overstated. And the man loves to block as much as he likes to catch. He's a quintessential Patriot in my mind and I hope they keep him on the team.

 

[kptmorgan04]

I was just thinking the other day about Asante and Grahm.
both have at times gotten a tough judgement from fans, but I really hope that we bring both back. (as well as kopen)
as for Asante, he may not be the shut down corner, but he was never supposed to be. but he has been been pretty much the only constant in our D Backfield for the past 3 years. While he has given up his share of big plays, he has managed to stay realativly healthy and been one guy who we know is going to at least know whats going on back there.
as for Grahm, I think he has actually been more productive than I Would have thought this year. I am too lazy to look up his stats, but he has seemed to have made quite a few big 3rd down conversions that stick in my mind so far this year where in the past it just hasnt seemed to be the case. I just watched that highlight from the cincy game, and he had a few big plays in that game along with his blocking. he may have not lived up to the first round hype that many were hoping for him, but he certainly hasnt been a bust and with consistent production and his blocking that is 2nd to none, I really hope we can bring him back.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Good idea, I thought of that later. I wonder if they sign Samuel? CBs seem pretty expensive on the FA market and that's what they have to meet.

Graham probably a couple million per year only. Koppen about the same. That's what I'd think.

Koppen will not be cheap... and he may want to test the market after showing he's healthy again this season

 

[tdw777]

Every one should enjoy their look at Daniel Graham for this season because I feel certain someone will overpay for him....

As much as I love Graham and would like to see him stay, I would have to agree. I think the Pats will make the proverbial "what they consider a fair offer"..but with the priorties being Koppen, Samuel, and Graham, I think Graham is the more expendable. He is certainly one of the better blocking TEs in the league and God knows we needed his help protecting brady.