NESN: Larry Fitzgerald could be available via trade

[JackBauer]

1.) There is no need for a CB in the first two rounds, if at all.

2.) While Larry Fitzgerald is indeed the tits, this is the best WR FA class in recent memory. I'd rather just sign a FA, go after Woodley and DeAngelo Williams, if possible, and save the picks.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This team cannot win a Super Bowl without a front 7 that can stop the run and pressure the passer.

Larry Fitz is a GREAT player, but I'd rather see the top-end talent come on defense.

My .02$

 

[Boston Boxer]

Darius Butler

improve the pass rush and you automatically improve the CB play. We have McCourtey and Bodden with Arrington at nickle. Butler will be given the time to ease back in the rotation.

 

[Rob0729]

I can almost guarantee you this. If the Pats acquire Fitzgerald and it stops them from getting one or two impact players in the front seven, the Pats are not going to win a Super Bowl even if this is the best offense ever.

People are in love with the Ferarris. But name the last team that has won a Super Bowl with a flashy elite WR, but has significant deficiencies on defense. This team has won three Super Bowls with very good to great defenses while two of those Super Bowls teams had average at best offenses. This team has had the highest scoring offense in the league two of the last four years and have zero Super Bowl wins to show for it.

If the Pats could get Fitzgerald for nothing, then I would be all for it. Unfortunately it will take a lot in terms of picks and salary. That will hurt the improvement of the defense which is clearly the biggest problem of this team. Just because the Jets did a good job in one game of shutting down the offense, it doesn't mean it is the blueprint to stop it every game. Belichick may already have a game plan to successfully counter what the Jets did in that game.

 

[Rob0729]

This team cannot win a Super Bowl without a front 7 that can stop the run and pressure the passer.

Larry Fitz is a GREAT player, but I'd rather see the top-end talent come on defense.

My .02$

Ditto! Rather give up two firsts for Haloti Ngata and make him the highest paid player in the league (just an example) than give up a first and second for Fitzgerald and make him the highest paid WR in the league.

 

[Fogbuster]

I can almost guarantee you this. If the Pats acquire Fitzgerald and it stops them from getting one or two impact players in the front seven, the Pats are not going to win a Super Bowl even if this is the best offense ever.

People are in love with the Ferarris. But name the last team that has won a Super Bowl with a flashy elite WR, but has significant deficiencies on defense. This team has won three Super Bowls with very good to great defenses while two of those Super Bowls teams had average at best offenses. This team has had the highest scoring offense in the league two of the last four years and have zero Super Bowl wins to show for it.

If the Pats could get Fitzgerald for nothing, then I would be all for it. Unfortunately it will take a lot in terms of picks and salary. That will hurt the improvement of the defense which is clearly the biggest problem of this team. Just because the Jets did a good job in one game of shutting down the offense, it doesn't mean it is the blueprint to stop it every game. Belichick may already have a game plan to successfully counter what the Jets did in that game.

I nominate this as post of the thread. You've hit all the main issues, leaving out nothing important. A great D with an efficient-but-not-flashy O wins Superbowls. Big Games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage.



//

 

[ivanvamp]

I nominate this as post of the thread. You've hit all the main issues, leaving out nothing important. A great D with an efficient-but-not-flashy O wins Superbowls. Big Games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage.



//

I agree, but I will say this: Let's say the Pats can get Fitz for a 1st, 3rd, and a 6th. That still leaves them with a 1st, two 2nds, and a 3rd. They then sign Woodley for the defense, re-sign Mankins, move Vollmer to LT, and then add Watt, an OL, and another DL/LB with their first three picks. With the 3rd round pick they can grab another OL, and then add a free agent RB like Pierre Thomas.

So:

QB - Brady, Hoyer
RB - Thomas, Green-Ellis, Woodhead, Morris
WR - Fitzgerald, Branch, Welker, Edelman, Price, Tate
TE - Gronk, Hernandez, Crumpler
OL - Vollmer, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, rookie RT (or Ohrnberger)

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Wright, Watt (a lot of W's there), Pryor, Brace, Moore
LB - Woodley, Mayo, Spikes, Cunningham, Guyton, Ninkovich, Fletcher
DB - Bodden, McCourty, Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, Butler, Page

I know there's a few more guys to add...but look at that starting offense: Brady, Thomas, Fitzgerald, Welker, Gronk, Hernandez....yikes. And the defense would be significantly improved with the additions of Woodley and Watt.

Just a thought.

 

[JackBauer]

I doubt Ohrnberger can play OT. Under your scenario, it'd likely be Kaczur, a rookie, or perhaps Maneri from the PS.

 

[andrewgarrr]

I agree, but I will say this: Let's say the Pats can get Fitz for a 1st, 3rd, and a 6th. That still leaves them with a 1st, two 2nds, and a 3rd. They then sign Woodley for the defense, re-sign Mankins, move Vollmer to LT, and then add Watt, an OL, and another DL/LB with their first three picks. With the 3rd round pick they can grab another OL, and then add a free agent RB like Pierre Thomas.

So:

QB - Brady, Hoyer
RB - Thomas, Green-Ellis, Woodhead, Morris
WR - Fitzgerald, Branch, Welker, Edelman, Price, Tate
TE - Gronk, Hernandez, Crumpler
OL - Vollmer, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, rookie RT (or Ohrnberger)

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Wright, Watt (a lot of W's there), Pryor, Brace, Moore
LB - Woodley, Mayo, Spikes, Cunningham, Guyton, Ninkovich, Fletcher
DB - Bodden, McCourty, Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, Butler, Page

I know there's a few more guys to add...but look at that starting offense: Brady, Thomas, Fitzgerald, Welker, Gronk, Hernandez....yikes. And the defense would be significantly improved with the additions of Woodley and Watt.

Just a thought.

Woodley 6+ million
Fitzgerald 10+ million
Brady 19+ million
Wilfork 8 million
Mankins 7 million

$51 million in five players? Not good. This is not just a 'draft pick' thing. It's also a salary thing, and it also a depth thing.

 

[Marqui]

I can almost guarantee you this. If the Pats acquire Fitzgerald and it stops them from getting one or two impact players in the front seven, the Pats are not going to win a Super Bowl even if this is the best offense ever.

People are in love with the Ferarris. But name the last team that has won a Super Bowl with a flashy elite WR, but has significant deficiencies on defense. This team has won three Super Bowls with very good to great defenses while two of those Super Bowls teams had average at best offenses. This team has had the highest scoring offense in the league two of the last four years and have zero Super Bowl wins to show for it.

If the Pats could get Fitzgerald for nothing, then I would be all for it. Unfortunately it will take a lot in terms of picks and salary. That will hurt the improvement of the defense which is clearly the biggest problem of this team. Just because the Jets did a good job in one game of shutting down the offense, it doesn't mean it is the blueprint to stop it every game. Belichick may already have a game plan to successfully counter what the Jets did in that game.

Great post. If anything, the Pats need to improve their offense by installing an explosive running game. Adding more passing offense is about the last thing this team needs to do.

 

[Dufflebagz]

Darius Butler

Here we go with this. 2 seasons and he's already a bust.

Did you notice when he was the nickel corner he actually looked like he knew what he was doing?

 

[UofApatsfan]

I can almost guarantee you this. If the Pats acquire Fitzgerald and it stops them from getting one or two impact players in the front seven, the Pats are not going to win a Super Bowl even if this is the best offense ever.

People are in love with the Ferarris. But name the last team that has won a Super Bowl with a flashy elite WR, but has significant deficiencies on defense. This team has won three Super Bowls with very good to great defenses while two of those Super Bowls teams had average at best offenses. This team has had the highest scoring offense in the league two of the last four years and have zero Super Bowl wins to show for it.

If the Pats could get Fitzgerald for nothing, then I would be all for it. Unfortunately it will take a lot in terms of picks and salary. That will hurt the improvement of the defense which is clearly the biggest problem of this team. Just because the Jets did a good job in one game of shutting down the offense, it doesn't mean it is the blueprint to stop it every game. Belichick may already have a game plan to successfully counter what the Jets did in that game.

I agree with your point completely that improving in the trenches is WAY more important than going out and getting Fitz, but it's also time to realize that this isn't the same NFL as when New England won 3 championships. Look at the championships won in 2000 and 2002 by Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson. You're never again going to see a 3 year period where two different quarterbacks that mediocre win superbowls. You can't win with an average offense that has as little at receiver as New England does now-a-days.

Maybe no elite, top 5 receiver has won a superbowl recently, but every recent superbowl team has had a pretty good receiver who could be counted on for a big catch when it was needed.

2009: Colston
2008: Holmes
2007: Plaxico
2006: Wayne

So while I agree they don't need to break the bank for someone like Fitz, they do need something more at receiver than a bunch of undersized, physically inferior guys who get by with great route running and a great work ethic. It should be something they go after in free agency though. My choice would be Sidney Rice as he's a younger cheaper poor man's version of Fitz but he might also be too expensive.

 

[UofApatsfan]

Here we go with this. 2 seasons and he's already a bust.

Did you notice when he was the nickel corner he actually looked like he knew what he was doing?

The "WE NEED TO USE AN EARLY PICK ON A CORNER BECAUSE OF DARIUS F*CKING BUTLER :enranged:!!!" gang on this site enjoys ignoring things like the fact Butler is currently nothing more than a nickel/dime corner and pretending that Butler's current role is to be the #1 shutdown corner.

 

[VJCPatriot]

People are in love with the Ferarris. But name the last team that has won a Super Bowl with a flashy elite WR, but has significant deficiencies on defense.

New Orleans Saints 2009, Indianapolis Colts 2006.
And who says getting Fitzgerald forecloses the improvement of the defense. The Pats have a ton of draft picks in the 2011 draft which would afford them the luxury to still do this AND get a proven stud WR who can actually get open inside as well as outside (deep).

Don't forget about free agency either.
Woodley from free agency + Fitzgerald from trade + a good 2011 draft class could make this team a threat to go 19-0 next season.

NFL Videos: Larry Fitzgerald at Pro Bowl

I really like Fitzgerald and I think he's easily worth at least our #28 pick. But I never knew that Marshall Faulk was his mentor. That's a bit scary. Doesn't Faulk HATE the Pats with a passion? Fitz might veto a trade to the Pats if he really listens to Faulk.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

The dream player trade scenerio comes up almost annually at the VERY SAME time the Pats are eliminated annually at Patsfans.

Must say,its consistent in here

I believe that all of our fantasy dreams of certain players coming here has been almost a certain failure in all the years I have been a member here...I don't think we ever got one right and in this case its just a way to pass the time...again.

Lets get one thing right...NO ONE and I mean NO ONE can ever get what Belichick is thinking right ...when we go right,he goes left.

Its fun to dream but inevitably thats what it is.

By mid April IF we have a CBA we will see a new addition here and we will all be be saying the same ol' thing.... WTF? or who the hell is he?

 

[ivanvamp]

Woodley 6+ million
Fitzgerald 10+ million
Brady 19+ million
Wilfork 8 million
Mankins 7 million

$51 million in five players? Not good. This is not just a 'draft pick' thing. It's also a salary thing, and it also a depth thing.

Very fair point. You could save some money by dumping Gostowski and keeping a cheaper kicker.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Lets get one thing right...NO ONE and I mean NO ONE can ever get what Belichick is thinking right ...when we go right,he goes left.

Its fun to dream but inevitably thats what it is.

The year we got Moss, the Pats almost turned in a perfect season. So never say never.

 

[JackBauer]

Very fair point. You could save some money by dumping Gostowski and keeping a cheaper kicker.

Why would we do that? The savings would be minimal and Gostkowski is worth keeping for field position purposes alone.

 

[Rob0729]

New Orleans Saints 2009, Indianapolis Colts 2006.
And who says getting Fitzgerald forecloses the improvement of the defense. The Pats have a ton of draft picks in the 2011 draft which would afford them the luxury to still do this AND get a proven stud WR who can actually get open inside as well as outside (deep).

I will give you the Colts, but the Saints?!? The Saints' leading WR (Marques Colston) had 70 catches (27th in the league), 1074 yards (18th), and 9 TDs (10th). The Saints in 2009 didn't have close to an elite WR. Also, their defense didn't have a lot of deficiencies just not spectacular.

Adding Fitzgerald doesn't foreclose improvement, but it almost guarantees modest improvements over significant improvements. The Pats will not have tons of picks if they trade for Fitzgerald. To get a deal done, they will most likely go from three picks in the top 33 picks to one. To make a significant trade like that, a new deal would have to be in place to do so. That means that Fitzgerald would be the highest paid WR in the league limiting the cap dollars available.

Hey if people are happy with an explosive and dynamic regular season team with an elite offense that can't win a Super Bowl, support this trade. I'd rather build the best TEAM in the league where the defense can win games when the offense has games like they just had vs. the Jets. This team has not won a Super Bowl without a top defense.

People are too much in love with offense and offensive skill players. The Pats have tons of playmakers on offense (Brady, Welker, Gronk, Branch, Hernandez, Woodhead, BJGE), but few on defense. That is where they need to make a big splash if they are going to make a high profile acquisition. There are plenty of free agent WRs this year who can improve the offense without giving up the farm like you will have to for Fitzgerald.

This is a moot argument because the likelihood of Belichick giving up what it takes to get Fitzgerald is next to zero.

 

[Deus Irae]

If you could get Fitzgerald for no more than the lower 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick, that would be a trade worth serous consideration, since he'll only be 28 years old in August and should be a top talent throughout at least most of his next contract. It would still leave plenty of picks to deal with the OLB/DE/OL/RB questions, and there would still be the huge pool of free agents to go to, as well.

The key for the Patriots offseason is to be sure that Light and Mankins are returning. That's the linchpin for everything.