OT: Shaq got paid

[UrbanCowboy]

Thats alot of money for someone who was just shipped out for a swap of 7th rounder to a 6th.

Each Caserio move makes me glad he is in Houston. Unless Mason found the fountain of youth or made some massive commitment to fitness, it makes no sense.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

i thiught he retired a long tome ago

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Each Caserio move makes me glad he is in Houston. Unless Mason found the fountain of youth or made some massive commitment to fitness, it makes no sense.

yea i dont miss Caserio even a little bit

a small part of me thinks he sabotaged us on the way out

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

To an extent I agree with you, but at the same time, Onwenu has been durable, a model Patriot, and can be

A) an elite right guard
B) a really good right tackle
C) an okay left guard

He gives you protection at multiple positions in the event of disaster in-season. I think that's worth some dough over the long term.

Why would the Pats draft 5 IOL guys the last two years if they planned to stick with Strange, Andrews and Onwenu for the next 2 to 3 years? The Pats might draft the wrong guy, but they rarely draft guys without a plan. The Pats think Andrews and Onwenu might be in their last year.

 

[Ring 6]

The Patriots gave Shaq a 5 yr extension worth up to 50 million with the likelihood he would of made 30 of it had he not been traded to Tampa.

Not to the poster I’m randomly replying to but this whole idea they won’t pay Onwenu is clear speculation by the fans based off of some crazy theory that this team is somehow cheap.

We have no way of what they are planning to do with him. Based on the draft you can make an assumption but that’s just about it. No way to tell if Onwenu forces the issue and plays elite or one of the rookies steps up and takes it from him. We’ll find out though.

It’s not that they are cheap it’s that there are better uses for 12 mill than a G, and the difference between 12 mill and a lot less at G is not that pronounced.

 

[DaBruinz]

Why would the Pats draft 5 IOL guys the last two years if they planned to stick with Strange, Andrews and Onwenu for the next 2 to 3 years? The Pats might draft the wrong guy, but they rarely draft guys without a plan. The Pats think Andrews and Onwenu might be in their last year.

Because there are 3 IOL positions and you need to have 5 on the roster? Not to mention that One guy hasn't shown Jack S**t other than being injured? Then, you look at the other 3 and you see that one is 34, one is a converted DE who was still trying to put on weight and one was a UDFA who didn't exactly wow last year. Not to mention that the starting Center is 33.

The Pats regularly do their best to plan for contingencies but sometimes s**t just happens. It's a possibility that Onwenu might not re-sign, but we have no idea. That's why they added Mafi this year.

Also, considering that it's been reported that they're looking at Sow for LT, can we STOP saying that it's 5 IOL.. It's not. It's 6 OL. 3 of which have positional versatility to play OG/OT and one of whom can play OC/OG.

 

[Wozzy]

With all the free agents they have in 2024, I don’t think they’ll prioritize guard.

If by some chance Mafi is ready to play and/or Sow looks good as an OT/OG swingman and Jake Andrews does as well… there’s a chance Onwenu gets traded for a decent return.

 

[Patriot Missile]

With all the free agents they have in 2024, I don’t think they’ll prioritize guard.

If by some chance Mafi is ready to play and/or Sow looks good as an OT/OG swingman and Jake Andrews does as well… there’s a chance Onwenu gets traded for a decent return.

I doubt it. Onwenu will bring low return for what he’s actually worth. Shaq brought them a 5th, Mankins got them a 4th and the incredible Tim Wright. I guess it’s what you call decent?

 

[Wozzy]

I doubt it. Onwenu will bring low return for what he’s actually worth. Shaq brought them a 5th, Mankins got them a 4th and the incredible Tim Wright. I guess it’s what you call decent?

They’d be turning a 6th round pick into a 4th… Shaq and Mankins were also highly paid vets and older.

 

[DaBruinz]

With all the free agents they have in 2024, I don’t think they’ll prioritize guard.

If by some chance Mafi is ready to play and/or Sow looks good as an OT/OG swingman and Jake Andrews does as well… there’s a chance Onwenu gets traded for a decent return.

They don't have that many priority Free agents in 2024:
Dugger
Uche
Onwenu

Maybes:
Henry
Gesicki
Bourne
Bentley
Mills
Anfernee Jennings
Trent Brown

Probably Nots:
Parker
Riley Rieff
Slater
Cody Davis
Mack Wilson
RaeKwan McMillan


The Pats are looking at OVER 100 M in cap space. With 52 under contract. They could easily re-sign all the Priority and all the Maybes and still have plenty of money left over to address areas.

 

[Ross12]

Why would the Pats draft 5 IOL guys the last two years if they planned to stick with Strange, Andrews and Onwenu for the next 2 to 3 years? The Pats might draft the wrong guy, but they rarely draft guys without a plan. The Pats think Andrews and Onwenu might be in their last year.

I'm just saying why I think he's worth paying for, but I agree with you that based on their drafting, they won't be.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Homegrown talent needs to stay home. Not breaking the bank to do so of course.

 

[captain stone]

Us trading Shaq never made sense to me.

It should've happened a year earlier; maybe we could've then been in better position to keep Thuney...

 

[captain stone]

the draft tells us that the team recognized that the lack of o-line depth last year was unacceptable, and they added prospects to build that depth...

What about the lack of depth - or starters for that matter - at Offensive Tackle?

 

[Pape]

What about the lack of depth - or starters for that matter - at Offensive Tackle?

guards are cheaper than tackles... and they kept mcdermott and signed the reiley reiff guy... next year they will add rookie tackle talent if guys like stuber dont pan out

 

[DaBruinz]

I'm just saying why I think he's worth paying for, but I agree with you that based on their drafting, they won't be.

The drafting doesn't say that at all, actually. Especially when you look at the them wanting to put Sow out at LT.
The drafting says we want to improve the back-ups at a minimum and have coverage IF we can't re-sign Onwenu.

Ferentz - 34
Andrews - 33
Murray - Converted DE.
Hines - was injured twice in 2022
Steuber - Played both RG and RT for Michigan. Injured in 2022.
Russey - never did pass Ferentz on the depth chart in 2022.

That's what the Pats had going into the draft. So, this idea that they drafted to specifically to replace Onwenu doesn't make sense. They drafted to protect themselves and upgrade the team from the likes of Murray and Ferentz.

 

[Urgent]

The Pats have paid top of market before for guards. Mankins, Thuney, Mason. Fans don’t love it. We’d all love to direct those cap dollars to receivers, corners, or ends.
Don’t know if they’ll do it again but it’s not out of the conversation.

 

[Ring 6]

The drafting doesn't say that at all, actually. Especially when you look at the them wanting to put Sow out at LT.
The drafting says we want to improve the back-ups at a minimum and have coverage IF we can't re-sign Onwenu.

Ferentz - 34
Andrews - 33
Murray - Converted DE.
Hines - was injured twice in 2022
Steuber - Played both RG and RT for Michigan. Injured in 2022.
Russey - never did pass Ferentz on the depth chart in 2022.

That's what the Pats had going into the draft. So, this idea that they drafted to specifically to replace Onwenu doesn't make sense. They drafted to protect themselves and upgrade the team from the likes of Murray and Ferentz.

You don’t draft players to plug into future depth charts.
You evaluate the IOL position by saying we like our starters, hate our depth, recognize the C is old and the RG may leave as a FA. So you prioritize the position higher than if your starters were young and locked up but your depth sucks, and those picks are picked to be at least depth and hopefully the replacement for the aging C and the reason to not have to pay the FA a big number.
To say they are either drafted for depth only or as a future replacement only are both wrong.

 

[captain stone]

You don’t draft players to plug into future depth charts.

Isn't that what they just did?

You evaluate the IOL position by saying we like our starters, hate our depth, recognize the C is old and the RG may leave as a FA. So you prioritize the position higher than if your starters were young and locked up but your depth sucks, and those picks are picked to be at least depth and hopefully the replacement for the aging C and the reason to not have to pay the FA a big number.

Where is the Offensive Tackle position, whose condition, both in the present and future, is more dire than at Guard, in all of this?

To say they are either drafted for depth only or as a future replacement only are both wrong.

Then why were they drafted?

 

[Ring 6]

Isn't that what they just did?


Where is the Offensive Tackle position, whose condition, both in the present and future, is more dire than at Guard, in all of this?



Then why were they drafted?

To develop.
My point is you draft them then they turn into what they turn into.
On day 3 you are drafting guys you hope can make the team and possibly develop.