Predict Pats biggest FA signing 2013

[ATippett56]

2013 New England Patriots Salary Cap Space = $18.865 million

Hoomanawanui (RFA) = $1.323 million
Fletcher (RFA) = $1.323 million
White = $940,000 + $165,000 = $1.105 million
Koutouvides = $840,000 + $65,000 = $905,000
Thomas = $715,000 + $50,000 = $765,000
Cole = $715,000 + $40,000 = $755,000

Subtotal = $6.176 million

2013 NFL Draft Picks = $3.5 million

Wes Welker = $6 million (3 years, $24 million total, $12 million guaranteed)

Remaining salary cap space = $3.289 million (Woodhead, Edelman, Ballard, Pryor)

 

[Skeeter712]

If the Patriots sign their own free agents and draft picks they will be in fine shape. Getting an aged Reed for an inexpensive amount would be nice as well.

 

[Rob0729]

Although it is a little early to be discussing free agent signings, here are the guys I wouldn't mind the Pats targetting if money wasn't an issue:

Greg Jennings - Seems built for the Pats' offense

Dwayne Bowe - his value may be down after a subpar year

Dashon Goldson - A big safety that the Pats don't have and the Pats pursued him in 2011.

William Moore - Really breaking out as a top safety.

Brandon Moore - Not really a big signing, but he is a good guard which will allow Connolly to move back to center. Could move to defensive tackle since we saw in the Thanksgiving game that he is capable of strip sacking the QB even if it was his own QB

Andre Smith - A really good RT. Not sure that Vollmer can be trusted long term because of his back

Henry Melton - Young, strong, athletic. The guy is a dominant inside rusher with 7 sacks last year and 6 sacks this year. Pair him with Wilfork inside and the Pats' pass rush improves quite a bit. A nice consolation from losing out on Red Bryant last year.

 

[Deus Irae]

Once Romeo gets fired, BB should call him about Dorsey.

Mike DeVito - Rotational DL who could replace/upgrade Brace
Amendola - If Welker isn't returning
Mike Wallace - A phone call to hear his parameters wouldn't hurt
Brandon Moore - Might work for a year, which would move Connolly off the ORG
Brent Grimes - Post ACL, might be worth checking into if he's looking for less $
Jairus Byrd - Would give the Patriots essentially a 2 FS look when paired with McCourty
Laron Landry - Would give the Patriots a more pure SS/FF pairing with McCourty
Sean Smith - Especially if Talib doesn't return


That'd be a pretty good group to start with.

 

[Marqui]

This is a really interesting year in free agency, with a lot of starting defenders about to hit the market. The one that I've got my eye on is Kevin Williams. He's had tons of personal success but very little team success, and he's a guy who can give the Pats some push up the middle. The price would have to be right, of course, but he's accomplished just about everything he can individually, so I could see him taking a team-friendly deal for a chance at a ring. The chance to play next to Wilfork can't hurt either.

If the Pats don't resign Talib, then there are quite a few interesting alternatives. Sean Smith has finally blossomed into what that 6'4", 4.47 body should have made him. Belichick supposedly really liked DRC back when he was a draft prospect. Derek Cox has had an up and down career for the Jags. Keenan Lewis is a first year starter for the Steelers and has shown some good things.

I'm going to go with the Pats re-signing Welker (at a reasonable price), signing Williams, and either resigning Talib or signing another starting CB, but letting Vollmer walk.

I never thought of Kevin Williams, getting him would be a great idea. He probably would be great value at his age/talent level. Seems like a Belichick type move.

 

[1%er]

BB is going to try and fill that role he wanted Fanene to play as the 3 tech DT

Melton - To much money.

 

[1%er]

Brady will restructure and I wouldn't be surprised to see Mankins either take a pay cut or be cut

 

[Lamanai]

2013 New England Patriots Salary Cap Space = $18.865 million

Hoomanawanui (RFA) = $1.323 million
Fletcher (RFA) = $1.323 million
White = $940,000 + $165,000 = $1.105 million
Koutouvides = $840,000 + $65,000 = $905,000
Thomas = $715,000 + $50,000 = $765,000
Cole = $715,000 + $40,000 = $755,000

Subtotal = $6.176 million

2013 NFL Draft Picks = $3.5 million

Wes Welker = $6 million (3 years, $24 million total, $12 million guaranteed)

Remaining salary cap space = $3.289 million (Woodhead, Edelman, Ballard, Pryor)

Jason at Jetscap has the Pats at $104.4m next year, plus carrying over $6.7m. Based on a projected cap of $121m, that gives a little more to work with, also, cut Fells loose for another $1.0m, so say they have about $24-25m.

Not exactly shopping spree money, but enough to pick up a few other pieces, including our own. I can only see two of Welker, Talib and Vollmer. Also, I personally wouldn't retain all six of the guys you list above at about $1.0m each. Maybe just Thomas, Coles and Fletcher, in that order. I keep Ballard over Hooman and go with an UDFA or Brad Herman as blocking TE depth. But this is just shuffling end of the roster guys really.

 

[ATippett56]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Mankins either take a pay cut or be cut

It costs more money to cut Logan Mankins than to keep him for the 2013 NFL Season.

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2013

 

[Rob0729]

BTW, in terms of the cap pass through. I assume the Fanene case will be heard this offseason. If the Pats win, they should be able to get the cap space back from his bonus. It could be up to $4 million.

 

[ATippett56]

Jason at Jetscap has the Pats at $104.4m next year, plus carrying over $6.7 million. Based on a projected cap of $121 million, that gives a little more to work with, also, cut Fells loose for another $1.0 million, so say they have about $24-$25 million.

You are not taking into account the following salary cap issues for the 2013 NFL Season:

Injured Reserve: $6.9 million (2012 total to date)
PUP: $1.1 million (2012 total to date)
Practice Squad: 17 weeks X $6000/week X 8 = $816,000

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2012

Prior to the commencement of the 2012 NFL Season, the injured reserve total was approximately $4.575 million.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Jason at Jetscap has the Pats at $104.4m next year, plus carrying over $6.7m. Based on a projected cap of $121m, that gives a little more to work with, also, cut Fells loose for another $1.0m, so say they have about $24-25m.

Not exactly shopping spree money, but enough to pick up a few other pieces, including our own. I can only see two of Welker, Talib and Vollmer. Also, I personally wouldn't retain all six of the guys you list above at about $1.0m each. Maybe just Thomas, Coles and Fletcher, in that order. I keep Ballard over Hooman and go with an UDFA or Brad Herman as blocking TE depth. But this is just shuffling end of the roster guys really.

We've got 43 signed according to Jason. I wouldn't put Larsen, Devlin, Rivera, Hix or Herman on my 53. So, we're at 38. You're top 3 picks come up to 41. DT, LB AND WR for arguments sake.

Keep
Welker 7m
Talib 5.5m
Vollmer 5m
Edelman 1.5m
Cole 755k
Fletcher 1.3m
Ballard 1m ?
Tot 22m Draftees 3m total 25m

Bottom 5 replace 5 already signed whom we cut. BB always messes with the bottom 5 anyway. Say a lb, g, cb, s and rb/wr.

Brady restructures to get under and give us a little wiggle room. I'd like to bring as many players back as possible. Extremely close to being 13-2 or 14-1. Don't want to break up a good thing. Expecting better health from Gronk, AHern and Mankins next year. Have guys like Fletcher, Ballard, Demps ready to fulfill a role. Maybe even Ras-I. Chandler Jones and Hightower become even better players next year.

 

[IllegalContact]

outside of upgrading at the S position, and maybe an upgrade at DT (but I would more likely use a high draft pick for this)...I'd like the focus to be experience as a unit for the D.

the only players remaining from the 2009 team are wilfork and mayo, and the defense has gotten incrementally worse year to year since. I don't think it is because of the quality of the individuals.....it is because of the constant change.

2010 - gone from the 2009 strting lineup: ty warren, jarvis green, shawn springs, adalius thomas, tully banta-cain, leigh bodden
2011 - gone from 2010 starting lineup: gerard warren, jermaine cunningham, brandon meriweather, gary guyton and then its impossible to tell because there was so much platonning of brace and wright, as well as at the LB position
2012 - gone from teh 2011 starting lineup: andre carter, shaun ellis, james ihedigbo, kyle arrington, patrick chung

I think its time to stick with the core for a year.....I think the best hope next year is for an incremental improvement based on familiarity. get a good safety, and get a good prospect to spell wilfork some more. I think francis/bequette will take the next step to improve the DE depth....I especially like francis......very visible when he's out there.

I think additional quality at OL and WR is needed. my choice without getting into any detail this early would be:

free agency: S
round 1 - DT - my first choice would be someone like jesse williams
round 2 - WR - my first choice would be someone like ryan swopes
round 3 - OL - my first choice would be barrett jones

you get ballard and demps as additional offensive prospects. I don't see much on defense......dowling turned out exactly as I predicted......the one that hurts is fletcher.....his skill set complements very well what is already here, but he appears to be made from glass

 

[Lamanai]

You are not taking into account the following salary cap issues for the 2013 NFL Season:

Injured Reserve: $6.9 million (2012 total to date)
PUP: $1.1 million (2012 total to date)
Practice Squad: 17 weeks X $6000/week X 8 = $816,000

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2012

Prior to the commencement of the 2012 NFL Season, the injured reserve total was approximately $4.575 million.

But the players constituting he bulk of the IR figure do not get replaced with equivalent salaries. And we don't know if settlements reduce the total. For instance, did Josh Barrett really get $1.2m? His roster replacement surely didn't. So while I don't disagree that money needs to be shelved for these items, I don't think those totals speak to the cap impact.

so my point is that even if you believe that historically, the team has IR players with cap of $5.0m hitting the books, you do not need to keep $5.0m open, when perhaps $2.0m will do.

 

[ATippett56]

But the players constituting he bulk of the IR figure do not get replaced with equivalent salaries. And we don't know if settlements reduce the total. For instance, did Josh Barrett really get $1.2m? His roster replacement surely didn't. So while I don't disagree that money needs to be shelved for these items, I don't think those totals speak to the cap impact.

That may be the case during the regular season, but not for players added to the injured reserve list during preseason/training camp which incidentally were chump change salary cap hits that still amounted to roughly $4.5 million.

 

[Lamanai]

Would anyone be shocked if Kyle Love were cut loose in the off-season? He always seemed like a BB kinda guy (over achiever, military family, I think), but Deadrick has clearly passed him in the DT rotation. Love's cap hit is $1.1 m next season. Dumping Love would make the cost of adding a veteran inside guy more palatable.

Just thinking...

 

[ATippett56]

Would anyone be shocked if Kyle Love were cut loose in the off-season? He always seemed like a BB kinda guy (over achiever, military family, I think), but Deadrick has clearly passed him in the DT rotation. Love's cap hit is $1.1 m next season. Dumping Love would make the cost of adding a veteran inside guy more palatable.

Just thinking...

The New England Patriots only have four defensive tackles currently under contract for the 2013 NFL Season:

Vince Wilfork
Kyle Love
Brandon Deaderick
Myron Pryor (not listed on the 2013 New England Patriots salary cap page)

http://www.nyjetscap.com/Patriots/patriots2013.php

 

[Lamanai]

The New England Patriots only have four defensive tackles currently under contract for the 2013 NFL Season:

Vince Wilfork
Kyle Love
Brandon Deaderick
Myron Pryor (not listed on the 2013 New England Patriots salary cap page)

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2013

True, and only ONE WR (Lloyd). I don't think BB would think twice about dumping/replacing him if he weren't worth the salary. I like Kyle Love, but am just wondering if the handwriting may be on the wall.

Just because there are few players currently under contract at a position doesn't mean those few cannot be upgraded or their salaries allocated somewhere else.

 

[NormZauchin]

If he isn't re-signed and doesn't retire, this guy is a lock.

Ed Reed Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - Baltimore Ravens - ESPN

When Rodney came here, he was 31. Ed Reed will turn 35 in September, 2013. At that age, the production of even great players can drop precipitously from year to year.

 

[signbabybrady]

Would anyone be shocked if Kyle Love were cut loose in the off-season? He always seemed like a BB kinda guy (over achiever, military family, I think), but Deadrick has clearly passed him in the DT rotation. Love's cap hit is $1.1 m next season. Dumping Love would make the cost of adding a veteran inside guy more palatable.

Just thinking...

Thats Ludicris. Love is a bargain at 1.1, you are not getting a better player cheaper? You sign someone better for more money and cut him to save little you still need depth which at minimum is 500-800 thou depending on years in the league so what space do you really gain?

Love has been dealing with an injury so I wouldn't count him out he is a beast when he is healthy. Even if Deadrick has passed him he is still great depth and the same can be said of signing a DT too. No problem with 4 good DTs.