Rank them 1-2-3 (Vollmer,Welker,Talib) in terms of importance to re-sign

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

We all know the top 3 priority players to resign and one to likely tag will be either Sebastian Vollmer,Wes Welker & Aqib Talib


If you had to rank who to re-sign in terms of importance to the team in 2013,how would you rank them?

I think...

1) Vollmer - The top priority is to get this guy signed back up,he is in charge of protecting the team's most valuable asset on the edge and thereby should be #1 because he is going to be tough to replace if he goes.

2) Welker - Makes some drops in the postseason but he is to Brady what Branch was to him back in the glory years....a player that is well in sync with the QB and hard to replace.

3) Talib - Hard to put him last because he is the best player of an overall poor secondary,but I still am not convinced that a big raise will keep him from being a bad boy again,in fact it might backfire once the contract is signed.

Your choices in order?

 

[Marqui]

1)Talib
2)Vollmer
3)Welker

 

[Froob]

1. Welker
2. Talib
3. Vollmer
Really don't think Vollmer is that important. Can't afford to pay everybody. Patriots develop good o-linemen like it's no big deal. Vollmer is very good but, I think he can be replaced.

 

[Deus Irae]

Welker










Talib



























































Vollmer

 

[sly24]

1. Welker
2. Talib
3. Vollmer

 

[BradyFTW!]

Welker by a mile, followed distantly by Talib. Vollmer's gravy if he comes cheap (in starting tackle terms), but if not we can afford to lose him.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

1. Talib
2. Welker




3. Vollmer

 

[Lamanai]

I would have some level of interest in all three returning, but would not use the Franchise Tag on any of them.

but in order of interest in having them return:

1. Welker
2. Vollmer
3. Talib

 

[ALP]

i know vollmer has had his troubles, so this is not a vollmer related question, its a question about who would be the RT on the line?

 

[Kevin]

I don't want any of them back. They'll cost too much. But to answer the question...

1. Talib
2. Welker
3. Vollmer

 

[stinebot]

1. Welker. The Pats have done poorly drafting receivers lately, and if you are going to pay a free agent you may as well pay the one you know 100% will not be a bust in your offense.

2. Vollmer. Yes, the Pats have done well with OL players as far as just plugging them in and experiencing no huge dropoff. But I'd put him above Talib for the following reason:

3. Talib. I wanted the Pats to draft Talib. I lived in Tampa when the Bucs got him. I was apprehensive when the Pats made the trade because I'd heard about his various issues. I was pleasantly surprised. However, and this is a big however...maybe I am being too harsh on him, but he sat out most of the frigging AFC Championship. Yeah, he got hurt. We just learned how Pollard played with six cracked ribs. I'm sorry, but in a game as big as it was, if you are making the cash he made you suck it up and you get in the damn game. I'd rather have a hurt Talib out there than Arrington. I don't know who I'd get instead of Talib, because we need someone. But I just feel like Talib cannot be counted on when it's on the line. Complain about Welker or Hernandez dropping passes all you want. At least they were in the game making some plays. Talib was off the field making no plays.

 

[Lamanai]

1. Welker. The Pats have done poorly drafting receivers lately, and if you are going to pay a free agent you may as well pay the one you know 100% will not be a bust in your offense.

2. Vollmer. Yes, the Pats have done well with OL players as far as just plugging them in and experiencing no huge dropoff. But I'd put him above Talib for the following reason:

3. Talib. I wanted the Pats to draft Talib. I lived in Tampa when the Bucs got him. I was apprehensive when the Pats made the trade because I'd heard about his various issues. I was pleasantly surprised. However, and this is a big however...maybe I am being too harsh on him, but he sat out most of the frigging AFC Championship. Yeah, he got hurt. We just learned how Pollard played with six cracked ribs. I'm sorry, but in a game as big as it was, if you are making the cash he made you suck it up and you get in the damn game. I'd rather have a hurt Talib out there than Arrington. I don't know who I'd get instead of Talib, because we need someone. But I just feel like Talib cannot be counted on when it's on the line. Complain about Welker or Hernandez dropping passes all you want. At least they were in the game making some plays. Talib was off the field making no plays.

Not sure the Pollard-Talib situations are comparable.

I'm not a huge fan of Talib, but if he pulled a hamstring I don't think he could have been effective. I don't count that against him (unless he didn't stretch it out before the game)

 

[Rob0729]

1. Welker
2. Vollmer
3. Talib

I really don't want either Vollmer or Talib back unless they come cheap (at least cheap to what their perceived value).

If the Pats are going to pay a CB good money, I would rather have them pursue Brent Grimes or Sean Smith. Talib is a decent, not great CB. Everyone talks how the defense improved while he was here, but it wasn't his play itself which was the difference since he was wildly inconsistent at best (great in press coverage and an usher to the endzone in zone). It was that with a decent LCB it allowed McCourty to move to safety and Arrington to move inside. Without McCourty moving to safety, Talib's addition would have been a waste.

As for Vollmer, he is a Pro Bowl caliber RT when healthy, but he is an injury risk. He will ask for and possibly get decent LT money somewhere else since he could be moved to LT in another offense. If Vollmer's back wasn't a concern, I would say he was the top priority and possibly a franchise tag candidate. With major questions about his durability, his value goes down.

Welker is a must re-sign or a must replace with a top tier WR free agent. If the Pats choose to go in another direction, they will need to get a pretty good WR to replace him. A healthy Gronk will minimize the loss of Welker, but they need a goto WR to compliment Gronk.

 

[YearbookCurfew]

1. Welker
2. Talib
3. Vollmer

I think we should get replacements for Vollmer and Welker though.

 

[zeroakuma]

I only want Welker back - We can try for Nnamdi if he gets cut or hopefully some other corner who is willing to come her for cheap

 

[upstater1]

1-1-1

Sign em all.

The Brady era is ending. All hands on deck.

The salary cap is going to explode in 2 or 3 years.

 

[dales804]

1. Welker
2. Talib
3. Vollmer

I put Welker first but I think #1 CB is a bigger need but it doesn't necessarily need to be Talib. Vollmer is an important part of this team and I think Dante can work with what he has and some new pieces to adequately fill that (probable) vacant spot on the OL.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Welker - Never misses the bell. Plays well whether he's nursing a bad ankle or whatever. Sure he misses some plays he wishes he could have back, but he never quits trying. Carried the load again this season. Perhaps with a little more help in that regard and if he isn't the primary punt returner... His age is not nearly the concern that Talib's durability and mindset or Vollmer's health and durability are With just Lloyd left standing they have to know they have a viable option for Brady as an outlet. And don't give me Edelman, his durability issues trump whatever talent he may possess because it's predicated on playing with reckless abandon. He's the poster boy for there may in fact be something known as a propensity for broken bones. I'm even leery of relying on him as a primary punt returner for that reason.

Talib - But only on a prove it, highly incentivized option deal they can walk away from after next season with little or no consequence (dead cap). Othersiwise I'd prefer they persue an alternative. They need an above average veteran cover corner starting opposite Denard, and preferably an upgrade over Arrington either through FA or the draft backing up both outside corners. And they need an upgrade SS. Can't add all that to a unit if you're paying top dollar for just one piece of the puzzle, let alone when you're not reasonably certain you can count on that guy to show up week in and week out.

Vollmer - may well be a tremendous RT when healthy, but that's like saying Neal was a tremendous RG when healthy, he seldom was when it mattered most. Not sure where Vollmer was health wise in the AFCC, but he turned out to be the very weak link on the OL in that game. For that reason I only want him back if he's on a heavily incentivized deal. As long as Dante remains part of this staff locating and developing OL talent and plugging it in is this teams strong suit and they can afford to act accordingly. It's also questionable they can even afford to hang on to as many OLinemen through FA as fans might ideally like them to because a position that once paid like crap beyond elite LT now overpays across the board. With Mankins already making $8.5M and Solder half way through a rookie deal that will become a double digit proposition by 2015, choices will have to be made anyway.


I think Wes is the least likely candidate to be overpaid in the market (although he will have one in places like Denver and Indy and perhaps Atlanta) simply by virtue of his postion. CB and Tackle will be valued higher by desperate teams whose coaches survived Black Monday last time around and by the guys who replaced those who didn't.

 

[everlong]

I don't think the rankings are going to have anything to do with who signs and who doesn't. Which ever one does the team friendly deal , if any, will be back. I think what's your threshold is a better question.

Welker 3/27

Vollmer 3/18

Talib one year prove it at 4M with a 4/36 team option with a bonus due in March 2014 should they look to retain his services.

 

[patriotsdynasty12189]

1. Welker. The Pats have done poorly drafting receivers lately, and if you are going to pay a free agent you may as well pay the one you know 100% will not be a bust in your offense.

2. Vollmer. Yes, the Pats have done well with OL players as far as just plugging them in and experiencing no huge dropoff. But I'd put him above Talib for the following reason:

3. Talib. I wanted the Pats to draft Talib. I lived in Tampa when the Bucs got him. I was apprehensive when the Pats made the trade because I'd heard about his various issues. I was pleasantly surprised. However, and this is a big however...maybe I am being too harsh on him, but he sat out most of the frigging AFC Championship. Yeah, he got hurt. We just learned how Pollard played with six cracked ribs. I'm sorry, but in a game as big as it was, if you are making the cash he made you suck it up and you get in the damn game. I'd rather have a hurt Talib out there than Arrington. I don't know who I'd get instead of Talib, because we need someone. But I just feel like Talib cannot be counted on when it's on the line. Complain about Welker or Hernandez dropping passes all you want. At least they were in the game making some plays. Talib was off the field making no plays.

Ya huge difference with Talib and Pollard. You cant take out a defensive backs legs and think they can be affective.