Release the Hounds: BB on a FA rampage!

[BSR]

Rampage? I've seen some flyers, a few solid moves for training camp and Lloyd, who will definitely contribute in a real way, but nothing that looks like a Moss-ian game changer. I think Williams was the only chance for that and he was too expensive.

None of them ever look like game changers at this point. Even the Moss deal was a low risk/ high reward move. BB typically makes a few moves like this every year. It seems like this year, however, that he is making more of them. That is what has people excited. All of these mid level veteran players have the feel of a 2001 or 2003. The best part is that it is only the first week of FA. There is still plenty to come.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Maybe the Pats are realizing the clock is ticking for TB12 and it's time to go for it. I can't remember a FA orgy like this ever. The O is beyond ridiculously stacked now, hopefully we draft 5 DB's in the draft! This is going to be a fun season.
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Brady has nothing to do with what Belichick is doing. Saying 'well Brady only has 3 or 4 left in him so let's go all out now for the titles' is so defeatist and un-Belichick like it doesn't seem possible...and it isn't.

I see solid depth moves by a coach who feels pretty good about what he;'s got on his team, he just wan ts a little stronger depth in certain areas. We're hardly splashing the cash on top tier FAs.

 

[IllegalContact]

this rampage is akin to a thundering herd of hamsters

 

[b72s]

I belive this may be the best offseason FA work by Pats in years.

Regardless of how many mak ethe roster we have added depth addressed needs

and allowed us to Draft BPA versus need.

All wrs will not make roster but those who do will work well with McD system and Brady

Gallery could help Oline but I see maybe more

Defense is my preference for Draft yet we have touced on Line and secondary better talent than last year

 

[PatsFanSince74]

None of them ever look like game changers at this point. Even the Moss deal was a low risk/ high reward move. BB typically makes a few moves like this every year. It seems like this year, however, that he is making more of them. That is what has people excited. All of these mid level veteran players have the feel of a 2001 or 2003. The best part is that it is only the first week of FA. There is still plenty to come.

Yeah. I've been following this team for a long time and the NFL even longer, so, yep, I think I kind of get all of that, but thanks for reminding me...

As for the "feel of...2003," I have to admit I'm just not feelin' that kind of luv yet. ("2001" preseason didn't have very much by way of a "feel"...we were a 5--11 team with a rocky new HC and a QB most of us didn't believe in, backed up by a skinny guy most of us, if we were honest, wouldn't have recognized on Comm Ave if we bumped into him).

And...it still ain't no "rampage." :singing:

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Maybe the Pats are realizing the clock is ticking for TB12 and it's time to go for it. I can't remember a FA orgy like this ever. The O is beyond ridiculously stacked now, hopefully we draft 5 DB's in the draft! This is going to be a fun season.

I honestly don't think Belichick thinks that way. I think he feels he has a world class QB now, but I doubt he's making any decisions based on how many years he thinks Brady has left but rather is making them based on what he thinks will enable the team to succeed this year. If they are doing any end game or succession planning, BB and Kraft are keeping it to themselves.

I really don't see this as an "orgy" of anything. Lloyd was a strong addition, but the rest are solid pieces to move around on the chess board between now and the day this summer when they have to declare a Roster and Practice Squad with a couple of PUP's and IR's. Aside from franchising Wes and signing Lloyd, what have they done to "stack" the Offense beyond what they already had? Please don't tell me Stallworth!

I think they're saving their powder for the draft, when they will have to address several gaps on D.

Fun season? With Brady and Belichick, they've all been fun since 2001.

I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think we're a lot better than we were last year, which, BTW, was good enough to get to the SB, where they proved that ultimate success in the NFL comes down to execution and not how "stacked" the deck is.

 

[BSR]

Yeah. I've been following this team for a long time and the NFL even longer, so, yep, I think I kind of get all of that, but thanks for reminding me...

As for the "feel of...2003," I have to admit I'm just not feelin' that kind of luv yet. ("2001" preseason didn't have very much by way of a "feel"...we were a 5--11 team with a rocky new HC and a QB most of us didn't believe in, backed up by a skinny guy most of us, if we were honest, wouldn't have recognized on Comm Ave if we bumped into him).

And...it still ain't no "rampage." :singing:

That's my point. I don't think anyone was watching the moves in 2001 and 2003 and thinking that they were anything but journeymen (except for Colvin). For instance nobody expected Harrison to be what we got. Of course many of the moves don't pan out but the point is that it is silly to dismiss these signings as having little import when history has shown that BB often finds quality in the seeming pool of mediocrity. We won't know what we have until TC or maybe even later but I like the approach none the less.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

That's my point. I don't think anyone was watching the moves in 2001 and 2003 and thinking that they were anything but journeymen (except for Colvin). For instance nobody expected Harrison to be what we got. Of course many of the moves don't pan out but the point is that it is silly to dismiss these signings as having little import when history has shown that BB often finds quality in the seeming pool of mediocrity. We won't know what we have until TC or maybe even later but I like the approach none the less.

I would say that alot of response would be linked to how the Patriots would value some of these guys vs what the rest of the league would value.

As we saw in the Super Bowl and week 3 in Buffalo, the elite offense based on 2 TE's would value the 3rd TE more than any other team. No other team loses more when TE #1 is injured for the Super Bowl.

No wonder BB targeted Fells in 2010. Not having him may very well have cost us the Lombardi.

Likewise, it's amazing that an interior guy like Fanene with 6.5 sacks is out there.

 

[bagwell368]

Interesting responses...

Starters? What's a starter for the Pats?

Lloyd - I should say so

A S in 3 man rotation playing 60% of the D's snaps? Gregory

A DL playing in rotation? Fanene

A solid TE that will actually play a fair amount of TE, and our current "TE" AH playing all over the field, but just about never blocking. If he stays healthy all year, what's that worth?

Two vet WR's fighting over the #4 and #5 slots...? What's wrong with that?

Several players with some injury related histories. Most of those guys won't make it - oh well....

Pats are well fixed for the draft, if Hoyer gets signed away and Welker gets dealt, it'll be even more. There are a lot of DL/OLB/CB available this year, expect to see some drafted, maybe a C, ILB and RB tossed into the mix. And when we start cutting existing guys and these new FA's - well have more money to go shopping through the camp cuts or make a deal.

The offseason is a long period, anybody that has any serious objections to the work done so far doesn't really appreciate that.

 

[NewFeep]

Interesting responses...

Starters? What's a starter for the Pats?

Lloyd - I should say so

A S in 3 man rotation playing 60% of the D's snaps? Gregory

A DL playing in rotation? Fanene

A solid TE that will actually play a fair amount of TE, and our current "TE" AH playing all over the field, but just about never blocking. If he stays healthy all year, what's that worth?

Two vet WR's fighting over the #4 and #5 slots...? What's wrong with that?

Several players with some injury related histories. Most of those guys won't make it - oh well....

Pats are well fixed for the draft, if Hoyer gets signed away and Welker gets dealt, it'll be even more. There are a lot of DL/OLB/CB available this year, expect to see some drafted, maybe a C, ILB and RB tossed into the mix. And when we start cutting existing guys and these new FA's - well have more money to go shopping through the camp cuts or make a deal.

The offseason is a long period, anybody that has any serious objections to the work done so far doesn't really appreciate that.

This easily one of the most intelligent,well-thought-out and articulated posts I've seen and read here in a long, long time....... Well said, bagwell!

 

[IllegalContact]

Two vet WR's fighting over the #4 and #5 slots...? What's wrong with that?

some of the WR's need to be useful on special teams.
welker,lloyd,ocho,stallworth,gonzalez.....the only guys you have for that are slater and edelman and neither is worth a lick as a WR

not a very good make-up at all