THE ARCHIVES 1st annual guide to Free agency (A must read!)

[MrBigglesWorth]

I wouldn't mind adding Drew Bennett and London Fletcher-Baker to this team.

Bennett has always been a solid talent, and I believe he is tall, above 6 feet, maybe closer to 6-3 or 6-4. He seems like the overachiever type player who would fit in well here. Engram would be a nice pickup too, but he is up there in age, and would only be a taller version of Troy Brown IMO, without Brown's expierence in our playbook.

Fletcher-Baker is a machine, might be a cap casualty, and won't command the money Briggs and Thomas will command. I still want to see at least two LBs drafted, preferably at least one day one if there is some good talent out there in this draft.

I like Bobby Engram(UFA) or DJ Hackett(RFA)- will depend on what seattle tenders him.

those two could be immediate contributors.

 

[cstjohn17]

Nice work. Food for thought anyway..

LB
- I don't expect either of the big 2 to sign with Pats (Thomas, Briggs) both may get franchised
- London-Fletcher is interesting especially if he wants to stick it to the Bills
- Peek caught my eye, he has experience in a 3-4, former #1 pick. Should be pretty cheap and would provide a nice rotation with Vrabel & Colvin.
- Bailey is too small to play LB for the Pats
- maybe Donnie Edwards is brought in as a 3rd down specialist(Phifer)
and backup at ILB, I think he is too small to play 3 downs in the middle
CB
- $1,000,000 question - do the Pats spend big money on the position? with Samuel or Clement
- IMO the Samuel situation sets the whole dynamic of the offseason, if he leaves and Clement doesnn't comes in there appears to be a big dropoff in talent, CB may become a bit off a patch work. If Samuel is signed we can use some draft picks and mid-tier signings to prop up the LBs making the defence look pretty solid if not very good

OL
- not concerned, as a unit much better than average. Koppen and Light will be fully recovered next year. Maybe Day 2 draft pick for a backup guard

WR
- average unit, could stand to be improved, variety of options, maybe they look at Kevin Curtis type player, more than likely any improvement comes via the draft

S
- not concerned, maybe look backup FS to replace Hawkins
- if Gay is signed he and Scott can play Safety in a pinch

RB
- unless Dillion, leaves, gets cut, no action is necessary
- curious about an old school FB being added..

TE
- unless it is spectacular value I would not re-sign Graham
- find a JAG (Just Another Guy) who can block or a Day 2 draft pick

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Drew Bennet is the guy who I would love for the Pats to get.. But LB and Saftey are also a concern..

 

[Fantasic4x50x54x59x55]

cough.. wes welker anyone?

 

[Seneschal2]

London Fletcher-Baker – may be a little small for the Pats liking but plays big, good tackler and has speed.

BB likes him...and Baker's said Brady's the best QB in football. Seems like a good fit.

Antwan Peek – Hybrid type of player that can rush the passer and play LB in the Pats scheme.

Had a pre-draft visit with the Pats. Now that he's NFL-experienced -- wonder if we're STILL interested...

Donte’ Stallworth (WR) – Eagles will probably get a deal done with him but would be a great addition to the Pats, might be injury prone, would be a starter.

BB's raved about him -- that's all we need to know.

Bethel Johnson? (WR) – Great on special teams, but I doubt the Pats would go after him.

Was my 'official sleeper pick' way back when. Thought he'd be an excellent stretch-the-field receiver. Win some, lose some...

Kevin Curtis – Good #3 receiver for the Rams, would provide nice depth.

Good buddies with Detroit's WR Furrey -- who's trying to recruit Curtis into signing there.

 

[DaBruinz]

Well, considering the fact Light was beat like a drum, you tell me. Freeney was making alot more plays then usual. Light's just so inconsistant. One day he kills Merriman, the next day a guy he always contains, Freeney, took it to him.

Really? Freeney took it to him? That's funny because Freeney really didn't do anything of the sort. But, to each their own.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Mankins nothing special? Watch the games, please. We need help at tackle moreso then guard.

Alright, Mankins is a good player. I take that back. On the other hand, I feel that the RG position could be upgraded, along with LT and RT. Tackles have been pretty shaky this season. The Pats offense will have a hard time reaching it's full potential if they have to keep TE's to help block DE's. This will limit the amount of options Brady has to throw too, it's that simple. Graham was vastly under utilized this year in the passing game which is a shame. You guys think the line does so well, but the whole Patriot offense hides it's flaws by having RB's chipping and TE's staying at home to block D-Lineman.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Umm.. Light was getting back into playing shape after last year's injury. Way too many people seem to forget that.

Your assessment that Mankins is nothing special is laughable. Mankins is damn near close to being an All-Pro.

Now, Neal is the only one who may or may not be an issue. I don't see the Pats doing anything much at RT because they have Kaczur, O'Callaghan, Bubin and Britt who will be fighting for that position. None of the players you mentioned will do anything there. Except maybe Davis, but I doubt the Pats are going to give up on Kaczur and O'Callaghan yet.

Light is so great that Graham helps him block D-Lineman all season long. Light is an average tackle at best. He can block chump, no name DE's really well. But, when he faces the best, he looks like a fool if he doesn't have help. People ask why their TE's didn't have a great season? Most of the time they were used to stay at home and block DE's because their tackles couldn't handle the rush.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

You can take Ricky Manning Jr off any list of possible Patriots. Bob Kraft is not bringing this guy in here, not after an incident like this and especially with the taunts attributed to him in the police report.

"On April 23, 2006 Ricky Manning, Jr. attacked a man, Soroush Sabzi [1], in a Denny's restaurant after teasing him for working on a laptop computer.[2] He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly fighting a man and eventually pled no contest to felony assault. Manning faced up to four years in prison because of a previous assault charge in 2002, for which he received probation.

According to the police report, Manning and former UCLA teammates, Tyler Ebell and Maurice Jones-Drew bullied a student sitting at another table. Manning confronted the student with "Are you a ***got?", "You f---ing Jew," and then called him "an ugly f---ing Jew" and a "***got." The student asked to be left alone and the football players beat him unconscious."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Manning,_Jr.

For the time being, I will assume this to be properly sourced, etc., and will assume for the purposes of this post, that this is true.

I have just decided there are situations in which it is appropriate to wish an injury on a player; not just an injury, but a career-ending one. Not because it would be painful, although that would be appropriate; but because for someone like this, the only real possibility that he ever become truly human, is that he be forced to do real work for a living, understand adversity, and learn humility.

My final wish is that, down and out and on his last hundred grand, he find work as some kind of low-level functionary for a company owned by one Soroush Sabzi (probably in reality an Arab, rather than Jewish name, for what it is worth,) and that he learn who his employer actually is after having been hired, and becoming dependent on said company's largesse.

But the world is seldom that fair Suffice it to say, I'll be happy enough not to see him on the Pats' roster.

If, in fact, the Wikipedia entry is factually accurate.

PFnV

 

[Seymour93]

According to the police report, Manning and former UCLA teammates, Tyler Ebell and Maurice Jones-Drew bullied a student sitting at another table. Manning confronted the student with "Are you a ***got?", "You f---ing Jew," and then called him "an ugly f---ing Jew" and a "***got." The student asked to be left alone and the football players beat him unconscious."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Manning,_Jr.

Wow. That's a classy guy. San Diego classy.

 

[dhamz]

For the time being, I will assume this to be properly sourced, etc., and will assume for the purposes of this post, that this is true.

The Ricky Manning stuff is true. If you recall, he was suspended for the Pats/Bears game this year because of this incident.

 

[mavfan2390]

Wes Welker would be a GREAT fit here. Reminds me of a younger Troy Brown. Out of the available wide recievers he is the cream of the crop. Classic overachiever.

 

[Bostonian1962]

You can take Ricky Manning Jr off any list of possible Patriots. Bob Kraft is not bringing this guy in here, not after an incident like this and especially with the taunts attributed to him in the police report.

"On April 23, 2006 Ricky Manning, Jr. attacked a man, Soroush Sabzi [1], in a Denny's restaurant after teasing him for working on a laptop computer.[2] He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly fighting a man and eventually pled no contest to felony assault. Manning faced up to four years in prison because of a previous assault charge in 2002, for which he received probation.

According to the police report, Manning and former UCLA teammates, Tyler Ebell and Maurice Jones-Drew bullied a student sitting at another table. Manning confronted the student with "Are you a ***got?", "You f---ing Jew," and then called him "an ugly f---ing Jew" and a "***got." The student asked to be left alone and the football players beat him unconscious."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Manning,_Jr.

I could not agree more. Manning, and to a lesser extent Hamlin have the punk factor, and are not Patriot type players. You won't see Manning in a Patriots' uniform any time soon.

 

[DaBruinz]

Wes Welker is an RFA and, as such, will probably receive a 2nd round tender, at the minimum. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phins make a 1st round tender to him.

I think that Welker would definitely be worth a 2nd round pick. He's not worth a 1st round pick, imho. It will be interesting to see what the Phins do.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Wow I had no clue. Scratch him off my list. And M. Drew helped him? What a bunch of jerks. Wow.

No Maurice Drew just happened to be in the same all night restaurant that night. Since he was a NFL player too, they questioned him but totally exonerated him.
As for the other two thugs, they got what they deserved.

 

[Oswlek]

The Ricky Manning stuff is true. If you recall, he was suspended for the Pats/Bears game this year because of this incident.

Not only is Ricky Manning a punk, but he is not a good CB.

He was scratched off of my list long before his Denny's incident.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Yeah I forgot about Manning Jr's incident as well. Cross him off the list. Good looking out guys

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Wes Welker is an RFA and, as such, will probably receive a 2nd round tender, at the minimum. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phins make a 1st round tender to him.

I think that Welker would definitely be worth a 2nd round pick. He's not worth a 1st round pick, imho. It will be interesting to see what the Phins do.

Welker would be a great addition to the team but for a second rounder? I'm sure the Dolphins will tender him enough to where the compensation would be around the 2nd round pick range.