The complete and utter brilliance of this offseason

[scout]

Gilmore is the 4th highest paid cb right now.. you're implying that butler wanted top 3 money?? Undrafted free agent who has 2 season under his belt? I don't know.. maybe .. but nah I don't think so

Being an underrated free agent is not part of the equation. BB will cut you regardless of where you were drafted. It's all about performance and lockeroom character. We all thought highly of Collins and he was shipped to Cleveland. We all think highly of Butler, but don't know what was offered or what has transpired within. Honestly, I don't have a clue so I'll put my money on BB's strategy.

 

[Rhodey]

We also haven't beefed up the O-line.

...yet. The draft is coming. Bottom line: We have not worked through preseason. Trades can still happen and guys can still not make the team. We'll see...

 

[50-yard-line]

Is anyone else noticing a kind of respect-urgency to take advantage of TB being the QB? So, what's the current strategy? Is it, we're going to throw on you, AND you have to stop throwing on us? Check. Can do...on both ends. This secondary could be shutdown. And the offense...the rest is health and conditioning in the post-season.

All I see is a front office working as hard as they expect the players to work.

I've been saying since November that this would be the craziest offseason in a looooong time for the Pats. They were losing a lot of middle pieces - Bennett, Long, Sheard, Ryan...at that time, maybe Branch, Harmon...but they had 60 million in cap, an easy and obvious restructure/cut for 6+ more, and some big trade pieces of picks if necessary.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

There's still lots of cap space left for Bill to complete his masterplan!

 

[Ivan]

Much as I love the moves they have made I am still waiting on the Hightower signing to call it a complete success.

 

[tasmlab]

These are exciting moves, but if we saw a fan of any other team making a thread like this about their team, all we would have to say is platitudes like "Take your offseason champion trophy, we just want rings@@@"

Totally true.

But it's not like we fans just got a new coach or a new QB and are speculating about being great. The Pats are just piling stuff on top of the already best in league champion team.

At worst we'll have a good chuckle when Cooks turns out to be Ochocinco, Allen turns into Scott Chandler, etc.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

And better yet, the Pats have enough money still left to lock up Butler.... should they decide to do so (and I hope they do!)

 

[Ivan]

Absolutely love this offseason. They still can make the moves they want to make and have the draft to build for the future. I'd love to have Butler back but we'll just have to wait that out. This team is as loaded as they come, hopefully it will produce #6.

 

[50-yard-line]

Now I hate this offseason.

Longest wait for the games EVER!

 

[Deus Irae]

I think it's too early to talk about this offseason as being brilliant. The questions at CB, and about the top of the draft, are critical to the calculus.

 

[BritPat]

I could be tempted to call it brilliant IF we keep hold of Butler.

Big if though. Still don't get the reluctance to give him a good deal. He's out-performed Gilmore who is only a projection in the system and who has been given the $$$.

There must be something going on that hasn't yet been disclosed by either party. It can't just be money, because we've always paid those that we've developed and who have performed.

 

[ashley]

I think most of us are pretty happy the way this off season has gone so far. I'm interested to see what happens with Butler and Jimmy G and am curious to see what we address in the draft. I'm thinking we might look at D-end, O-line and lead RB.......Perhaps add LB depth as well but this team is loaded in talent

 

[long distance]

Amazing offseason.

Apart from Butler (maybe Garoppolo - albeit less likely) big business is likely done.

Some notes:
1. If NE FA ended today Pats would go to Draft without any big needs. People will ask for some more upgrades (they always do) but this would be as good roster as one could imagine going into Draft under salary cap era.
2. Of course new additions will come before the Draft or after but - despite a ton of Cap left -I doubt BB will go for more UFAs and risk the loss of another comp. pick so Id look at players that have been or will be cut. Some street agents will be added for camp as well. My guess is BB wants to recuperate Bennett's comp pick so its getting difficult also from this point to see both Blount and Floyd back (the other two UFAs that NE can loose - Bolden and Scruggs are more likely to go street FA).
3. Even the most critical roster Q at the moment is a win-win for BB. If Butler leaves Pats get 1st round pick back. If he stays BB&MP have two #1 corners.
4. After all that - we better still expect the unexpected..

Amazing job by NE front office. Kudos.


Quick recap of FA through MAR 15


NEW
CB Gilmore, 26* — signed UFA — 5y/65M (31-40M gtd) — 8.6M cap hit
TE Allen, 27 — in trade (4th for 6th) — 3y/17M (5M gtd) — 5M cap hit
RB/ST Burkhead, 26 — sign UFA — 1y/3.1M (1M gtd) — 3.1M cap hit (2018 UFA)
DL/DE Guy, 27 — signed UFA — 4y/13.4M (4.9M gtd) — 2.6M cap hit
WR Cooks, 23 — in trade (1st and 3rd for 4th) — 1.5M cap hit (2018 option 8M)
DE Ealy, 25 — in trade (2nd (64) for 3rd(72)) — 0.9M cap hit (2018 UFA)
TE Housler, 29 — street FA — futures contract — 0.6M cap hit (2018 UFA)
*age at the start of the season

RE-SIGNED/TENDERED
LB Hightower — re-signed — 4y/35.5-43.5M (17-19M gtd) — c. 4.5M cap hit
CB Butler — 1st round tender — (not gtd) — 3.9M cap hit
DT Branch — re-signed — 2y/8.5M (3M gtd) — 3.7M cap hit
S Harmon — re-signed — 4y/17M-20 (6.5M gtd) — 3.5M cap hit
OT Fleming — original round tender (4th) — 1.8M cap hit
FB Develin —re-signed — 2y/2.8M (0.5M gtd) — 1.2M cap hit
S/ST King — tendered ERFA — 0.6M cap hit
CB Coleman — tendered ERFA — 0.6M cap hit
TE Lengel — tendered ERFA — 0.5M cap hit
TE Williams — re-signed — 1y/0.5M — 0.5M cap hit

GONE
CB Ryan — signed w TEN — 3y/30M
DE Sheard — signed w IND — 3y/25.5M (13M gtd)
TE Bennett — signed w GB — 3y/21M (6M gtd)
LB Mingo — signed w IND — 1y/2.5M
DE Long — moves on

IN PROGRESS
RB Blount — offer made, not accepted, nothing imminent (Reiss)
WR Floyd — both were interested in return after SBLI - now ?
RB Bolden — /
TE/DE Scruggs — ?

OTHER
OT Vollmer — released-injury related/retired
WR Amendola - willing to restructure (frees proj. 5M / 6.4M if cut)
QB Garoppolo - will not be traded (acc. to Schefter & Reiss)

_____
2017 Draft picks: 3a (72nd, from CAR); 3b (96th); 4 (132th, from SEA), 5a (163th); 5b (183rd); 6 (200th, from IND); 7 (239th).

Money for current Draft picks -- less than 0.5M (top 51 contracts rule)
_____
Projected comp picks: 4th - Sheard; (4/5th - Bennett (curr. offset by Burkhard)
(note: Gilmore offsets Ryan's comp pick (3rd), Guy offsets Mingo (7th)
_____
c.43M cap spent for 17 players -- (not all counting vs cap: 51 top cap hit rule)

approx Cap remaining: 32M (incl. Amendola restructure/release)
-

66 signed .. 24 to go

 

[long distance]

Here quick FA overview by Reiss:
Patriots' signing of Stephon Gilmore highlights aggressive approach


I also thought another OLB/DE could be in play . but I doubt they go for UFA and lose another comp pick unless they are not bringing any of Blount, Floyd, Bolden, Scruggs back and are sure at least 2-3 of them sign a deal that puts them in comp pick equation.

They will probably address the position high in draft.
BTW - Mychal Kendricks is still available for trade and if Pats get more picks one of 5th rounders might be an option. Or later as street FA if he is cut.
___

EDIT: Forgot about Long. That makes another UFA signing more possible in re. to comp picks.

 

[Tony2046]

OT: Just putting this here for a good laugh.

 

[long distance]

This is amazing. Hightower's 2017 cap hit is just 4.5M!
Counting Amendola Pats still have virtually 32-34M of cap space!
They can do whatever they want in the next 2 years (yes, including keeping 2 elite QBs - cap wise that is)

 

[NashuaPats]

That's a ton of cap space at this point. Amendola hasn't even been renegotiated yet. Please find a compromise with Butler and bring him back. Then sign Mangold to something like $5 mill per year. We'll be a powerhouse.

 

[Ivan]

I'm surprised they aren't giving Connor Barwin a look, seems like he would fill a need and give a good fit.

 

[The Gr8est]

There is a clear "win now" theme of this offseason and especially the draft maneuvering - getting proven players for questionable draft picks. With the cap space they have, the longer Hightower remains on the market the better I think for the chances he returns - and I'm hopeful that Butler will drop any demand for FA money when he's an RFA and accept a fair re-signing.

But MOST intriguing to me is how the Saints and Patriots are working together to show Goodell that not only does his "stolen" 4th round pick not adversely impact the Patriots - but both the Pats and the Saints can potentially benefit by it, with the Saints now knowing they can trade #118 down to #131, pick up extra picks in the process, and still consumate the trade with the Pats without any impact.

Patriots will lose the fourth-rounder they get from the Saints

So basically Belichick is thumbing his nose at Goodell by potentially gaining a 1st, 2nd or more for JG - only possible thanks to Roger showcasing JG's skills - and also helping out the Saints by letting them "use" their 4th rounder to gain additional picks before trading the "lost" pick to the Pats.

No one will ever confirm it, but if the scenario illustrated by Florio goes down, I think it has to be taken as an FU sent to Goodell by both Belichick and Peyton.

In the end it looks like the Saints decided not to try and trade their 4th for a lower one, but how awesome would it have been to trade down for a lower 4th and maybe a couple of 6th or 7th rounders and have the Saints and Pats each keep one of the extra picks?

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Now I hate this offseason.

Longest wait for the games EVER!

Small condolences, we will play the first game of the year (Thursday night --- because we are the SB CHAMPS, yeah Baby!!!)