1. Sign Ty Law. Not as excited about this prospect as most Pats fans. If it's cheap, I suppose I can support it. Personally, I think this is all manufactured buzz direct from the Postons. You know that none of the rumors are coming out of Foxboro. This is all posturing to get the best pricetag. A very mercenary approach to football.
2. Sign a returner. Actually, I like what we've got among the young players. I liked Hobbs in the kicking game, with the exception of the fumble against the Broncos. That said, if he hadn't lost the ball, that would have been a pretty solid return. I'm sure that BB didn't draft wee-Willie in the 7th on a lark. I expect this kid will turn heads in the kicking game.
3. Sign a wide receiver. Nah. Personally, I think we a have potential #1 receiver in Jackson. If that's true, and given my optimism re: Childress as a budding David Givens, plus the quality and depth that we have at TE, I'm just fine going with what we've got. If an opportunity presents itself, I'm willing to listen. But I like where we are. If WR is a question, my priority would be your item #5, below.
4. Extend Koppen. I would do this today, if we could come to terms. Injuries come and go. Dan is a young guy, a proven player and a great friend of Brady's. My only concern is that he's on record saying that he would take a hometown discount to be closer to Pennsylvania, where he grew up. We just may lose him. Bad, but not the end of the world. We got 5 starter's years out of him at rookie prices. With Dante running the ship, I bet we could draft another C in the 5th round next year, and put him right on the field as a starter-- just like Dan.
5. Extend Branch. This would be, hands down, my top priority of everything on your board. Actually, I think BB/SP are tru;y focused on making this happen. If it falls through, I think we'll see a very Lawyer Milloy impasse that reaches some sort of explosive crisis point. For Deon, BB will be willing to bend-- but only so far.
6. Extend Graham. Nice to have but less urgent. There will be TEs in the draft next year too. Graham has been a solid component of the O for years, but the offense does not flow through him. He's a great safety net to help us compensate for mediocre or young talent at OT. But BB like to let some of his veterans walk as a way to keep his cap balanced, by claiming a few Compensatory Picks and making roster spots available for younger players with cheaper contracts.
I see Graham in the echelon of talent that included Joe Andruzzi, David Patten, Bobby Hamilton, David Givens and Tebucky Jones... very good at some things, not so good at others. Unlikely to be stars, but solid contributors in the right system.
That said, I am very skeptical of any Leslie trade rumors that include Graham. I think observers who dont understand the Pats at the level of detail we do, see Watson on the verge of a breakout season plus two promising rookies, and conclude that Graham has been deemed expendable. They're wrong. That trading good, productive players before their contract is up has not been part of BB's MO-- I would be shocked. If that type of thing happens, it'll be next year and will involve a sign and trade deal.
7. Extend Samuel. Like Graham, I feel good knowing he knows the system and get his job done. But I wont break the bank for him. He's in the Givens category for me, too... a good player that we've been able to rely on but his success may be as much a product of the system as it is of his natural talent. If he needs to walk, well, I'm sure there will be CBs in the draft next year, too.
8. Sign veteran backup #3 or #2 QB I've been expecting this for a while, but I'm wondering if Cassell and Bramlett may not have exceeded expectations sufficiently to leave the staff feeling that they may not need to spend that money.
9. Sign other free agents I'd love to see a veteran ILB come into Foxboro. A trade for now-injurued David Pollack is an interesting concept. Trading for someone like Hunter Hillenmeyer from the Bears, or taking some LBtalent off the Houston scrap heap as they transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3, and need to liquidate all those 3-4 LBs. Other than QB, LB and DB, I cant see any position that could reasonably expect to find meaningful help in free agency.
