****** Unofficial "Sure, why the hell not?" fix to the offense ******

[Deus Irae]

Obviously, future events could warrant changes (and I'll try to do updates as available players change), and the money needed is still an unknown (although I tried to take it into account as best I could at this point), but here's a first stab at how to fix the offense, outside of the draft...

Matt Forte (FA) - RB
Chris Ivory/LGB (FA) - RB
Josh Gordon (Trade) - WR
Jermaine Gresham (FA) - TE
Jeff Allen (FA) - OG

Unless Gresham gets wildly overpaid, I think that group could be had (if at all) for reasonable money.

 

[Kontradiction]

For RB, I'd bring in Forte and draft either one of Jonathan Williams or Alex Collins.

 

[PatsFan2]

Gresham is Scott Chandler 2.0 Big for nothing. BB wouldn't touch Josh Gordon with aTen foot pole someone gave him. Other than those two love the rest.

 

[varjao]

I like the idea of 2 above average RB's to keep the running game in high rotation all 60 minutes. This position has been neglected for a long time, time to change the approach.

 

[Ross12]

I pretty much agree with this post. You wouldn't spend much on Gordon or Gresham in theory, Allen hopefully wouldn't cost much and then hopefully you could bring in Forte & Ivory for less than $6m a year together... A rotating backfield of Forte, Ivory and Lewis would be outstanding. They could run a lot of 2-TE 2-RB sets and put Gronk & Gresham out there who can both block and catch...

 

[Deus Irae]

For RB, I'd bring in Forte and draft either one of Jonathan Williams or Alex Collins.

Because it's so early in the process, I deliberately stayed outside of the draft process. If I'm looking at the draft right now, though, my first looks are LT and WR. Getting a RB via the draft, unless it's the sort of steal that brings tears of joy to the eyes of millions of Patriots fans, barely moves my giveadamnmeter, because the Patriots are not getting Todd Gurley at the end of round two, and we know BB's tendencies with rookie RBs.

 

[manxman2601]

For RB, I'd bring in Forte and draft either one of Jonathan Williams or Alex Collins.

I agree with this. I'm totally on board with signing Forte but would like to add a draft RB too. Williams is top of my list but Collins (fumble problems aside) is high on the list too. Starting to wonder about Kenneth Dixon too. I don't love his tape but he's a good all-round, do-it-all RB. His stock might be a little rich though. Probably doesn't make it until the end of round three.

And we shouldn't forget Derrick Henry if he falls. If we're looking for a direct Blount replacement, Henry fits that bill as well as any one.

 

[Ross12]

I agree with this. I'm totally on board with signing Forte but would like to add a draft RB too. Williams is top of my list but Collins (fumble problems aside) is high on the list too. Starting to wonder about Kenneth Dixon too. I don't love his tape but he's a good all-round, do-it-all RB. His stock might be a little rich though. Probably doesn't make it until the end of round three.

And we shouldn't forget Derrick Henry if he falls. If we're looking for a direct Blount replacement, Henry fits that bill as well as any one.

What do you think the chances are Henry falls?

 

[Deus Irae]

Gresham is Scott Chandler 2.0 Big for nothing. BB wouldn't touch Josh Gordon with aTen foot pole someone gave him. Other than those two love the rest.

I've never been a fan of Gresham, but he's a better blocker than Chandler, and he's caught 50+ balls in 4 of 6 NFL seasons (Chandler has had 50+ receptions only once in his career). Almost as important for the Patriots, given recent history, is the fact that, in 6 NFL seasons, Gresham's never played fewer than 14 games in a season.

 

[Ivan]

I would go with Forte and a draft pick at RB. Dwayne Allen at TE, and Martin Jones at WR.

 

[manxman2601]

My off-season purely offensive thought process would be:

1. Trade Chandler Jones for a high second rounder (and a 2017 4th). I'd extend Sheard as compensation.
2. Sign Marvin Jones and Matt Forte
3. Draft Cody Whitehair with that 2nd rounder. Plug and play LG that enables us to switch Shaq to RG where I think he played better last year.
4. Draft LeRaven Clark in the 2nd or 3rd. Love those 36" arms.
5. Draft Jerrell Adams who is a move TE but one of the better inline blocking TEs in the draft.
6. Draft Jonathan Williams on day three.

 

[manxman2601]

What do you think the chances are Henry falls?

To the late 2nd? I can see it. I've seen some people questioning whether he's even a day 2 pick. Lacks the explosion that some require for a high draft RB and they might consider him a product of the 'Bama OL. Having said that, there aren't many years where only one RB goes before #60.

 

[Big-T]

Wouldn't want Forte too old and would rather have a big bruiser who can wear down defenses for Lewis & hindering lass rush.

 

[Ivan]

My off-season purely offensive thought process would be:

1. Trade Chandler Jones for a high second rounder (and a 2017 4th). I'd extend Sheard as compensation.
2. Sign Marvin Jones and Matt Forte
3. Draft Cody Whitehair with that 2nd rounder. Plug and play LG that enables us to switch Shaq to RG where I think he played better last year.
4. Draft LeRaven Clark in the 2nd or 3rd. Love those 36" arms.
5. Draft Jerrell Adams who is a move TE but one of the better inline blocking TEs in the draft.
6. Draft Jonathan Williams on day three.

I know you love the draft Manx but I absolutely hate the idea of weakening the defense this off-season. They can get a 3rd for Jones and keep him, around for 2016, and that's if they can't sign him. They need to go into next season with the strongest team possible, I don't want them trading away Jones for future possible returns that may or may not pan out.

 

[Kontradiction]

Because it's so early in the process, I deliberately stayed outside of the draft process. If I'm looking at the draft right now, though, my first looks are LT and WR. Getting a RB via the draft, unless it's the sort of steal that brings tears of joy to the eyes of millions of Patriots fans, barely moves my giveadamnmeter, because the Patriots are not getting Todd Gurley at the end of round two, and we know BB's tendencies with rookie RBs.

I like either Le'Raven Clark or Shon Coleman as tackle prospects in the 2nd. The Pats could kick both guys inside (Coleman will have to add some weight to his frame, though) to guard as needed and both would be pretty natural tackles in the Pats' system. Clark could be coached up real quickly by Dante.

Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread. But if we're going the FA route, I would do Forte and the draft a RB on either day two or day three. For the hell of it, the Pats could probably sign both Forte and Ivory.

 

[Deus Irae]

Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread.

No worries.... go where it takes you. I'm waiting on the draft stuff because I don't start looking at it seriously until after the SB (and I'm later than that this year), but don't let that hold you back.

 

[Gronk]

Wouldn't want Forte too old and would rather have a big bruiser who can wear down defenses for Lewis & hindering lass rush.

Such as?

Presuming Lewis' health a slightly younger version of LGB wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but it doesn't do as much as bringing in Forte to solve the problem of telegraphing pass/run that was kind of annoying to watch at the tail end of last year. I just don't know who this alternative guy is.

Also Forte isn't a little dude. A lot of the conversation here treats him like he's Sproles or something. Just because he catches avg 60 balls per year doesn't mean he can't bang.

I'd suggest having Brady at whatever meeting they have with Forte. He's never seen a real NFL QB before so it might help encourage him to sign quickly.

 

[manxman2601]

I know you love the draft Manx but I absolutely hate the idea of weakening the defense this off-season. They can get a 3rd for Jones and keep him, around for 2016, and that's if they can't sign him. They need to go into next season with the strongest team possible, I don't want them trading away Jones for future possible returns that may or may not pan out.

I'm not convinced it weakens the team that much. No Chandler Jones just means Sheard sees more snaps and I think he's the better player anyway. Of course, much will depend on what you think of Flowers as adequate cover. As for the compensatory pick, by trading him for what I suggested, you lose a round in value in 2017 (3rd - 4th) but gain a 2nd this year. Anyway, it's nothing more than some fun conjecture.

One thing I'm not clear on which hopefully people can help with. If we trade Chandler Jones does his salary come off the books? Salary cap implications are a dark art for me.

 

[IllegalContact]

Such as?

Presuming Lewis' health a slightly younger version of LGB wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but it doesn't do as much as bringing in Forte to solve the problem of telegraphing pass/run that was kind of annoying to watch at the tail end of last year. I just don't know who this alternative guy is.

Also Forte isn't a little dude. A lot of the conversation here treats him like he's Sproles or something. Just because he catches avg 60 balls per year doesn't mean he can't bang.

I'd suggest having Brady at whatever meeting they have with Forte. He's never seen a real NFL QB before so it might help encourage him to sign quickly.

Devon 'Rockhead' Johnson out of Marshall in day 3

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not convinced it weakens the team that much. No Chandler Jones just means Sheard sees more snaps and I think he's the better player anyway. Of course, much will depend on what you think of Flowers as adequate cover. As for the compensatory pick, by trading him for what I suggested, you lose a round in value in 2017 (3rd - 4th) but gain a 2nd this year. Anyway, it's nothing more than some fun conjecture.

One thing I'm not clear on which hopefully people can help with. If we trade Chandler Jones does his salary come off the books? Salary cap implications are a dark art for me.

If Jones is traded in the offseason, the other team will have to pay the full amount of his salary, and the Patriots would not suffer a cap hit.