You be the GM

[supafly]

Supe, nothing against Connolly. He's not only a solid starter, but he's a valuable back up at 3 positions, who is worth everything he is being paid. That being said, IF we re-sign Volmer, I think that Cannon is the better choice at RG. Connolly is decent. I think Cannon can be exceptional. If I'm right then 3.2MM is too much to be paying a back up, even a valuable one. Plus I think in his 3rd year, McDonald will develop into a "Connolly-like" versatile back up who you can plug in all 3 interior OL positions and even a little OT in a pinch.

Don't get me wrong, I hear what you're saying and agree that the RG position could use some upgrading, I just don't know whether or not Belichick actually views Cannon as an interior player or not. Many of us assume this, but we don't have any kind of evidence besides some minor reps that were very limited.

Much like you, I would want to re-sign Vollmer too, I just honestly have a hard time seeing that happen unless he's going to really be lax in his demands. Otherwise, he's just a luxury that we shouldn't overspend for. He gave up almost 6 sacks last year, and while he has played well at times, others he disappears.

I think that we'll need to explore a FA signing at RT to compete with Cannon for. The loser can back the other up. I also wouldn't be shocked if we drafted someone in the mid to later rounds too. Either way, I'm not as concerned about the loss of Vollmer and the RT position personally, as long as we have enough adequate depth--which is my bigger concern.

I have the same worries at the position of CB. I'm not nearly as concerned as who will be the CB1 as I am about having adequate depth and talent throughout the position. I also realize I am in the minority though with this thinking. Many just tend to see it as "who is going to replace player X?"

 

[Deus Irae]

The good news is most teams will have more wiggle room than expected. The NFL announced to all 32 teams that the salary cap will jump from $120.6 million last year to $123 million in 2013, sources tell NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

NFL sets 2013 salary cap at $123M, up from $120.6M - NFL.com

So we can, at least for the moment, consider $123.0 million to be the cap for this thread's purposes.

 

[ivanvamp]

NFL sets 2013 salary cap at $123M, up from $120.6M - NFL.com

So we can, at least for the moment, consider $123.0 million to be the cap for this thread's purposes.

And from this - http://bostonherald.com/sports/patr..._have_room_to_work_under_finalized_salary_cap it looks like the Pats will be at $98 million, giving them $25 million to work with.

I'm gonna give this another go, with those numbers in mind. This will be fun. Very good thread, Deus.

 

[supafly]

NFL sets 2013 salary cap at $123M, up from $120.6M - NFL.com

So we can, at least for the moment, consider $123.0 million to be the cap for this thread's purposes.

ESPN is actually reporting it to be 123.9, which if true could even be another million higher.

Either way, we know it to definitely be between 123 and 124, and the team should be in fine shape moving forward.

 

[ivanvamp]

(1) Sign Welker for 3/25, structured with a $6 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $19 million.

(2) Sign Talib for 3/28, structured with a $7 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $12 million.

(3) Sign Reed for 3/15, with a $4 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $8 million.

(4) Sign Freeney for 3/15, with a $4 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $4 million.

(5) Sign Edelman and Arrington for a combined $4 million cap hit. Out of my play money.

Draft:

(1) Pick Tavon Austin in the first round.

(2) Pick DJ Swearinger in the second round.

(3) Rounds 4,5,7 pick up defensive help.


Net result:
- Receiving corps is improved and energized by the Austin pick.
- Defensive backfield is improved with Talib back and the additions of Reed and Swearinger.
- Pass rush is improved with Freeney (and Armstead).

The only issue is the OL because in my scenario Vollmer is gone. I'm trusting Scarnecchia to coach up whomever they add.

 

[Brady6]

(1) Sign Welker for 3/25, structured with a $6 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $19 million.

(2) Sign Talib for 3/28, structured with a $7 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $12 million.

(3) Sign Reed for 3/15, with a $4 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $8 million.

(4) Sign Freeney for 3/15, with a $4 mil cap hit for this year. Down to $4 million.

(5) Sign Edelman and Arrington for a combined $4 million cap hit. Out of my play money.

Draft:

(1) Pick Tavon Austin in the first round.

(2) Pick DJ Swearinger in the second round.

(3) Rounds 4,5,7 pick up defensive help.


Net result:
- Receiving corps is improved and energized by the Austin pick.
- Defensive backfield is improved with Talib back and the additions of Reed and Swearinger.
- Pass rush is improved with Freeney (and Armstead).

The only issue is the OL because in my scenario Vollmer is gone. I'm trusting Scarnecchia to coach up whomever they add.

Austin will go top 20 his stock is way up.

Feeney was in on 12 tackles last year not really good spend in my eyes.

 

[supafly]

Austin will go top 20 his stock is way up.

Feeney was in on 12 tackles last year not really good spend in my eyes.

I agree with you on Tavon Austin. I don't think we ever see him fall to 29, and I think he's definitely shooting up the boards, especially after his awesome 40 yd dash the other day. We'd have to move up to get him for sure and I don't think we have much ammo to do that, not to mention the unlikelihood of that happening 3 first rd picks in a row.

One thing to keep in mind with Freeney is that he's had 6 consecutive years of 24 or less individual tackles, but in 4/6 of those years he had 8.5 sacks or more, so I wouldn't worry as much about that number myself if they still feel that he can be a decent pass rusher at a fair price.

Of course the whole term "fair price" comes into play in an enormous way. He'd have to offer good value. I agree with you that they certainly shouldn't overspend to bring him here, but he can certainly help our pass rush at the right price too.

 

[ivanvamp]

I agree with you on Tavon Austin. I don't think we ever see him fall to 29, and I think he's definitely shooting up the boards, especially after his awesome 40 yd dash the other day. We'd have to move up to get him for sure and I don't think we have much ammo to do that, not to mention the unlikelihood of that happening 3 first rd picks in a row.

One thing to keep in mind with Freeney is that he's had 6 consecutive years of 24 or less individual tackles, but in 4/6 of those years he had 8.5 sacks or more, so I wouldn't worry as much about that number myself if they still feel that he can be a decent pass rusher at a fair price.

Of course the whole term "fair price" comes into play in an enormous way. He'd have to offer good value. I agree with you that they certainly shouldn't overspend to bring him here, but he can certainly help our pass rush at the right price too.

All I'd be asking Freeney to do is rush the quarterback. He would play only in passing situations. I'd take the gamble that he has enough left in the tank to be effective in that limited role.

 

[captain stone]

Freeney is cooked. I wouldn't offer anything above a one-year, vet minimum take-it-or-leave-it.

 

[nzahir]

We have 25 mil to spend:
Welker 3 years 7 mil average
Talib 3-4 years 6-6.5 mil average
Ed reed 2 years- 4 mil average
Desmond bryant 2-3 years 4 mil average or cullen jenkins 2-3 years 3-4 mil average
Cut lloyd and use his money for a guy like devery henderson as a deep threat for 2-3 years 2 mil average

The rest of the money goes to rookies and re signs(arrington), the pats might have to cut some wasted guys and restructure mankins deal for all of this to happen.
Draft:
Round 1-o line to repleace volmer or an Og
Round 2-de or pass rushing dt(if no good dt signed)
round 3-either a de or dt(opposite of one in round 2), da rick rodgers, or a cover lb
2 round 7 picks:depth anywhere

 

[JackBauer]

We have 25 mil to spend:
Welker 3 years 7 mil average
Talib 3-4 years 6-6.5 mil average
Ed reed 2 years- 4 mil average
Desmond bryant 2-3 years 4 mil average or cullen jenkins 2-3 years 3-4 mil average
Cut lloyd and use his money for a guy like devery henderson as a deep threat for 2-3 years 2 mil average

The rest of the money goes to rookies and re signs(arrington), the pats might have to cut some wasted guys and restructure mankins deal for all of this to happen.
Draft:
Round 1-o line to repleace volmer or an Og
Round 2-de or pass rushing dt(if no good dt signed)
round 3-either a de or dt(opposite of one in round 2), da rick rodgers, or a cover lb
2 round 7 picks:depth anywhere

You're advocating for a WR tandem of Welker and...Devery Henderson?

 

[Sciz]

Freeney is cooked. I wouldn't offer anything above a one-year, vet minimum take-it-or-leave-it.

Freeney was playing a new position and being forced to play on running downs. If the Pats could let him go back to being a full-time DE and keep him fresh on passing downs, he'd be just fine.

 

[nzahir]

You're advocating for a WR tandem of Welker and...Devery Henderson?

Welker, henderson, da rick rodgers, and then re sign some guys for depth like branch, stallworth, and edelmen. Remember that this team has 3 starting te's.
I think welker, gronk, hernandez, and henderson and a rb is a good lineup and if they want 5 wr, add rodgers. I think more money being spent on defense is better than more being spent on an offense. I would rather have a top 5 offense and a good defense, rather than the best offense and a terrible defense

 

[supafly]

Welker, henderson, da rick rodgers, and then re sign some guys for depth like branch, stallworth, and edelmen. Remember that this team has 3 starting te's.
I think welker, gronk, hernandez, and henderson and a rb is a good lineup and if they want 5 wr, add rodgers. I think more money being spent on defense is better than more being spent on an offense. I would rather have a top 5 offense and a good defense, rather than the best offense and a terrible defense

I understand what you're saying, and while we may not necessarily agree on the specific player of Devery Henderson, we may see something similar to what you are suggesting. In my opinion there are really only 2 options, unless they'd bring in a middle tiered cost player such as Hartline or Amendola which would add a 3rd option.


Option 1--spend big money for a guy like Wallace (most would actually choose this believe it or not)

Option 2--re-sign Welker and Edelman. Add a 1st or 2nd round pick, and bring in some vets to battle it out for a much cheaper cost

Option 3--would be some meshing of the two, and the player wouldn't necessarily be a Mike Wallace type, but a guy like Hartline or Amendola

 

[supafly]

All I'd be asking Freeney to do is rush the quarterback. He would play only in passing situations. I'd take the gamble that he has enough left in the tank to be effective in that limited role.

For the right money, sure.

Freeney is cooked. I wouldn't offer anything above a one-year, vet minimum take-it-or-leave-it.

I hear what you're saying Captain, definitely don't want to overspend here. I think Freeney is a 50/50 player that some still think can produce for us, while others feel like you.

Personally I think if we're only going to offer him a minimum vet deal then we may as well just not offer him anything because there will definitely be a team or two that overspends.

I do think that he can offer something, but the money in question is the obvious dealbreaker. I wouldn't mind seeing him come in on a fair price, I just don't think that's going to happen. I'm guessing someone still throws 3-4-5million per at him myself.

 

[mgteich]

Are you meaning to include or exclude lloyd in these options?

I understand what you're saying, and while we may not necessarily agree on the specific player of Devery Henderson, we may see something similar to what you are suggesting. In my opinion there are really only 2 options, unless they'd bring in a middle tiered cost player such as Hartline or Amendola which would add a 3rd option.


Option 1--spend big money for a guy like Wallace (most would actually choose this believe it or not)

Option 2--re-sign Welker and Edelman. Add a 1st or 2nd round pick, and bring in some vets to battle it out for a much cheaper cost

Option 3--would be some meshing of the two, and the player wouldn't necessarily be a Mike Wallace type, but a guy like Hartline or Amendola

 

[supafly]

Are you meaning to include or exclude lloyd in these options?

I suppose I would be excluding him.

 

[Deus Irae]

I've seen a lot of interesting numbers posted for players, so I thought I'd put some of them to the question: $3 million for Woodhead and Edelman? a $7 million average for Welker on a multi-year deal, and 4 years for Talib at $6 million per? $4 million, times 2, for Reed?


Are these numbers people will

A.) think are needed for Edelman and Woodhead?

B.) think are acceptable to Welker and Talib?

C.) This is sufficient to persuade Reed to leave the Ravens?

B and C are particularly important to the exercise, IMO, since they are attempts to 'buy low'.


Also, one note of interest I heard mentioned on the radio is the idea that Arians, out in Arizona, would be looking for a big-armed kid at QB. With that in mind, I put this question out there as well:

Is it reasonable to project the Cardinals 4th (Pick 100, 100 points on trade chard) in a trade for Mallett?

 

[supafly]

Also, one note of interest I heard mentioned on the radio is the idea that Arians, out in Arizona, would be looking for a big-armed kid at QB. With that in mind, I put this question out there as well:

Is it reasonable to project the Cardinals 4th (Pick 100, 100 points on trade chard) in a trade for Mallett?

I would think that is reasonable, Deus, yes.

I think that is where we'd start as opposed to the projections of 2nd round compensation, which I personally think are fantastical--at least right now anyway.

 

[mgteich]

Then I would suggest Option 4.

Re-sign Welker, replace Lloyd with a mid-level ($6M-$8M AAV) WR, re-sign Edelman, bring in JAG WR's, draft a WR with a top draft pick.

The other plans have us weaker this year. I understand that Lloyd could/should be the mid-level receiver if issues have been worked out. I want to draft a WR, but I do not expect major rookie contributions.

I suppose I would be excluding him.