50-yard-line
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
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Okay, before FA starts and the rumors begin solidifying into realities, lets get some predictions on the record for the makeup of the 2014 Patriots. We can modify as the chips start falling, eh?
This thread isn't necessarily what you WANT to happen, but what you THINK will happen.
I'll go first:
1. The big premise I'm going with is that the Pats stand a lot more pat than people seem to think.
Their Free Agents:
They lose Talib to a long-term deal that's too rich for their tastes.
Same with Edelman. I hope he scores big in FA - I wish it could be here.
They keep Blount on a team-friendly deal. Maybe 3/5.
They keep Wendell on the cheap.
They keep Dane Fletcher.
They keep Hooman.
New FA acquisitions:
They get a vet DE to back-up CJ and Nink. This seems like a no-brainer, really, considering the snaps those two endured last year. Tuck, Smith, or Jared Allen are all possible, Demarcus Ware would be awesome, but it will probably be a lower-profile guy.
I'm going out on a limb and predicting Lamar Houston from Oakland - and he's going to get a ton of snaps. I'm hoping for him or Tuck - always liked JT.
To replace Talib, they go and get Brandon Browner - hehe, well, if he can get over his suspension - on a 2-year "bargain" deal. (Seriously, I have no idea who they will get to replace Talib...they won't pay top-corner money, and after Kraft's comments, I don't expect Talib back unless he can't find a market. REALLY hope I'm wrong!)
And one more on the D: DT Pat Sims from the Raiders, who have a lot of money but 17 free agents. Sims will be replacing Wilfork, who will have to retire (or take a year off, at least) because of his health concerns. I have never wanted to be more wrong about anything Patriots' related in my life, but...
The Pats also acquire Scott Chandler as a Gronk back-up. Mark Harrison makes the team and will see limited action at WR and Move TE. T.J. Moe makes the team.
WR, I know it's going to piss off a lot of people here, but I think the corps is Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, Moe, and Thompkins next year. If they bring in anyone, it will be Manny Sanders or Jericho Cotchery and they won't pay even Amendola money for Sanders and less still for Cotchery. If either are brought in, Thompkins might be gone unless Moe hasn't shown full recovery from his Achilles injury.
Dan Connolly stays, but is restructured. Same with Gost.
Ryan Mallet gets traded to Houston for a 3rd, maybe their 4th.
Logan Mankins won't restructure. Pats don't press him hard - until next year.
The Draft:
1: Amaro
2: Trade w/sixth rounder to move up ahead of the Giants
2b: Travis Swanson C
3: Linebacker
4a (Houston): QB
4b: OL
After that...who knows????????
Armond Armstead will be a contributor.
And my surprise prediction: Adrian Wilson stays with the Pats and contributes. They'll play a more aggressive style of D next year despite losing Talib.
Opening Day Roster 9with some room to round out 53 with rookies:
QB Brady/Rookie
RB Ridley/Blount/Vereen/Mcguffie
OL: Wendell/Connolly/Mankins/Solder/Vollmer/Cannon/Swanson/Kline/Cave
TE: Gronk/Amaro/Chandler/Hooman
WR: Sanders/Amendola/Dobson/Boyce/Harrison
DL: Kelly/Sims/Jones/Nink/Houston/Armstead/Siliga
LB: Mayo/Hightower/Collins/Fletcher/Rookie
CB: Dennard/Browner(Talib Replacement)/Ryan/Arrington
S: McCourty/Gregory/A. Wilson/Harmon/T. Wilson
K: Gost
P: Allen
ST: Aiken/Slater
Whew...
This thread isn't necessarily what you WANT to happen, but what you THINK will happen.
I'll go first:
1. The big premise I'm going with is that the Pats stand a lot more pat than people seem to think.
Their Free Agents:
They lose Talib to a long-term deal that's too rich for their tastes.
Same with Edelman. I hope he scores big in FA - I wish it could be here.
They keep Blount on a team-friendly deal. Maybe 3/5.
They keep Wendell on the cheap.
They keep Dane Fletcher.
They keep Hooman.
New FA acquisitions:
They get a vet DE to back-up CJ and Nink. This seems like a no-brainer, really, considering the snaps those two endured last year. Tuck, Smith, or Jared Allen are all possible, Demarcus Ware would be awesome, but it will probably be a lower-profile guy.
I'm going out on a limb and predicting Lamar Houston from Oakland - and he's going to get a ton of snaps. I'm hoping for him or Tuck - always liked JT.
To replace Talib, they go and get Brandon Browner - hehe, well, if he can get over his suspension - on a 2-year "bargain" deal. (Seriously, I have no idea who they will get to replace Talib...they won't pay top-corner money, and after Kraft's comments, I don't expect Talib back unless he can't find a market. REALLY hope I'm wrong!)
And one more on the D: DT Pat Sims from the Raiders, who have a lot of money but 17 free agents. Sims will be replacing Wilfork, who will have to retire (or take a year off, at least) because of his health concerns. I have never wanted to be more wrong about anything Patriots' related in my life, but...
The Pats also acquire Scott Chandler as a Gronk back-up. Mark Harrison makes the team and will see limited action at WR and Move TE. T.J. Moe makes the team.
WR, I know it's going to piss off a lot of people here, but I think the corps is Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, Moe, and Thompkins next year. If they bring in anyone, it will be Manny Sanders or Jericho Cotchery and they won't pay even Amendola money for Sanders and less still for Cotchery. If either are brought in, Thompkins might be gone unless Moe hasn't shown full recovery from his Achilles injury.
Dan Connolly stays, but is restructured. Same with Gost.
Ryan Mallet gets traded to Houston for a 3rd, maybe their 4th.
Logan Mankins won't restructure. Pats don't press him hard - until next year.
The Draft:
1: Amaro
2: Trade w/sixth rounder to move up ahead of the Giants
2b: Travis Swanson C
3: Linebacker
4a (Houston): QB
4b: OL
After that...who knows????????
Armond Armstead will be a contributor.
And my surprise prediction: Adrian Wilson stays with the Pats and contributes. They'll play a more aggressive style of D next year despite losing Talib.
Opening Day Roster 9with some room to round out 53 with rookies:
QB Brady/Rookie
RB Ridley/Blount/Vereen/Mcguffie
OL: Wendell/Connolly/Mankins/Solder/Vollmer/Cannon/Swanson/Kline/Cave
TE: Gronk/Amaro/Chandler/Hooman
WR: Sanders/Amendola/Dobson/Boyce/Harrison
DL: Kelly/Sims/Jones/Nink/Houston/Armstead/Siliga
LB: Mayo/Hightower/Collins/Fletcher/Rookie
CB: Dennard/Browner(Talib Replacement)/Ryan/Arrington
S: McCourty/Gregory/A. Wilson/Harmon/T. Wilson
K: Gost
P: Allen
ST: Aiken/Slater
Whew...