NESN's Top 10 Pats FA offense targets

[DaBruinz]

connolly played well this year. what's more, wendell played well at C

the value question is whether he would be enough of an upgrade to warrant the cap hit.

no, it wasn't a joke, but there's no need to fly off the handle

Levitre is an upgrade over Connolly at RG. Just like Connolly is an upgrade over Wendell at Center.

 

[JackBauer]

Just like Connolly is an upgrade over Wendell at Center.

Starting to think that may not be the case.

 

[IllegalContact]

Levitre is an upgrade over Connolly at RG. Just like Connolly is an upgrade over Wendell at Center.

at what price?

 

[DaBruinz]

What is with this board's obsession with Hartline?

I seem to remember similar comments being said about Welker. That people had an "obsession" with him. There was good reason then. There is reason to like Hartline as an outside receiver.

He's 6'1 5/8" tall and 200 lbs. He's got good hands. Runs good routes. Good body control. And he's only 26..

 

[DaBruinz]

at what price?

You're the only person talking about price right now. But I could see Levitre taking a 3-4M /year deal. Even at 5M/year the upgrade he provides over Connolly is enough to warrant it.

 

[ALP]

We have multiple good, young RBs...plz dont bring in any more old guys

 

[IllegalContact]

You're the only person talking about price right now. But I could see Levitre taking a 3-4M /year deal. Even at 5M/year the upgrade he provides over Connolly is enough to warrant it.

I was talking value as opposed to replacing vollmer....I was the first one to mention levitate, but we do have bigger needs on the ol

 

[Deus Irae]

What is with this board's obsession with Hartline?

People looking at numbers who haven't really watched enough Dolphins games to have seen him struggle for most of his 4 year career.

 

[Rob0729]

I have to disagree that WR isn't a big priority for the Pats. With Branch, Welker and Edelman as UFA, WR is one of the biggest priorities this off-season. Yes, if they re-sign Welker and Edleman it moves down the priority list significantly, but until that happens, it's right there at the top. As it RT.

I am assuming at least Edelman and possibly Welker are resigned. But I don't think the top three free agents to target should be WR though. Maybe one. Possibly two.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Triplechamp -

Wallace still can't run routes well. He thrives on the Broken Play where he and Ben can play "Sandlot" football. Wants to be paid like the top receiver in the league.

Bowe has led the league or been in the top 10 for drops since he came into the league. People are complaining about Welker and his drops, but Bowe has as many or more consistently.

From 2009-2011:
Welker - Targeted 439 Times. 363 Catchable. 32 Drops. Drop Rate of 8.8%
Bowe - Targeted 362 times. 225 Catchable. 26 Drops. Drop rate of 11.85%

Amendola has had injury issues each of the last two seasons. Good to Very good slot receiver.

It wasn't necessarily the players on the list but the idea that WR isn't a top priority. Im not a fan of this years FA WR class at all. Wallace is delusional in his wishes to be paid like a top receiver in the league. Both him and Bowe have some obvious lapses in concentration at bad times. Unfortunately teams with tons of cap space will gladly pay them far more than they deserve to sell jerseys and put butts in seats. I have my doubts as to long Amendola would last with us if he was put in some of the situations Wes is put in on a weekly basis. Draft may be the way to go but expectations of immediate production need to be tapered.

 

[DaBruinz]

I was talking value as opposed to replacing vollmer....I was the first one to mention levitate, but we do have bigger needs on the ol

Levitre has been mentioned in numerous different free agency threads by numerous different people including myself. You were hardly the first. Even I wasn't the first.

While the Pats have "bigger needs on the OL" that need won't be filled in Free Agency unless they re-sign Vollmer. It will be filled via the draft or with Cannon or Zusevics..

 

[Kontradiction]

I seem to remember similar comments being said about Welker. That people had an "obsession" with him. There was good reason then. There is reason to like Hartline as an outside receiver.

He's 6'1 5/8" tall and 200 lbs. He's got good hands. Runs good routes. Good body control. And he's only 26..

You're looking at his measurables to go along with one year (a contact year in which he balled out when the Dolphins literally had nobody else but him to throw to). As has been mentioned, he hasn't been all that throughout his career. Be weary of the contract year wonders. Hartline is not a replacement for Welker.

 

[IllegalContact]

You're looking at his measurables to go along with one year (a contact year in which he balled out when the Dolphins literally had nobody else but him to throw to). As has been mentioned, he hasn't been all that throughout his career. Be weary of the contract year wonders. Hartline is not a replacement for Welker.

you conclude too much without basis...he's been productive for 4 years, now.....just got a bigger role this year

welker had much less when the pats forked over a 2nd rounder......maybe the pats don't see it and will move forward......but it sounds like you don't know what you're talking about

 

[eagle eye]

Has the Onion hacked NESN?

 

[Deus Irae]

you conclude too much without basis...he's been productive for 4 years, now.....just got a bigger role this year

welker had much less when the pats forked over a 2nd rounder......maybe the pats don't see it and will move forward......but it sounds like you don't know what you're talking about

Hartline's catch numbers in his first 3 seasons:

31
43
35

Welker's catch numbers in his first 3 seasons:
0
29
67


Welker was clearly trending upward, and was clearly being more productive in year 3, despite having a QB rotation throwing to him (including the immortal Cleo Lemon). Welker was, as BB noted, uncoverable. Hartline.... not so much.

In other words, Kontra knows what he's talking about just fine.

 

[Kontradiction]

you conclude too much without basis...he's been productive for 4 years, now.....just got a bigger role this year

welker had much less when the pats forked over a 2nd rounder......maybe the pats don't see it and will move forward......but it sounds like you don't know what you're talking about

I've lived in South Florida most of my life, have cousins that were born down there and are die hard Dolphins fans, and have seen almost every game of their's for years as well as watching Hartline since he was a rookie. His role has been the same in that offense since that time, the only difference being that he was literally the only guy worth throwing to this past year (also a contract year for him). Lloyd, for example, had nearly as productive a season as Hartline did in spite of being the third to fourth option, at best. Hartline had 1,083 receiving yards this year, 471 yards of which came against weaker ranked pass defenses. To add to that, he got in the end zone a whole one time the entire season.

Futher, Hartline is a completely different receiver than Welker (since that's who you think he will be replacing). He did most of his work outside the hashes as opposed to over the middle, which is where we would prefer a Welker replacement earn his keep. As a matter of fact, outside of being white, he's completely different from Welker.

But you're right. I don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[Avenger]

I don't think we need a big FA to replace Welker, no player is going to replace his production if he leaves. Edelman and Lloyd would get more targets, Woodhead, Vereen and Demps would get more targets out of the backfield/split out, the tight ends would see an uptick especially if Ballard contributes. Adding a WR in the draft to "replace" Welker would be fine, he wouldn't need to step in and take over his production immediately, he could have a 30-40 catch season and still be productive in this offense.

 

[patriot1136]

Call me crazy, but what's wrong with re-signing Welker, Edelman, Branch, and Stallworth and keeping Lloyd too? That seems like a good receiving corps especially when you add in the rest of the offense with the RB's and TE's. I'd rather be signing defensive players such as a CB, SS, and DT/DE

 

[JackBauer]

Call me crazy, but what's wrong with re-signing Welker, Edelman, Branch, and Stallworth and keeping Lloyd too? That seems like a good receiving corps especially when you add in the rest of the offense with the RB's and TE's. I'd rather be signing defensive players such as a CB, SS, and DT/DE

Because Branch and Stallworth are essentially worthless, and Edelman can't stay on the field.

 

[Kontradiction]

Call me crazy, but what's wrong with re-signing Welker, Edelman, Branch, and Stallworth and keeping Lloyd too? That seems like a good receiving corps especially when you add in the rest of the offense with the RB's and TE's. I'd rather be signing defensive players such as a CB, SS, and DT/DE

Branch is essentially just a warm body out there. He should be upgraded via the draft, and it should happen as early as round 2. I wouldn't be opposed to the team bringing in an FA, either.