NFL Free Agency Thread

[JMC00]

but Jones is an elite DE, top 10 maybe even top 5 at his position.

No...... Wasn't even the best DE on the team last year. That was Sheard.

 

[Ross12]

I think it's kind of a red flag that Matthews isn't confident he can beat out Amendola. If he could just do that, he would've seen more targets here than in Tennessee. Oh well, hard to be too critical of a guy who's just looking for an opportunity to play and establish his value.

One other factor too IMO is that many lower tier franchises operate with a mindset of "we just paid you millions so we are gonna use you proportionally to your paycheck", versus New England who will feature a UDFA rookie over a $10 million/year player if he outplays him.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Jets signed that saints RB Robinson

 

[EatSleepWinRepeat]

Can we please stop talking up JAGs like every Cunningham and Hogan (and Chandler and Lafell) we bring in is going to be the next Welker or Lewis? Save the hype for the Revises and the Mosses who are who we thought they were...

 

[Username]

Amendola gets killed here pretty routinely but he's the flip-side of the fan forum overvaluing certain players on a team (e.g. JG for a #1 pick). Should JE and DA have the opposite contract? Yeah, probably but DA is a lot better than people here give him credit for, and clearly in Matthews case it seems possible that it was considered an impossibility from the word go that he would beat him out straight up. But agreed that it's hard to be too critical of Matthews when he appears to simply be being thoughtful and honest about real football opportunities in addition to money.

Liking the idea of Hogan. Good value, opportunity to make a jump for himself and for the team just by being the player he has been.

Danny Amendola is clutch. Doesn't get targeted that often but makes big plays and has bailed Brady out by reeling in a wayward pass on more than one occasion. People just get pissed cos he's not a deep threat and we want Brady to throw bombs now and again, even though that's not TB's game.

 

[patsderoer]

Here is a thought. In the AFC Champ game, we needed to get someone open and not necessarily deep. They doubled Gronk and Edelman. Who would you want to go to? James White, La Fell, Martin, Scott Chandler or an "I don't care how slow I am I will be open and make the catcth" Mr. A. Bolden? We are not talking stretch the field guy in this offense although I still say the best pick is Mike Wallace, but Bolden fits our short to medium pass attack. Can we agree?
DW Toys

Anquan Boldin gets open a lot by pushing off. If the refs would allow that, I'd love him on the Pats. But I'm afraid that as a Patriot the refs would go after him.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Adam Schefter ?@AdamSchefter 1m1 minute ago


Jets are re-signing RB Bilal Powell, per source.

Him Forte and Robinson in their backfield

 

[DW Toys]

As I pointed out earlier, Wallace has been in steady decline since his 3rd year with the Steelers. He'd be a perfect fit for the "Heave and Hope" offense of the Ravens, but he'd be horrible in the timing based scheme of the Patriots.

We'll have to disagree on that. In two years with Miami 140 catches and 15TD's are declining. We are talking Tannehill sir?

His intermediate receptions are impressive in number.
DW toys

 

[BadMoFo]

I'm guessing we sign Ridley on the cheap.

 

[50-yard-line]

No, in actuality the Broncos screwed up. They should have long termed him. Now he has created CAP hell for them but.......as we know, the Broncos are never under any of the same CAP laws because of Roger "Captain Integrity (love that one who's ever idea it was)" Goodell does not want them vanquished.

So if we want CAP hell we wait for the tremendously too much number and take our lumps with a Comp pick.....or be very smart. We know he will miss some games in 2016. The over/under says Jones misses at least three games in 2016. There are three scenarios to mention that are very fair on both sides

Option one: The Cardinals missed out on a pass rusher, we missed out on a WR. They are stacked at WR and we are at DE. Michael Floyd is under the same contract timing as Jones. I say we can get Floyd for less money at the end of the year than jones if they play equally as well and I say Floyd plays more games.

Option two: The Browns fans are heading for the torches and pitchforks. Not only do they not have a QB, they have a clown they drafted as a pretend QB they have to cut and just lost 4 starters yesterday. I don't know who the new GM is, but he said he wants to keep his guys and guess what....they said see ya! Now Josh Gordon wants out. As a PR perspective, to move a player that might fall off the wagon is not a bad thing pending the return for the Browns who have the CAP room.

The Pats are not going to give up a DE whose market was set at $17mm by Vernon yesterday, even though they know he will never resign with them., just for a single player who is one "Communion Cup sip" away from suspension. If Gordon fails, the Browns get nada for him. Trading him is realistic for the Browns pending return. Gordon still has a value although guarded. But the Pats would need a much higher valued piece included. CB Joe Haden makes sense. He is a gamble with two concussions last year but is healthy now. This is a fair trade for both Teams and no one can spin that. It must be for the pair of players not one. The Browns come up with a prized possession to appease the fan base in Chandler Jones.

Option three: The Bears have to resign Jeffry at mega bucks next year as his tender was $14.5.They signed Kevin White to a $16mm contract and has never played a down yet because of shin surgery. Those two alone will make more than Gronk , Edelman and Amendola in 2016. The Bears are desperate for pass rush. Would Kevin White be available for the right price of a young pass rusher? White alone for Jones is not enough , but White and a #2 or #3 I would do.

It's a proven young guy in Jones with great 12.5 sack resume last year versus an unproven first round pick gamble. We can afford White and let him develop this year. It was good he had a camp under his belt. This is also a very fair trade.

The alternative: That 3rd round comp in 2017 better be a player worth $17mm for all you "let's keep Jones and see what happens" Cousins.

DW Toys

P.S Would you consider Hartline and Haden? Thoughts?

And you're still missing my point. You don't give up a year of a 17mm player who's on the cheap in that contract year unless you're in rebuilding mode. Last time I looked, this Patriots' team was favored to get to the SB next year, and with Denver's sudden turn, I do nothing that doesn't help my club NOW if I'm BB.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Anquan Boldin gets open a lot by pushing off. If the refs would allow that, I'd love him on the Pats. But I'm afraid that as a Patriot the refs would go after him.

Yep

OPI 2013- 3
OPI 2014- 3
OPI 2015- 0

 

[ViperGTS]

What if they had all this cap space and no one to spend it on? The Pats I mean. Figuring they may sign one or two of their own guys before the market exploded and those guys are saying no thanks. We'll ride it out a year. By that point it's too late. Just strange to see guys who would be a fit dropping off the radar. Last year they didn't have a ton of space if I remember. This year they do.

 

[gobesmug]

No...... Wasn't even the best DE on the team last year. That was Sheard.

Disagree. Jones constantly faced double teams along with being held every play. This opened up the other side for Sheard to wreak havoc on a RT instead of a LT. I love Sheard, but he is not at Jones' level.

 

[Rob0729]

Jets signed that saints RB Robinson

Apparently the Jets are planning to innovate the offensive game with 11 RB sets.

 

[Don Kipines]

Can we please stop talking up JAGs like every Cunningham and Hogan (and Chandler and Lafell) we bring in is going to be the next Welker or Lewis? Save the hype for the Revises and the Mosses who are who we thought they were...

Actually few people thought Moss would be what he was. The consensus was that he'd lost a step and was a clubhouse cancer. That's why we got him basically for nothing.

How can there possibly still be Pats fans who want big money signings on day 1 of free agency? We've spent the last fifteen years watching that not work for our AFC East rivals.

 

[DW Toys]

Day 2 tire-kicking list:

LB - Zach Brown
WR - Jermaine Kearse
DL - Akiem Hicks
LB - Tahir Whitehead

Those work for me.
DW Toys

 

[sambam94]

Jets signed that saints RB Robinson

crowded backfield

 

[RobertWeathers]

What if they had all this cap space and no one to spend it on? The Pats I mean. Figuring they may sign one or two of their own guys before the market exploded and those guys are saying no thanks. We'll ride it out a year. By that point it's too late. Just strange to see guys who would be a fit dropping off the radar. Last year they didn't have a ton of space if I remember. This year they do.

$16m is not a lot of space- especially in this f-ed up market. This team needs the space to resign key players, other FAs that represent upgrades, draft picks, trades, etc.

Plus the don't pay market for players that they feel are over valued.

What is happening currently is nothing new.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I'm guessing we sign Ridley on the cheap.

2 years from ACL now? Dirt cheap. Why not

 

[PatsFan2]

Looking at their combine/pro day numbers, Hogan is fairly comparable to LaFell. An inch shorter, a little heavier, generally more athletic. Hopefully for his sake he has better hands.

That trash can on youtube had better hands than LaFail!