Building 2017 roster

[Ochmed Jones]

Gostkowski will make more next year than any CB, LB, DT, RB, on our team.

I think he needs to restructure.

Agreed, he is no longer money on clutch kicks.

We need a dt, two de's, a lb, te and CB in this draft, and restructuring our kicker and amendola gives us room to sign some free agents in case draft picks flame out or get injured,

 

[long distance]

Just info that I took TE M Williams from the updated roster here again after Miguel concured in his resent tweets ..

One more TE less on the roster .. More and more intrigued what they do with the position that looked so solid last preseason and is in ruins good half year later..

 

[captain stone]

Mike Williams' presence or lack thereof on the roster did not move the TE position any closer to ruins than it already is, or isn't. Matt Lengel had already assumed his place on the depth chart, and the team is the better for it.

 

[BobDigital]

I just made a thread about it but it should be mentioned here. As we look at this year we need to factor in the cap is likely to rise 10M a year for the next 4 years.

Some contracts that may seem to over pay this year might not look that way in 18 or 19.

I do hope we can keep Ryan and Hightower. Right now you have the #1 D and most of the key pieces are young. You can lock it up and if the situation presents itself to do so without going nuts I think they should. Give Brady this D for 4-5 more years and you will win another super bowl and maybe 2. I just think at this point if you let Ryan and Hightower walk you are basically starting nearly all over again.

 

[luuked]

I just made a thread about it but it should be mentioned here. As we look at this year we need to factor in the cap is likely to rise 10M a year for the next 4 years.

Some contracts that may seem to over pay this year might not look that way in 18 or 19.

I do hope we can keep Ryan and Hightower. Right now you have the #1 D and most of the key pieces are young. You can lock it up and if the situation presents itself to do so without going nuts I think they should. Give Brady this D for 4-5 more years and you will win another super bowl and maybe 2. I just think at this point if you let Ryan and Hightower walk you are basically starting nearly all over again.

I'd also add Harmon in that group of key players. I don't see BB & co. getting into a bidding war with whoever wants to sign Ryan.

 

[long distance]

Sorry guys, adding Williams back on.. poor guy

BTW, some sites have him as FA

 

[long distance]

Mike Williams' presence or lack thereof on the roster did not move the TE position any closer to ruins than it already is, or isn't. Matt Lengel had already assumed his place on the depth chart, and the team is the better for it.

Lengel played 24 combined snaps in 3 playoff games on offense as the #2 TE and the only other TE on the roster besides Bennett. He saw 0 targets.

Gronk would/will be the first ever NFL player to come back to the game after third back surgery. (btw - they were extra careful with him this year already in preseason, still caught a hammy, basically stayed out of first 4 games, played 4, got hurt vs Seattle, returned briefly vs Jets, went on IR). At the moment it is certainly uncertain when he will return and in what capacity.. The moves at TE position in next weeks could tell us part of the story.

Housler spent entire 2016 season on the street as a FA despite teams in need of a TE. The last time he was relatively productive was in Arizona 2013.

These are the only 3 TEs signed at the moment. (Lengel actually still needs to be signed as ERFA)
___

In 2016 TC Pats had healthy Gronk (at the beginning at least), Bennett, Harbor, Derby - these four they carried to original 53 roster - plus reportedly interesting prospects in Scheu, Pascoe, B Williams.

Ironically there are more Pats 2016 TEs on the current Broncos roster than here (Derby, Scheu; they also have Traylor who was first added to Pats PS)
___

So yes, from the “plethora of riches“ at the TE position to start the season and the best (“unstoppable“) TE duo the game has ever seen . if we take Bennett will go . only ruins remain. (and I can only agree that the currently mysterious status of M Williams doesn't matter much)

Don't get me wrong, Im not worried, just curious how the TE story plays out this offseason..

 

[luuked]

Lengel played 24 combined snaps in 3 playoff games on offense as the #2 TE and the only other TE on the roster besides Bennett. He saw 0 targets.

Gronk would/will be the first ever NFL player to come back to the game after third back surgery. (btw - they were extra careful with him this year already in preseason, still caught a hammy, basically stayed out of first 4 games, played 4, got hurt vs Seattle, returned briefly vs Jets, went on IR). At the moment it is certainly uncertain when he will return and in what capacity.. The moves at TE position in next weeks could tell us part of the story.

Housler spent entire 2016 season on the street as a FA despite teams in need of a TE. The last time he was relatively productive was in Arizona 2013.

These are the only 3 TEs signed at the moment. (Lengel actually still needs to be signed as ERFA)
___

In 2016 TC Pats had healthy Gronk (at the beginning at least), Bennett, Harbor, Derby - these four they carried to original 53 roster - plus reportedly interesting prospects in Scheu, Pascoe, B Williams.

Ironically there are more Pats 2016 TEs on the current Broncos roster than here (Derby, Scheu; they also have Traylor who was first added to Pats PS)
___

So yes, from the “plethora of riches“ at the TE position to start the season and the best (“unstoppable“) TE duo the game has ever seen . if we take Bennett will go . only ruins remain. (and I can only agree that the currently mysterious status of M Williams doesn't matter much)

Don't get me wrong, Im not worried, just curious how the TE story plays out this offseason..

It all starts with what happens to Bennett.

If he goes then a day1/2 & day 3 double dip (+UDFA triple dip) at the draft + a week2-3 FA veteran signing are entirely plausible. Personally, I don't think they did anything wrong last year. Maybe they could have moved Derby at the end of camp to the Broncos (reported by some beat writers) and kept Harbor around instead but in the end that would have changed almost nothing except Lengel never being signed.

 

[BTTA]

Thanks for this thread, ladies and gents.

We are so lucky. (Sorry, has that been said too often?) If the Pats sign Bennett or his replacement, Hightower or his replacement, Butler or his replacement, and Blount or his replacement, they can go into the season without any other signings or drafting a single player and still the the heavy favorites to win the AFC East and project out to 11-5 or 12-4. Yes, the depth would be a vulnerability, but that's easily solvable now. Amazing.

 

[BobDigital]

Thanks for this thread, ladies and gents.

We are so lucky. (Sorry, has that been said too often?) If the Pats sign Bennett or his replacement, Hightower or his replacement, Butler or his replacement, and Blount or his replacement, they can go into the season without any other signings or drafting a single player and still the the heavy favorites to win the AFC East and project out to 11-5 or 12-4. Yes, the depth would be a vulnerability, but that's easily solvable now. Amazing.

Well I no doubt want the Pats to bring back certain players it is hard to imagine them being worse in 2017 than 2016. If Ryan walks they will be able to get a vet option for sure at the least to replace him. If Hightower walks that is troublesome but they have legit decent starting options in FA.

I don't think we can keep or replace Harmon for a reasonable price though. I think the 3rd safety spot gets weaker no matter what but hopefully Cyrus Jones can fill that somewhat in your 2.

 

[Jimke]

Well I no doubt want the Pats to bring back certain players it is hard to imagine them being worse in 2017 than 2016. If Ryan walks they will be able to get a vet option for sure at the least to replace him. If Hightower walks that is troublesome but they have legit decent starting options in FA.

I don't think we can keep or replace Harmon for a reasonable price though. I think the 3rd safety spot gets weaker no matter what but hopefully Cyrus Jones can fill that somewhat in your 2.

I'm not quite as optimistic as you. I don't think the Patriots will be as good in
2017 if they lose Blount, Bennett, Butler, Ryan, Harmon, Branch, and Hightower.
They have to have replacements that are of near or equal value to stay the same.
For this reason, if negotiations become hopeless, I hope they spend the two
days prior to free agency lining up capable replacements.

 

[luuked]

I'm not quite as optimistic as you. I don't think the Patriots will be as good in
2017 if they lose Blount, Bennett, Butler, Ryan, Harmon, Branch, and Hightower.
They have to have replacements that are of near or equal value to stay the same.
For this reason, if negotiations become hopeless, I hope they spend the two
days prior to free agency lining up capable replacements.

Lombardi said that he expects BB to retool the roster this year and the 2017 team to not be as good as the 2016 one, but then a year later the 2018 roster to be better than what brought us a SB this year.

 

[manxman2601]

Lombardi said that he expects BB to retool the roster this year and the 2017 team to not be as good as the 2016 one, but then a year later the 2018 roster to be better than what brought us a SB this year.

That suggests plenty of draft picks and perhaps less FA signings so that we get a good number of comp picks next year.

 

[Jimke]

Lombardi said that he expects BB to retool the roster this year and the 2017 team to not be as good as the 2016 one, but then a year later the 2018 roster to be better than what brought us a SB this year.

Time marches on for Tom Brady.

 

[luuked]

Time marches on for Tom Brady.

Sucks to be Brady but the New England Patriots will not cease to exist when he retires. I get the nostalgic and emotional POV in terms of maximizing everything while he is here but one of the biggest mantras of BB is "doing whatever is best for the team". The organization and how its set up is bigger than Brady.

 

[luuked]

That suggests plenty of draft picks and perhaps less FA signings so that we get a good number of comp picks next year.

That's how I understood it when he said it during his post SB podcast for the Ringer with Mays.

But then just yesterday he talked with Simmons on another Ringer podcast and said that he thinks the Pats will not trade JG. If anyone can still do a retooling within a year then its BB but a couple of additional high picks would be pretty helpful I'd say.

 

[manxman2601]

That's how I understood it when he said it during his post SB podcast for the Ringer with Mays.

But then just yesterday he talked with Simmons on another Ringer podcast and said that he thinks the Pats will not trade JG. If anyone can still do a retooling within a year then its BB but a couple of additional high picks would be pretty helpful I'd say.

Lots of veterans to be cut yet presumably. Perhaps some trades. I have faith in BB. A down year for the Pats is 11-5 and losing in the AFC championship. I still think that's our floor as long as TB stays healthy.

 

[luuked]

Lots of veterans to be cut yet presumably. Perhaps some trades. I have faith in BB. A down year for the Pats is 11-5 and losing in the AFC championship. I still think that's our floor as long as TB stays healthy.

Absolutely. Don't get me wrong I have full faith in BB but I would love to scratch that itch which is seeing what he could do with _real_ talent on the roster. As we all know it's almost impossible to get to that blue chip level of talent because of our sustained success for over a decade.. that's the big tease of a Jimmy trade for me.. giving BB 3-4 additional picks + 60m in cap space..

 

[captain stone]

Lengel played 24 combined snaps in 3 playoff games on offense as the #2 TE and the only other TE on the roster besides Bennett. He saw 0 targets.

Gronk would/will be the first ever NFL player to come back to the game after third back surgery. (btw - they were extra careful with him this year already in preseason, still caught a hammy, basically stayed out of first 4 games, played 4, got hurt vs Seattle, returned briefly vs Jets, went on IR). At the moment it is certainly uncertain when he will return and in what capacity.. The moves at TE position in next weeks could tell us part of the story.

Housler spent entire 2016 season on the street as a FA despite teams in need of a TE. The last time he was relatively productive was in Arizona 2013.

These are the only 3 TEs signed at the moment. (Lengel actually still needs to be signed as ERFA)
___

In 2016 TC Pats had healthy Gronk (at the beginning at least), Bennett, Harbor, Derby - these four they carried to original 53 roster - plus reportedly interesting prospects in Scheu, Pascoe, B Williams.

Ironically there are more Pats 2016 TEs on the current Broncos roster than here (Derby, Scheu; they also have Traylor who was first added to Pats PS)
___

So yes, from the “plethora of riches“ at the TE position to start the season and the best (“unstoppable“) TE duo the game has ever seen . if we take Bennett will go . only ruins remain. (and I can only agree that the currently mysterious status of M Williams doesn't matter much)

Don't get me wrong, Im not worried, just curious how the TE story plays out this offseason..

I agree that if Bennett leaves (which he will), then the TE position needs to be re-built. Signing somebody like Jack Doyle will go a long way towards re-building it,
at possibly 1/2 of the cost of re-signing Bennett. Another TE will almost certainly be drafted also; how early one is drafted will likely be determined by Gronk's progress
and/or the free agent market. Don't forget the trade market either; Bennett was acquired this way, after all.
My point is basically that whether Mike Williams is officially on the 90-man off-season roster or isn't, has absolutely Zero bearing on what Bill needs to do to re-build the TE position; because if he somehow remains on the 53-man Opening Night roster, then obviously Bill hasn't done nearly enough to re-build it.
And for the record, I was not in favor, at all, of releasing Clay Harbor only to replace him with Gregg Scabbs. Didn't make sense then, and still doesn't now.

 

[Dexter]

Sucks to be Brady...

I think this is the first time I have ever seen that sentence (in any context).