NE legal FA tampering watch

[RobertWeathers]

Damn, do they have to say it like that?

Its a coooooold business.

 

[Love The Drake]

Damn, do they have to say it like that?

Were lucky it didnt say they were sending Ray to meet them at the club and T SIZZLE was bringing his Pitbull

 

[ViperGTS]

Bennett is reportedly looking for $9m per.

And the tweet at him has been deleted I guess, but this is what Bennett roasted someone over back in late February. The report was he was looking for 9 per year. He got all in a fluster over it.

Now during the official tampering period, reports are exactly that. He owes that person an apology.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's very very rare a patriots player has gone elsewhere and had more success than he did on the patriots. St Louis out of all places has awful coaching. Can't believe he is succeeding there

He would have had he not gotten hurt and was rumored to not have followed "The Patriot Way"

Averaged 29 snaps a game. He certainly had a decent year.

 

[Ring 6]

He played pretty well for them, from what I saw. He didn't fit with NE, but he has a ton of explosiveness off the ball. Wish it had worked out better for Easley here, I really do.

Not sure I would say he played well for them. He played only 471 snaps all season, and for a guy who's strength is inside pass rushing 3.5 sacks with 2 being in one game isn't so impressive.

 

[50-yard-line]

It's very very rare a patriots player has gone elsewhere and had more success than he did on the patriots. St Louis out of all places has awful coaching. Can't believe he is succeeding there

The Rams' DL has been on tee-off mode for the last few years - that's the system Long left (and wants to go back to) and one that lets Donald and Easley just pin their ears back and charge.

Oftentimes I wish the Pats would do that...but then I remember the rings.

 

[Ivan]

There aren't a lot of top-tier FAs out there, and there's a lot of stupid teams with cap money to burn. Expect more of the same, I expect to see a lot of market-setting deals for guys who are nowhere near the most valuable at their positions. This is what worries me most about keeping Hightower, and locking Butler up long term.

Agree. This is one of the worst free agent markets I have seen, anyone who wants to blow money is welcome to, I wouldn't pay any of these guys, Hightower excepted, what they want.

 

[Gumby]

It's very very rare a patriots player has gone elsewhere and had more success than he did on the patriots. St Louis out of all places has awful coaching. Can't believe he is succeeding there

I think it was 70% wake up call and 30% defensive scheme. In case you were wondering about my math, that leaves 0% for coaching.

 

[Tony2046]

Lengel's back!

He had one of the highest catch percentages on the team last year.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Not sure I would say he played well for them. He played only 471 snaps all season, and for a guy who's strength is inside pass rushing 3.5 sacks with 2 being in one game isn't so impressive.

Those numbers are putrid. He was a force at UF. He's a dud in the NFL.

 

[Ring 6]

Those numbers are putrid. He was a force at UF. He's a dud in the NFL.

I actually thought he was pretty effective here in the role he had, but it was disappointing that was the only role he could fill.
As a sub package, second and long or 3rd down inside pass rusher, he can be somewhat disruptive. As anything else he seems small, not sturdy and a liability.

 

[50-yard-line]

So I saw a tweet where several NFL execs have put Harmon at 5-6 million/year. At that money, would BB bring him back?

I think he might.

 

[primetime]

So I saw a tweet where several NFL execs have put Harmon at 5-6 million/year. At that money, would BB bring him back?

I think he might.

In a heartbeat. Question is whether Harmon would come back to be a part-time player.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I actually thought he was pretty effective here in the role he had, but it was disappointing that was the only role he could fill.
As a sub package, second and long or 3rd down inside pass rusher, he can be somewhat disruptive. As anything else he seems small, not sturdy and a liability.

He definitely flashed here on a few occasions... but he's still largely a failure at the NFL level. I saw him in person when I was at UF and the boy was a monster. He single-handedly destroyed offensive game plans. I don't dislike him and hope he comes on strong, but he's so far a dud.

 

[Ring 6]

In a heartbeat. Question is whether Harmon would come back to be a part-time player.

Wouldn't think he would. Plus 5-6mill is a lot to pay for a part time player with no real hope of full time on the horizon.

 

[luuked]

Wouldn't think he would. Plus 5-6mill is a lot to pay for a part time player with no real hope of full time on the horizon.

lol, yeah because we played so little with 2 deep safeties / big nickel last year..

 

[long distance]

Here a very nice work by Evan Lazar on 12 possible FA targets for NE:
Potential Targets For The #Patriots in 2017 Free Agency

Quotes:

Mike Gillislee, RB:
The Bills have a history of undervaluing their role players. It was just last year that they tendered Chris Hogan at the lowest level, allowing him to walk to the Patriots for no draft pick compensation (Hogan was a UDFA). If it were me, I would be more than willing to give up a fifth round pick for what is a very talented running back. In fact, according to PFF, Gillislee led all qualified running backs in yards after contact per rush in 2016 (3.4), slightly edging out Dolphins tail back Jay Ajayi. Gillislee also led qualified running backs in yards per rush (5.7)

Jared Cook, TE:
Cook also has the ability to move around the formation, something the Packers did with him a lot last season, which would give Josh McDaniels the formational flexibility that the Patriots love to have. With Bennett likely to receive a massive payday in free agency, Cook should come at a cheaper price and may give the Patriots the same Gronk insurance that they got from Bennett in 2016.

Jack Doyle, TE:
Doyle exploded onto the scene in 2016 and became an extremely reliable target for Andrew Luck, dropping just three passes on 75 targets last season. What makes Doyle an interesting target for the Patriots is his ability to block as well as catch passes, and the Colts moved Doyle around the formation, even lining him up at fullback at times where he was extremely effective as a lead blocker. Doyle also is sneaky good in the open field, breaking 11 tackles on his 101 career receptions according to PFF.

Kevin Minter, LB: Minter has prototypical size at the position and also graded out very well in coverage in 2016 according to PFF. If the Patriots were to lose Dont’a Hightower in free agency, Minter would be a nice veteran signing that could soften the blow. If the Pats are able to keep Hightower, adding Minter would put them back in the conversation of the best linebacker duos in the NFL. Minter could play a more traditional inside linebacker role allowing Hightower to move around the defense...

Zach Brown, LB: The man that racked up the second most tackles in the NFL in 2016 (149), broke out last season with the Bills as a sideline to sideline monster capable of running down just about anybody to make the tackle. Brown seems like the type of linebacker Bill Belichick would be high on with his high football IQ and lunch pail type attitude. Brown also destroyed the Patriots in both games in 2016 with a combined 28 total tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, and 2 forced fumbles. There’s some history of Belichick going after free agents that have killed the Patriots in the past, and Brown would certainly fit that mold.

John Simon, edge rusher: Simon is one of the most underrated free agents set to hit the open market and is a darling of the analytics crew. Despite only playing in roughly 50% of the Texans snaps on defense in 2016, Simon showed flashes of being a very productive edge rusher when given the opportunity. Simon pressured the quarterback 18 times on just 103 pass rush snaps, a very impressive rate, and can be moved around the defense to fit whatever role the Patriots coaching staff can think up. Simon has Patriots written all over him, as he’s a potential bargain at the position, and with more snaps on defense could become a very productive player in New England. Although Simon is a different type of player, adding him to the mix would be similar to when the Patriots signed Jabaal Sheard away from the Browns a few years ago. An under the radar signing that could end up having a major impact.
___

Last but not least - unlikely proposal for one of my favourites - Garcon.
Also a tribute to Edelman in the chart. They play somewhat different positions but there are lot's of similarities - two of the safest chain-movers out there - and both underrated.

Pierre Garcon, wide receiver: File this one away as unlikely, but if the Patriots wanted to hand out some money to a wide receiver there may be no better value than Pierre Garcon. Garcon quietly is one of the better wide receivers in the NFL with the ability to beat coverages with speed and power, and can pick up yards after the catch. In fact, Garcon ended the 2016 season with the eighth highest grade among wide receivers according to PFF, and dropped just one pass on 114 targets. If that doesn’t sell you on Garcon, take a look at the company he’s in in terms of receptions over the last four seasons:

 

[50-yard-line]

lol, yeah because we played so little with 2 deep safeties / big nickel last year..

I was going to post something similar, but I looked: Harmon played about half the snaps (500) as Chung last year (1000). Surprised me that the gap was so large.

 

[jah]

Wouldn't think he would. Plus 5-6mill is a lot to pay for a part time player with no real hope of full time on the horizon.

He's pretty much our nickel back. Have you seen what #3 CBs get paid?

 

[Ring 6]

lol, yeah because we played so little with 2 deep safeties / big nickel last year..

And he has paid 5-6mill a year for players who play 50% of the snaps when healthy so many times before too, right?