Official Free Agency 2018

[luuked]

You don't agree you can find a good blocker and use the cap resources elsewhere?

I think Allen is an elite level blocker and is not overpaid relative to his role and where the salary cap will be next year. I don't think you will find someone much cheaper than him in FA that can be as effective and a drafted TE will take a while to learn all the blocking and protections calls and more importantly another 1-2 offseasons to bulk up his physique to the point where Allen already is.

With how fast you lose tackles or how much good DL units can give you trouble you need reliable blocking from a TE. Especially with a QB at the age of 41 next year.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Do you have specific names for these two players and how the Pats can be certain they'll acquire them?

It's Bills job to evaluate the roster and decide wherehow/ to spend his finite capital to upgrade the roster. I personally really like Rashaan Evans (Jackson and Edmunds are others) as immediate athletic upgrades over KVN and one should be in play for 31. I think you might be missing the point though, KVN was thrust into a bigger role because of our LB situation and I hope to add talent to make sure he has a role that is better suited for him aka as a high-end depth player who is capable of calling the signals if need be.

 

[luuked]

Tavon Austin if he's cut?

In what role ? We have Cooks and Dorsett who might both be superior overall players. I mean if McVay could not make Austin a Percy Harvin type player then nobody can.

 

[TriplecHamp]

How cheap does eifert become with his injury history? I would think he needs to be on a club with an established #1 TE wheee his targets are limited. But with his size he becomes a redzone weapon

some bad team with too much cap room is almost guaranteed to overpay him and gamble on him finally being healthy. Bad GM's love moves like this.

 

[luuked]

It's Bills job to evaluate the roster and decide wherehow/ to spend his finite capital to upgrade the roster. I personally really like Rashaan Evans (Jackson and Edmunds are others) as immediate athletic upgrades over KVN and one should be in play for 31. I think you might be missing the point though, KVN was thrust into a bigger role because of our LB situation and I hope to add talent to make sure he has a role that is better suited for him aka as a high-end depth player who is capable of calling the signals if need be.

I think @maineman209 (like myself) is just growing tired of posters being lazy and saying "just get two guys" or "just draft a replacement" and challenges those posters to actually put something specific down to make a discussion possible.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'd start the "offseason" by trying to reach a deal with Lewis, and extending Brady.
My next move would be to check in on Dontari Poe, to see if his price tag is reasonable.
Beyond that, it's probably going to be all about re-signing players and then looking at the cuts around the league, because the current OL/DL/LB FA pools are not promising.

 

[ATippett56]

"4th LB"?

Behind who, besides Hightower?

Fourth linebacker?

Why sign a fourth linebacker when the New England Patriots defense aligns in the nickel package for more than 50% of the snaps?

Hightower
Van Noy
McClellin
Roberts

I can envision drafting a linebacker in the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Furthermore, Kyle Van Noy is signed thru the 2019 NFL Season.

Kyle Van Noy Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money | Over The Cap

Cornerback is a far greater priority than linebacker.

Unrestricted free agents
Bademosi, Johnson
Butler, Malcolm

Injured Reserve
Jones, Cyrus
Jones, Jonathan

 

[holyredeemer]

No reason to trade someone that is still here on a discount (even if it is the most expensive year of the rookie contract) and most importantly Brady likes.

If he wants to cash in a year later and becomes not valuable relative to his role then he can leave in exchange for a third round comp pick a year later.

I’m with you on this. Makes no sense. He’s cheap and gives really solid production. Not to mention we haven’t seen him paired with a solid receiver opposite of him. Hogan was hurt most of the year. When Hogan was healthy, Cooks was still getting the system down. We paid for Cooks services with a 1st rd pick. At the very bottom of the rd. What do people think we would get for him now? 1 year less on his cheap contract to boot! Say you do trade him for a 2nd rd pick. Who do we replace him with? 2 oft-injured receivers that will be another year older? How about replacing him with the youngster that has a history of knee problems at the bottom of the roster? C’mon.

 

[TriplecHamp]

I think @maineman209 (like myself) is just growing tired of posters being lazy and saying "just get two guys" or "just draft a replacement" and challenges those posters to actually put something specific down to make a discussion possible.

Yeah I agree its easy to sit and point and say "upgrade" but Im not sure its anymore plausible to elicit names. Its possible that Bill sees the guys we like and don't grade them nearly as high as we do. Nothing worse than watching your binkies slide and Bill pass on them and trade down . In the free agency market, the only available name I like at this point would be Zach Brown but I don't think I'd pay what some rebuilding team might.

 

[ATippett56]

Tavon Austin if he's cut?

The New England Patriots don't need another wide receiver.

Cooks
Dorsett
Edelman
Hogan
Mitchell

 

[ATippett56]

Tavon Austin if he's cut?

Tavon Austin
2017 NFL Season
13 receptions, 22 targets, 47 receiving yards

Phillip Dorsett
2017 NFL Season
12 receptions, 18 targets, 194 receiving yards

 

[Snooky97]

I'd like to see Zach Brown here, mainly because i didn't actually know he was available so thank you to @DW Toys for putting his name to my attention.

I'd also like to get Richardson, just due to his Pash rushing ability from an interior point of view.

 

[maineman209]

I would go so far to cut Mike Gillislee to re-sign Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead.

New England Patriots Salary Cap | Over the Cap

Running Back Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Mike Gillislee 2017 Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

I'm not sure that Gillislee's fate would have much to do with Lewis or Burkhead, although Lewis and Burkhead would seem to affect each other, at least a bit, in that they may provide each other with some negotiating leverage. The Pats would seem more likely to accept the loss of one of them than both of them. Of course, that may work in reverse, too - in a "first one who confesses gets less jail time" sorta way.

Anyway, cutting Gillislee saves a net of only about $1.7M, and leaves them short a decent RB with NFL experience, and I don't think it helps all that much with the other two.

Just as a point of age/contract length reference...
... White just turned 26 a couple days ago
... Gillislee turns 28 on Nov. 1st (already under contract).
... Burkhead turns 28 on July 2nd
... Lewis turns 28 on Sept. 27th
Deals may max out at 3 years for Burkhead and Lewis (through age 30 for both), and would like be based in per-game roster bonuses (for health).

I'm not sure that the Pats would offer Burkhead a huge amount more than what White signed for (which was 3 yrs/$12M, with $4.7M guaranteed) - maybe up to 3 years at $4.5M per (Lynch/CJ Anderson level) - and I'm not sure that he'll get many (if any) offers much better than that.

Lewis, to me, seems more likely to see outside offers significantly above what Burkhead might - and possibly more than what the Pats would offer - maybe a bit ore than DeMarco Murray money ($6.375 APY, $9M guaranteed). I could see Lewis going to the Colts with McD for that.

My guess is that Gillislee stays, at least through Camp, Burkhead gets re-signed, Lewis walks for a bigger payday, and the Pats backfill the 90-man roster with possibly a lowball UFA or SFA (outside chance of another trade or RFA tender), a couple UDFAs and possibly a late-round pick.

 

[maineman209]

It's Bills job to evaluate the roster and decide wherehow/ to spend his finite capital to upgrade the roster. I personally really like Rashaan Evans (Jackson and Edmunds are others) as immediate athletic upgrades over KVN and one should be in play for 31. I think you might be missing the point though, KVN was thrust into a bigger role because of our LB situation and I hope to add talent to make sure he has a role that is better suited for him aka as a high-end depth player who is capable of calling the signals if need be.

IOW, you're hoping that BB acquires a couple of college prospects who turn out to be nearly immediate stud LBs and, thus, prove your opinion that KVN is no better than a #4 LB.

Got it.

 

[ATippett56]

I'm not sure that Gillislee's fate would have much to do with Lewis or Burkhead, although Lewis and Burkhead would seem to affect each other, at least a bit, in that they may provide each other with some negotiating leverage. The Pats would seem more likely to accept the loss of one of them than both of them. Of course, that may work in reverse, too - in a "first one who confesses gets less jail time" sorta way.

Anyway, cutting Gillislee saves a net of only about $1.7M, and leaves them short a decent RB with NFL experience, and I don't think it helps all that much with the other two.

Just as a point of age/contract length reference...
... White just turned 26 a couple days ago
... Gillislee turns 28 on Nov. 1st (already under contract).
... Burkhead turns 28 on July 2nd
... Lewis turns 28 on Sept. 27th
Deals may max out at 3 years for Burkhead and Lewis (through age 30 for both), and would like be based in per-game roster bonuses (for health).

I'm not sure that the Pats would offer Burkhead a huge amount more than what White signed for (which was 3 yrs/$12M, with $4.7M guaranteed) - maybe up to 3 years at $4.5M per (Lynch/CJ Anderson level) - and I'm not sure that he'll get many (if any) offers much better than that.

Lewis, to me, seems more likely to see outside offers significantly above what Burkhead might - and possibly more than what the Pats would offer - maybe a bit ore than DeMarco Murray money ($6.375 APY, $9M guaranteed). I could see Lewis going to the Colts with McD for that.

My guess is that Gillislee stays, at least through Camp, Burkhead gets re-signed, Lewis walks for a bigger payday, and the Pats backfill the 90-man roster with possibly a lowball UFA or SFA (outside chance of another trade or RFA tender), a couple UDFAs and possibly a late-round pick.

Mike Gillislee

Mike Gillislee 2017 Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Rex Burkhead

Rex Burkhead 2017 Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Mike Gillislee offers little to nothing in the passing game unlike Rex Burkhead. Mike Gillislee offers little to nothing on special teams unlike Rex Burkhead.

 

[PP2]

The New England Patriots don't need another wide receiver.

Cooks
Dorsett
Edelman
Hogan
Mitchell

Don't forget Amendola.

 

[Joey007]

Nigel Bradham would be a nice LB addition. Did a good job for Philly this year.

I also have one interesting target, though it’ll be pricey, since he’s an RFA..

David Irving. Dude’s a freak.

 

[ATippett56]

IOW, you're hoping that BB acquires a couple of college prospects who turn out to be nearly immediate stud LBs and, thus, prove your opinion that KVN is no better than a #4 LB.

Got it.

Not going to happen. If the New England Patriots select a linebacker in the first two rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots could find an upgrade at linebacker. That is obviously hypothetical.

NFL Draft Scout----Powered By: The Sports Xchange

 

[ATippett56]

Don't forget Amendola.

Danny Amendola is an unrestricted free agent. I listed the wide receivers under contract for the 2018 NFL Season.

 

[maineman209]

How cheap does eifert become with his injury history? I would think he needs to be on a club with an established #1 TE wheee his targets are limited. But with his size he becomes a redzone weapon

The thing about Eifert is that he's really had just the one very good season - 2015, when he played in 13 of 16 games, caught 52/74 (70%) for 615 yards (11.8 YPC) and 13 TDs. Dwayne Allen had three seasons with the Colts that were more productive than Eifert's next best two. And there's no telling if Eifert can be anywhere near as good a blocker as Allen became this season for the Pats.

And Eifert's 2017 contract was for about the same money as the Pats will be paying Allen in 2018. Allen turns 28 at the end of February. Eifert turns 28 the first week in September.

So, basically, Eifert is taller, but has a bad back. And he'd be starting from scratch learning both the Pats blocking schemes as well as the passing offense as a receiver. And likely for at least a bit more than what the Pat's are currently paying Allen, who already knows at least half of that.