Official Free Agency 2018

[captain stone]

I only brought up Gronk because he's a much better receiver than the "big WRs" on about 20-25 of the other NFL teams.

The only thing precluding the Pats from having more than one "Big Target" are cap space and opportunities to acquire one who's actually good.

I am not sure we are using the word big to mean the same. I took it more as talking about tall people.. did I misread the entire thing ?

The discussion was originally about "big" in the sense of tall and strong

But, they're so easy to find, aren't they?!

Yes I did indeed mean big & tall when Big Target was mentioned. And yes we do already have another Big one in Kenny Britt, whom I hope is given a fair chance to compete and who I also hope takes full advantage of that chance. As a matter of fact, I hope that a WR - big or otherwise - is not drafted so that our more pressing needs at DT, DE, LB & CB might br better-addressed.

 

[Uptown]

After the decision on Bennett,

MY FREE AGENT TARGETS ARE

1) Solder

2) Burkhead (Lewis is likely to get higher offers elsewhere)

3) Harrison

4) Marquise Flowers

5) Bademosi

Finally! Someone who did not disrespect Da Burkmeister like dat!

 

[DaBruinz]

Senility was always an issue with you. Again if you think HT was healthy just because he was on the field and KVN was playing more snaps than a healthy hightower means there is something you're missing.

Please show me where that was said. You can't because it was never said nor implied.
You clearly have issues understanding plain English. There is no point talking about this further.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I thought the Super Bowl would make people appreciate Hightower, not start hating him. I feel like some people need to be reminded that this was his first NFL injury that knocked him out for more than two consecutive games, and also the first time he missed any playoff games. He might need health maintenance games here and there, but that's all built into his contract. If he's on the field in the playoffs, as he has been in five of his six seasons, then he's a huge asset.

His cap hit this year is: $8,523,435
But you're probably right, as i said i don't have the numbers, all i know is watching mayo go down a couple of years in a row, and then watch hightower struggle with injuries, get a contract, and then go on IR has me a little triggered.

I blame Pats management for not asking hightower to get offseason pec surgery. If he came back for the late November push, it would have been huge.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

If dion prices himself out, what are the opinions on Jerick McKinnon?

 

[luuked]

thoughts on cutting bennett and allen and trying to get julius thomas once the phins cut him?

Thomas was not able to do anything last year despite being reunited with the one coach that designed the offense which put JT into the position to steal all that money. He is living off what he did mostly in that 2013/2014 timeframe before Manning became a liability. He is lazy when blocking and on his routes. Id rather not bet and spend money and a roster spot on him putting it all together.

 

[luuked]

I blame Pats management for not asking hightower to get offseason pec surgery. If he came back for the late November push, it would have been huge.

Brilliant hindsight.

Also a team cant force anyone to have any surgery if doctors and the player dont agree the same way they cant prevent them to have surgery in the opposite cases.

 

[luuked]

If dion prices himself out, what are the opinions on Jerick McKinnon?

If Dion prices himself out why would we need a FA to fill the spot ? White/Burkhead/Gillislee (?) + drafted player to build up looks fine to me. Gillislee obviously replaceable if someone thinks there is an upgrade available for the same price.

 

[Snooky97]

Thomas was not able to do anything last year despite being reunited with the one coach that designed the offense which put JT into the position to steal all that money. He is living off what he did mostly in that 2013/2014 timeframe before Manning became a liability. He is lazy when blocking and on his routes. Id rather not bet and spend money and a roster spot on him putting it all together.

If were going to cut TE's i have no problem with it either.
If were looking at TE's i've been trying to find a Jordan Reed/ Arron H in the draft and there's no one close to the size and speed..

If were going for TE's i'm looking at Mike Gesicki or Dallas Goedert personally.

From a Free Agency point of view, i would like to see Tyler Eifert, i think it will need to be a heavily incentive deal so we don't get to heavily hit from the cap, due to his injury issue.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Brilliant hindsight.

Also a team cant force anyone to have any surgery if doctors and the player dont agree the same way they cant prevent them to have surgery in the opposite cases.

Regardless, Belichick could have put him on short term IR or PUP even if HT did not want surgery so that he can recover. This was an injury going back to last season and they took a gamble that backfired by playing him. i said it made very little sense at the time and it still does.

 

[Snooky97]

If Dion prices himself out why would we need a FA to fill the spot ? White/Burkhead/Gillislee (?) + drafted player to build up looks fine to me. Gillislee obviously replaceable if someone thinks there is an upgrade available for the same price.

I'm a big fan of Burkhead, and was gutted when he got injured this year, hopefully we can get him back this year, made a big difference when he was healthy.

Gillislee, i can see being cut.

There's a few guys in the draft that could be a battering ram basically, or we bring back LGB

 

[luuked]

From a Free Agency point of view, i would like to see Tyler Eifert, i think it will need to be a heavily incentive deal so we don't get to heavily hit from the cap, due to his injury issue.

I am not sure if you were part of the Eifert discussion last week but to summarize it.. if Gronk -- who is regularly missing a handful of games during a season -- is your TE1 you really dont want someone else with a genuine injury history to be your TE2. This is just asking for problems.

I get that Allen`s pricetag is not ideal but I dont understand why people want to move away from him. He has shown durability, understanding of protection schemes, great blocking and has run routes in our offense as a decoy that helped others get open. I understand that everyone wants players that have 1000yards but you cant have 3 WRs, 2 TEs and then maybe 2 RBs that all have career years at the same time. During any play there is only one ball but multiple roles to play and given the state of the rest of our offense another big threat TE is a luxury.

Sign him to an extension that reduces his cap hit and go from there.

Now if Gronk still decides to retire all of this changes and we are in for heavy reconstruction anyway.

 

[maineman209]

If dion prices himself out, what are the opinions on Jerick McKinnon?

If the Pats were to lose both Lewis and Burkhead in FA, I'd be good with McKinnon. Seems to fit the program with his skill set.

If the Pat only lose one of the two RBs, I'd be more inclined to go with a late draftee and a couple UDFA for the fourth guy (while getting Frank Gore's digits on my phone - just in case).

Of course, my first choice for a replacement RB would've been Dalton Crossan (5105/205), former UNH RB and lacrosse star who was signed as a UDFA by the Colts last draft.

Unfortunately, he was just picked up by Tampa Bay.

 

[luuked]

Regardless, Belichick could have put him on short term IR or PUP even if HT did not want surgery so that he can recover. This was an injury going back to last season and they took a gamble that backfired by playing him. i said it made very little sense at the time, and it still doesn’t.

A player cant be placed on IR if he is not injured or a doctor says he is healthy enough to play. He needs to cooperate with that. BB can not just tell anyone that he is going to IR.

Also, they had all the information about his injuries and his health status, still gave him the extension and decided that this was the most reasonable way to go forward. This was not a kneejerk decision but something that definitely was thought through and supported by medical opinions.

I dont understand why we need to fingerpoint at anyone...

 

[Snooky97]

I am not sure if you were part of the Eifert discussion last week but to summarize it.. if Gronk -- who is regularly missing a handful of games during a season -- is your TE1 you really dont want someone else with a genuine injury history to be your TE2. This is just asking for problems.

I get that Allen`s pricetag is not ideal but I dont understand why people want to move away from him. He has shown durability, understanding of protection schemes, great blocking and has run routes in our offense as a decoy that helped others get open. I understand that everyone wants players that have 1000yards but you cant have 3 WRs, 2 TEs and then maybe 2 RBs that all have career years at the same time. During any play there is only one ball but multiple roles to play and given the state of the rest of our offense another big threat TE is a luxury.

Sign him to an extension that reduces his cap hit and go from there.

Now if Gronk still decides to retire all of this changes and we are in for heavy reconstruction anyway.

Okay, thank you for the quick update on the Eifert update. Didn't know how many injuries he has just had..

I like Allen, i have no issue with him i feel like he his very good player for us, but yes i agree with yourself, if we can restructure his contract for around $3m i'd be very happy.

 

[maineman209]

Okay, thank you for the quick update on the Eifert update. Didn't know how many injuries he has just had..

I like Allen, i have no issue with him i feel like he his very good player for us, but yes i agree with yourself, if we can restructure his contract for around $3m i'd be very happy.

Yeah. Eifert's injury history almost makes Crable, Wheatley and Dowling look healthy.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

A player cant be placed on IR if he is not injured or a doctor says he is healthy enough to play. He needs to cooperate with that. BB can not just tell anyone that he is going to IR.

Also, they had all the information about his injuries and his health status, still gave him the extension and decided that this was the most reasonable way to go forward. This was not a kneejerk decision but something that definitely was thought through and supported by medical opinions.

I dont understand why we need to fingerpoint at anyone...

According to Albert Breer, HT’s pec muscle was 55% torn at the time he signed the extension in March. Pretty sure this qualifies him for PUP or short term IR. So either the Pats did not examine him and didn’t know about the injury (unlikely) or they knew about it (likely) and chose to play him in the hopes that it would not get worse. It was a huge blunder.

Dont'a Hightower Reportedly Placed on Season-Ending IR with Pectoral Injury

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

If Dion prices himself out why would we need a FA to fill the spot ? White/Burkhead/Gillislee (?) + drafted player to build up looks fine to me. Gillislee obviously replaceable if someone thinks there is an upgrade available for the same price.

I’m assuming Gilleslie is a cut for his benefit of catching on somewhere to get playing time. And we have I believe 5 draft picks before comps are rewarded so let’s say 6 picks. Imo 3 of those need to be for each line of the defense (DT LB Cb). I’d also like to see us upgrade from Richards and find a guy to groom and take over at one of the safety spots. We need to look at TE in this draft, it’s deep and we’re looking at 1 year of gronk if we’re lucky? We can take a rookie rb but I’m just saying we have more pressing draft needs with limited picks at the moment and if mckinnon comes at half the price or less he may be an option. I do like some of the skills he brings that he can catch the ball and has the ability to be a home run hitter. I thought he showed himself to be a quality rb when he had to step in for AP and dalvin cook.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

If the Pats were to lose both Lewis and Burkhead in FA, I'd be good with McKinnon. Seems to fit the program with his skill set.

If the Pat only lose one of the two RBs, I'd be more inclined to go with a late draftee and a couple UDFA for the fourth guy (while getting Frank Gore's digits on my phone - just in case).

Of course, my first choice for a replacement RB would've been Dalton Crossan (5105/205), former UNH RB and lacrosse star who was signed as a UDFA by the Colts last draft.

Unfortunately, he was just picked up by Tampa Bay.

I’m assuming Lewis is gone. If we can get burkhead great which pretty much makes McKinnon moot as white and rex are too similar already. Now for a late round rb pick for depth, may I suggest Akrum wadley. Remember a few people happy about the Daniels pickup from Iowa last year. This guys even better. Doesn’t have the home run speed but can catch and run between the tackles. Just seems to be productive

 

[Kontradiction]

If Dion prices himself out why would we need a FA to fill the spot ? White/Burkhead/Gillislee (?) + drafted player to build up looks fine to me. Gillislee obviously replaceable if someone thinks there is an upgrade available for the same price.

Sony Michel is a prototypical Patriot. I would be absolutely fine with him as the back-up plan to Dion if Dion takes off.