2018 Free Agency -- Part 2

[supafly]

btw - Vaccaro signed for 1y/1.1M base w zero guaranteed.
Prices stay down this time of year despite needs opening..

A Richards/Vaccaro swap would’ve looked nice.

 

[maineman209]

A Richards/Vaccaro swap would’ve looked nice.

The difference in cap hit is less than the cap cost for a UDFA.

 

[luuked]

A Richards/Vaccaro swap would’ve looked nice.

Could Vaccaro even handle the ST workload ?

 

[supafly]

Could Vaccaro even handle the ST workload ?

I think having a quality 4th safety at a similar cost would take priority over the STs spot, particularly with Ebner returning.

Thus far, Belichick disagrees.

 

[maineman209]

Could Vaccaro even handle the ST workload ?

Vacarro played about 300 total ST snaps during his first five seasons. Richards played 309 ST snaps in 2017 alone.

 

[luuked]

I think having a quality 4th safety at a similar cost would take priority over the STs spot, particularly with Ebner returning.

Thus far, Belichick disagrees.

I totally disagree with this statement. Richards is a ST player who has to help out on D and not the other way around. If you want to replace him -- and I would love to do that -- you have to find someone to take over his role on all 4 ST units. Despite what many think this is not something that everyone can just do. Specifically the core ST players (i.e. the ones on all 4 units) spent a lot of time in ST meetings in addition to their usual D meetings.

 

[supafly]

I totally disagree with this statement. Richards is a ST player who has to help out on D and not the other way around. If you want to replace him -- and I would love to do that -- you have to find someone to take over his role on all 4 ST units. Despite what many think this is not something that everyone can just do. Specifically the core ST players (i.e. the ones on all 4 units) spent a lot of time in ST meetings in addition to their usual D meetings.

Well, like I said in my post, Belichick obviously doesn’t agree with my desire for an improvement at the S4 position over the ST ace known as Jordan Richards, but let’s not pretend that there isn’t a solid argument with some pretty good safeties getting paid peanuts this year.

For the record, I’m not one to downplay the importance of STs like many others, but I would have liked to see Belichick take advantage of the down market (collusion or otherwise) for safeties. Just wait until one of the top 3 get hurt and we’re stuck seeing Richards for 25-30 snaps a game, instead of 15-20.

 

[Sciz]

A Richards/Vaccaro swap would’ve looked nice.

Sure, but if he wins Tennessee’s starting job then he’s looking at potentially 3-4 times as many snaps as he would’ve gotten as the Patriots’ #4 safety. If his 2018 value was going to suck, then the best he could do was pick a team to help maximize his 2019 value. The Patriots were not the team to help him accomplish that.

 

[TheRainMaker]

A Richards/Vaccaro swap would’ve looked nice.

Eric Reid is way better. Very bizarre teams are that scared off to sign him.

He could also help mask the weakness at LB as he played a lot of that hybrid S/LB role with SF last year.

 

[long distance]

I totally disagree with this statement. Richards is a ST player who has to help out on D and not the other way around. If you want to replace him -- and I would love to do that -- you have to find someone to take over his role on all 4 ST units. Despite what many think this is not something that everyone can just do. Specifically the core ST players (i.e. the ones on all 4 units) spent a lot of time in ST meetings in addition to their usual D meetings.

Especially with new kickoff rules that are making big slow LBs (that Pats like on D ) obsolete in these units - the changes towards smaller STers are already visible

 

[supafly]

Sure, but if he wins Tennessee’s starting job then he’s looking at potentially 3-4 times as many snaps as he would’ve gotten as the Patriots’ #4 safety. If his 2018 value was going to suck, then the best he could do was pick a team to help maximize his 2019 value. The Patriots were not the team to help him accomplish that.

Maybe. That will depend on the injury situation at the position. I’m not super high on Vaccaro, specifically, as much as I am with the idea of having a shot at improving the depth at the position for a relatively low cost.

At any rate, it doesn’t matter because if Belichick wanted to improve it he would have.

 

[supafly]

Especially with new kickoff rules that are making big slow LBs (that Pats like on D ) obsolete in these units - the changes towards smaller STers are already visible

How did we mask the loss of Nate Ebner, last year? Who replaced his duties? Just curious.

 

[supafly]

Eric Reid is way better. Very bizarre teams are that scared off to sign him.

He could also help mask the weakness at LB as he played a lot of that hybrid S/LB role with SF last year.

Reid has likely been blackballed. The whole thing is weird.

 

[Uptown]

Reid has likely been blackballed. The whole thing is weird.

No question.

 

[long distance]

How did we mask the loss of Nate Ebner, last year? Who replaced his duties? Just curious.

You might not like the answer but here it is (as much as i could tell):
Jordan Richards

 

[Ring 6]

Well, like I said in my post, Belichick obviously doesn’t agree with my desire for an improvement at the S4 position over the ST ace known as Jordan Richards, but let’s not pretend that there isn’t a solid argument with some pretty good safeties getting paid peanuts this year.

For the record, I’m not one to downplay the importance of STs like many others, but I would have liked to see Belichick take advantage of the down market (collusion or otherwise) for safeties. Just wait until one of the top 3 get hurt and we’re stuck seeing Richards for 25-30 snaps a game, instead of 15-20.

What pretty good safety would want to come here and be the 4th safety and barely see the field?

 

[Ring 6]

Maybe. That will depend on the injury situation at the position. I’m not super high on Vaccaro, specifically, as much as I am with the idea of having a shot at improving the depth at the position for a relatively low cost.

At any rate, it doesn’t matter because if Belichick wanted to improve it he would have.

He signed pleasant, a pretty decent S3/S4.
You can’t sign safeties that expect to play yo be S4. It’s not like we can force a starter to sign and sit on the bench in case we have an injury.

 

[supafly]

You might not like the answer but here it is (as much as i could tell):
Jordan Richards

That’s kind of where I was going with it. I just don’t see what Richards brings to the table if he’s consistently out of position and has issues tackling. I mean, he’s faster, but do the pros outweigh the cons? At least we know that Ebner can tackle.

Personally, I’d rather not see either one of them aside from the obvious, which is ST use.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Reid has likely been blackballed. The whole thing is wrong.

 

[long distance]

That’s kind of where I was going with it. I just don’t see what Richards brings to the table if he’s consistently out of position and has issues tackling. I mean, he’s faster, but do the pros outweigh the cons? At least we know that Ebner can tackle.

Personally, I’d rather not see either one of them aside from the obvious, which is ST use.

Well, for one, he brought command of the unit. One of his more visible roles is personal protector on punts. He is a strong tackler when he is fast enough and doesn't miss the angle (which doesn't happen often on D but seems to work better in the chaos of ST - how the rule change will affect that remains to be seen; he did miss one ST tackle yesterday ..)