Free Agent Targets 2019

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Unless one or the other has the light magically turn on during this playoff run, I'd move on from both M. Brown and D. Shelton. An upgrade is needed at the positions, and there should be some good run stopping DTs available in this free agency period.

Agreed, and one should only be retained at a fraction of the current cost. We were on different sides of the Shelton fence, I leaned "he'll benefit from playing in a friendlier scheme for his skills" and he has been what you were leaning towards, which is just not very good. Brown, of the two, is the one I see most likely to turn it on magically for playoffs, re-sign, or both, but I'm not counting any chickens on any of those fronts. I see DT as the #1 need.

 

[HailHydra]

Just pointing out that our defense - if we can re-sign Flowers - really isn't that much of a concern heading into next season. Lawrence Guy is our #1 DT and we'll draft one for sure. WR and TE needs to be shored up however - and this is more pressing.

 

[maineman209]

Try to get Earl Thomas this offseason. The last time we signed a 30 year old safety, it worked out good.

I'd like to see us trade up and take a receiver in the draft.

IMHO, Thomas seems likely to want a cap-busting contract.

 

[maineman209]

Great player over the years, but we’ve had enough old LB’s.

Assuming that Bentley returns from his torn bicep okay, the Pats aren't actually in terrible shape at LB for 2019, especially considering that that have more than two on the field for less than half of the D-snaps. It's 2020 and seasons beyond that are the concern, since both KVN and Roberts are free agents at the end of 2019.

OTOH, a guy like Davis might be signed for the veteran minimum, which wouldn't hit the cap during the off-season.

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

Assuming that Bentley returns from his torn bicep okay, the Pats aren't actually in terrible shape at LB for 2019, especially considering that that have more than two on the field for less than half of the D-snaps. It's 2020 and seasons beyond that are the concern, since both KVN and Roberts are free agents at the end of 2019.

OTOH, a guy like Davis might be signed for the veteran minimum, which wouldn't hit the cap during the off-season.

They could move HT there and draf another LB. That move creates flexibility because like you said KVN and Roberts are FA's. HT would rotate there and play ED too. They would have Wise, HT and Rivers/Simon to pair with Flowers. If they draft a stud DT (there are a lot of good prospects)

They could have a D like: Flowers - Wilkins - Guy/Brown - HT - KVN - TJ Edwards - Bentley - Gilmore - JC Jackson - Chung/Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - Harmon/DMac They would be a ED away and maybe a LB of being a elite D

 

[maineman209]

Agreed, and one should only be retained at a fraction of the current cost. We were on different sides of the Shelton fence, I leaned "he'll benefit from playing in a friendlier scheme for his skills" and he has been what you were leaning towards, which is just not very good. Brown, of the two, is the one I see most likely to turn it on magically for playoffs, re-sign, or both, but I'm not counting any chickens on any of those fronts. I see DT as the #1 need.

In reference to Brown and Shelton, I'm not sure what "a fraction of the current cost" means.
- Brown made $1.47m with the Pats in 2018.
- Shelton made $2.03m with the Pats in 2018.

- Guy's 2019 salary is $2.4m ($4.27m total cap hit).
- Butler's total cap hit for 2019 is $647k, which might not even make the top 51 cap hits for off-season cap calculation purposes.
- Alan Branch's AAV ended up being $2.54m for his four seasons with the Pats.
- Bennie Logan is coming off a 1-year, $4m deal with the Titans for a rotational role behind Casey

The Pats just signed former starting Colts NT, David Parry, to a futures contract ($495k, no cap impact).
The Pats have DT Frank Herron on the PS ($495k for a futures contract).

In terms of experience in the Pats' system and schemes:

Brown - 4 seasons, 60 regular season games (2100 snaps), 8 post-season games
Guy - 2 seasons, 32 regular season games (1100 snaps), 3 post-season games
Butler - 2 seasons, 32 regular season games (850 snaps), 3 post-season games
Shelton - 1 season, 13 regular season games (324 snaps)

 

[maineman209]

They could move HT there and draf another LB. That move creates flexibility because like you said KVN and Roberts are FA's. HT would rotate there and play ED too. They would have Wise, HT and Rivers/Simon to pair with Flowers. If they draft a stud DT (there are a lot of good prospects)

They could have a D like: Flowers - Wilkins - Guy/Brown - HT - KVN - TJ Edwards - Bentley - Gilmore - JC Jackson - Chung/Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - Harmon/DMac They would be a ED away and maybe a LB of being a elite D

Simon's previous experience was mostly as an OLB-Edge in 3-4 based schemes, so he may be closer to HT in positional potential than to Flowers, but how he ends up being used in 2019 depends on how the roster shakes out - assuming the Pats retain him on a new contract (he's UFA).

I'm also not certain that Rivers ends up playing a "pure" DE role.

IOW, one or both of those guys could be bolstering the OLB depth (Nink-style), leaving KVN, Bentley and Roberts as the ILB depth.

 

[supafly]

Just pointing out that our defense - if we can re-sign Flowers - really isn't that much of a concern heading into next season. Lawrence Guy is our #1 DT and we'll draft one for sure. WR and TE needs to be shored up however - and this is more pressing.

Respectfully disagree.

The DL is more of a pressing need than WR/TE, especially when your argument is that Lawrence Guy is our #1 DT.

 

[HailHydra]

Respectfully disagree.

The DL is more of a pressing need than WR/TE, especially when your argument is that Lawrence Guy is our #1 DT.

Lawrence Guy is incredibly underrated

 

[maineman209]

Lawrence Guy is incredibly underrated

On this forum, certainly.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Thomas Davis won’t be re-signed by Carolina...

 

[maineman209]

Respectfully disagree.

The DL is more of a pressing need than WR/TE, especially when your argument is that Lawrence Guy is our #1 DT.

While the Pats do need to add a DT in the draft, it's not as if they need to be in a panic about it, even now. By the time the draft gets underway, they'll likely have an even more solid base.

Meanwhile TE and WR seem to have somewhat less solid bases and possibly fewer resources within easy (cheap) reach.

 

[supafly]

On this forum, certainly.

Lawrence Guy has played very well. When you point to him as your team’s number one DT moving forward, you probably have a decent sized hole that needs to be addressed.

Free agency hasn’t really cut it. Fanane, Knighton, Shelton, etc—all let downs. Even Branch turned into a letdown. I think they need to find at least one blue chip prospect in the early rounds of the draft, and I think this team and coaching staff have proven how much bigger a priority the trenches are versus the plug and play misfits at WR that Brady has worked with over the years (probably including the current one).

That’s not to say that a WR shouldn’t be taken with a high draft pick again because they definitely should, but I don’t think it’s a bigger priority than fixing the issues on the DL. Luckily, priorities don’t matter as much once BPA takes over, so you could be right that a receiver will be addressed first if the right guy is there.

 

[Joey007]

Grady Jarrett at DT would be a big get. Especially if we lost Flowers.

 

[Snooky97]

Try to get Earl Thomas this offseason. The last time we signed a 30 year old safety, it worked out good.

I'd like to see us trade up and take a receiver in the draft.

There's not one receiver in this draft that's worth drafting up for. There's no Randy, or Calvin, Julio type

 

[Brandon Manning]

There's not one receiver in this draft that's worth drafting up for. There's no Randy, or Calvin, Julio type

I can't imagine this team will go into the season with these receivers. BB needs to sign a FA or maybe pull a trade.

 

[Deus Irae]

There's not one receiver in this draft that's worth drafting up for. There's no Randy, or Calvin, Julio type

Problem solved!

We’re not going to release him, that’s not on the table. But I will say all other options are on the table. Whether the situation can be reconciled and have him back on the team next year, we’re a long way away from thinking that can happen.

Art Rooney II: Antonio Brown return “hard to envision” right now

I'm sure the Steelers would be glad to ship him to New England for, say, a conditional 7th.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Houston fans are screaming for the Texans to sign t brown for big bucks. Sounds like we could get a third round comp pick for him in 2020.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Problem solved!



Art Rooney II: Antonio Brown return “hard to envision” right now

I'm sure the Steelers would be glad to ship him to New England for, say, a conditional 7th.

If Stillers trade Brown, it won’t be to us. But, could the team(prob NFC) they trade Brown to flip one of their other WR’s to us?

 

[Deus Irae]

If Stillers trade Brown, it won’t be to us.

Without question. Outside of the Ravens, the Patriots are probably the team the Steelers would be least likely to trade with.

But, could the team(prob NFC) they trade Brown to flip one of their other WR’s to us?

Sure, but that would bring up at least two "why" questions.

1. Why trade away receivers of value when you've just stacked the group?
2. Why risk pissing off the Steelers, and worrying other teams as to your trustworthiness, since that could hamper future dealings?