NFL Free Agency 2022 edition

[Uptown]

Allegedly..

 

[Ross12]

But the tweet was deleted.

Originally it said he spoke to a connected league source.

Now we have agents and players saying there was no contact at all with the Patriots.

I refuse to believe any more of these inside sources. It's clearly BS meant to make Belichick look bad.

I love Evan Lazar but this situation is weird. He's been pushing a "Patriots don't want to spend money" narrative consistently for a few days now but doesn't seem to want to back it up. Seems Cordarrelle Patterson called him out. Per this story...

[Cordarrelle Patterson] reportedly agreed to a two-year, $10.5 million contract to stay in Atlanta on Saturday. Moments after the news broke of Patterson’s re-signing, CLNS Media’s Evan Lazar reported that the Patriots “had discussions” with Patterson about coming back to New England, where he played in 2018. However, Lazar added that the Patriots “wouldn’t compete” with the money the Falcons gave Patterson.

But Patterson refuted the report.

“No they did not!!!” Patterson wrote in a tweet replying to Lazar.

Lazar deleted the initial tweet, clarifying that “[The Patriots] make brief inquiries with free agents all the time, which was the case here. But it was minimal. I should’ve worded it differently.”

Cordarrelle Patterson refutes report that Patriots showed interest in him

Former Patriot Cordarrelle Patterson denied that his old team showed interest in him during free agency. Read more on Boston.com.

www.boston.com

 

[Ross12]

Allegedly..

Hopefully it's true. Their age at LB really showed last season. I'd rather take younger guys who make a few more mistakes (at least for a season...) but can attempt to make up for it with athleticism, vs. the group last year who seemed to typically be able to read things right but don't have the burst to actually make the play. Van Noy seemed to have more in the tank left than Hightower, and he got cut. I'd be surprised to see Hightower back for more than peanuts.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Hopefully it's true. Their age at LB really showed last season. I'd rather take younger guys who make a few more mistakes (at least for a season...) but can attempt to make up for it with athleticism, vs. the group last year who seemed to typically be able to read things right but don't have the burst to actually make the play. Van Noy seemed to have more in the tank left than Hightower, and he got cut. I'd be surprised to see Hightower back for more than peanuts.

How much of the problems last season were due to old and slow linebackers and how much was due to poor defensive line play and coaching associated with RPO plays.

 

[Love The Drake]

Hopefully it's true. Their age at LB really showed last season. I'd rather take younger guys who make a few more mistakes (at least for a season...) but can attempt to make up for it with athleticism, vs. the group last year who seemed to typically be able to read things right but don't have the burst to actually make the play. Van Noy seemed to have more in the tank left than Hightower, and he got cut. I'd be surprised to see Hightower back for more than peanuts.

Same with Collins?
I would bring Collins back on the cheap.
I completely agree about youth at linebacker.
However the Patriots plan on receivers , O line, D line and secondary has me puzzled.
It’s not like we have a ton of picks to fill all these positions.
I think we will see a huge amount of UDFAs signing with the Pats,
I love that because the competitor and the hunger will only make the team better.
Who doesn’t love cheering for UDFAs.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I PERSONALLY didn't see Collins do much more than jack **** last year.
It doesn't matter if you are All-World athletically if you aren't where you're supposed to be.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I PERSONALLY didn't see Collins do much more than jack **** last year.
It doesn't matter if you are All-World athletically if you aren't where you're supposed to be.

Was it Collins or was it poor defensive line play combined with bad coaching on defending RPO plays?

 

[venecol]

NE needs: DE, DT, LB, CB, G, WR
Top UFAs left:

OT Terron Armstead
LB Bobby Wagner
DE J Clowney (rumored to CLE)
CB Stephon Gilmore
S Tyrann Mattieu
WR OBJ Jr.
DL Akiem Hicks
DE Melvin Ingram III
WR AB
DL Calais Campbell
OT Duane Brown
TE Gronk
DE Justin Houston
DE Jerry Hughes
QB Jameis Winston
WR Jarvis Landry
CB Steve Nelson

 

[venecol]

I love Evan Lazar but this situation is weird. He's been pushing a "Patriots don't want to spend money" narrative consistently for a few days now but doesn't seem to want to back it up. Seems Cordarrelle Patterson called him out. Per this story...

Cordarrelle Patterson refutes report that Patriots showed interest in him

Former Patriot Cordarrelle Patterson denied that his old team showed interest in him during free agency. Read more on Boston.com.

www.boston.com

Not sure why they'd be looking at RBs anyway with so many other needs.

 

[PWRxWLF]

Hopefully it's true. Their age at LB really showed last season. I'd rather take younger guys who make a few more mistakes (at least for a season...) but can attempt to make up for it with athleticism, vs. the group last year who seemed to typically be able to read things right but don't have the burst to actually make the play. Van Noy seemed to have more in the tank left than Hightower, and he got cut. I'd be surprised to see Hightower back for more than peanuts.

Wait. I don’t get it. They put out a memo to make sure FA LB’s knew they were looking to get younger? They told HT and Collins and KvN that they wanted to get younger? Or, agents of FA LB’s have reached out, desperate to get their guys signed and NE communicated they wanted to get younger?

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Has he free wheeled before?
Maybe that Denver BUM TE that scorched him for 2 tds?

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Not sure why they'd be looking at RBs anyway with so many other needs.

My suspicion is they were looking at him for the role they signed Ty Montgomery for. Reached out at a high level to see $ amount, didn’t like it, moved on to Montgomery at that point.

 

[captain insano]

We got TY Montgomery. the pats are going to the Superbowl baby. The off season is officially a success.

 

[Ross12]

Wait. I don’t get it. They put out a memo to make sure FA LB’s knew they were looking to get younger? They told HT and Collins and KvN that they wanted to get younger? Or, agents of FA LB’s have reached out, desperate to get their guys signed and NE communicated they wanted to get younger?

Guessing it would be some version of the last option. Discussions with agents of LBs. They probably kicked the tires on older players but didn’t get too serious and gave reasoning of wanting to get younger at the position but just doing due diligence.

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

It’s amazing a lot of teams with legitimate superstar talent still manage to sign superstar talent where the Patriots who have zero superstar plays seemingly need to pick through the scraps

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We got TY Montgomery. the pats are going to the Superbowl baby. The off season is officially a success.

We need someone on the roster to take over white’s position after white breaks down again next season!

 

[crawhammer]

NE needs: DE, DT, LB, CB, G, WR
Top UFAs left:

OT Terron Armstead
LB Bobby Wagner
DE J Clowney (rumored to CLE)
CB Stephon Gilmore
S Tyrann Mattieu
WR OBJ Jr.
DL Akiem Hicks
DE Melvin Ingram III
WR AB
DL Calais Campbell
OT Duane Brown
TE Gronk
DE Justin Houston
DE Jerry Hughes
QB Jameis Winston
WR Jarvis Landry
CB Steve Nelson

None of those pass catchers are coming to New England. Gronk's going back to Tampa Bay. I'm pretty sure OBJ made it clear he's not signing with a post-Brady Patriots team. AB not coming back for obvious reasons. Cleveland is apparently hot on Landry's tail to come back now that they have Watson. Patriots should have gone after Robert Woods... reportedly the LAR were shopping him for days... ended up giving him away for practically nothing.

 

[venecol]

None of those pass catchers are coming to New England. Gronk's going back to Tampa Bay. I'm pretty sure OBJ made it clear he's not signing with a post-Brady Patriots team. AB not coming back for obvious reasons. Cleveland is apparently hot on Landry's tail to come back now that they have Watson. Patriots should have gone after Robert Woods... reportedly the LAR were shopping him for days... ended up giving him away for practically nothing.

Nobody on that list will be signed by the Pats.

 

[mgteich]

Guessing it would be some version of the last option. Discussions with agents of LBs. They probably kicked the tires on older players but didn’t get too serious and gave reasoning of wanting to get younger at the position but just doing due diligence.

Judon is a lock and will be 30 to start the season.

That being said, maybe, just maybe Belichick wants to see what he has in NINE youngsters currently on the roster. Langi will be 30, and is primarily a STer, so I didn't count him.

26 McMillan
25 Bentley
25 Tavai
25 Hall
24 Wilson
24 Jennings
23 Uche
22 Perkins
21 McGrone

We cry for Belichick to draft linebackers. We get upset when ends up playing Hightower and Van Noy (and a bit of Collins). Well, we plenty of youngster competing for the roster spots. Sure, we might add more to the mix, as we did with Wilson, or a late draft choice for the Practice Squad.

Of course, there is still the possibility of acquiring an EDGE rusher in free agency or the draft.
===========================

 

[PWRxWLF]

Judon is a lock and will be 30 to start the season.

That being said, maybe, just maybe Belichick wants to see what he has in NINE youngsters currently on the roster. Langi will be 30, and is primarily a STer, so I didn't count him.

26 McMillan
25 Bentley
25 Tavai
25 Hall
24 Wilson
24 Jennings
23 Uche
22 Perkins
21 McGrone

We cry for Belichick to draft linebackers. We get upset when ends up playing Hightower and Van Noy (and a bit of Collins). Well, we plenty of youngster competing for the roster spots. Sure, we might add more to the mix, as we did with Wilson, or a late draft choice for the Practice Squad.

Of course, there is still the possibility of acquiring an EDGE rusher in free agency or the draft.
===========================

I’m really hopeful for McGrone, Perkins successfully switching and Wilson picking up pissed off. Have Bentley play a reduced role, with McMillan as top reserve. I don’t have much hope for Uche. I want him to succeed so badly, but he seems to be going the way of Wino.