Reports are the Pats may upgrade the WRs through trade (not necessarily Hopkins)

[RIpats88]

I actually think that Brandin Cooks is the most likely target. He wants out of Houston, it won’t cost them more than a mid round pick, and he liked playing for Belichick, And even though he’s been in the NFL for many years he’s still not 30.

Is cooks really a #1 you have to gameplan for?

That's what the Patriots need. Another Moss, gronk. We already have a bunch of #2 receivers in ahgor, Parker, Bourne.

I'd say Meyers can be the Edelman/welker. And

 

[Rob0729]

They'll tag him.

You think they already gave up on the QB? Lol

Because Hopkins is a beast and Allen has been injured.

The franchise tag is $20 million for a WR this year. Next year it is likely to be higher. You think the Bengals, who are the cheapest organization in the league, is going to pay like $22 million for a #2 WR in their system? They won’t even pay Jessie Bates market value.

Plus, in 2024, the Bengals free agents include Higgins, Burrow, Joe Mixon, Trey Hendrickson, and Tyler Boyd, There are at three players on that list that the Bengals are more likely to use the franchise tag on before Higgins if they don’t have a long term contract in place. Although I am not sure if my info includes the fifth year tender for Burrow. But his fifth year option will be in the $30-40 million range.

But the Broncos have no choice, but not give up on Wilson. If they could though, they would probably dump him. Last year wasn’t an aberration. It was a continuation of a trend started in Seattle.

 

[RIpats88]

The franchise tag is $20 million for a WR this year. Next year it is likely to be higher. You think the Bengals, who are the cheapest organization in the league, is going to pay like $22 million for a #2 WR in their system? They won’t even pay Jessie Bates market value.

Plus, in 2024, the Bengals free agents include Higgins, Burrow, Joe Mixon, Trey Hendrickson, and Tyler Boyd, There are at three players on that list that the Bengals are more likely to use the franchise tag on before Higgins if they don’t have a long term contract in place. Although I am not sure if my info includes the fifth year tender for Burrow.

Sad thing is we are paying Agholor $15 million but some fans here say a Hopkins or some other elite QB for $20-30million is too much!

Proof is in the pudding dolphins have Tyreek hill for $30 million and we have Agholor/Jonnu smith for the same amount. Who would you rather have?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The quote says there are "some within the organization". That could mean that some people in the organization have spoke to him saying they need an upgrade at receiver. It doesn't necessarily mean that the organization is split on it.

You read the articles? Just make stuff up like the reporters.

There could also be a situation where the receivers that have been listed on this thread just don't want to come to New England and the Pats get shut out of trading for the top receivers. I'm hoping for the guys OP mentioned but I think there is a chance the Pats don't get one. The quote covers their asses if the Pats don't get a top receiver they can say they "always liked what they had".

BB will tell the free agent WRs that the Pats are switching to Zappe. Problem solved. Every WR will sign here.

If the Pats can't get one of the guys listed I would really hope they draft Addison, or Johnston with their first round pick. I think Zay Flowers in the 2nd could end up being a number one. I'd like to see the team continually invest in the position via the draft to solve the problem long term.

Solve the problem long term and shut down the whiner line? You are no fun.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Sad thing is we are paying Agholor $15 million but some fans here say a Hopkins or some other elite QB for $20-30million is too much!

Proof is in the pudding dolphins have Tyreek hill for $30 million and we have Agholor/Jonnu smith for the same amount. Who would you rather have?

You make valid points but Agholor is 2 years at $13M compared to $20 to $30M, and Agholor/Smith or Henry/Smith are both $25M average, not $30M.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Yea there’s a couple good tackles in free agency. But I’d still like them to take a T at 14 as well, if not T, corner is more of a need than WR.

A OT or big CB. Agreed.

Could be a CB in FA - BB has done that before. Bradberry?

 

[slash83]

A OT or big CB. Agreed.

Could be a CB in FA - BB has done that before. Bradberry?

He’s in Philly right? I think he’s actually had a pretty good year.

 

[Toofy]

You make valid points but Agholor is 2 years at $13M compared to $20 to $30M, and Agholor/Smith or Henry/Smith are both $25M average, not $30M.

Agholor is 2 years 23 million i.e around 11 -12 MM AAV . Jonnu and Smith are at 12.5 AAV . So between these 3 the cost is around 35 million a year and complete waste of cap space we would have got maybe 15 million worth of play from them cumulatively.juat move away from all 3 of them this season if possible.

 

[Triumph]

Agholor is 2 years 23 million i.e around 11 -12 MM AAV . Jonnu and Smith are at 12.5 AAV . So between these 3 the cost is around 35 million a year and complete waste of cap space we would have got maybe 15 million worth of play from them cumulatively.juat move away from all 3 of them this season if possible.

Cutting Jonnu is a 12 million 2023 dead money cap hit if post 6/1/23. May as well keep him.

The problem isnt that Jonnu and Henry are not open. Tony Romo pointed out during the Bills loss that Henry was open down the left sideline and that was when the ball should have been thrown. Instead the ball was thrown at Henry when it was too late resulting in another INT because the Bills D reacted like NFL players do.

Jonnu Smith Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Jonnu Smith contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

 

[PatsFan2]

Cutting Jonnu is a 12 million 2023 dead money cap hit if post 6/1/23. May as well keep him.

The problem isnt that Jonnu and Henry are not open. Tony Romo pointed out during the Bills loss that Henry was open down the left sideline and that was when the ball should have been thrown. Instead the ball was thrown at Henry when it was too late resulting in another INT because the Bills D reacted like NFL players do.

Jonnu Smith Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Jonnu Smith contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

That contract is so bad it's embarrassing. BB saw some upside in Jonno Smith that no other Team saw... Massive overpay for a guy who never cracked 1000 yards.

 

[PatsFan2]

Agholor is 2 years 23 million i.e around 11 -12 MM AAV . Jonnu and Smith are at 12.5 AAV . So between these 3 the cost is around 35 million a year and complete waste of cap space we would have got maybe 15 million worth of play from them cumulatively.juat move away from all 3 of them this season if possible.

IF Henry saves us some cap space I would love to move on and try to Draft one. Henry is nothing special and a terrible Blocker to boot.

 

[Toofy]

Cutting Jonnu is a 12 million 2023 dead money cap hit if post 6/1/23. May as well keep him.

The problem isnt that Jonnu and Henry are not open. Tony Romo pointed out during the Bills loss that Henry was open down the left sideline and that was when the ball should have been thrown. Instead the ball was thrown at Henry when it was too late resulting in another INT because the Bills D reacted like NFL players do.

Jonnu Smith Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Jonnu Smith contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

I know the cut is not gonna work out. Was hoping we can eat 5 million in cap while trading him away .

 

[archstanton543]

That contract is so bad it's embarrassing. BB saw some upside in Jonno Smith that no other Team saw... Massive overpay for a guy who never cracked 1000 yards.

That's not true. Henry and Smith were the top 2 TE's on the market that year. That was the consensus view throughout the league and they were both considered good-to-great.

 

[PatsFan2]

That's not true. Henry and Smith were the top 2 TE's on the market that year. That was the consensus view throughout the league and they were both considered good-to-great.

Jonnu was signed to be a RZ Target and in two years he still hasn't figured out the NE Offense even with the ridiculous changes we were running a vanilla Offense and he still didn't get it. Jonnu never cracked 500yds getting all those guarantees is just bad anyway you want to spin it. He got that contract based off one good RZ year in Tennessee and have count it One TD for the Patriots in two years.

 

[PatsFan2]

Sad thing is we are paying Agholor $15 million but some fans here say a Hopkins or some other elite QB for $20-30million is too much!

Proof is in the pudding dolphins have Tyreek hill for $30 million and we have Agholor/Jonnu smith for the same amount. Who would you rather have?

Me me me...Tyreek.

 

[lancerman]

I think it is a mistake to put too much emphasis on acquiring receivers. The present group didn't get any more legit an evaluation than Mac did in the dismal freak show that was the Pats' coaching staff on offense this past season. I would use the early draft picks to shore up the O-line, then pick best available thereafter among wideouts, tall corners, LB/Safety hybrids, whatever. If you find either a decent vet wideout or cover corner at a reasonable price in trade/free agents...fine, but first things first.

No. The WR issue with this team has existed since 2019. It’s gone far beyond one bad OC. And honestly a lot of the issues can be traced getting rid of Cooks in 2017, getting Matthew’s as a replacement and then jettisoning him prematurely because of an injury, cycling through WR’s in 2018 and 2019 as Gronk was getting disillusioned and Edelman started getting banged up and declining, Amendola finally deciding to stop taking pay cuts, then drafting Harry as the big replacement and completely whiffing which set a lot back and made them afraid to invest more.

Even under the assumption that Meyers (who might not be here) and Bourne were limited this year, their ceiling is still at best a WR2 and on alot of playoff teams, they’d struggle to achieve that role. I mean let’s be real, a year ago it was a running joke that our best WR couldn’t get a touchdown.

They’ve completely mismanaged that position for nearly 5 years and they’ve always talked themselves out of seriously addressing it because of cost or draft value and it’s been an albatross around the team.

At some point, they need to stop making excuses for heavily addressing it. It’s a passing league now.

 

[archstanton543]

Jonnu was signed to be a RZ Target and in two years he still hasn't figured out the NE Offense even with the ridiculous changes we were running a vanilla Offense and he still didn't get it. Jonnu never cracked 500yds getting all those guarantees is just bad anyway you want to spin it. He got that contract based off one good RZ year in Tennessee and have count it One TD for the Patriots in two years.

Well, if the Pats had a time machine they could have foreseen that and not signed him to that contract.

Smith isn't the first FA bust they've signed. Won't be the last.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Is it Smiths' fault or the play calling/QB? Keep him and see how he does with an adult calling the plays.

 

[PatsFan2]

No. The WR issue with this team has existed since 2019. It’s gone far beyond one bad OC. And honestly a lot of the issues can be traced getting rid of Cooks in 2017, getting Matthew’s as a replacement and then jettisoning him prematurely because of an injury, cycling through WR’s in 2018 and 2019 as Gronk was getting disillusioned and Edelman started getting banged up and declining, Amendola finally deciding to stop taking pay cuts, then drafting Harry as the big replacement and completely whiffing which set a lot back and made them afraid to invest more.

Even under the assumption that Meyers (who might not be here) and Bourne were limited this year, their ceiling is still at best a WR2 and on alot of playoff teams, they’d struggle to achieve that role. I mean let’s be real, a year ago it was a running joke that our best WR couldn’t get a touchdown.

They’ve completely mismanaged that position for nearly 5 years and they’ve always talked themselves out of seriously addressing it because of cost or draft value and it’s been an albatross around the team.

At some point, they need to stop making excuses for heavily addressing it. It’s a passing league now.

Well said if we don't fix that part of our Team which is long over due we will be always look up at the Bills and Dolphins.

 

[PatsFan2]

Is it Smiths' fault or the play calling/QB? Keep him and see how he does with an adult calling the plays.

Smith was 50yards better with McDaniels and many times didn't see a snap. That said we have no choice but I think he's officially broken as a Patriot.