Vindicate
2nd Team Getting Their First Start
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I'd love it if Jonnu wasn't on the team next year, but the financials likely mean he's going to stay. I think we will see him on the team next season then cut the following year. I bet the Pats draft a tight end to be the long term replacement at the position this year, looks like a really good class.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.
It depends on how they do during the playoffs. Again, they are in Win mode and they got there mainly through the draft. Bates is #1 decision in '23, not Higgins who is still under a cheap contract.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.
We're talking about '23 not '24. They need to decide on Bates and their other S this coming season. If they win the SB they may want to run it back. We'll see what happens but imo, Higgins won't be available. You can think otherwise.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.
That's right. They fired their HC not their GM. That tells you everything. GM isn't about to give away elite weapons to make his QB decision look even worse in '23. They already dumped players on the D side of the ball where they are loaded.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.
But many pointed out at the time of the signing that Jonnu only had 1 good season and we got exactly what he was in all the others. Same was said about Agholour. Fact is Bill over paid for these guys by jumping the gun and competing against himself. This isn't hindsight, many people called it at that time.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.
Smith is who he's always been. His career annual stats w/ TEN match his stats w/ the Pats.Is it Smiths' fault or the play calling/QB? Keep him and see how he does with an adult calling the plays.
They had no TE's on the roster and took a gamble. Henry has worked out okay (not fantastic but okay) and Smith has been a bust. What they really need to do is draft and develop some TE's but they have bigger holes to fill than to go after that position high in the draft.But many pointed out at the time of the signing that Jonnu only had 1 good season and we got exactly what he was in all the others. Same was said about Agholour. Fact is Bill over paid for these guys by jumping the gun and competing against himself. This isn't hindsight, many people called it at that time.
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
It depends on how they do during the playoffs. Again, they are in Win mode and they got there mainly through the draft. Bates is #1 decision in '23, not Higgins who is still under a cheap contract.
We're talking about '23 not '24. They need to decide on Bates and their other S this coming season. If they win the SB they may want to run it back. We'll see what happens but imo, Higgins won't be available. You can think otherwise.
That's right. They fired their HC not their GM. That tells you everything. GM isn't about to give away elite weapons to make his QB decision look even worse in '23. They already dumped players on the D side of the ball where they are loaded.
They had no TE's on the roster and took a gamble. Henry has worked out okay (not fantastic but okay) and Smith has been a bust. What they really need to do is draft and develop some TE's but they have bigger holes to fill than to go after that position high in the draft.
Maybe with a competent OC next year, Smith will have a good year. He's not going anywhere anyways. That's all you can hope for at this point.
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
Thanks for the history lesson, but I don't really see what it has to do with my suggestion. Yes. The recent history re WR's here is abysmal. Fine. Can we move on? Right now we have an interesting group, by which I mean that the coaching last year was so awful that we did not get a full look at what they might be and there were a few intriguing moments, interesting in that there is an intriguing wealth of (brace yourself) potential among them. Then there's the protean Mr. Jones. As a group, they warrant a deeper look. Wanna dump a couple? Be my guest. To me, given in particular the need to get a full look at Mac this year, O-Line is the obvious point of emphasis. Given this, I would not waste a high pick on a wr, and in later picks, you ain't gonna get much. If you want a WR, see what you can find trade/free agent, use him, and study what else you have in that room over the course of the season. I would simply make the priority re wr: 1) Forget for a moment about wr's and draft OL help.,2) Pay Jakobi,whatever (whatever) it takes, 3) Keep your eye out for a fun wr later draftpick if you want, but expect little, 4) When 3) doesn't work, buy a vet.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.
It's been said 1000 times, so why not 1001 - all you need is #1 WRs man! Its the NWRFL!Given this, I would not waste a high pick on a wr, and in later picks, you ain't gonna get much.
I used to love it when someone would bring out Belichick's scouting notes from the 70s of metrics to look for at different positions (QB, WR, LB, etc.). People would be in awe of the detail of the notes and how they would still apply.Thanks for the history lesson, but I don't really see what it has to do with my suggestion. Yes. The recent history re WR's here is abysmal. Fine. Can we move on? Right now we have an interesting group, by which I mean that the coaching last year was so awful that we did not get a full look at what they might be and there were a few intriguing moments, interesting in that there is an intriguing wealth of (brace yourself) potential among them. Then there's the protean Mr. Jones. As a group, they warrant a deeper look. Wanna dump a couple? Be my guest. To me, given in particular the need to get a full look at Mac this year, O-Line is the obvious point of emphasis. Given this, I would not waste a high pick on a wr, and in later picks, you ain't gonna get much. If you want a WR, see what you can find trade/free agent, use him, and study what else you have in that room over the course of the season. I would simply make the priority re wr: 1) Forget for a moment about wr's and draft OL help.,2) Pay Jakobi,whatever (whatever) it takes, 3) Keep your eye out for a fun wr later draftpick if you want, but expect little, 4) When 3) doesn't work, buy a vet.
I've been ahead of this for a while looking at FA and the draft. Just seemed the way to go and have been discussing in my thread.Is Tee Higgins much of a playmaker on this offense? He has produced each year he's been in the league, but he does not strike me as someone for whom you have to gameplan. I could be wrong.
The problem is those guys won't get more targets here. Meyers only got >110 targets once. This is a run first team. If you were Higgins or Aiyuk, would you want to play for the Patriots?I've been ahead of this for a while looking at FA and the draft. Just seemed the way to go and have been discussing in my thread.
Higgins was one of the few names I brought up. He's worth 14 and a 4th.
Never had more than 110 targets but gives you 1K/5/14 per clip. All numbers point to him just needing more targets. Outside guy, X, which we've missed forever now.
It's not likely but not exactly far fetched.
Aiyuk is a other one that just needs more targets. He's someone I'd trade for in a hurry.
I'd do the same for Pittman in Indy as well.
Specifically Pittman and Higgins might give us the most bang for our buck bc we can stick them outside right away.
Thornton is a wildcard in all this too.
Probably insensitive or something, but I think the Krafts should have pushed Bill off center stage a while ago when it came to the drafting procedures. By a couple of years ago it had dwindled one guy sitting in a hermetically-sealed tin can, it seemed.I used to love it when someone would bring out Belichick's scouting notes from the 70s of metrics to look for at different positions (QB, WR, LB, etc.). People would be in awe of the detail of the notes and how they would still apply.
Maybe it's time to update the notes. You think?