Content Post Let's Talk Free Agency 2024

[upstater1]

I want to start hearing more about keeping Anfernee Jennings. I think this guy is coming into his own. Had some visions of Rosevelt Colvin this year with Anfernee.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

The Patriots have had preliminary talks with Kyle Dugger, and have an offer on the table for the starting safety, according to a source

Source: Patriots have offer on the table for key free agent

 

[1960Pats]

You do realize Belichick isn't here anymore,right? You do realize he has absolutely nothing to do with them, right?

Gone but not forgotten is understandable with the Pats having their first draft without him in 25 years.
Plus, Bill picked all of the players and some of the coaches, his son included, that are currently with the team.
That's a lot more than nothing.

 

[venecol]

Source: Patriots have offer on the table for key free agent

I'm fine w/ keeping Dugger but team needs a real FS. Sign one in FAcy.

 

[Uptown]

FWIW..

 

[Uptown]

 

[PowerRunRevival]

This article had some really good Pats info Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine: What we're hearing about the No. 3 pick

l wonder if the Pats would make a big offer to Cousins or Baker.

Trading Parker and Mac for any draft capital they can get would be welcome.

I found the sourced info about running more zone blocking interesting. Onwenu doesn’t really fit with that but I think it’s bad asset management during a rebuild to let him walk for nothing.

Anyone know any tackles in the draft and/or free agency who are good zone run blockers? Are Sow or Mafi good zone run blockers? Is Andrews? I wonder if we will see the team not just target tackles but guard and center too.

Ridley is probably the best option at WR, not sure about the best tight end options.

 

[crownontherocks]

 

[Uptown]

 

[PatsFan2]

He a good Deep threat an upgrade over Thornton he has Two SB Rings.

 

[Guts]

He a good Deep threat an upgrade over Thornton he has Two SB Rings.

Has a case of the dropsies he does step-up in the postseason tho

 

[PatsFan2]

Has a case of the dropsies he does step-up in the postseason tho

We should have had a FA visit with him two years ago but he never left KC good move by him second times the charm.

 

[Zuma]

I'm fine w/ keeping Dugger but team needs a real FS. Sign one in FAcy.

Ya know i felt the same for a while…but maybe the game has changed a bit. I think more defenses are based on “quarters” now and not so much a dedicated deep FS. However nothing pisses me off more than sending a box SS deep. Duggar does not belong on an island. While I’m not a fan of Myles…he’s a better space / zone guy than CB. He might be a cheap FS.

 

[DW Toys]

Just breaking Cousins. The Eagles are going to release FS Byard."Safety Kevin Byard is reportedly set to move on from Philadelphia."
We need a FS right? He's 30 (see Rodney) and a Pro Bowler.

Perhaps if we lose Dugger.....or not.
DW Toys

 

[Uptown]

Just breaking Cousins. The Eagles are going to release FS Byard."Safety Kevin Byard is reportedly set to move on from Philadelphia."
We need a FS right? He's 30 (see Rodney) and a Pro Bowler.

Perhaps if we lose Dugger.....or not.
DW Toys

Cousin,

I likey..I likey..

 

[Hammer of Thor]

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think Dugger is a better player than Peppers. It might not have looked like that last year because Peppers got to play a true SS role while Dugger had to do the FS stuff. They're both SSs in an ideal world so I've bene on the train we should let one go to be replaced with a FS. Dugger being the FA, it was logical to me he'd be the one to go. I figured you let Dugger go, sign a FS and try to extend Peppers.

That being said, even if it wasn't ideal, it was far from a CRIPPLING weakness last year so it's not awful to keep playing them together. And since Dugger is the better player, you can plan to let Peppers go next year if paying them both rather than allocating some of those resources to a complimentary FS type is a problem. Especially if there isn't the guys at other positions to spend on in FA this year, it's not a bad way to allocate funds.

Ultimately, this team needs high end talent. I think Dugger, if allowed to be a true, full time SS is a potential borderline pro bowl guy at SS. So I'm fine keeping guys like that since we desperately need some cornerstones. Personally, I don't think Peppers is all that far behind him and he's only 1 year older so I'd rather just extend Peppers, presumably for less because you'd be doing it a year ahead of FA, and then put savings towards a FS. But what you'd like to do doesn't always line up with the guys available and the contracts they'll sign for.

 

[PWRxWLF]

This article had some really good Pats info Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine: What we're hearing about the No. 3 pick

l wonder if the Pats would make a big offer to Cousins or Baker.

Trading Parker and Mac for any draft capital they can get would be welcome.

I found the sourced info about running more zone blocking interesting. Onwenu doesn’t really fit with that but I think it’s bad asset management during a rebuild to let him walk for nothing.

Anyone know any tackles in the draft and/or free agency who are good zone run blockers? Are Sow or Mafi good zone run blockers? Is Andrews? I wonder if we will see the team not just target tackles but guard and center too.

Ridley is probably the best option at WR, not sure about the best tight end options.

I find it interesting that everyone keeps says Onwenu isn’t a good fit for the new blocking scheme but yet Wolf and Mayo called him a cornerstone, Mayo referring to him as Big Mike and how much they want him back. Some thoughts on this. Maybe the blocking scheme isn’t changing as much as we think? Perhaps they think if it does change that “Big Mike” is athletic enough to adapt? Or…they’re really full of **** and want to gove off the impression that they tried to retain him. The whole thing is fascinating.

 

[upstater1]

I think Dugger is a better player than Peppers. It might not have looked like that last year because Peppers got to play a true SS role while Dugger had to do the FS stuff. They're both SSs in an ideal world so I've bene on the train we should let one go to be replaced with a FS. Dugger being the FA, it was logical to me he'd be the one to go. I figured you let Dugger go, sign a FS and try to extend Peppers.

That being said, even if it wasn't ideal, it was far from a CRIPPLING weakness last year so it's not awful to keep playing them together. And since Dugger is the better player, you can plan to let Peppers go next year if paying them both rather than allocating some of those resources to a complimentary FS type is a problem. Especially if there isn't the guys at other positions to spend on in FA this year, it's not a bad way to allocate funds.

Ultimately, this team needs high end talent. I think Dugger, if allowed to be a true, full time SS is a potential borderline pro bowl guy at SS. So I'm fine keeping guys like that since we desperately need some cornerstones. Personally, I don't think Peppers is all that far behind him and he's only 1 year older so I'd rather just extend Peppers, presumably for less because you'd be doing it a year ahead of FA, and then put savings towards a FS. But what you'd like to do doesn't always line up with the guys available and the contracts they'll sign for.

With the way the NFL is going with all the athletes in the back, 5 or 6 on the field at all times, keeping 2 high paid SS is not a bad allocation.

We're not talking about nickel and dime packages anymore with DTs sitting on the sidelines. We're talking about sitting a LB so that Peppers / Mapu / Mack Wilson can see the field more.

This is the context for keeping 2 good SS.

So, it looks like this: 3 DLs, 1 LB, 1 OLB like Judon / Wilson, 2 SS between Dugger/Peppers/Mapu, 3 CBs, 1 FS.

Essentially it's like play nickel all game with a light linebacker. The other necessity here is 3 heavy guys on the DL, a lot of rotating them in and out.

 

[mgteich]

With the way the NFL is going with all the athletes in the back, 5 or 6 on the field at all times, keeping 2 high paid SS is not a bad allocation.

We're not talking about nickel and dime packages anymore with DTs sitting on the sidelines. We're talking about sitting a LB so that Peppers / Mapu / Mack Wilson can see the field more.

This is the context for keeping 2 good SS.

So, it looks like this: 3 DLs, 1 LB, 1 OLB like Judon / Wilson, 2 SS between Dugger/Peppers/Mapu, 3 CBs, 1 FS.

Essentially it's like play nickel all game with a light linebacker. The other necessity here is 3 heavy guys on the DL, a lot of rotating them in and out.

OK, so who is our starting free safety, and who is the backup? Who were those players in 2023?