Content Post Let's Talk Free Agency 2024

[Huckleberry1]

There are only a few top-quality free agents and a bunch of solid players but lots of teams with money to burn, we can get a WR because most will go for the most money and we can overpay since we have the most cap space available. Do we want to overpay? Probably have no choice

Texans were in the playoffs, have QB looking like franchise guy, on a rookie contract, they have the 4th most cap space. Very attractive landing spot for receivers.

There’s absolutely no need to overpay, that’s what desperate teams do. Wait for cap cuts and June releases, good receivers will hit the market, and by that point the Patriots should be better off at QB. The Patriots can do a 2 year build on offense. They aren’t going to contend for the Super Bowl so paying like they just need to get over the hiump makes no sense to me. I would rather kick back and watch the Fish drown in debt, and the Jets ruin any future they could have had by grossly overpaying to keep Aasshole Rodgers happy

 

[PatsFan2]

Disagree on Ridley, he’s erratic and overhyped. He’s not the player he was in his early days in Atlanta. He’s not worth the $$$ he will want and likely get from a team that’s desperate at WR.

Name a Team that is more desperate at WR than us?? Ivan good luck watching that slow Juju trying to separate this year. Ridley is worth every penny he'll get in FA.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Name a Team that is more desperate at WR than us?? Ivan good luck watching that slow Juju trying to separate this year. Ridley is worth every penny hell get in FA.

The Chiefs WR room is worse than the Patriots. But I think you are conflating need with desperation. The Patriots need 3-4 really good WR’s to really improve their WE unit, but they aren’t desperate because it doesn’t have to get done by tomorrow. IMO they have two full offseasons to get it done, and overpaying lesser players will only make the end result worse.

 

[kevan]

Ridley does scare me. He's 29 he's gonna want 17-20 mil a year or more. Suspended a season and missed another season due to "mental health" reasons. I'd rather give DJ Chark 8 mil and have fun watching the pats draft 2 to 3 WRs. As good as the pats double decade dynasty run was it was also the dark ages for drafting WRs absolutely attricous.
We can all have actual hope for the WR drafted now!

 

[PatsFan2]

The Chiefs WR room is worse than the Patriots. But I think you are conflating need with desperation. The Patriots need 3-4 really good WR’s to really improve their WE unit, but they aren’t desperate because it doesn’t have to get done by tomorrow. IMO they have two full offseasons to get it done, and overpaying lesser players will only make the end result worse.

Ivan the Chiefs are a bad example like us in the Brady years because they have Greatness on their side in Mahomes they can overcome it with jags. I'll say the Chiefs have a Great up and coming WR in Rashee Rice most times all you need is one Very Good one and again WE DON'T HAVE ANY. Ivan you are Leading the Draft a QB @ 3 camp but you don't want to give them anybody to throw to can't have it both ways. Wolf have a history in Green Bay and they love to Draft WR's I could see us Trading number 3 for a haul taking a second tier QB and loading up at the other skill positions we are devoid at Talent on Offense. I'm beating the Calvin Ridley drum.

 

[PatsFan2]

Ridley does scare me. He's 29 he's gonna want 17-20 mil a year or more. Suspended a season and missed another season due to "mental health" reasons. I'd rather give DJ Chark 8 mil and have fun watching the pats draft 2 to 3 WRs. As good as the pats double decade dynasty run was it was also the dark ages for drafting WRs absolutely attricous.
We can all have actual hope for the WR drafted now!

You're right Ridley would scare the Defenses we face.

 

[mike_usagisan]

This might just be me, but I think the Patriots' approach to free agency has evolved like this:

Mayo: "We're going to burn the money!!!"

Wolf: "No we're not."

Mayo: "I misspoke when i said we were going to burn the money."

 

[Joey007]

This might just be me, but I think the Patriots' approach to free agency has evolved like this:

Mayo: "We're going to burn the money!!!"

Wolf: "No we're not."

Mayo: "I misspoke when i said we were going to burn the money."

I’m just hoping Wolf doesn’t go full GB philosophy and signs… no one in FA.

 

[upstater1]

Great Year to triple dip @WR make Ladd McConkey one of them.

McConkey is a first rounder. But we can't go WR until the 3rd round. Need a tackle.

 

[upstater1]

It's all about the money, players will come and be happy to stay if you trade for them and then you pay them at the top of the market.

Tyreek Hill left Mahomes to play with Tua who at the point of the trade was basically Mac Jones 2.0.

He wanted Miami; it's a different thing. Same with AJ Brown who is best friends with Hurts from High School.

 

[50-yard-line]

Get one or two A+ players in FA/trade sign Onwenu and hopefully work it out with Dugger. Get a few solid vets in weak areas after that. Only FA TE I’d want are the ones we’re losing.

I don’t care which A+ players you get - even if they’re both Defense (Wilkins and McKinney?).

What I don’t get is how KC can flaunt the franchise tag like that. They announced they were tagging Snead and already teams are lining up to get him. If that’s the game, why didn’t the Pats do that with Onwenu, for example? I thought that was frowned upon.

As for WRs, I’d like Ridley, sure, but given how many speedy and productive WRs are coming out, they should be able to draft a couple of very good prospects.

They’ll need a bridge QB.

 

[PatsFan2]

McConkey is a first rounder. But we can't go WR until the 3rd round. Need a tackle.

He won't be a First Rounder in this Draft may be Second Rounder max.

 

[Grogan14]

He wanted Miami; it's a different thing. Same with AJ Brown who is best friends with Hurts from High School.

Does Mac Jones or Zappe have any best friends from High School who are stars in the NFL?
Asking for a friend.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

My "realistic" free agent wish list for the offensive skill positions... No stars so I'm presenting this with the idea that we'd actually sign all of these guys.

QB Jacoby Brissett. Vet bridge QB, knows the team and system from his past stops here and in CLE. It's not exciting, but feels like a good guy to have in place as either a stop gap or mentor for a young QB.

RB Antonio Gibson. Brings some speed and pass catching ability out of the backfield to compliment Rhamondre.

TE Noah Fant. Some untapped potential there, you hope that the athleticism could translate into a breakout the same way it did for Njouku in CLE under AVP. Would bring more explosiveness to the position.

TE Harrison Bryant. Familiar with AVP's scheme and can step into a TE2 role here.

TE Pharoh Brown (re-sign). Played well as a blocker/third TE. Good to bring back to camp and round out the TE depth chart so we don't have to address the position in the draft if options aren't great.

WR Gabe Davis. I certainly understand the warts, but he brings a downfield threat with some size. Not suggesting he's going to come here and all of a sudden emerge into a #1 or anything, but he brings a skill set to attack parts of the field that we don't have guys for currently. A guy who can play outside the numbers and attack down the field is always valuable if for no other reason than drawing some extra attention from a safety.

WR Noah Brown. Maybe some untapped potential but at a base level he could come in and bring some solid depth at the position. Has inside/outside potential to make him a fit in different formations. He can be a bigger slot in situations that call for that over Pop Douglas but also play outside with him. Assuming he'd be a cheaper replacement for Bourne who I think ends up getting more than we should pay for a player of his caliber at this stage of our rebuild.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Allegedly..

Sneed was one of my favorite FA fits for us. But with the tag, I don't think it makes sense. They seem likely to trade him, but I don't think we're good enough to justify spending contract money AND a good pick on a player. Our talent level isn't high enough to pay a double cost for him.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I’m just hoping Wolf doesn’t go full GB philosophy and signs… no one in FA.

Green Bay’s free agency philosophy hasn’t been much different than Belichick’s historically, except they were more likely to resign their own guys prior to them hitting free agency (that was a known Belichick strategy, he said “you can’t be afraid of free agency” many times).

The Patriots have received the 3rd most compensatory picks in history. The Packers are 2nd. (The Ravens are 1st)

The types of free agents they sign may be different, but I’d expect the overall approach to look very similar.

 

[PatsFan2]

My "realistic" free agent wish list for the offensive skill positions... No stars so I'm presenting this with the idea that we'd actually sign all of these guys.

QB Jacoby Brissett. Vet bridge QB, knows the team and system from his past stops here and in CLE. It's not exciting, but feels like a good guy to have in place as either a stop gap or mentor for a young QB.

RB Antonio Gibson. Brings some speed and pass catching ability out of the backfield to compliment Rhamondre.

TE Noah Fant. Some untapped potential there, you hope that the athleticism could translate into a breakout the same way it did for Njouku in CLE under AVP. Would bring more explosiveness to the position.

TE Harrison Bryant. Familiar with AVP's scheme and can step into a TE2 role here.

TE Pharoh Brown (re-sign). Played well as a blocker/third TE. Good to bring back to camp and round out the TE depth chart so we don't have to address the position in the draft if options aren't great.

WR Gabe Davis. I certainly understand the warts, but he brings a downfield threat with some size. Not suggesting he's going to come here and all of a sudden emerge into a #1 or anything, but he brings a skill set to attack parts of the field that we don't have guys for currently. A guy who can play outside the numbers and attack down the field is always valuable if for no other reason than drawing some extra attention from a safety.

WR Noah Brown. Maybe some untapped potential but at a base level he could come in and bring some solid depth at the position. Has inside/outside potential to make him a fit in different formations. He can be a bigger slot in situations that call for that over Pop Douglas but also play outside with him. Assuming he'd be a cheaper replacement for Bourne who I think ends up getting more than we should pay for a player of his caliber at this stage of our rebuild.

I like everybody except Jacoby Biscuit @ QB.

 

[PatsFan2]

Green Bay’s free agency philosophy hasn’t been much different than Belichick’s historically, except they were more likely to resign their own guys prior to them hitting free agency (that was a known Belichick strategy, he said “you can’t be afraid of free agency” many times).

The Patriots have received the 3rd most compensatory picks in history. The Packers are 2nd. (The Ravens are 1st)

The types of free agents they sign may be different, but I’d expect the overall approach to look very similar.

They Draft way better no comparison absurd.

 

[Joey007]

Green Bay’s free agency philosophy hasn’t been much different than Belichick’s historically, except they were more likely to resign their own guys prior to them hitting free agency (that was a known Belichick strategy, he said “you can’t be afraid of free agency” many times).

The Patriots have received the 3rd most compensatory picks in history. The Packers are 2nd. (The Ravens are 1st)

The types of free agents they sign may be different, but I’d expect the overall approach to look very similar.

Green Bay would take it to an extreme level and will often sign no one on the market, in order to preserve as many comp picks as possible. Bill was always willing to at least make a few moves every offseason. I feel like, from a FA perspective, that was the better strategy. You can't ignore the market entirely.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I like everybody except Jacoby Biscuit @ QB.

What's the context that you don't like him though? I definitely wouldn't be excited about him at QB, but that wasn't my intention. I don't see a long term solution being added in free agency (Baker). And if we do get a guy in the draft, you're still going to want a vet mentor to go with him and I think Brissett is the best option for that out there. If we don't get a guy in the draft, then I think we still need an adult in the lockerroom because two hard-headed youngsters like Mac and Zappe won't work.