Offseason player acquisition thread

[captain stone]

Yes! Branch was an excellent DL.. when did vince leave 2015 or 16??

He left after the 2014 season. His career here began with a championship, and ended with one too.

 

[Real fan 02]

He left after the 2014 season. His career here began with a championship, and ended with one too.

I knew I could always depend on the cap!! Thanks pal.. for some reason I'm thinking later than 2014... so also did we have akeeem Hicks and ayers at the same time??

 

[PWRxWLF]

Yeah I'm taking Ersery & Donovan Jackson ahead of this guy all day long.

Thats too bad. Aside from that horrendous rep, he turned in one of the best senior bowl performances for the week.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I knew I could always depend on the cap!! Thanks pal.. for some reason I'm thinking later than 2014... so also did we have akeeem Hicks and ayers at the same time??

Hicks came the year after Ayers.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Come on man. He was the damn DPOY in 2019. Give him a little credit. He's right there with Law and Haynes as all-timers at the position here.

Funny, I remember cursing at the TV watching him get burnt that 1st year here.

 

[captain stone]

I knew I could always depend on the cap!! Thanks pal.. for some reason I'm thinking later than 2014... so also did we have akeeem Hicks and ayers at the same time??

Hicks came the year after Ayers.

Yep: not only did Wilferk leave after 2014, but so too did Akeem Ayers as a UFA (to the Lams)... Hicks therefore never played with either of them unfortunately.

 

[captain stone]

Funny, I remember cursing at the TV watching him get burnt that 1st year here.

His Hands to the Face penalty after Wise had sacked Scam Newton on 3rd down deep in their own territory very likely cost us that home game win early in the season. He made up for it at the last home game that season though...

 

[p8ryts]

Okay thanks for the clarity on this. Am I thinking of the same Hicks who went to Chicago?? Becuase didn't we trade for him in the 2014 season?? I think you may be referring to ayers??

Yes, I think we got him from New Orleans. There was some talk about him wanting to go back west, he was from Canada.

 

[upstater1]

Yeah I'm taking Ersery & Donovan Jackson ahead of this guy all day long.

In games, Conerly clears almost all the other guys outside Membou, Simmons and Campbell. And Conerly played the top competition all year long. Ersery, on the other hand, gave up the outside rush, the inside rush, basically moves pretty slow and lets pass rushers in easily.

Conerly is very athletic and hard to get past.

If you want a guy who will absolutely maul the defender in the running game, Ersery is your man. He is great for the running game.

 

[upstater1]

I'm coming around to the WR that I want to draft - Savion Williams in the 2nd round
Hear me out. I know we all want quick shifty guys to get open.
But, that's why we have Pop & Boutte. And KB is still a good route runner.
We should also sign a FA WR for that type - either Diontae Johnson or Hollywood Brown

If the Pats supposedly want Higgins - I'd much rather draft a 6'5" 220 WR that plays quite similarly, and runs a 4.45 40!
Projected to be a legit X, and won't cost the ridiculous $30M that Higgins will take.

Lastly - if Savion can't cut it as a NFL WR, he has the body type to convert into a receiving TE - like Gesicki or Hooper.

B12 WR. Have had enough of these guys for a lifetime.

 

[dliverey44]

That post was not me arguing to overpay Tee. I do not want Higgins because of the cost. I used him as an example because people seem to think we can overpay a lot of people and give them low cap numbers this year but are ignoring the ramifications. It was a cautionary tale of getting a low cap number and then the potential cap hell that can come with it.

If we do not improve the talent on this team we will stay in perpetual sucktitude. I did mention over paying because the cap can be manipulated so much that any team can afford players if they want them. It may take some over pays to sway Alaric Jackson/Stanley/ other starting LT to come to our team. BB set a value set on Meyers and chose not to go over that, so he left to go to the Raiders, and I am here to tell you that "overpaying" Jakobi probably would have been worth it.

Hypothetical-the Pats and Philly offer Josh Sweat the same contract his choice would probably be Philly, so it would take an overpay to get him. Being fiscally disciplined and not "overpaying is mostly building through the draft and that will take 5 years or more. So, I guess I am enthusiastic about overpaying but it has to be the right player(s).

My question to you is why do you want them to continue to suck by not doing what it takes to improve the roster?

 

[DaBruinz]

I've been on the Jackson bandwagon for months now. He's my #1 choice as a FA OT target. He'd be smart to test the free agent waters because this offseason is probably his one shot at the brinks truck but it is also possible that he'll be convinced to resign with the Rams before the start of FA. The Rams are in decent shape from a cap perspective.

Jenkins has reportedly performed well at LG over the past teo years and his aggressive play style would fit with what Vrabel is likely looking for in an O-lineman but his 14 games played in 2024 was the highest total in his l4 years in the league. I'd be hesitant to give him the 10-12m per year that some have projected with his inability to stay out of the training room.

There is a very good chance that the Rams slap the Franchise tag on Jackson. They'd be foolish not to do so.

 

[ViperGTS]

Cincy plans on franchise tagging Higgins. So there you have it. He isn't coming here.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Need to explore the trade market for a WR now.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Cincy plans on franchise tagging Higgins. So there you have it. He isn't coming here.

Not so sure that's gonna happen, Burrow can restructure to free up some cash, but Higgins wants his $, and Chase is right behind him looking for the Brinks truck.

This is the problem when you miss your Biggest window.
He's going to have to take a bit less AAV to stay there IMO.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Looking forward to the actual action, and not all these click bait useless articles from sporting news, SI, etc titled, “Patriots look like ideal landing spot for player X”. Then it’s just referencing some unknown writer or talking head rattling someone off.

Couldn’t agree more, and just like last year they all want them to give up their first round pick.

 

[Patsgofor4]

There is a very good chance that the Rams slap the Franchise tag on Jackson. They'd be foolish not to do so.

It's certainly possible but it wouldn't be foolish to not tag him, IMO. There are risks to both choices (tag or no tag). In reality, he probably isn't quite a franchise tag-level player and they run the risk of him signing the tag and taking the $25m in guaranteed money for 2025. Even if he eventually signs an extension, if the tag is still in place at the start of free agency, it severely limits their ability to add to their roster, with the $25m tied up.

If I were the Rams, I wouldn't tag him but would make him a strong/aggressive offer prior to free agency which gives him the guaranteed that he wants but with a reasonable 2025 cap hit. As much as I'd love for the Pats to steal him away, I'd put money on him signing a long-term deal with LA.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Cooper Kupp Injuries as he gets older ARE a concern, but he's a fkn genius on the field.
It's been stated how smart he is, discussing with the OC AND the QB... even between plays....
Are we sure he's not a good get for 2 years at reasonable $?

 

[Joey007]

I think most have disregarded this name because Tampa always seems to retain their FA's.

But I'd take Chris Godwin in a heartbeat, injuries aside. I think he'll recover.

 

[TommyD4207]

Cooper Kupp Injuries as he gets older ARE a concern, but he's a fkn genius on the field.
It's been stated how smart he is, discussing with the OC AND the QB... even between plays....
Are we sure he's not a good get for 2 years at reasonable $?

Cooper Kupp turns 32 before training camp.
What's the point of bringing him in on a 2 year contract, other than wasting a spot you could be developing someone who will be here when the Patriots are back in contention?

If he were 28, you could talk me into it. He's 32 coming off another major injury.