Offseason player acquisition thread

[Hugepatsfan]

5th year option money for a G/C is pretty cheap, I can see them picking it up if they expect to keep him going forward.

Andrews looked cooked to me even before he got hurt, when he couldn't get out on screens, that was pretty much the end for him in my mond. Love what he did here, but it's time to move on.

I've read the option is projected to be $17.4M. I don't think that's cheap. Can't justify giving him that, even if you do want to keep him long term. It'd be harder to sign him to a reasonable long term deal anyway if you give him that outrageous number to fall back on.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Where do you get that Douglas misses his spots??
You also only list 4 WR. You forgot either Baker or Boutte..

We Saw it, stop being a bully, I FKN SAW IT!
He CONTINUALLY RUNS through his spot, trying to get hit in stride again so he looks good.
Baker is obviously a Dumbass, Boutte is decent, he was considered a 1st rdr before he got hurt and had issues with the coaching staff, I've never said he was bad,voiced HOPING he would get it .
What are you trying to say/Bully me into?
You're NOT going to bully me tough guy, I, ain't having it, .bah, move along and try someone else.

**** Off

 

[dliverey44]

Plenty of money to throw at a tackle, unclear if there are any worthy. I don't see how signing Smith would limit anything they do at tackle. It does give them flexibility to put Onwenu at RT if he's the best option and Robinson makes a 2nd year jump.

Smith was ALL-SEC LG 2 years in a row, so not sure why you would think he can't play LG?
I don't think he'd have a problem there.

I was just asking your plan, you seemed to get defensive. Are you OK?

Sorry it did not come across as just my curiousity.

 

[TommyD4207]

I've read the option is projected to be $17.4M. I don't think that's cheap. Can't justify giving him that, even if you do want to keep him long term. It'd be harder to sign him to a reasonable long term deal anyway if you give him that outrageous number to fall back on.

Onwenu's making more than that. For one year while you're determining whether to keep him, and have tons of cap space anyway, that's a totally reasonable number in my mind.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Onwenu's making more than that. For one year while you're determining whether to keep him, and have tons of cap space anyway, that's a totally reasonable number in my mind.

Onwenu makes that much money because he has multiple years of good NFL play. Strange hasn't firmly established himself as starter level yet. $17.5M seems like an outrageous number for him.

 

[TommyD4207]

Onwenu makes that much money because he has multiple years of good NFL play. Strange hasn't firmly established himself as starter level yet. $17.5M seems like an outrageous number for him.

Strange has been at least as good when healthy, and certainly last year's performance doesn't help Onwenu's case any. Ideally, sure, decline the option if you can get a better long-term deal, but you have to determine if you eve want to keep him necessarily. If you need another year to evaluate him, it's basically a cheap franchise tag. If you get someone better, then you get someone better.

I'm fine upgrading both guys if you can do it. One year for just money of average-at-worst play doesn't seem like a bad proposition, especially when you're 130 million under the cap.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I feel Strange is a good player, IDGAS where he was drafted. I Just want good players.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

No Good coach Cares, just wants the Men that can mash.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Former Texas A&M DL had the highest tackling grade for his position per PFF rankings

Former Texas A&M DL Bobby Brown finished the 2024 NFL season with the highest tackling grade among interior defensive linemen

sports.yahoo.com

Bobby Brown III is one of my prime free agent targets (playing Pats GM). Beast mode run defender and seem to finally put it all together last year. Only 24.

 

[mgteich]

Plenty of money to throw at a tackle, unclear if there are any worthy. I don't see how signing Smith would limit anything they do at tackle. It does give them flexibility to put Onwenu at RT if he's the best option and Robinson makes a 2nd year jump.

Smith was ALL-SEC LG 2 years in a row, so not sure why you would think he can't play LG?
I don't think he'd have a problem there.

Sure, let's sign a RG for $25M and switch his position.

I vote for signing very good players who are successful at positions of need. There has to be a better FA use for the money we would give to Smith.

 

[mgteich]

5th year option money for a G/C is pretty cheap, I can see them picking it up if they expect to keep him going forward.

Andrews looked cooked to me even before he got hurt, when he couldn't get out on screens, that was pretty much the end for him in my mond. Love what he did here, but it's time to move on.

So, you would sign Strange for 2026 for a guaranteed $15M or so?

If they want Strange going forward, they should sign him to a 3 year extension. They can make that decision after the initial free agent period when they have a better idea of the roster.

 

[signbabybrady]

Former Texas A&M DL had the highest tackling grade for his position per PFF rankings

Former Texas A&M DL Bobby Brown finished the 2024 NFL season with the highest tackling grade among interior defensive linemen

sports.yahoo.com

Bobby Brown III is one of my prime free agent targets (playing Pats GM). Beast mode run defender and seem to finally put it all together last year. Only 24.

My Perogative would be to sign him too

 

[KCSVEN]

I was just asking your plan, you seemed to get defensive. Are you OK?

Sorry it did not come across as just my curiousity.

Wasn't defensive at all, just wanted to know why you thought he can't play left guard. Thought Maybe I was missing something.
The plan will change depending on the rest of the off season, but Smith gives you flexibility, he can play either guard position so if Onwenu at RT ends up the best option there Smith goes to RG, if you get a better option at RT then he plays LG.
Onwenu comes in out of shape again and has a down year you can cut him after the season, it just opens all kinds of options and you get a pro bowl caliber lineman which you don't have now.
Sign him and CUT Onwenu and you are better off, just an extreme example as to why Smith is a no brainer.
It's not like signing Smith limits them in free agency after that.

He's the best free agent player entering his prime years, you get him and figure out the best option after that.

 

[KCSVEN]

Sure, let's sign a RG for $25M and switch his position.

I vote for signing very good players who are successful at positions of need. There has to be a better FA use for the money we would give to Smith.

Switch his position to a position he played for 2 years a few years a ago and was all conference at? Thuney had a big contract and was LG. Despite that they saw how good Smith was and switched his position. He easily would have played LG if Thuney was at RG.

Its not like we are taking a guy that never played LG and moving him there. He even played LT 1 year in college. I'm 99% confident he'll play LG as well as he played RG especially with a full off season and training camp.

I'd love the alternate list of really good players at position of need because there are only like 5 really good players in free agency.
Sweat, Stanley, Mack are all below the level of player Smith is and all are older than Smith. Yet you can sign Smith AND not be hampered in signing those guys if you want them.

Somehow, we are just out on the #1 available free agent and best free agent on the offensive line because he played RG instead of L only because they had Thuney? The flexibility Smith gives you is great. If you can only add 1 starting tackle, you can move Onwenu to Right Tackle. You can plug him in to LG and have a solid middle of the line. It's a no brainer.

I vote we sign the best players we can and bring in the best talent possible regardless of position, outside of QB of course.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Here's the thing that a lot of people are missing when they're throwing out names for trades or free agency, and I've said it repeatedly. If you're going to trade for guys, or sign guys, they have to be young enough to grow along with the team, and still be in their prime once Maye hits year 5. That's really the timeframe. Next year, improve, 2026, playoffs, 2027, division, 2028, title contender - that's how the rebuild has to work, because after that, Maye's going to be due for something like 75 million/yr after that time.

Offensive linemen, age isn't as important, because they can still play at a high level well into their 30s. Losing speed isn't as big of an issue, so those are the guys you get in FA if you can, since it's just money.

But if you're talking about bringing in 30 year old receivers or corners or pass rushers, those guys will be 34 and making retirement plans by the time the Patriots are competing for a title again. The *only* reason I was for bringing Higgins in, was because he's 26, and would have only cost money.

The other thing is draft capital, and we need a lot of it. We have way more holes on the team than I think people even realize. It's more than just 'Left Tackle and Receiver'. We need a young tight end. We need to improve every position on the offensive line, not just left tackle. Can Onwenu turn back into 2021 Onwenu? Or do we have the sloth-like figure we got last year. Where is Cole Strange going to play? Andrews looked absolutely cooked before he got hurt, again, he couldn't even get out on screens anymore. You don't need one offensive lineman, you need at least 3. You need another running back, and cutting bait with Rhamondre Stevenson would be ok with me, he's making *way* too much money. You're going to need a 3rd quarterback. You need at least one interior defensive lineman, and at least one edge rusher - but preferably you'd want two D-Tackles. You need 2 more linebackers, because you have to do better than Tavai and Elliss, and Bentley is coming off yet another major injury. You still need a deep safety. You need at least one boundary corner, because Jonathan Jones looked about done by the end of last year, and as much as some people love Austin and Dial, those are deep depth players at best. Like CB 5 and 6. If they're getting significant time, there's big trouble. And you could probably use a young box safety as well, because who knows what we're going to get from Dugger and Peppers, and they will be 29 and 30 this year, so they're out of the time frame long term.

So, no, trading for George ****ing Pickens with 4 is batshit insane. Drafting Will Campbell, who's ceiling is Matt Light, at #4 overall is also batshit insane. You need talent, and you need draft capital, and you need to hit on everything for this to work. If you want Will Campbell that badly, you need to trade out to 10 and get a first next year. Otherwise there are 5 left tackles you can get in the first three rounds who are just about as good. Don't overrate and overdraft talent because of need. If Hunter's there at 4, you take him, he's the best player in the draft. Don't take the Abdul Carter cheese, he's 'back-half-of-the-first' EDGE talent you can get ANY year.

They've gotta be smart, and I am really not confident that Wolf is the guy to do it, if this complete and utter disaster of an offseason in 2024 was any indication. You hit on QB at #3 and stole a Day 2 guy in the 6th round at QB. Neat. Outside of Antonio Gibson, every single draft pick, FA signing, and 'we re-signed our own guys!' signing was an abject failure. You wasted a year of Drake Maye, and you can't get that back. I expect the coaching to be better, but they need to have decent groceries to cook with, or this isn't going to work.

Also, you need to actually spend money. If there is young talent available in free agency, you need to back up the Brinks truck, because that talent only costs money, which the Patriots should have plenty of - and no draft capital.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, except once again you are saying that you don’t believe Wolf can do it, when Wolf isn’t going to be picking the players. Wolf Cowden, and Groh will be giving recommendations and Vrabel will be making the decisions. There is plenty of news documenting this.

 

[Real fan 02]

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.

Basically all the available WRs are 28 or older.. Deebo, kupp, diggs, probably going to have to take a flier on a guy and develop polk and baker. Also even at 32 kupp can still play.. 2 year deal would you offer it??

 

[Real fan 02]

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.

I would too.. but I'm also trying to stay away from redundancy at the WR position.. he's a slot guy pretty much.. you have pop already .. we need some guys that play the perimeter.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Sure, let's sign a RG for $25M and switch his position.

I vote for signing very good players who are successful at positions of need. There has to be a better FA use for the money we would give to Smith.

I think we should just emphasize the good players part. Positions of need is great, but you can't control who the great players are that are available in any given year. Like look at Onwenu's contract... it's pretty much100% set up for him to be released next year. And then, all of a sudden, RG becomes a need. So if they really think Smith is a high level piece to lock in long term, I wouldn't pass up on that because it's an awkward fit for 1 year with someone will probably be gone this time next year.

The only position we truly have "locked down" is QB. Obviously you're not going to sign or draft someone there at starter level money/draft status. But everywhere else, I think the roster is in total flux because the only other "core" pieces we have are Gonzo at CB and arguably Barmore and/or White on the DL which are all spots where you need multiple starters and even starter caliber backups on the DL where rotating is important.

Other than QB, I just view this total roster in flux. I'm not really locked into any one player, never mind set with our depth chart at any full position or position grouping. So I really don't care about fit. Just sign and draft the best young players you can to build a little core and move what you need to around that. I'd rather prioritize the caliber of players we're adding than how they fit with the stop gaps, older players, JAGs and outright bums our roster is littered with.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Strange has been at least as good when healthy, and certainly last year's performance doesn't help Onwenu's case any. Ideally, sure, decline the option if you can get a better long-term deal, but you have to determine if you eve want to keep him necessarily. If you need another year to evaluate him, it's basically a cheap franchise tag. If you get someone better, then you get someone better.

I'm fine upgrading both guys if you can do it. One year for just money of average-at-worst play doesn't seem like a bad proposition, especially when you're 130 million under the cap.

Strange has not been as good as Onwenu. Even last year Onwenu was good at RG after a bad stint at RT where it seemed he was too fat. Strange hasn't been terrible or anything, but he has never been a "good" starter. He can't pass block for **** yet. I'm not giving up on him yet and would like to see if he can stay healthy. I see potential still but calling him good is exaggerating his level of performance to date.

In general, I'm fine with "overpaying" to lock in average or ok on stop gap deals. $17.5M for Strange is just taking that to extreme levels for me.

 

[dliverey44]

Wasn't defensive at all, just wanted to know why you thought he can't play left guard. Thought Maybe I was missing something.
The plan will change depending on the rest of the off season, but Smith gives you flexibility, he can play either guard position so if Onwenu at RT ends up the best option there Smith goes to RG, if you get a better option at RT then he plays LG.
Onwenu comes in out of shape again and has a down year you can cut him after the season, it just opens all kinds of options and you get a pro bowl caliber lineman which you don't have now.
Sign him and CUT Onwenu and you are better off, just an extreme example as to why Smith is a no brainer.
It's not like signing Smith limits them in free agency after that.

He's the best free agent player entering his prime years, you get him and figure out the best option after that.

I also think he can play LG. I think he is the best OL in this FA class despite him getting it handed to him in the SB