Player Signing Patriots sign S Marcus Epps

[Hugepatsfan]

Whoever told you that Epps is a SS was either misinformed or was lying to you. He's 100% a FS.

No one told me, it was my own (incorrect leap). I saw his poor coverage grades and assumed he was one of those safties who needs to play in the box/downhill.

On further research, he does seem to very much play like a FS. He seems to have some athletic limitations that will hold him back from ever being great in the role. If we play a lot of cover 1 with him, he's going to give up some plays but seems like he could be a stable vet at the spot.

 

[Sciz]

Per OverTheCap:
$1,345,000 salary+signing bonus+workout bonus
$680,000 roster bonuses ($40k per game active)
$2.4M playing time incentives

Not actually $4.4M unless he plays every game and a ton of snaps.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Good news guys, we got the 26th ranked safety in free agency according to Walterfootball. At least he wasn't dead last! They ranked 50 safeties so our dude should be considered at least mediocre.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

We should only get 53 $40M All -Pros, they failed

 

[Huckleberry1]

Meh.. IMO nothing to really complain about.. home boy may not even make the team.. a nothing ****ing singing.. veteran depth if anything.

Veteran depth is what it’s supposed to be. You don’t sign stars to be your 3rd or 4th safety.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Good news guys, we got the 26th ranked safety in free agency according to Walterfootball. At least he wasn't dead last! They ranked 50 safeties so our dude should be considered at least mediocre.

You’re right, they should have signed the #1 player at every position.

 

[Real fan 02]

Veteran depth is what it’s supposed to be. You don’t sign stars to be your 3rd or 4th safety.

Agreed ..

 

[jdlboot14]

So is Epps going to take Hawkins place? Don't know if all the guys being re-signed or brought in can make it.
We'll also need cheaper depth like Pettus to be backups.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I wonder what his brother Omar thinks?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I wonder what his brother Omar thinks?

It's in his blood. He was a great RB in college. Hooked up with Halle Berry.

 

[JohnJH]

If Mapu can’t convert to LB, he’s done IMO.

I HATED the Mapu pick when it was first made.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I HATED the Mapu pick when it was first made.

Mapu is a good player when used properly.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Justice was pretty happy for awhile...

 

[patfanken]

Epps isn't really a backup level player as much as at worst a 3rd safety who will see the field for a certain role in specific packages but probably a decent full time starter if he bounces bck well. Look at the man's snap counts... which to me is one of the most underrated things in football.

in 2022 on the Eagles he played 99.10% of the snaps on defense and led the team in defensive snaps on the 8th overall defense. So on a D of that level he filled an important role and they didn't want him off the field.

in 2023 on the Raiders he played 91% of the snaps, best for 4th most on D. This was the 9th best D by PPGs.

In 2024 he only played 3 games (got injured in the 3rd... i don't know at what point in the game) and played 15.8% of the total snaps... so likely the vast majority of snaps until he got injured. For what it is worth in their first 2 games they allowed 22 and 23 points vs overall good offenses in SD and Balt... was it amazing D? No, but probably more in line with 2023 for the Raiders... and not 2024 when they ended up having 25th overall D without him. Now i am in no way shape or form saying Epps is the reason the Raiders dropped from the 9th best D to the 25th. No one defensive player is responsible for a 6 PPG swing. But it played a factor I'm sure. How large of one is something we can only guess.

People shouldn't dislike this signing. Epps IS NOT a camp body. He is better than not. Epps IS NOT the 4th safety on this team if he comes back form his injury. He is better than that. I look at his 1 year up to 4.4M contract and frankly. I think we got a pretty damn good deal.

So basically after all the whining and head banging from the usual trying to pretend we are Jet fans, we end up with a FS good enough to start for 3 straight NFL seasons and competent enough that the teams let him stay out there over 95% of the snaps, AND we managed to do it probably by guaranteeing somewhere between $2.5-3MM with incentives of around $1.3MM

We had a big need at free safety or at least someone who has experience playing the position (roles on today's defenses are not usually so well defined as they were back in the day). The guy isn't an all pro, but he's a proven, decent starter at a position where we didn't have one. AND we got him for a very reasonable price.

The cry babies and smarter than you guys ignore those stats that Bob D gave us. The amount of playing time he was one the field over the last 3 years. They want to you to believe that those coaches were idiots because they allowed a guy THEY determined sucks to keep playing after they watched him for hours on film every week.

No THEY want you to listen to them and a few fans from Epps' former teams web sites. NOT the guys who do it for a living.

This was a good signing and we should look for more like this, and stop waiting for All pros and future HOFers to fall from the sky every day or complain when they don't.

 

[Ross12]

Mapu is a good player when used properly.

I’m super curious about his usage/fate this year under Vrabel/Williams.

 

[Wozzy]

I’m super curious about his usage/fate this year under Vrabel/Williams.

LB'er

 

[Wozzy]

They're really deep in the DB room at safety.

I like the player, but he's a year from being full health after injury and even at full health has limits at FS because he has average speed.

Devin McCourty covered up a lot of mistakes, he had range and make up speed. DMC could play CB, especially against big WR's... Epps shouldn't be doing that.

Epps has good instincts and all his measurables are solid except for straight speed. He's a 4.5 guy. He'll get beat if he isn't perfect with his decision making and technique. Good signing but a bit redundant.

 

[dliverey44]

You’re right, they should have signed the #1 player at every position.

Yes they should be cutting probowlers to get down to 53. you cut probowlers for All Pros. DUH

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

They won't be able to address FS until mid to late rounds.

Agreed. But I think we take Hunter at #4 and he plays a lot of FS. Hunter is better with the ball in front of him, FS is easier to learn, his instincts are exceptional, he played FS at Colorado, it is not an overly tiring position as he can play it only in dime, and he is a huge ball hawk with great hands. Might be a great fit while Hunter plays a lot of WR.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Yes they should be cutting probowlers to get down to 53. you cut probowlers for All Pros. DUH

You’re right, my bad. Of course you cut pro bowlers for All Pro’s I should know, I keep getting named to the Pro Bowl. Usually as an alternate, but pretty regularly. One year I was even ahead of Mac Jones on the Pro Bowl depth chart. He wasn’t very happy about it, he kicked a trash can over and told the janitor to clean it the **** up. Said he had even quit eating ice cream most of the time to make the Pro Bowl, then asked why I was so special.? Then he had a good cry. It was weird.