Player Signing Patriots Sign WR Stefon Diggs

[TommyD4207]

Why are no details coming around guarantees.

What are the incentives . Is it more like 2 years 35 million.

Have to wait about 48 hours once it's approved by the league then the details come out.

 

[Patsfan1645]

We currently have at least 2 good ones in Henry and Hooper. The last couple of years they were so needed as weapons that their blocking didn't get much of a chance to stand out but both grade out as good to very good blockers. Raheim Bell is a very good run blocker but I think I'd classify him more as a fullback than a tight end since no one is sitting either of the guys above him on the depth chart in favor of Bell.

I guess I should not expect our TEs to block like Gronk. I like Henry a lot as a receiver not so much as a blocker though, saw a couple plays last season he whiffed on. I figure Bell may be a better blocker than Henry or Hooper.

 

[Steve102]

As an example this...



...is far more evocative to anyone viewing it than posting...

"Words fail me"

 

[Real fan 02]

Why are no details coming around guarantees.

What are the incentives . Is it more like 2 years 35 million.

Yeah your right. The 3rd season is optional.. I think he's getting alot of Bonuses up front aside from the 26 guaranteed. Also whatever else he's entitled too as veteran per the CBA

 

[TommyD4207]

I see your point! So diggs and maybe another Vet like locckett perhaps??

Someone very much like lockett, yes.
Or Keenan Allen, there's not much bigger money interest gor him out there.

 

[Real fan 02]

I guess I should not expect our TEs to block like Gronk. I like Henry a lot as a receiver not so much as a blocker though, saw a couple plays last season he whiffed on. I figure Bell may be a better blocker than Henry or Hooper.

I really like bell to come on this season.. he could learn alot from Josh and the 2 good TEs ahead of him on depth chart. Bell has some real ability. Bell is a solid enough blocker.. as you mentioned everyone has a clean slate this season.

 

[TommyD4207]

 

[signbabybrady]

No, you're the Genius putting 7 WRs on the Roster Week 1 (before the Draft). Pick the 4 that play in the Game.

I hated that we did that last year. The job in camp was to figure out the 5 you wanted in the 53 and hopefully stash one on the PS. When they carried 7 out of camp last year I thought it was ridiculous.

 

[signbabybrady]

Yeah Boutte was shaded by the Safety a lot after Maye hit him on that Bomb vs the Texans. K Boutte should be singled up more now with the new additions and a better Pop Douglas. I hope Josh unlocks Pop Douglas the Potential is there.

I'm not Saying Pop is the next Edelman or Welker. But he has all the make up of a high volume slot guy which is something Josh definitely knows a little about developing and utilizing.

I expect his receptions to go up. Probably not over 100 like Wes or Jules but closer to 90 doesn't seem unrealistic in his 3rd year and now with proper coaching again.

 

[Real fan 02]

Someone very much like lockett, yes.
Or Keenan Allen, there's not much bigger money interest gor him out there.

Ok, yeah that's definitely logical. Also I can imagine the pressure it takes of Vrabel heading into the draft knowing at least you have a vet of diggs who can be relied upon to help Drake grow.. diggs IMO will attract other guys.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yeah Boutte was shaded by the Safety a lot after Maye hit him on that Bomb vs the Texans. K Boutte should be singled up more now with the new additions and a better Pop Douglas. I hope Josh unlocks Pop Douglas the Potential is there.

 

[signbabybrady]

Edelman also got suspended for 4 games for PEDs during the recovery. He also tore his ACL in August and not November

Edelman was also in the Pats system for years before hand and had Brady throwing to him.

Sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze.

Someone get Diggs some juice.

 

[Froob]

I have Mack Hollins as a lock too, due to his contract.

Current lock %

Diggs 100%
Hollins 100% (basically his entire first year is already paid for
Boutte 99% (super cheap deal, very young with more than slight upside due to his age.. only 22)
Polk 99% (I have never heard of a team giving up on such a high pick due to bad play and no off field stuff after 1 horrible year... it's possible he's cut... but unlikely)
Douglas 95% (Super cheap deal, young <24> with slight upside and is a serviceable depth piece Maye knows)
Bourne 5% (His contract sucks compared to Boutte/Douglas... he is getting up their for a WR and if we draft a guy it will be a numbers game. Cutting him saves 5M)

Since i think we will draft a guy i think Bourne gets the ax as i am very positive we won't hold 7 guys.

The only way i see Douglas gone is if the guy we draft instantly shows he's legit + Either one of Polk gets it or we draft a 2nd WR who also seems ready to go.

The only way i see both Douglas AND Boutte being cut is if Polk gets it and lives up to his pick + we draft 2 guys that also seem like legit NFL threats. But in this case we are also potentially likely to hold 7 just to see how it turns out by mid season...

Sunk cost, Hollins can be cut at really no loss. If he gets out performed in TC, they can easily move on.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Edelman also got suspended for 4 games for PEDs during the recovery. He also tore his ACL in August and not November

Edelman was also in the Pats system for years before hand and had Brady throwing to him.

And I'll also add that they had no other WRs that year and Gronk was playing like he was ready for retirement already for most of the year. So some of his "career year" production rates was just volume driven because Brady had to force it to someone.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The biggest point to this IMO is that it seems Diggs wants to be here.

Every WR FA Possibility since BB left, Aiyuk, Higgins, Kupp, Metcalf, Ridley, who they might have had a chance at, did not want to be here, even for money.

Diggs get Buffalo twice a year, is clear #1 if healthy, has the next possibly great QB throwing to him, plus goes back to his glory days of the AFC East for one more chance.

Few FAs wanted to be here. That culture is already changing plus Diggs has a big mouth. I don't see any situation where Diggs takes the money and doesn't give it his all.

This could become a Washington type destination with any success, even if it takes him a year to be his best.

Yep.

For a lot of reasons (facilities, climate, taxes, unproven QB, losing) the NEP are not a tier 1 desirable destination for WRs.

If Diggs can have success here, say good things about Vrabel and the org, and see Maye/Diggs kicking ass hopefully other WRs won't be too quick to eliminate NE from their list of pot' destinations.

 

[Real fan 02]

Sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze.

Someone get Diggs some juice.

I love when Stef squeeze my juices out..

 

[maust]

I guess I should not expect our TEs to block like Gronk. I like Henry a lot as a receiver not so much as a blocker though, saw a couple plays last season he whiffed on. I figure Bell may be a better blocker than Henry or Hooper.

Using Gronk as your benchmark I can see where you'd find all TE's wanting. Hell, Kittle falls short when using The Gronk Scale. Most every other starting TE is going to have at least a few olé's through the course of a season. Overall PFF, Next Gen and ESPN rate Henry and Hooper as 'good' among TE's today. Bell is a hella run blocker but he's not utilized for much else, again I'd say he's more like a fullback on this roster

 

[Steve102]

I love when Stef squeeze my juices out..

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[Hugepatsfan]

On the Hollins/"roster lock" stuff...

He's not good enough for me to ever call him a roster lock, but he's got a lot working for him.

1) He's currently the only guy on the team with X receiver body/route tree. Everyone else they use there will be a natural Z or slot masquerading as an X.

2) His STs value means he's probably the only WR on the team who could justify keeping a 7th WR overall and a 5th gameday active spot for a WR. He's able to steal a roster spot from another position if he gets beat out.

3) The contract isn't one they can't eat the cost of by any stretch, but it does mean they'll go in with the inclination to keep him and need to be moved off of that as opposed to the other way around. Compared to someone like Bourne where the savings they can get from moving on for his limited ability probably gives them the inclination to go the other way and need his play to move them off of that.