a quick look at 2026 FA

[Real fan 02]

I know Pitts runs like a WR and we have better Coaching. Look at how well Chaisson and Tonga are playing: it's not by accident. Good Coaching can get a lot out of a player: we have been spoiled and fortunate.

Yes! He won't break the bank.. and he could really reach his potential here.. we currently have some solid TEs.. but lets be honest as a pure skill set they ain't pitts..

 

[Real fan 02]

Austin Hooper? He was a third round pick. Pitts has been a disappointment based upon where he was drafted and expectations, but he averages more yards than Hooper.

I’m not really lobbying for Pitts. I think he’s going to want 12.5 mil a year and I think he’s lacks the sort of qualities that seem to make one sucessful in a Josh McDaniels offense (work ethic, toughness, willingness to work towards improvement)

Njoku, is making > 13 mil. I doubt he’s our guy either

He won't get 12M .. I say offer him a 2 year.. 10M deal.. let him come here.. play with Drake and Josh could really get so much more out of him than whatever he's doing in the ATL.. Coaching makes a world of difference..

 

[PatsFan2]

Yes! He won't break the bank.. and he could really reach his potential here.. we currently have some solid TEs.. but lets be honest as a pure skill set they ain't pitts..

McDaniels had Gronk and Hernandez nuff said!

 

[Real fan 02]

McDaniels had Gronk and Hernandez nuff said!

That is why I'm optimistic.. if Kyle Pitts wants to come here he will flourish.. we have had a TE of his caliber since Hernandez.. meaning his speed and agility.

 

[Toofy]

#9 ranked TE by ESPN.. 420 yards.. on the season.. probably ends up with 6 to 700.. yeah compared to the hype you could say he is. underachieving. Advantage patiots.. I still like the idea of Kyle Pitts the talent and potential with a real QB, a real OC and a real HC.. 2 years between 4 and 8 million is reasonable..

He is gonna get 10-15 a year . 3 years 18 ,06 million gtd I am ok.

But he will be somewhere in 3/35

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Or we could just bring Hooper back, who already has a connection with Maye? And draft a TE and see if Dipre has anything.

That's definitely an option. If you stick to familiarity too much though you can get stagnant or decline.

Hooper is 31. History says he'll be worse next year than he's been this year. Same thing applies to Henry who is also 31. Most of the names people are suggesting are younger options who could possibly not only replace Hooper as TE2 but potentially fill in for Henry as TE1 should he decline phase be more exaggerated than we hope.

Totally open to bringing Hooper back and drafting a guy. But I'm also open to replacing Hooper with a younger option if there's someone they like because that's how you get ahead of things. It's better to layer your depth chart with youth and upside so solutions are on the roster before you need them vs. scrambling to fill later.

 

[Real fan 02]

He is gonna get 10-15 a year . 3 years 18 ,06 million gtd I am ok.

But he will be somewhere in 3/35

If he does good for him to get that contract.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

He won't get 12M .. I say offer him a 2 year.. 10M deal.. let him come here.. play with Drake and Josh could really get so much more out of him than whatever he's doing in the ATL.. Coaching makes a world of difference..

I don't see that as a realistic contract. No way he takes multiple years for such low money IMO. Remember, with where he was drafted he's already made $43,959,680 in his career. If there isn't a big multi year deal out there, you have to think he'd take a 1 year deal where he can try again next year.

Your deal of 2 years, $10M is obviously designed for him to be a breakout candidate and then we get the 2nd year super cheap. That's the type of deal you get a semi-unproven later round pick for who hasn't made much money and if you put enough guarantees in the 2nd year that it's a "real" 2 year deal it's worth it for them because $10M is still a lot of money if you haven't made much (in NFL terms). A guy like Pitts who's already made $44M isn't going to lock himself into a low 2nd year like that. Unrealistic.

 

[mike_usagisan]

That's definitely an option. If you stick to familiarity too much though you can get stagnant or decline.

Hooper is 31. History says he'll be worse next year than he's been this year. Same thing applies to Henry who is also 31. Most of the names people are suggesting are younger options who could possibly not only replace Hooper as TE2 but potentially fill in for Henry as TE1 should he decline phase be more exaggerated than we hope.

Totally open to bringing Hooper back and drafting a guy. But I'm also open to replacing Hooper with a younger option if there's someone they like because that's how you get ahead of things. It's better to layer your depth chart with youth and upside so solutions are on the roster before you need them vs. scrambling to fill later.

Agreed. I think if they see younger options they like, they should do it, but I'm not sure there are going to be better options at the TE position. So maybe draft a guy, kick Hooper and Henry a year down the road and see what the following year's draft class and FAs look like.

 

[JoeSixPat]

After I thought I lost all my "idle thoughts" work, I tried to ease my frustration by checking out the potential FA Market for next off season. Now there will always be a certain significant % that will resign with their present team. Others will get offers from others that will be more tempting. Still others who might rather live somewhere other than Foxboro. So, this is just a mental exercise to discuss and get us to Thursday.


1. Who do we re-sign from our own FA's. There are really only 3 that matter imho. Tonga, Chaisson, and Ellis. Tonga will be 31, which would be a no-no if he hadn't done so well and earned his raise. I'd give him a 2-3 year deal with a solid raise.

Chaisson is a tougher question. He's had a "breakout" year and will likely wind up with 8-12 sacks. I think he has 6.5 now. I think he'd be an asset, but edge rushers come at a premium these days. However, I think he's kind of a one trick pony who needs to be moving on a twist or slant to be consistently effective. He's not powerful enough to just come in on his own and bull rush anyone. I'd love him back, but only if is what everyone would deem to be a "reasonable" contract. At least one of Ponder (who got a sack Sunday) or Swinson need to develop into at least a rotational rusher who can consistently provide pressure on the QB or we will need to draft one very early. Chaisson might be gone and Landry, who has been very consistent against both the pass and run, isn't going to remind anyone of TJ Watt.


2. Who do we sign outside of the team and what positions should we target:

My first target would be Breece Hall - I think we have Stevenson under contract for the '26 season. I think he is a good enough runner, blocker, and receiver to be of value, and his cap # is reasonable. A RB room of Hall, Stevenson, Henderson, and one of Gibson, Jennings, or draft pick would be a strong unit deep and versatile. No need for a "3rd down back, since all 4 can catch and run routes well.

Hall is NOT going to sign with the Jets. Even with all those picks, even IF they hit on a good QB, it's going to be 2-3 years before they will be ready to compete and that's a lifetime to a RB. If winning is important to Hall he isn't going to be in that cesspool in NJ. In NE we have a young team, a great QB, Great coaching staff, great culture, and great owner. Boston and Providence might not be the draws that LA/Miami, or LA are, but they don't suck and not every athlete is drawn to the "club scene" and sees it as an important factor in picking where to play.


3. Beyond Hall, our next FA class should have a starting OLman. Maybe Joe Thuney would like to end his career back where it started for the next 2 years.


4. We saw tonight in impact a good edge guy makes and the Eagles deal with Miami was an instant success. The guy I'm looking for is well under 30 and will sign for 4 years. Bonito would be great, but the year he is having will put him into the Watt/Parsons range which is too rich. Boye Mafi will cost half that, yet be what we want and need. The other option is to make our first rounder an edge guy and hope he works out.


We don't need to find 6 immediate starters in FA and 5 immediate starters in the draft next year. We DO need to improve the quality of our depth and continue to add speed across the board. This year was a good start, but just a start. Just look to the Eagles. They've been to 2 Superbowls, yet are still looking to add talent whenever they can.

You pretty much covered the main areas.

There's a price at which I'm happy to pay Tonga and Chaisson, but if they balk at a reasonable price, I think there's others out there better than them, though no doubt will be more expensive. That's a long way of saying I like the two of them as quality depth but I think we can do better than the both of them - though I really appreciate some of the FB plays by Tonga.

We'll probably spend some money on edge too.

I'm not sure why the Jets didn't trade Hall - maybe the NFL didn't want them tanking THAT bad - but maybe just not enough value for a half season rental and then a big payday, but I'm with you - I hope we don't get TOO good a preview of a top RB free agent next season. He can catch passes too.

And yeah - the OL will get some investments as Maye is too good to deserve those sacks.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I'm not sure why the Jets didn't trade Hall - maybe the NFL didn't want them tanking THAT bad - but maybe just not enough value for a half season rental and then a big payday, but I'm with you - I hope we don't get TOO good a preview of a top RB free agent next season. He can catch passes too.

I think they think they'll be building their offense around Hall next year to help ease in a new QB. Kind of like what we tried to do with Mac.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think they think they'll be building their offense around Hall next year to help ease in a new QB. Kind of like what we tried to do with Mac.

Which would indicate they think they can re-sign him. But he wants to win now (and get paid now.)

Given the picks they have in 2026/27 I'd say they're targeting 2028 with their new QB to be relevant again.

And if they want Arch Manning he may opt NOT to come out this year - perhaps just to avoid the Jets!

 

[mgteich]

He won't get 12M .. I say offer him a 2 year.. 10M deal.. let him come here.. play with Drake and Josh could really get so much more out of him than whatever he's doing in the ATL.. Coaching makes a world of difference..

If 2/$10M is our best offer, then Tonga will play for another team, and will thank Vrabel for his year with us.

 

[mgteich]

You pretty much covered the main areas.

.. That's a long way of saying I like the two of them as quality depth but I think we can do better than the both of them -.

ROFL

Thank you for the belly laugh.

 

[hornetfb85]

No thanks. Henry, Hooper, Draft a Guy.

Njoku looks kinda washed to me. Certainly not worth spending actual money on.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Pretty confident BAL won't tag Lindebaum. They had the 5th year option on his rookie deal and declined to offer it because the $23M price tag was too much for them to guarantee. And that was coming off 2 pro bowl seasons. Maybe they think he's even more improved this year and/or their view of the rest of the roster/cap sheet has moved some to where they're now willing to do that for a bit extra from what they already declined, but I doubt it.

The main reason they declined it is that, somehow, the NFL still treats all OLs the same for tag/option purposes, so guards and centers get paid as if they were tackles.

 

[captain stone]

That makes him below average in pressure rate I don't want Fries either. I think we can afford to go young at RG, especially if we can keep Moses.

Yep; the daze of spending Big Bucks on the Least important position along the OL while other, More important positions along it go without, should be Ovah.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

The main reason they declined it is that, somehow, the NFL still treats all OLs the same for tag/option purposes, so guards and centers get paid as if they were tackles.

Right and that still applies for the tag like it did the option.

Reports are they fully intend to keep him long term, but declined the option because of what you said. The reason why having that bloated year is bad for a player you want to sign is because it's such a bad spot in negotiating for the team.

Creed Humphrey is the highest paid center in the NFL at 4 years, $72M with $50M guaranteed. If BAL picked up the option, Lindebaum would have 1 year, $23M guaranteed already. Lindebaum is good enough where a set the market kind of contract is realistic and unless BAL blows him away way over Humphrey, the one year option creates a situation where he's better off just going to FA again the next year were he could get the same kind of contract still except already with a huge 1 year payout. Or they tag him and then he matched Humphrey's guarantee while still getting to be a FA again in 2028 at an age where he could set the market while already having $50M in the bank.

The tag and option years are getting so high where they no longer serve as good placeholders to work out extensions. They actually disincentivize the player from signing them because they get life changing money security without having to lock themselves in. Their earning power is way more going year to year at that point.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Given the sorry state of free agency the Pats would be well advised to lock up a bunch of their own guys. That would also reinforce the message that guys working their asses off will be rewarded for that.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The tag and option years are getting so high where they no longer serve as good placeholders to work out extensions. They actually disincentivize the player from signing them because they get life changing money security without having to lock themselves in. Their earning power is way more going year to year at that point.

The options are actually not that high. Gonzo's option will be about $12M.

Linderbaum is a special case because he's already a 2-time original ballot Pro Bowler, and the NFLPA managed to get such players the franchise tag amount for their option, on top of the "premium" for guards and centers.