Patriots Rumor The pending UFA: who do we keep? Who walks?

[Ross12]

Pitts is a glorified WR. He is NOT a TE. YOU can block better than he can.. Which is saying a LOT.

The Pats need an all-around TE who can block better than Henry or Hooper on Running plays and who can also catch..

That is NOT Pitts.

I like Pitts' receiving talent but I would much rather get a TE who can block well. Give me Likely, or even Goedert.

Honestly, as weird as it is to say - trading for AJ Brown and then signing Dallas Goedert at TE would both be moves to help with RUNNING the ball - they are both good receivers but they are also both great blockers. Philly runs the ball as well as anyone.

 

[Real fan 02]

NO WAY Chaisson signs for back-up money.. This is just wishful thinking on your part.

He played better than guys making over 15MA AAV.

Your talking as if he had double digit sack numbers.. 8 million per season for his production is a similar contract to what Landry got... so we'll see...

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[ViperGTS]

I expect Diggs to be back. On the deal he signed.

The players under contract that I'm unsure of are Moses and Landry. I could see both retiring.

Diggs ain't staying on his current contract. If he stays here.

 

[203Pat]

I would definitely like Tonga back and don't think he would cost much.
Jaylinn Hawkins if the price is right.
Vederian Lowe played much better this year but to be a swing tackle you would ideally play both sides and I don’t think he has ever played RT.
Thayer Munford depends on Lowe but doesn't really move the needle either way.
K’Lavon Chaisson I think may have played his way out of a value deal for next season. I wouldn't mind bringing him back and pairing him with an edge rusher in the first round but I don’t know if the front office will want to invest big money and a high pick at one position.
Austin Hooper time to move on. Get a younger guy in here that could take over the starting role from Henry by the end of the year.

 

[Real fan 02]

I like Pitts' receiving talent but I would much rather get a TE who can block well. Give me Likely, or even Goedert.

Honestly, as weird as it is to say - trading for AJ Brown and then signing Dallas Goedert at TE would both be moves to help with RUNNING the ball - they are both good receivers but they are also both great blockers. Philly runs the ball as well as anyone.

Guess I can agree to that.. my hunch is should we happen to sign Pitts.. don't think there would much calls for him to be dropped back off at Logan.... I think we would all like all pro talent to go with our all pro QB..

Bijan Robinson among 4 Falcons on AP's 2025 NFL All-Pro team

 

[Real fan 02]

Diggs ain't staying on his current contract. If he stays here.

Absolutely agree.. he will get a ' bump "... for sure

 

[mike_usagisan]

Munford is 26 with this being his 4th year in the league and will be 27 during the season.
Bryant is 23 and a rookie but turns 24 before the start of TC.

How would Munford be a better investment?

Bryant is only a better investment if the team thinks he can play better. I don't think that was the case this season, but that could change by next year. It's why I'm really curious to see how it shakes out in camp.

I fully expect Munford back and that Bryant and He will be the 3rdd/4th tackles on the team next year. Both have the ability to play either LT or RT. They remind me of Tom Ashworth in that respect.

That's a good point, and it allows them to let Lowe walk, who will probably cost too much in free agency.

 

[DaBruinz]

I like Pitts' receiving talent but I would much rather get a TE who can block well. Give me Likely, or even Goedert.

Honestly, as weird as it is to say - trading for AJ Brown and then signing Dallas Goedert at TE would both be moves to help with RUNNING the ball - they are both good receivers but they are also both great blockers. Philly runs the ball as well as anyone.

I wouldn't touch Likely with a 20 ft pole. Guy doesn't give enough effort. He completely checked out during the game against the Pats.

Lots of teams are going to be going after TEs in free agency.. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of 30+

Goedert is 31.

I'd much prefer Cade Otton over Goedert and Pitts.

Daniel Bellinger from the Giants might be an under-the-radar pick-up. He can block. 19 of 26 in catching. Should be a good red zone threat at 6'5.

 

[XLIX]

Not a UFA but I hope they sign Gonzalez to an extension. It’s only going to get more expensive the longer they wait.

 

[Ross12]

I wouldn't touch Likely with a 20 ft pole. Guy doesn't give enough effort. He completely checked out during the game against the Pats.

Lots of teams are going to be going after TEs in free agency.. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of 30+

Goedert is 31.

I'd much prefer Cade Otton over Goedert and Pitts.

Daniel Bellinger from the Giants might be an under-the-radar pick-up. He can block. 19 of 26 in catching. Should be a good red zone threat at 6'5.

I am not too worried about Goedert's age, but I hear ya. Otton is not a bad pick either.

 

[Joey007]

Yes!! D Graham was a tough gritty player.. we need a guy like that back on the roster..

Charlie Kolar may be a sneaky good one in FA. He’s become a hell of a blocker.

 

[Joey007]

I'm using the Dan Moore Comp. Which is who was signed as the Top LT FA last year. And whom Lowe played better than.

Dan Moore played a full season at LT in 24.

I’d argue it’d be unfair to compare, since Lowe played limited snaps year. I’d still say the performances were somewhat similar.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Diggs ain't staying on his current contract. If he stays here.

Agreed. It's completely idiotic to do so and media is starting to catch on. They fact that he's even aware the team could opt out is interesting. The comments in the article are saying the same thing - pay cut or he gets cut.

Stefon Diggs Leaving Patriots Feels Inevitable After Super Bowl Loss

Stefon Diggs signed a three-year contract with the New England Patriots, but it was never meant to last more than one season.

nesn.com

Your talking as if he had double digit sack numbers.. 8 million per season for his production is a similar contract to what Landry got... so we'll see...

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If a team is willing to pay him within the range of $14-$16M (which I think will happen), let him walk. Pats need an upgrade at both Edges where him and Landry were awful setting it against the run game.

 

[DaBruinz]

Your talking as if he had double digit sack numbers.. 8 million per season for his production is a similar contract to what Landry got... so we'll see...

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I'm talking REALITY. You're throwing out incorrect info.

Landry's contract is $14.5M AAV. You're spouting Landry's 2025 Salary Cap number as if it was salary. It's not.

Chaisson had 7.5 sacks, during the regular season. How many did he have in the post season? 3 more. That's double digits.

Chaisson also had 11 QB hits and 34 hurries during the regular season. He also had another 7 hits and 10 hurries in the post season.

Chaisson's regular season numbers were good for 19th. His post season numbers were 2nd. bringing him to 12th on the year.

Guys making at least 13M who were behind Chaisson's Regular season production:
Harold Landry, Chase Young, Bryce Huff, Alex Highsmith, Johnathan Cooper, Bradley Chubb, Arik Armstead, Johnathan Greenard

Chaisson's regular season numbers were close to Rashan Gary and Brian Burns.

I could care less about what Chaisson says in the newspaper. We've seen players say that sort of thing all the time only for them to claim that the team didn't offer them what they were looking to get.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

At the TE position, I think they're in a bit of a bind with Henry that makes finding the right TE2 kind of tough. Might have to be by committee. He's not a road grader blocker as the traditional Y TE, but he's also not really a move guy that really stresses coverages either. I think part of the issue they had with getting guys open was they played so much with Hooper and Henry together and they're kind of the same guy there. It's just kind of clunky. Henry isn't a bad blocker as the Y, but he's just not a road grader and nor is Hooper so you're kind of stuck in no man's land. A little clunky in the passing game without strong benefit in the run game.

That's why Gronk and Hernandez were so dominant.... besides just being good they were also very complimentary. 2 TE offense doesn't really work as a base formation unless it's the right kind of 2 TEs.

I think if they're going to run 2 TE sets a lot then the second guy they pair with Henry needs to be a real move option. Someone like Otton or Goedert, while good players, would be too clunky with Henry. Those are guys you would sign to play in place of Henry. Guys like Pitts/Likely/Okonkwo actually compliment Henry. In those formations, you'll have the ability to challenge the defenses more because the route trees are different. And then you just have to live with Henry as the Y only being an ok, not great blocker.

That's where it makes sense to have a third TE on the roster who is your more traditional road grading blocker. Then if you want to go with the "bigger" 2 TE sets alongside Henry you can do that.

I think my preference would be to sign someone for the move TE role alongside Henry as more of a base formation and then draft a guy who's a more traditional in-line Y who can start out as a blocking specialist in bigger 2 TE sets, but be groomed to eventually replace Henry as more of an every down Y, even you're trading some receiving for blocking there.

 

[DaBruinz]

Dan Moore played a full season at LT in 24.

I’d argue it’d be unfair to compare, since Lowe played limited snaps year. I’d still say the performances were somewhat similar.

You can argue that all you want. I did the math prior to free agency last year and it showed that Moore wasn't as good as Lowe. Despite playing in fewer games, Lowe still had 803 snaps and 501 passing snaps. Lowe gave up 5 sacks, 5 hits, and 23 hurries on those passing snaps.

Moore had 1111 snaps, 615 passing snaps. Moore gave up 12 sacks, 3 hit, 26 hurries. 39 presures.

The 7 fewer sacks on 115 fewer snaps is why I say that Lowe played better.

Moore's contract signed in 2025 has an AAV of 20.5M ..

Which is why I'm saying 15-18M for Lowe. Probably with some incentives in there.

 

[VrabelJr]

The problem with what you're saying is that the Pats signed Moses in March. Bryant was drafted until later. Most people understood that Bryant was taken with an eye on him being a top swing tackle and/or becoming a future starter at RT. Bryant was drafted despite Moses being signed. Not the other way around.

You misinterpreted what I said. I’m well aware we signed Moses before we drafted Bryant. That’s why I noted we signed Moses in FA.

 

[VrabelJr]

At the TE position, I think they're in a bit of a bind with Henry that makes finding the right TE2 kind of tough. Might have to be by committee. He's not a road grader blocker as the traditional Y TE, but he's also not really a move guy that really stresses coverages either. I think part of the issue they had with getting guys open was they played so much with Hooper and Henry together and they're kind of the same guy there. It's just kind of clunky. Henry isn't a bad blocker as the Y, but he's just not a road grader and nor is Hooper so you're kind of stuck in no man's land. A little clunky in the passing game without strong benefit in the run game.

That's why Gronk and Hernandez were so dominant.... besides just being good they were also very complimentary. 2 TE offense doesn't really work as a base formation unless it's the right kind of 2 TEs.

I think if they're going to run 2 TE sets a lot then the second guy they pair with Henry needs to be a real move option. Someone like Otton or Goedert, while good players, would be too clunky with Henry. Those are guys you would sign to play in place of Henry. Guys like Pitts/Likely/Okonkwo actually compliment Henry. In those formations, you'll have the ability to challenge the defenses more because the route trees are different. And then you just have to live with Henry as the Y only being an ok, not great blocker.

That's where it makes sense to have a third TE on the roster who is your more traditional road grading blocker. Then if you want to go with the "bigger" 2 TE sets alongside Henry you can do that.

I think my preference would be to sign someone for the move TE role alongside Henry as more of a base formation and then draft a guy who's a more traditional in-line Y who can start out as a blocking specialist in bigger 2 TE sets, but be groomed to eventually replace Henry as more of an every down Y, even you're trading some receiving for blocking there.

The answer at TE is that if Henry is still TE1 next year then we royally screwed up.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Anyone got any linebackers they like in free agency?

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think they need to make a thorough assessment on Boutte and what his role could be. Right now he's served as basically just a deep threat specialist and while he's been productive in that role, he doesn't move defenses. I think if you're going to be a WR1 or WR2 as a deep threat specialist, you need to be able to produce while moving defenses back in that role. If you just make the occasional play downfield but don't force defenses to really overplay it thus opening things up for others, I believe that's the kind of guy who should be a WR3 that only comes on when you go 3 WR set.

The scouting report on Boutte pointed to someone who could be more of a Z than a deep threat/boundary only/X receiver like he's been used. So I wonder if maybe he's better served in that role.

Lots of talk of moving on from Diggs. I'm kind of intrigued by a scenario where they let Diggs go to free up $20.8M of cap space (if designated June 1st). With that amount of cap space and a bit more on top, you should be able to fit signing Alec Pierce and Isiah Likely if you're aggressive enough to land both.

Alec Pierce takes over for Boutte as the X and he's a much better downfield threat. Not only is he more productive, but he produces while moving defenses. Henry stays as the Y. Boutte moves from the X to the Z role that Diggs played in our 2 WR sets that can be more of an intermediate weapon. Likely upgrades over Hooper as the slot/move TE so we can attack defenses in different ways.

Then when you go 3 WRs you can take one of the TEs off the field and you have options of a traditional slot (Douglas or Chism), a bigger body guy (Hollins) or kind of a hybrid/speed guy (KWilliams). Ideally KWilliams really emerges out of that group and then you have an awesome set of receiving threats whether it's 1TE/3WR or 2WR/2TE personnel groupings.