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

[mgteich]

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

as we were this year? ROFL

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Might have to keep Lowe now knowing we don't know what we have in Campbell. We have to Resign K’Lavon Chaisson.

@PatsFan2 , if we don't know what we have in WC, there's got to be an issue with coaching.. =) They should have a good idea after almost a whole season of seeing him play. This coaching staff isn't the MayoReject Team. =)

 

[DaBruinz]

Isn't Williams up there in age though??

Quincy Williams is 29.. He'll be 30 in August.. Not really a long term guy..

 

[Huckleberry1]

It's a possibility

No, it's not. Vrabel made it clear that Campbell is their left tackle, and he's not moving him, that's just more ******** from the same people who didn't want him to begin with.

 

[Huckleberry1]

@PatsFan2 , if we don't know what we have in WC, there's got to be an issue with coaching.. =) They should have a good idea after almost a whole season of seeing him play. This coaching staff isn't the MayoReject Team. =)

Vrabel knows what they have in Campbell, a left tackle.

 

[Real fan 02]

If the offer to Chaisson from the patriots is $8-$10M, his agent will be forced to show it to his client and his agent will likely ask for permission not to take any more calls from the team.

Mgteich.. I think we are getting a bit enamored into thinking he's gonna see this massive 15-18 million dollars deal.. if a team offers him that above us.. then he has a decision to make.. Chaisson said he wants to be here and wants to win.. he can get $$ here and win... 10M I'd say does it.. if he was a double digit sack guy ok you have a point..

 

[mgteich]

Mgteich.. I think we are getting a bit enamored into thinking he's gonna see this massive 15-18 million dollars deal.. if a team offers him that above us.. then he has a decision to make.. Chaisson said he wants to be here and wants to win.. he can get $$ here and win... 10M I'd say does it.. if he was a double digit sack guy ok you have a point..

If Chaisson isn't a $10M EDGE rusher, then we should sign Chaisson at $8M-$10M and IN ADDITION sign a top EDGE rusher PLUS a draftee in the first two rounds.
=================
Once we re-sign (or upgrade) Tonga and Hawkins, we arguably have ONE need in order to be an elite Defense: EDGE rusher. (yes, we could upgrade Mapu with a real OL/SS hybrid.

At EDGE, we start with
LANDRY
JENNINGS
PONDER
SWINSON
===============
YUCH!
==========
I would use the 2025 off-season as an indicator with regard to how much Vrabel is willing to "overpay" at critical positions on Defense.

 

[Joey007]

Cut all the 30+ players and we might be back to winning 4 games.
=======
I would be good to add TE as good as Hunter to the mix; I find it unlikely.

Yes, paying for a young upgrade to Hooper would make sense.

We could carry 3, including a draftee.

Come on. I didn’t say cut all 30 plus year old players. Just that we don’t need two 32+ year old TE’s. I’m content with one lol

 

[mgteich]

If Chaisson isn't a $10M EDGE rusher, then we should sign Chaisson at $8-$10M and IN ADDITION sign a top EDGE rusher.

Come on. I didn’t say cut all 30 plus year old players. Just that we don’t need two 32+ year old TE’s. I’m content with one lol

fair enough

 

[n1997y]

Might let Hawkins go in the final preseason cuts if we’ve upgraded through FA or draft. Want to evaluate in camp before releasing him.

If we want to get him to camp we would need to sign him, he is a FA

Watching Vrabes greet Hawkins in the tunnel after the game Sunday it looked likely he’ll be back.

 

[n1997y]

Mgteich.. I think we are getting a bit enamored into thinking he's gonna see this massive 15-18 million dollars deal.. if a team offers him that above us.. then he has a decision to make.. Chaisson said he wants to be here and wants to win.. he can get $$ here and win... 10M I'd say does it.. if he was a double digit sack guy ok you have a point..

If Chaisson gets an offer around 15M from another team and the Pats offer him 10M why doesn’t he feel disrespected and abused?

 

[VJCPatriot]

I wonder if Chigs from Tennessee would be another guy we’d look at. Has Vrabel ties, and capable of playing Hback role.

We might take a look at him. Vrabel was in charge when the Titans drafted Chig Okonkwo in the 4th round of the 2022 draft so he probably likes him.

Okonkwo ran a 4.52 40 in the combine which is actually pretty fast for a TE prospect. He has had 3 straight seasons of 50+ receptions and averaged around 500 yards per season. It all depends on the price tag.



Via: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OkonCh00.htm

If we let Hooper go then Okonkowo might be a good receiving tight end to pick up. I don't know how good his blocking is though. At 6'3 238 he might be not be the ideal blocker.

 

[VJCPatriot]

If Chaisson gets an offer around 15M from another team and the Pats offer him 10M why doesn’t he feel disrespected and abused?

No. Since when does money offered = abuse? He would just take the higher offer and be glad to get PAID. His early career was NOT very good. He averaged a pitiful 1.25 sacks per season his first 4 years in the NFL.



Thanks to Vrabel and our defensive system Chaisson got the chance to shine with the Patriots and earn a bigger paycheck. If he slung mud on the way out it would just show an ungrateful attitude. Just get your money and move on dude.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I think EDGE is probably the most Important free agent position... certainly on defense anyway. What do we think of any of these potential options:

Top 2026 EDGE Free Agents

• Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals): Ranked as the premier edge rusher, he has posted five consecutive seasons with a pass-rush grade above 85.0.
• Odafe Oweh (Los Angeles Chargers): Considered a high-upside option with strong, well-rounded performance metrics.
• Jaelan Phillips (Philadelphia Eagles): Expected to be a top target in the 2026 class.
• Khalil Mack (Los Angeles Chargers): Continues to play at a high level despite rumors of retirement or being a veteran.
• Boye Mafe (Seattle Seahawks): Highlighted as a potential high-value target in the 2026 class.

 

[Real fan 02]

If Chaisson gets an offer around 15M from another team and the Pats offer him 10M why doesn’t he feel disrespected and abused?

You could ask The same question to many past patiots players that went through similar contract disputes.. I'm simply saying where I believe his value is 8-10 Milly... maybe Vrabel does 14-15??

 

[Real fan 02]

If Chaisson isn't a $10M EDGE rusher, then we should sign Chaisson at $8M-$10M and IN ADDITION sign a top EDGE rusher PLUS a draftee in the first two rounds.
=================
Once we re-sign (or upgrade) Tonga and Hawkins, we arguably have ONE need in order to be an elite Defense: EDGE rusher. (yes, we could upgrade Mapu with a real OL/SS hybrid.

At EDGE, we start with
LANDRY
JENNINGS
PONDER
SWINSON
===============
YUCH!
==========
I would use the 2025 off-season as an indicator with regard to how much Vrabel is willing to "overpay" at critical positions on Defense.

I don't get caught up in the numbers myself because we just don't know what his guarantees or bonuses would be.. there's so many ways to take care of a players contract offer and not have to have the highest annual salary..

I see KC remaining here.. he stands to become an even better player with better edge rushers around him..

 

[Real fan 02]

I think EDGE is probably the most Important free agent position... certainly on defense anyway. What do we think of any of these potential options:

Top 2026 EDGE Free Agents

• Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals): Ranked as the premier edge rusher, he has posted five consecutive seasons with a pass-rush grade above 85.0.
• Odafe Oweh (Los Angeles Chargers): Considered a high-upside option with strong, well-rounded performance metrics.
• Jaelan Phillips (Philadelphia Eagles): Expected to be a top target in the 2026 class.
• Khalil Mack (Los Angeles Chargers): Continues to play at a high level despite rumors of retirement or being a veteran.
• Boye Mafe (Seattle Seahawks): Highlighted as a potential high-value target in the 2026 class.

All of those players would... vastly impact the rush.. I'd mafe.. not sure if Seattle has the cap to retain him? He's young and had tremendous upside.. adding him and maybe another 2nd tier edge rusher would vastly improve the edge rush to go along with KC..

 

[Thelonious]

Tonga, Hawkins, Lowe and Chaisson makes sense to me, if the money's right; but none of them is indispensable. If the SB taught us anything, it reminded us that we are still comparatively early in a rebuild from absolute garbage, which suggests that players who played a good enough role to help improve the team this year are not necessarily good enough to play a major role in the fully competitive team we aspire eventually to be.

I think the emphasis must still be on rebuilding the roster, on depth, on the draft. It is too early to be overreaching to grab, at the usual high cost, "proven players" via trade/free agency, players who in proving themselves have inevitably grown older. I would not, for example, take on a player like Max Crosby, who has had eight surgeries and who, after a few passes through the MRI was pulled from active duty in December of this past sense season. We should act like what we are: a team half or a little way less through a rebuild from worst-team-in-the-league status. We don't want guys who are going to crap out just as we achieve full competitiveness, and we certainly don't want to spend draft picks on them.

 

[The Gr8est]

Tonga, Hawkins, Lowe and Chaisson makes sense to me, if the money's right; but none of them is indispensable. If the SB taught us anything, it reminded us that we are still comparatively early in a rebuild from absolute garbage, which suggests that players who played a good enough role to help improve the team this year are not necessarily good enough to play a major role in the fully competitive team we aspire eventually to be.

I think the emphasis must still be on rebuilding the roster, on depth, on the draft. It is too early to be overreaching to grab, at the usual high cost, "proven players" via trade/free agency, players who in proving themselves have inevitably grown older. I would not, for example, take on a player like Max Crosby, who has had eight surgeries and who, after a few passes through the MRI was pulled from active duty in December of this past sense season. We should act like what we are: a team half or a little way less through a rebuild from worst-team-in-the-league status. We don't want guys who are going to crap out just as we achieve full competitiveness, and we certainly don't want to spend draft picks on them.

As useful as Tonga was, the Pats have good depth at interior DL.

Williams, Barmore, Durden, Farmer.

 

[mgteich]

As useful as Tonga was, the Pats have good depth at interior DL.

Williams, Barmore, Durden, Farmer.

I view Durden as a starter. Perhaps a healthy Tonga will be better, but I don't see Tonga getting big money. That being said, I suspect that we will extend Tonga.
==============================
plus Taylor, Pharms, and Gregory as camp competition.