TE Dwayne Allen released

The feelings were mutual abt my involvement. It's just abt getting the numbers to work on both sides

So the team wants him back.

You have to think this makes it more likely we keep Gronk.

betterthanthealternative said:

The feelings were mutual abt my involvement. It's just abt getting the numbers to work on both sides

So the team wants him back.

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The rest of the quote rather seemed like he was butthurt by the decision to me.

SBLIII said:

He isn't coming back. It's over.

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Sounds to me like he is going to try and find a better deal. Not sure it will be there then he might choose to come back.

SBLIII said:

The rest of the quote rather seemed like he was butthurt by the decision to me.

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It's your choice to interpret it that way.

SBLIII said:

The rest of the quote rather seemed like he was butthurt by the decision to me.

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He knew it was coming, but of course he would be hurt by it. How can you not be?

He'll go out and see what he can get elsewhere, then go back to the Patriots with the offer...and do what's right for him and his family.

calling MartyB, pick up your pimp line...

PatsWickedPissah said:

I see zero Relation here to Gronk status or outlook. Thank & congratulate Allen for helping us win 2 Lombardis.
Don't re-sign at lower cap price, instead I find it difficult to believe that BB can't find a primarily blocking TE with potential upside thru the mid-late draft, or a low cap hit castoff blocking FA.

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Agreed. Just wanted to point out that he only has one ring.

He’s gotten far too much grief, imo. Yes, he was paid handsomely and people wanted catches. But he filled an important role and I’m glad they had him.

If he gets a better offer, so be it. I understand NE’s reluctance to fork out big bucks. But I’d love to see Allen back in the Fall.

Yup, too much $$$....but I'll miss him if he goes elsewhere. I think we might lose him as I think he'd like to get more targets....

manxman2601 said:

This is the most Pats quote ever

“He picked up the phone, I picked up the phone, I put down the phone” Thanks Dwayne.

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"We're on to free agency."

BobDigital said:

You have to think this makes it more likely we keep Gronk.

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I don't have to think that. I don't think the team's position on Allen and the team's position on Gronk have anything to do with each other.

You could see this coming from a LONG way off. We all knew it. Right now I think the odds of him coming back are slim despite what he indicated in his tweet. However if Gronk retires, and/or we aren't able to draft the TE that we like, or nothing major happens in FA, we COULD bring him back at the 2-3MM level....assuming he doesn't get a better offer in the meantime.

He didn't catch many passes while he was here, but that was mostly because he wasn't asked to be that kind of guy. In the past he was a decent receiving TE. He could be again in the right offense.

If the Bengals release Fisher, he would be a very interesting pick up. The Pats love versatility. What better pick up than a guy who clearly could duplicate Allen's responsibilities and perhaps do it better, while at the same time be emergency depth at the Tackle position. That being said, he'd have to be a FA because I wouldn't give up more than one of those comp 7th picks for him.

Boomer B said:

While he didn’t put up any numbers, he had a huge value in the run game. Great blocking TE and unsung player. I’m hoping he comes back for less $.

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He's wasn't unsung for what he was making. If anything he was still overpaid.

Biffins said:

He's wasn't unsung for what he was making. If anything he was still overpaid.

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He was unsung because he wasn't mentioned much when people talked about a win or the teams success. Take a look at some of Belichick's game film reviews he did with Zolak. Many times he'd point out an Allen blocked that helped a big run. Of course he was overpaid for his role, but he was a key contributor.

SBLIII said:

I don't see much correlation.

Allen is a blocking TE and would never fill the TE1 spot.

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No, but it makes a lot more sense to play money games with your TE2 if you know who your TE1 is going to be.

If we do this and Gronk retires Hollister technically goes into the draft as our TE1 and we're basically rebuilding what has been a pillar of the offense from the ground up.

Boomer B said:

He was unsung because he wasn't mentioned much when people talked about a win or the teams success. Take a look at some of Belichick's game film reviews he did with Zolak. Many times he'd point out an Allen blocked that helped a big run. Of course he was overpaid for his role, but he was a key contributor.

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Overpaid and unsung?........... wait what? Isn't getting overpaid in effect means you are being recognised for your skills with cold hard cash?

Hopefully he can reverse Medusa's effects on his hands somewhere else

Wilfork#75 said:

I wouldn't mind if we could get him back at a lower price. I think he was really under appreciated around here for what he did. Sure he didn't contribute at all as a pass catcher but he was hugely important to our running game, especially when Gronk wasn't 100%. As a blocking TE he was very good in his role, just not at his price tag.

An interesting name to watch as a blocking TE could be Jake Fisher from the Bengals. He was drafted in the 2nd round as an OT but has recently dropped down to 285lbs in an attempt to reinvent himself as a blocking TE. He was already fairly athletic for an OT so he could be a very intriguing piece.

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I think choice A for the Patriots is Allen; there was no way he was coming back under that contract though. When Allen agreed to a pay cut at cut downs last summer, they also intentionally converted a portion of his 2019 salary to a roster bonus but didn't touch the rest of 2019's money. The moment they did that, it ensured he'd be a free agent in the spring instead of being held at provobial knifepoint at cutdowns.

For blocking TE choice B, an interesting name to watch from my perspective is Raiders TE Lee Smith. He was drafted by the Patriots in the 5th round in 2011 as a blocking TE to replace Alge Crumpler. Pats cut him at final cutdown hoping to put him on the practice squad, but the Bills claimed him off waivers. Slowly built a career for himself in that role. He is under contract for 2019 for $2.62m and 2020 for $2.77m which is the right price for this role. Belichick has a solid relationship with Gruden and Mayock - since they're looking to build long term they may not care so much about a 31 year old blocking TE.

Regardless, I expect the Pats want the blocking TE to be effectively "TE 3" and will be hunting for "TE 2" (a well rounded TE to pair with Gronk and eventually take over as TE 1 when he retires) in the draft.