10 Patriots who might not be around for the 2021 season

[Steve85]

Depends on how close Bill thinks this team is to contending, which IMO, we're not close...especially offense.

At that point, I would hate to lose the older players because they will always have that sentimental bond to our title years, but most of the older players would do us a favor by walking or retiring. None of them are really in our long term plans if we are truly talking rebuild, which I think we are. Love DMac, Hightower, Edelman, Slater...but all those dudes are either old or getting old. Might be better off long term by being worse next year without them, getting the cap space and/or compensatory picks. It would suck, but might be true.

Obviously we want to keep Guy & Gilmore if possible. I would love to have Thuney back, but honestly is having him really moving the needle for us offensively. He's a great player no doubt, but guards are only going to move production so much.

 

[Scotty]

Would definitely want Hightower back in some type of player/mentor/coach capacity

 

[Lagaffe_07]

If the Bucs fall short I can see him going there to help Brady make at least one more run at a title.

If Edelman is not a patriots, he will either retire or go play for the bucs.

 

[moosekill]

Curran lost his source when Brady left. Now he just throws crap against the wall. I don’t know why people always want old players to come back and coach. My guess is most of the opt outs will retire. I think Edelman will leave/retire. I think/hope Guy and Jackson and Gilmore will be back.

 

[moosekill]

The Patriots roster got old. It wasn’t just Brady, when you have a championship team you have amazing playmakers. If you want to win now You try to keep them but it is a balancing act between keeping them as they cost more $$ and lose a step, but are still better than the younger players. If you can compete for a Super Bowl you keep those players as long as you can. But, it sets you up for the eventual rebuild. It looks like BB tried to start this three years ago with Brady and Jimmy but was shut down by ownership. Lots here have ripped Bill over the years for getting rid of players a year or two early. Hell lots are ripping him for Brady right now. If you go all in to win you eventually have to pay for it. That is what you get this year and next year.

 

[archstanton543]

The Patriots roster got old. It wasn’t just Brady, when you have a championship team you have amazing playmakers. If you want to win now You try to keep them but it is a balancing act between keeping them as they cost more $$ and lose a step, but are still better than the younger players. If you can compete for a Super Bowl you keep those players as long as you can. But, it sets you up for the eventual rebuild. It looks like BB tried to start this three years ago with Brady and Jimmy but was shut down by ownership. Lots here have ripped Bill over the years for getting rid of players a year or two early. Hell lots are ripping him for Brady right now. If you go all in to win you eventually have to pay for it. That is what you get this year and next year.

Jimmy can't stay on the field. I don't see how that helps the Pats if you pick him over Brady three years ago. Also you sacrifice the second Rams Super Bowl (more than likely). If your argument your could keep both Jimmy and Brady, there's no way you're going to pay your backup starter money (or close to it) to ride the pine.

 

[moosekill]

Jimmy can't stay on the field. I don't see how that helps the Pats if you pick him over Brady three years ago. Also you sacrifice the second Rams Super Bowl (more than likely). If your argument your could keep both Jimmy and Brady, there's no way you're going to pay your backup starter money (or close to it) to ride the pine.

I am not arguing they should have kept Jimmy. I am stating there are numerous reports that Bill
wanted to keep Jimmy. Which is believable. Plus while hindsight is 20/20, at that point he had no real idea Jimmy was going to be an ongoing injury risk. If he had traded Brady, he would have gotten a number of pieces to rebuild on the fly and perhaps avoided this year and next.

 

[archstanton543]

I am not arguing they should have kept Jimmy. I am stating there are numerous reports that Bill
wanted to keep Jimmy. Which is believable. Plus while hindsight is 20/20, at that point he had no real idea Jimmy was going to be an ongoing injury risk. If he had traded Brady, he would have gotten a number of pieces to rebuild on the fly and perhaps avoided this year and next.

The signs were there. When given a chance to start during Brady's suspension, he ended up getting hurt by taking a stupid hit didn't need to. He also got hurt in SF by....taking a stupid hit he didn't need to.

 

[Triumph]

I can't see them cutting Harry. He is still here for relatively cheap dollars.

The dream is over. He has to go.

Harrys 2021 salary increases by 40%. For what?

 

[TomPatriot]

Curran: These 10 Patriots might not be around in 2021

As the calendar flips to 2021, which Patriots might have reached the end of their run in Foxboro. Tom E. Curran runs down 10 men who might not be back next season.

www.nbcsports.com

Curran says it’s Gilmore, Hightower, Cannon, Hoyer, Guy, McDaniels(!), Thuney, Cam, Burkhead, Harry

For McDaniels only if a coaching opportunity comes along IMO. not sure if it will

Not sure White, Chung or Edelman will be here. i don’t agree with HT. He’s the biggest loss of 2020 on defense.

 

[Triumph]

Edelman should be gone too.

He does not want to be here without Tom. 35 years old and NE saves 4 million in cap space getting younger.

 

[Pape]

makes me wonder about the following players

• Julian Edelman - I think this is going to be an ota / camp time decision on Jules ... if tptb decide his time is over they will release him early, so he has time to catch on with another team or retire, ala Bru...
• Patrick Chung - does he have anything left? Is it worth the dead cap space cutting him? I think he stays because 1 BB likes him, 2 the dead money and lack of cap savings
• Jason McCourty - 2020 is the last year of his deal... play has dropped off a bit... His bro wants to come back next year finish his contract ... time to cut him loose or re-up him for a year, let him finish out with his bro? I think he's gone
• James White - Think he returns to the fold...
• Brandon Bolden - Opted out, says he's coming back in 2021... on the wrong side of 30 for a rb... might depend on James White returning... 1.5 mil in cap savings if cut... I think he's gone
• Matt LaCosse - We have nothing productive in the TE cabinet, and his addition would really add nothing... 1.5 is cap savings vs hardly any dead money, i think he's a goner... but who knows
• Dan Vitale - full back... gtfo
• Beau Allen - bascially stole 3 million from the pats this year, never played a down... If L.Guy returns is he needed? and i will add if he starts to break down in camp, boot him
• Marqise Lee - camp body

 

[TomPatriot]

Very bad prognosis for the franchise if all of Gilmour, Hightower, Guy & Thuney leave this off-season. Hightower was very sorely missed, while Gilmour, Guy & Thuney were three of our very best players.

Cannon, Hoyer & Cant can go and stay gone.

Burkhead sadly might be finished as a signable player.

What team in their right mind would hire Skippy after this season?

Kneal Harry gets one more season from me.

Gilmore is gone for one or more picks. HT coming back would be huge for a lot of reasons. I love Thuney but he’s going to get paid. Guy is someone BB might pay, but I’m skeptical.

I totally agree on Harry. He’s a better player than what he’s shown. Something needs to click with him, but I’m not sure what it is.

Burkhead is a nice player when he’s healthy. I think he gets a shot in camp.

Might be some restructures. Is DMac worth $11+?

I think a half dozen others at minimum will be released, not resigned.

 

[moosekill]

The signs were there. When given a chance to start during Brady's suspension, he ended up getting hurt by taking a stupid hit didn't need to. He also got hurt in SF by....taking a stupid hit he didn't need to.

Just like hearing yourself talk? A football player getting injured and missing a couple games certainly doesn't make him an injury risk. No one had any idea it was going to continue to happen in SF, and has nothing to do with the decisions that were made prior, when the Patriots traded him away. I am not trying to debate whether or not it was a good idea to keep him and get rid of Brady at the time. Rather, I am stating that doing that would have been consistent with what BB has done with other players, and if it had worked might well have done away with what we are going through this year.

 

[Triumph]

The signs were there. When given a chance to start during Brady's suspension, he ended up getting hurt by taking a stupid hit didn't need to. He also got hurt in SF by....taking a stupid hit he didn't need to.

Jimmy is a China doll.

I dont want the Choker back here.

 

[sb1]

Too bad the Pats can’t trade Gilmore for a first. I’d love to hit the jackpot like the Dolphins have with the Texans pick. Trade him to a team that will collapse next year.

 

[50-yard-line]

We do not want to lose Gilmore.

It's up to Gilmore, I guess. He's well worth his contract, but he'll want to change that salary, is what Curran's saying. If he wants another 8 million to get him over 15 (not counting dead money) in 2021, do they do it? I doubt it.

Would hate to see him go, but I fear Curran might be right here.

 

[RicoG]

Fully agree. Time to blow up the roster.

We will not be contenders again next year so no need to hold onto guys like Edelman, Hightower, McCourtys, etc.

Some key veterans need to stay to lead the new guys. Who will stay and who will go is going to be anyone's guess during the off season.

I can see a player or two go to Tampa especially if Brown and Godwin go somewhere else. Could be Edelman, white, burkhead, gilmour.

 

[hornetfb85]

Personally, I think Harry gets another year.
And would love to Re-sign Guy. Hightower would be nice to have and Burkheads injury sucks, but the rest...

 

[hornetfb85]

Let me expand on my post:
-Gilmore getting older and more injury prone.
-Hightower unsure of future there
-Cannon has been replaced
-Guy I want back
-Thuney get that money, but most likely not here
-Newton......BYEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
-Burkhead really was coming into his role but that d@mn injury