2006 Free Agent Class

[TaxPlaya]

Now that Koppen is squared away, I wanted to start a discussion on 2006 free agents. There really aren't that many of them. Many will likely retire (T. Brown, Seau, etc.) or not have a ton of free agent interest (TBC, Gay, Gardner).

That leaves four "major" free agents left. I would say these four are the most likely to field an offer from another team. They are in my order of importance:

1. Asante Samuel. Everybody wants to get a good, young corner with talent.

2. Mike Wright. He'd be a starter if it weren't for the depth.

3. Daniel Graham. He can make the argument he was used as a tackle eligible rather than a true TE. Someone will take a flyer on him.

4. Izzo. He might be over the hill, he might not.

The good news is that there will be plenty of cap room. That being said, the team never over-pays even if it has cap room (which is why it has cap room in the first place).

I would not be at all surprised if we had no major free-agency defections next off-season. Combine that with two first rounders, and the team of the future continues to build.

 

[Oswlek]

I think that Izzo is gone after this year.

I would put TBC up there is you are going to throw Wright in the mix.

 

[BelichickFan]

According to Miguel, Mike Wright is an Exclusive Rights FA after this year so he isn't an issue for now.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I believe as a veteran with less than 3 years service Wright's rights belong to us for 2007 as long as we tender him before the March deadline. And thereafter he's our's as a RFA in 2008 dependent on the level at which we tender him and if someone wants to match it and compensate us. Because he was an UDFA it would potentially take a mid to high level tender to insure we keep him but the ball is in our court on this guy for 2 more seasons.

 

[cstjohn17]

Now that Koppen is squared away, I wanted to start a discussion on 2006 free agents. There really aren't that many of them. Many will likely retire (T. Brown, Seau, etc.) or not have a ton of free agent interest (TBC, Gay, Gardner).

That leaves four "major" free agents left. I would say these four are the most likely to field an offer from another team. They are in my order of importance:

1. Asante Samuel. Everybody wants to get a good, young corner with talent.

2. Mike Wright. He'd be a starter if it weren't for the depth.

3. Daniel Graham. He can make the argument he was used as a tackle eligible rather than a true TE. Someone will take a flyer on him.

4. Izzo. He might be over the hill, he might not.

The good news is that there will be plenty of cap room. That being said, the team never over-pays even if it has cap room (which is why it has cap room in the first place).

I would not be at all surprised if we had no major free-agency defections next off-season. Combine that with two first rounders, and the team of the future continues to build.

Yes, all and all if this is a "rebuilding" year and the team is competitive in 2006 the FO has really done a nice job. Compare that with the 20 year rebuilding process the Bears went through, we are very lucky.

Looking at the list of players that will become FAs I like to put them into Buckets.

1) Starters entering their prime, and Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA).
- Graham, Samuels
- sign them if possible, not irreplaceble

2) Players under Pats control (Exclusive Right Free Agents)
- I don't know all the rules but these players we can sign if we want to
- Mike Wright (ERFA), Britt (ERFA), Spann (ERFA)

3) Backups or Vets
- highly replacebale, really Just Another Guy (JAG), have some value because of knowledge of system
- Izzo, Davis, Pass, Evans, TBC, Alexander (RFA), Gay (RFA)

4) May or should retire
- Brown, Seau

If we lock up our ERFAs (Britt, Wright, Spann), I see any other moves as gravy. If nothing else is done between now and the end of the year we have to replace starters at ILB (Seau), CB (Samuels) and FB (Evans/Pass). There could be an effort to sign TBC or Alexander so that there is less of a turnover in the LB core but neither player is a difference maker.

ILB - I don't see Mays as a starter but no reason he can't assume a ST role, maybe take Davis's spot.

The attached .zip file contains a spreadsheet with the 2007 roster (as-is) and my "dream" roster (no warrantee is expressed or implied). It is not a work of art but helps show which areas will be a focus for next offseason.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Yes, all and all if this is a "rebuilding" year and the team is competitive in 2006 the FO has really done a nice job. Compare that with the 20 year rebuilding process the Bears went through, we are very lucky.

Looking at the list of players that will become FAs I like to put them into Buckets.

1) Starters entering their prime, and Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA).
- Graham, Samuels
- sign them if possible, not irreplaceble

2) Players under Pats control (Exclusive Right Free Agents)
- I don't know all the rules but these players we can sign if we want to
- Mike Wright (ERFA), Britt (ERFA), Spann (ERFA)

3) Backups or Vets
- highly replacebale, really Just Another Guy (JAG), have some value because of knowledge of system
- Izzo, Davis, Pass, Evans, TBC, Alexander (RFA), Gay (RFA)

4) May or should retire
- Brown, Seau

If we lock up our ERFAs (Britt, Wright, Spann), I see any other moves as gravy. If nothing else is done between now and the end of the year we have to replace starters at ILB (Seau), CB (Samuels) and FB (Evans/Pass). There could be an effort to sign TBC or Alexander so that there is less of a turnover in the LB core but neither player is a difference maker.

ILB - I don't see Mays as a starter but no reason he can't assume a ST role, maybe take Davis's spot.

The attached .zip file contains a spreadsheet with the 2007 roster (as-is) and my "dream" roster (no warrantee is expressed or implied). It is not a work of art but helps show which areas will be a focus for next offseason.

Its nice to think about drafting LBs, but Bill has in practice signed experienced veteran ex-starters, most on the downside of their careers. Colvin was the exception and he paid big bucks for him.

I think his LB corps has been substantially upgraded already, and considerably younger. If it weren't for the oldsters at ST LB that survived because Tebuckey, Mitchell, and Gardner went on IR, it would actually be the youngest of the Belichick years. Even including the Seau one-season bandaid. they'll be back next season and the ST will get very young and very good.

The LB corps would look very good with an addition of an in-his-prime star LB, like the Colvin signing. Especially at ILB.

I expect a Colvin II type Free Agency signing or perhaps a Colvin II/Corey Dillon type trade.

Signing a big time CB would be nice, but I think this is where young legs and talent in the top two rounds is put to good to use. Besides there is time to groom DBs. Its not like the immediate openings that exist at LB...

 

[cstjohn17]

Its nice to think about drafting LBs, but Bill has in practice signed experienced veteran ex-starters, most on the downside of their careers. Colvin was the exception and he paid big bucks for him.

I think his LB corps has been substantially upgraded already, and considerably younger. If it weren't for the oldsters at ST LB that survived because Tebuckey, Mitchell, and Gardner went on IR, it would actually be the youngest of the Belichick years. Even including the Seau one-season bandaid. they'll be back next season and the ST will get very young and very good.

The LB corps would look very good with an addition of an in-his-prime star LB, like the Colvin signing. Especially at ILB.

I expect a Colvin II type Free Agency signing or perhaps a Colvin II/Corey Dillon type trade.

Signing a big time CB would be nice, but I think this is where young legs and talent in the top two rounds is put to good to use. Besides there is time to groom DBs. Its not like the immediate openings that exist at LB...

I like the offseason stuff a little too much...my ideal scenario is more of a dream than anything based in reality. As constituted, based on currently signed players, there are holes at LB and CB next year. This could change but anytime players hit free agency there is an increased risk they will be gone.

2007
LBs signed (age at start of next season) – Bruschi (33), Vrabel (32), Colvin (30), Woods (24)
- average age 29.8
- 5 spots open based on current 53 man roster (9 LBs)

Remaining LB spots
- 2 spots – some youth and depth could be provided quickly if TBC and Alexander are re-signed
- 1 spot - either Izzo or Davis may be brought back, 2007 is the year one of them goes (I said this last year too)
- 1 spot - someone younger, maybe Mays or Gardner takes one of Izzo’s orDavis’s spot
- 1 open spot, filled as you said by a Colvin II type player, ideally an ILB

Other options
- bring some youth in via draft, unless the right person is there in early rounds more likely to see round 4,5 type players brought in with expectations of learning system while performing on special teams

CBs signed Hobbs, Scott
- ERFA Spann
- RFA Gay
- 3 open spots

Remaining CB spots
- 1 spot - if Spann shows anything extend him
- 1 veteran FA, please don’t be from the same mold as Warfield, Starks
- 1 spot via draft, there may be some expectation that the CB brought in through the draft with be the #2 or worst case #3 CB on the team, for a rookie to come in at this level it makes sense to take the player high, rounds 1 or 2

Another option
- if a quality Safety is a better value than CB in the draft, draft Safety move Wilson to CB
- sign a quality CB via free agency, draft a developmental CB later in the draft, rounds 3 or 4