2018 . pre Free Agency salivations

[Deus Irae]

You guys are all fixated on the shiny objects. Give me

1. LBs
2. OL
3. TE

in that order of priority.

When did a slot WR the likes of Landry or Beasley become a shiny object?

It's more accurate to say that the slot WR is a very important offensive position in the Tom Brady era, and that the current options there are getting to the end of the road and are injury prone.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think Butler will be looking for a BIG payday.....It was nice knowing you Malcolm....Thanks for the memories.....Unless he comes up Big in the next 2 games ( I know I am assuming alot with the Pats) I don't believe he will be a Patriot next season....Time will tell..

Butler isn't going to get a big pay day. He took a big step backwards this year. He's going to need to play on a mid-range Prove it deal before anyone plays him the type of money he was looking for last year.

 

[doesntmatter1]

What about RB? I assume we're losing Dion Lewis in the off season as someone is going to price us out.

I hope not. All of our running backs except Lewis are overpaid. Give him what he wants.

Linebacker depth seems our immediate need. We will probably cut Shea McClelin and David Harris next season. Next is tight end. Bennet will likely retire and Hollister is invisible. Followed by getting a younger slot wr and not Beasley. Landry is most likely a pipe dream.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I wouldn't mind exploring options with Terrell Pryor, he won't command huge money and would be a nice big bodied WR

Why can't we draft WRs like Pittsburgh does, would be nice to have some more home grown/drafted talent

The only RBs we have under contract next year is White and Gillislee.. Burkhead was a 1 year rental and will likely be gone, and someone is going to offer way too much for Lewis and steal him away (remember Lewis missed nearly 2 seasons out of his 3 year deal he signed with injury too, which is why i would be reluctant to break the bank on him

They need to draft another young, talented guy who will be on the cheap for 4 years..
Imagine an Alvin Kamara type player in this offense... damn...

 

[maineman209]

All of our running backs except Lewis are overpaid.

Compared to who?

White is #22 in APY. Gillislee is #28 and Burkhead is #29.

Gillislee, for example, put up the same yds/game as DeMarco Murray, just a couple fewer 1st downs and one less TD. Murray makes twice as much.

Lewis is egregiously underpaid compared to other RBs in the league, but that doesn't mean the other Pats RBs are overpaid on that same scale, especially when you count total yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving).

 

[maineman209]

Why can't we draft WRs like Pittsburgh does (?) ...

First of all, the Steelers have drafted many more WRs than the Pats have. Folks just don't pay attention to the score of them that have failed.

Secondly, the Steelers' offense is much simpler and easier to master than the Pats' offense. Which is why morons like Bryant and Schuster who are big and athletic can "succeed" there - watching the Pats receivers play in the AFCCG on television.

 

[Deus Irae]

First of all, the Steelers have drafted many more WRs than the Pats have. Folks just don't pay attention to the score of them that have failed.

Secondly, the Steelers' offense is much simpler and easier to master than the Pats' offense. Which is why morons like Bryant and Schuster who are big and athletic can "succeed" there - watching the Pats receivers play in the AFCCG on television.

Pittsburgh's WR drafting success rate has been very impressive.

Draft Finder Query Results | Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[doesntmatter1]

Compared to who?

White is #22 in APY. Gillislee is #28 and Burkhead is #29.

Gillislee, for example, put up the same yds/game as DeMarco Murray, just a couple fewer 1st downs and one less TD. Murray makes twice as much.

Lewis is egregiously underpaid compared to other RBs in the league, but that doesn't mean the other Pats RBs are overpaid on that same scale, especially when you count total yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving).

Gilly, who I like by the way, is paid so much because we had no choice if we wanted to steal him and Demarco is overpaid. I know it is hindsight but Gilly hasn't given us more than what an udfa or Bolden could have given for much cheaper. Rex at the time was pretty much still under the radar and known to have durability concerns. With that said, why did we give him one of the richest contracts we have ever given to a rb? Who were we competing against for his services? White's contract isn't that bad.

If we were better at drafting running backs, which doesn't seem hard for other teams, we wouldn't have to steal guys like Gilly or pay Rex the way we did. Guys like Shady, Bell, and now Lewis should be paid but other than that there seems to be Hunts and Kamaras every draft.

 

[maineman209]

Gilly, who I like by the way, is paid so much because we had no choice if we wanted to steal him and Demarco is overpaid. I know it is hindsight but Gilly hasn't given us more than what an udfa or Bolden could have given for much cheaper.

If the Pats had been confident that Bolden (or a random UDFA) could have provided what they thought Gillislee could, they'd have gone that way.

Rex at the time was pretty much still under the radar and known to have durability concerns. With that said, why did we give him one of the richest contracts we have ever given to a rb? Who were we competing against for his services? White's contract isn't that bad.

"... one of the richest contracts (the Pats) have ever given to an RB" was still less than 27 other RBs in the league are making - millions less than most of the guys above Rex (and Gillislee). I really don't see how he's "overpaid".

If we were better at drafting running backs, which doesn't seem hard for other teams, we wouldn't have to steal guys like Gilly or pay Rex the way we did. Guys like Shady, Bell, and now Lewis should be paid but other than that there seems to be Hunts and Kamaras every draft.

First of all, there really aren't guys like Hunt and Kamara in the mid-rounds "every draft". The 2017 class turned out to have been fairly strong, but even that's relative. There are 20-30 RBs drafted every year. Generally only a handful turn out to be really decent, and fewer still have the kind of rookie impact that Hunt and Kamara provided this season.

Secondly, the Pats have only a few draft picks to spend on developmental college prospects and future needs, and at more than just the RB position. Going into FA and the draft this past spring, the Pats had an aging (runner-only) Blount who was UFA, White (who's far more receiver than rusher), and Lewis (still trying to get back on track returning from his injury). So, they spent a 5th round pick on a guy with a few years of NFL experience, and signed another as a UFA. And they had to pay a bit more for that experience in order to get players who had a better chance of contributing immediately.

Between the two of them, Burkhead and Gillislee contributed 918 yards from scrimmage and 13 TDs for $6.35M. DeMarco Murray posted 925 yards from scrimmage and 7 TDs for $6.95M.

I'm still not seeing how the Pats "overpaid".

 

[captain stone]

Haven't given much thought to free agency or the draft yet, but one WR whom I would like to see us sign, and who should come cheaply, is Jeff Janis of GB.
He doesn't fill the Slot role, but maybe that can be filled by Dorsett, after being given a full off-season to learn it.

 

[patsfaninpa]

If the Pats had been confident that Bolden (or a random UDFA) could have provided what they thought Gillislee could, they'd have gone that way.



"... one of the richest contracts (the Pats) have ever given to an RB" was still less than 27 other RBs in the league are making - millions less than most of the guys above Rex (and Gillislee). I really don't see how he's "overpaid".



First of all, there really aren't guys like Hunt and Kamara in the mid-rounds "every draft". The 2017 class turned out to have been fairly strong, but even that's relative. There are 20-30 RBs drafted every year. Generally only a handful turn out to be really decent, and fewer still have the kind of rookie impact that Hunt and Kamara provided this season.

Secondly, the Pats have only a few draft picks to spend on developmental college prospects and future needs, and at more than just the RB position. Going into FA and the draft this past spring, the Pats had an aging (runner-only) Blount who was UFA, White (who's far more receiver than rusher), and Lewis (still trying to get back on track returning from his injury). So, they spent a 5th round pick on a guy with a few years of NFL experience, and signed another as a UFA. And they had to pay a bit more for that experience in order to get players who had a better chance of contributing immediately.

Between the two of them, Burkhead and Gillislee contributed 918 yards from scrimmage and 13 TDs for $6.35M. DeMarco Murray posted 925 yards from scrimmage and 7 TDs for $6.95M.

I'm still not seeing how the Pats "overpaid".

We could have had Tevin Coleman instead of Jordan Richards. I just can’t let it go

 

[mitsudriver]

LT might interest us, you know, since Solder is an UFA.

 

[50-yard-line]

There's no one out there I would have wanted more than I wanted Cooks when we got him.

Dorsett and Britt are NFL caliber receivers.

You just don't know who will fit here with Brady and this offense and who won't - trying to predict differently is a fool's game.

In FA this year, I expect the Pats to be quiet (hopefully signing a few of their own). Maybe a LB. Bill will go for value (Lawrence Guy types), since they don't have a ton of cap.

 

[theone12]

Why would anyone be jealous of the Steelers drafting amazing receivers? That’s the most overrated position to have stacked talent at. The Fat Rapist threw for over 400 yards and 5 tds, Antonio Brown dominated, and they still got eliminated. You don’t win superbowls with stacked talent at an overrated position. Efficient talent at WR? Of course. Elite star and amazing sidekick talent at WR? Receipe for failure come the postseason.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

LT might interest us, you know, since Solder is an UFA.

Well Garcia might take that role next year or maybe we resign waddle.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

There's no one out there I would have wanted more than I wanted Cooks when we got him.

Dorsett and Britt are NFL caliber receivers.

You just don't know who will fit here with Brady and this offense and who won't - trying to predict differently is a fool's game.

In FA this year, I expect the Pats to be quiet (hopefully signing a few of their own). Maybe a LB. Bill will go for value (Lawrence Guy types), since they don't have a ton of cap.

They can free up to 20 mil by letting go of some guys. We will see.

 

[mitsudriver]

There's no one out there I would have wanted more than I wanted Cooks when we got him.

Dorsett and Britt are NFL caliber receivers.

You just don't know who will fit here with Brady and this offense and who won't - trying to predict differently is a fool's game.

In FA this year, I expect the Pats to be quiet (hopefully signing a few of their own). Maybe a LB. Bill will go for value (Lawrence Guy types), since they don't have a ton of cap.

They should be fine on the cap. Should have about $27 million in free space after cutting Bennett, Gilleslee, and David Harris. Cutting Allen would save another $5 million with no dead money as well. Britt and Dorsett can be cut for around $1.5 million each with no dead money. Cap shouldn't be a huge issue.

Gotta resign Amendola, Lewis, Burkhead. Solder, Waddle, and Fleming are all UFA's as well. Tackle is gonna be a major need this offseason (either resign our own or find a starter and backup). If you cut Allen you need another TE.

 

[Aßßynormal]

They should be fine on the cap. Should have about $27 million in free space after cutting Bennett, Gilleslee, and David Harris. Cutting Allen would save another $5 million with no dead money as well. Britt and Dorsett can be cut for around $1.5 million each with no dead money. Cap shouldn't be a huge issue.

Gotta resign Amendola, Lewis, Burkhead. Solder, Waddle, and Fleming are all UFA's as well. Tackle is gonna be a major need this offseason (either resign our own or find a starter and backup). If you cut Allen you need another TE.

We can also consider extending and/or restructuring Brady, we could get up to $5m more there (roughly speaking).

 

[FCB02062]

Kind germane to this discussion as their situations impact 2018 FA... put 11 & 87 in bubble wrap until opening day

 

[Deus Irae]

Why would anyone be jealous of the Steelers drafting amazing receivers? That’s the most overrated position to have stacked talent at. The Fat Rapist threw for over 400 yards and 5 tds, Antonio Brown dominated, and they still got eliminated. You don’t win superbowls with stacked talent at an overrated position. Efficient talent at WR? Of course. Elite star and amazing sidekick talent at WR? Receipe for failure come the postseason.

Following your logic, Buffalo losing proves you shouldn't bother fielding a defense.