Are We in for a Rough Year?

[FourierSeries]

Don't worry guys. Brandon Lafell will save us.

 

[FCB02062]

You should go back to being a Jets fan

LOVE IT! don't drink the Krafty Kool Aid and you're a JETS FAN

 

[Brady6]

This team has absolutely pampered and coddled me with success during the BB era. It's hard to even remember missing the playoffs. However, as I look at this team:

Talib - Gone
Spikes - Gone
Edelperson - Gone?
Blount - Gone??
Wilfork - Gone?/Injured and Will Impact Games?
Gronk - Injured and Will Impact Games?
Amendola - Practically needs a signature series crash cart
Rookie WRs - Wildly inconsistent and possibly not starting quality
Mayo - Injured and Will Impact Games?

We thought we needed another CB before losing Talib, so now we basically need 2. For all the people saying Spikes was a liability in coverage, we're significantly weaker against the run now and need to replace the production somehow. Our WR corps is extremely deficient and may get worse if Edelman is gone. We need another TE, and I'd even consider 2 given we may never have a fully functional Gronk for a full season. If Blount goes, I'm not sure Riddler or Vereen are enough as one loves to fumble and another has health issues also...

I'm really having trouble envisioning anything but a year significantly tougher than last year. Maybe our toughest ever for Brady-led teams. Even with TFB, this doesn't look like a playoff team to me right now.

Am I being a downer and need more kool-aid or are y'all as worried as I am? I understand it's early in FA, but there's also very few moves to make in FA that will fill our needs. And we're not usually the bombshell trade guys. Drafting rookies won't result in replaced/improved production that first season for the most part by my line of thinking either.

What says y'all?

We all need to hold our collective breath until we are 3-4 days into UFA; if things do not change then yes maybe, we could be looking at a difficult year. Right now, the potential is there to land in a better position.

Let us look at the players listed –

- Talib was a very good CB no doubt about it, but Revis is rumored to be in play for us so if we land him we are actually better off.
- Edelman was outstanding last season, first he is still on the market and we allowed Vollmer and Talib to test the market last season and they both returned, second the plan was always for Amendola to replace Welker, Edelman was a luxury last season.
- Blount had a fantastic year, but what made it fantastic was it came at $680K; I am not so sure his 700 yard would be as grand if we were paying $2M per season for it. In addition, we have Ridley who is our starter and Bolden who is a very good runner, also Vereen showed the ability to be special last year. Blount is also still available and I have heard nothing surrounding him, I actually would not be surprised to see him back.
- Spikes is a great run stopper but he was a cancer, the fact is his exit makes this team better, plus Mayo, Hightower, and Collins is a far more dynamic LB group.

The other players I am not overly concerned with, Wilfork just turned 32 years on a few months ago, we once signed a 35-year-old Ted Washington and he helped us win a SB. Gronkowski will be fine he is a rare talent, and will bounce back just fine. Amendola is what it is, maybe he breaks out maybe he does not, and the truth is the offense would be better off relying less on the slot. I think Dobson can make the type of leap Jeffrey did in Chicago last year, if you look at WRs historically, they make the second year leap more than any other position. Boyce has TY Hilton, Randall Cobb type talent, he should significant improvement as the season progressed, and people forget his PI penalty won the Browns game for us. Mayo I am not even going to comment on because people significantly undervalue how great of a player he is, he is a top five 4-3 LB in the NFL, outside of Willis and Kuechly there is not a player I would rather have at that position.

Keep in mind this team is young still these players are still improving –

- Ridley
- Vereen
- Dobson
- Boyce
- Solder
- Cannon
- Jones (DE)
- Buchanan
- Jones (DT)
- Siliga
- Hightower
- Collins
- Dennard
- Ryan
- Harmon
- Wilson

Even McCourty is only going to enter his second season as a full time safety.

 

[oldrover]

I'm a few more stupid Belichick decisions (or lack thereof) away from not watching a single game next season

(ex. drafting a no-name projected UDFA in the 2nd-4th round)

This team is one stupid Belichick decision away from zero championships ever... the guts to bail on Bledsoe and stick with Brady. I'm guessing you were okay with that though... or is your last name Borges?

 

[kennyb]

They have 15M in cap space plus some people who need to be cut. So it SHOULD be not IF they'll spend the money but WHEN and on WHOM.

 

[JackBauer]

This team is one stupid Belichick decision away from zero championships ever... the guts to bail on Bledsoe and stick with Brady. I'm guessing you were okay with that though... or is your last name Borges?

I think the odds are high s/he wasn't even born when that happened.

 

[conway]

Rough year, meaning 9-7 and still winning a crummy division? Maybe.

However, we have at least 4 rookies who made significant contributions primed for the famed 2d year jump (Dobson, Ryan, Harmon, and Collins). Maybe Thompkins and Boyce as well.

Wilfork, Kelly, and Amendola could come back strong from their injuries. Mayo and Vollmer will come back strong.

Even without Revis, we could sign Chandler, Lafell and Sanders relatively cheap. Shaugnessy and OL Smith could contribute on the cheap. Bring in a veteran safety, draft a "move" TE in the first and a interior o-lineman in the 2d, and we're back in business.

I'm not as panicked about Dennard, Ryan, and Arrington as our top 3 corners as everyone else seems to be, though Revis would sure be nice.

Anyway, I'm trying not to panic. I wouldn't want Talib or Ware at what they signed for. However, I have to admit, I feel a little like I do after an auction draft in a fantasy league, where I didn't overpay, but am not thrilled with the talent I was left with.

 

[Kontradiction]

A Revis signing turns the AFC into a 1A/1B race between the Broncos/Pats.

I would argue that it would put them ahead of the Broncos if Gronk can stay healthy. They would then be free to solidify interior OL, DT, DE (probably should be concentrated on in the first round since other positions are deeper... Kony Ealy?), TE, SS, and WR. With cuts of Wilfork, Sopoaga, and Adrian Wilson they can free up cap space to solidify one or two of those positions in FA and concentrate the rest of their draft ammo on other positions of need.

As for the thread itself, it's day two of free agency. Chill out. Even if the Pats only make a few bargain basement moves and skip the entire draft, Brady is still good enough to drag this team kicking and screaming into the postseason. They wouldn't get far, but he could get them there.

 

[IllegalContact]

every year is rough......I'm exhausted every january

 

[hwc]

It's hard to imagine a worse nightmare than last year with half of the team's salary cap on IR (or in prison). Hernandez, Gronk, Wilfork, Mayo, Kelly, Volmer.... The Pats were decimated. I still can't figure out how they made it to the AFC Championship game.

 

[yukon cornelius]

wait, the OP was serious?



I assumed sarcasm or a weak troll....

 

[IllegalContact]

It's hard to imagine a worse nightmare than last year with half of the team's salary cap on IR (or in prison). Hernandez, Gronk, Wilfork, Mayo, Kelly, Volmer.... The Pats were decimated. I still can't figure out how they made it to the AFC Championship game.

it sure as hell wasn't because of all the naysayers in this place

just a point if anyone wants to think about it.....the broncos 1st round pick last year was less productive than 3 UDFA rookie DT's the pats uncovered in the litter box

 

[chasa]

define rough year.

Will the patriots win the superbowl? 1/32 chance. will they win the afc east? probably.

Will they make the AFCCG theres a solid chance.

 

[FourierSeries]

A Revis signing would not put the Pats ahead of Denver. Denver still has a potent offense and they shored up key areas that were a weakness for them last year. I know we will be getting players back from injury, but so will they. Adding Revis would be an upgrade over Talib, but that does nothing to address the pass rush. Nor does it address the fact that outside of Gronk there are zero playmaking receivers currently under contract.

 

[resdubwhite]

A Revis signing would not put the Pats ahead of Denver. Denver still has a potent offense and they shored up key areas that were a weakness for them last year. I know we will be getting players back from injury, but so will they. Adding Revis would be an upgrade over Talib, but that does nothing to address the pass rush. Nor does it address the fact that outside of Gronk there are zero playmaking receivers currently under contract.

A Revis signing has us in the conversation. We've got a lot of talent coming off IR.

 

[Jackson 2]

It's hard to imagine a worse nightmare than last year with half of the team's salary cap on IR (or in prison). Hernandez, Gronk, Wilfork, Mayo, Kelly, Volmer.... The Pats were decimated. I still can't figure out how they made it to the AFC Championship game.

Wild guess- great coaching???

 

[FourierSeries]

A Revis signing has us in the conversation. We've got a lot of talent coming off IR.

So does Denver.

Signing Revis is definitely a step in the right direction, but obviously it can't stop there.

 

[TBR]

If anyone thought I was serious with that post, then you need to get out a little more. I forgot majority of the users on here are probably pushing 40+ years old.

Like many other fans I'm frustrated and fed up with the way they've been handling players. Obviously the philosophy is not working when you have arguably the greatest QB of all time go 10 years without a ring. They've got to switch something up before Brady is gone - He is the BIGGEST reason they've been so consistent over this long stretch - not as much as the philosophy or strategy. Bringing in players who've established themselves as playmakers in this league is a rarity around here.

They sign players for cheap and hope they outplay their contract. This works out with 1 in every 15 players. Then once they overproduce while being underpaid and hit FA, they understandably want money they deserve - but we don't give it to them.

Resorting to the draft to build a quality team WOULD be a good strategy, because we don't have to pay them much for the first 4 years - but it doesn't help when you can't even draft a single WR and take such outrageous risks like Tavon Wilson.

There's obviously a ton of good about New England and being a fan, but there are glaring negatives that get overshadowed.

 

[TriplecHamp]

A revis signing easily puts the pats above Denver. Some people have 0 concept of matchups and why some teams have success over others, probably the same people that thought Denver would beat Seattle. Denver has done nothing but slightly downgrade on the offensive side of the ball and upgraded at the safety and corner positions. I don't think Ware is a significant upgrade over what they got from Phillips.

Long story short: The Patriots acquiring the best corner in football along with getting Gronk, Mayo and company back will put them ahead of a Denver team that was not much better than them to begin with.

 

[neuronet]

The amazing thing is we'll still probably make the playoffs.

Pretty bummed, but BB manages to pull things together in ways we are horrible at predicting.