Bourne and Parker: stay or go?

[Joey007]

Curious what the opinion is here on both WR’s.

I feel like I’m in a minority, but Parker was really underrated last year at times and I hope he stays. He made some in traffic catches I had not seen a Pats WR make in quite some time here. What we wished Harry would bring physically.

 

[Tunescribe]

Keep both. This team can't start completely from scratch at WR with Meyers and Agholor likely gone.

 

[Ian]

Curious what the opinion is here on both WR’s.

I feel like I’m in a minority, but Parker was really underrated last year at times and I hope he stays. He made some in traffic catches I had not seen a Pats WR make in quite some time here. What we wished Harry would bring physically.

I’m hoping Bourne’s issue was a “didn’t fit with Patricia’s plans” and not an attitude issue. The fact he was non-existent all season feels like a cut off your nose to spite your face by the coaching staff and I’m having a hard time believing that was necessarily as one-sided as it seemed. He’s a talented player, so I’m definitely hoping for a 180 there.

On Parker, he’s got a lot of good attributes physically and that touchdown throw from Mac vs Buffalo was just an example of what he’s capable of. I think maybe O’Brien might be able to scheme up some additional opportunities like that, so it’s worth keeping him around.

I do feel like they still need to find an impact player to open up things for these guys…so curious to see how that plays out.

I’m hopeful on Meyers and think if it’s close, maybe he’ll stay, but who knows?

Needless to say, it should definitely be an interesting offseason.

 

[Ross12]

IMO, while it would be nice to have both, I think one goes. In my opinion, Meyers will be retained but will cost a little more than they ideally would have wanted to spend. Additionally, they’ll trade for a “number 1” guy like Hopkins or someone else (or draft a WR in the 1st). At that point you have Bourne and Parker contending for the number 3 role. Neither are super pricey but are still several million you could get back by moving and could get a draft pick for. Plus you still have Thornton. I doubt they’ll have Thorton as the 5th guy so someone will have to get moved, and my guess is it would be Parker who would probably net better compensation (though I’m a bit biased as I am still a little partial to Bourne and think he can eventually be a high-end number 2 guy…)

If they do not acquire a number 1 guy or if Meyers isn’t retained (or neither) then certainly I could see both guys staying but it feels like a risky proposition to have them both playing out the final year of their deals.

 

[Sciz]

There’s no bonus due or new money becoming guaranteed, so there’s not really any incentive to make a move until after the draft at the very least. Their super backloaded FA contracts recently mean they can sign way more free agents with their current cap room than they actually will. They don’t need to be cutting guys to clear cap right away.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

IMO, while it would be nice to have both, I think one goes. In my opinion, Meyers will be retained but will cost a little more than they ideally would have wanted to spend. Additionally, they’ll trade for a “number 1” guy like Hopkins or someone else (or draft a WR in the 1st). At that point you have Bourne and Parker contending for the number 3 role. Neither are super pricey but are still several million you could get back by moving and could get a draft pick for. Plus you still have Thornton. I doubt they’ll have Thorton as the 5th guy so someone will have to get moved, and my guess is it would be Parker who would probably net better compensation (though I’m a bit biased as I am still a little partial to Bourne and think he can eventually be a high-end number 2 guy…)

If they do not acquire a number 1 guy or if Meyers isn’t retained (or neither) then certainly I could see both guys staying but it feels like a risky proposition to have them both playing out the final year of their deals.

I'm wondering if they should take the Myers money and find a true number one and put Myers money toward him, whoever that is.

 

[archstanton543]

Borne is under contract. Parker isn't.

There's your answer right there.

Also, there's no RLKAG option in the poll.

 

[doesntmatter1]

I'm wondering if they should take the Myers money and find a true number one and put Myers money toward him, whoever that is.

This is basically where I'm at. I recognize that Meyers is pretty good but I kind of want him gone. He is improving but I feel like he holds us back. He still doesn't have enough yac ability and doesn't score often.

And when he literally threw the game away, I sort of threw him away. People bash player screwups all the time and I'm choosing this one. It honestly pissed me off more than the Welker drop, Harper fumble, missed int etc. I'm pretty sure that play sent some die hard fan over the edge and straight to the psych ward.

 

[Ross12]

I'm wondering if they should take the Myers money and find a true number one and put Myers money toward him, whoever that is.

Taking that line of thinking further, you can also trade one of Bourne or Parker and pay for much of the first year of that WR1’s new deal. Then your “Meyers money” can mostly be put towards the other years of that guy’s deal. You’d only have that guy, whichever of Bourne or Parker is left, and Thornton rostered at that point but that is probably a perfectly fine 1-2-3 at the position if the top guy is elite. Would definitely want to try to get an upside guy as a 4 just in case there’s an injury though, whether that’s Nixon or a mid round rookie.

 

[Ross12]

Borne is under contract. Parker isn't.

There's your answer right there.

Also, there's no RLKAG option in the poll.

That’s just not true lol. They’re both under contract.

 

[hornetfb85]

Borne is under contract. Parker isn't.

There's your answer right there.

Also, there's no RLKAG option in the poll.

Unless I’m reading wrong, Parker is under contract for 6.2 mil

 

[TheRainMaker]

They are both under contract. But if Meyers is re-signed, Bourne could ask to be traded.

 

[Joey007]

Feeling like the way to go here is if you keep Meyers, you let go of one. But if you lose Meyers, both stay.

 

[Joey007]

Unless I’m reading wrong, Parker is under contract for 6.2 mil

Which to me is a good number honestly.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Keep both. This team can't start completely from scratch at WR with Meyers and Agholor likely gone.

*shudders in 2013*

 

[RobertWeathers]

Both but if they are trading for a legit WR1, Meyers is gone as the team will not pay ~$12m to Meyers as a WR2.

Parker, Thornton and Bourne become WR2s.

 

[Pape]

Parker is too up/down... Bourne is more reliable... If it rs a question between the two, i'd rather keep Bourne

 

[Ivan]

Keep both. This team can't start completely from scratch at WR with Meyers and Agholor likely gone.

Agree with this completely. You can’t leave the cupboard bare at WR expect to compete with good teams.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Agree with this completely. You can’t leave the cupboard bare at WR expect to compete with good teams.

Plus both are on relatively affordable deals. No reason to get rid of either.

 

[Sicilian]

Yeah, definitely keep both. If you get a top end WR this offseason, both of them slot into roles where they can excel (Parker getting one-on-one matchups with a CB2, and Bourne able to roam between inside and outside). If you DON'T get a top end WR this offseason, you're not going to want to be any thinner than you already are there. Plus it's hard to look at last year and say either guy was put in their best position to succeed.