Breaking: we have cap space after settling grievances

[Patsgofor4]

I don't think this newly-found space would've made much if any difference regarding that particular situation, and it might not make much more of a difference in this right-now situation either...

NFL free agents 2020: Top 15 free agents remaining

Out of those 15, I would immediately contact the agents of, in no particular order:

DEs Clowney & Griffin; DE is an under-reported weakness here...Hasn't Bill shown interest in Clay Matthews in the past? He might be a cheaper option...

DT Snacks Harrison; Fat Thor is our "run stopper" ...'nuff sed...Marcel Darius is also still available...

and OTs Beachum & Peters; RT is a very, Very big question mark right now, and although both of these guys have more experience at LT, they still might become our best option there, given the possible health/suckiness issues of Cannon & Cachoo...Cordy Glenn is also still available, as is old friend Adrian LaWaddle...

Unfortunately, the 2 positions besides RT where we need the most help - WR & TE - there is very little help forthcoming...At WR the first number I'd call would be to that of Jaron Brown's agent; and at TE it would be Charles Clay's...

2020 NFL Free Agents Tracker

Top 100 Available 2020 NFL Free Agents List | NFLTradeRumors.co

I already covered Harrison early on in this thread. Even he isn't sure he can still play at high level, after a terrible 2019. That's not a great sign.

Peters >> Beachum but it would make no sense to try to convert him to RT at this point in his career. You would flip Wynn to RT, where BB had him playing as a rookie, before the achilles tear.

Charles "bone-on-bone" Clay and Jaron "untapped potential since 2013" Brown?? And you call BB a sh*t GM!

 

[luuked]

How the hell were we still paying for Ahern?

They were not. They got a credit for an amount that was on the cap at some point in the past.

 

[scott99]

One player I was thinking about who could add some explosiveness to our return game, and add some speed to our WR group, is Tavon Austin. He’s like a mini Cordarrelle Patterson, but faster. I know he never lived up to the hype from when he was coming out of college, but probably can get him on the cheap.

Can be used on jet sweeps, quick slants, even on some deep patterns, and of course in the return game. Has 15 receiving TDs, 10 rushing TDs and 3 return TDs in his career. Definitely an upgrade over Byrd, and can probably give you what Dorsett gave us, but add the return ability.

 

[Triumph]

Great analogy in the comments section at the end of this article.

"Clowney is the defensive equivalent of Andrew Luck" Spot on the money. I want no part of him even at his bargain price of 50% off or 10 million per.

For Seahawks, lack of pass rush, Clowney are biggest disappointments of 2019

 

[Triumph]

Jadeveon Clowney Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Khalil Mack Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Clowney
75 games -1 INT - 3 passes defensed 8 Forced Fumbles - 32 sacks - 236 combo tackles - 172 solo - 64 assists - 71 tackles for loss -80 QB hits

Mack
94 games -2 INTS- 19 passes defensed - 20 Forced fumbles -61.5 sacks - 398 combo tackles -308 solo-90 assists- 86 tackles for loss - 116 QB hits

Same draft.

One player is a difference maker and one player meh wannabe. Chicago had the 8th ranked defense last season with Mick Tribisky at the LOS. His days are numbered. Seattle had the 18th ranked defense in 2019 with HOF QB Russ Wilson. Russ and his team made the post season in 2019 and are 2020 Super Bowl contenders.

 

[Nehalem]

One player I was thinking about who could add some explosiveness to our return game, and add some speed to our WR group, is Tavon Austin. He’s like a mini Cordarrelle Patterson, but faster. I know he never lived up to the hype from when he was coming out of college, but probably can get him on the cheap.

Can be used on jet sweeps, quick slants, even on some deep patterns, and of course in the return game. Has 15 receiving TDs, 10 rushing TDs and 3 return TDs in his career. Definitely an upgrade over Byrd, and can probably give you what Dorsett gave us, but add the return ability.

Tavon Austin has averaged 5.5yards/tgt in his career.

So basically if you like Harry and one-legged Sanu, you will love Tavon Austin.

 

[scott99]

Tavon Austin has averaged 5.5yards/tgt in his career.

So basically if you like Harry and one-legged Sanu, you will love Tavon Austin.

You ever think he was used incorrectly ? Which receivers did better in our systems than others ? Dorsett, Hogan, Welker, Amendola, even Reche Caldwell. I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting.

 

[XLIX]

Not happening. He reportedly doesn't want to play for a belichick disciple (like Flores) after playing for BOB, so why would he want to play for belichick himself?

I don’t believe for a second that he would choose not to play for Flores based on his history with BOB. They are 2 entirely different men. I’d be very curious to see where those reports are coming from.

 

[DaBruinz]

How the hell were we still paying for Ahern?

It wasn't a matter of "PAYING". It was a matter of re-couping money from an accounting standpoint.

 

[DaBruinz]

Tavon Austin has averaged 5.5yards/tgt in his career.

So basically if you like Harry and one-legged Sanu, you will love Tavon Austin.

If you are looking at "yards/target" as a way to judge a player, you really shouldn't be judging players.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I don’t believe for a second that he would choose not to play for Flores based on his history with BOB. They are 2 entirely different men. I’d be very curious to see where those reports are coming from.

Clowney didn't want Belichick disciple as HC

 

[XLIX]

Clowney didn't want Belichick disciple as HC

Eh, I still don’t buy it, but thanks for the source. And also teams players say they would never play for can change quite suddenly when they are a free agent and finding limited interest.

 

[1960Pats]

I haven’t followed Clowney. Is he still really good? Would he be worth signing?

He might not be disciplined enough for Bill.

 

[1960Pats]

Brown got $5 million dollars in the settlement. He probably shouldn't have settled, but that was his choice. Nonetheless, the Patriots didn't "win" that grievance.

They were never going to win that grievance but I don't think Kraft cared about the money anyway. He'll spare no expense to keep his own image clean.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

If Newton puts up 3500 yards passing:
- Edelman 800 yards
- Sanu 700 yards
- Harry 500 yards
- James White 500 yards
- Asiasi 500 yards
- Meyer 300 yards
- Keene 200 yards

 

[neuronet]

They were not. They got a credit for an amount that was on the cap at some point in the past.

Is there an article or clear explanation somewhere about how our cap situation played out with AHern, such that even 3 years after his death there are still repurcussions? I certainly believe you are right I'm just confused.

I googled it but didn't find anything very good. I found this article from 2015 that seemed good, but it made it sound like the Pats would be ok after 2016:
https://www.americaninno.com/boston/aaron-hernandezs-dead-money-total-on-patriots-salary-cap-space/

 

[Deus Irae]

They were never going to win that grievance but I don't think Kraft cared about the money anyway. He'll spare no expense to keep his own image clean.

Tuggie's image is never going to be clean again. He's always going to be the billionaire who was so hard up that he paid old oriental women to jack him off.

 

[1960Pats]

If Newton puts up 3500 yards passing:
- Edelman 800 yards
- Sanu 700 yards
- Harry 500 yards
- James White 500 yards
- Asiasi 500 yards
- Meyer 300 yards
- Keene 200 yards

I don't have confidence that Edelman is going to last a full season, not the way he plays.

 

[1960Pats]

Tuggie's image is never going to be clean again. He's always going to be the billionaire who was so hard up that he paid old oriental women to jack him off.

Yes, but I don't really have a problem with Tuggie for that. I'm also not sure that the term "hard up" can be used to describe a 75 year old guy.

My issue with Kraft is how he wants his players and coaches to take one for the team while he fights tooth and nail for himself, even to the point of dropping a top WR just for PR.

 

[neuronet]

Tuggie's image is never going to be clean again. He's always going to be the billionaire who was so hard up that he paid old oriental women to jack him off.

Wait....She was old? This changes everything.