Love The Drake
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.This is an important point. The goal of this season should be creating the impression that THIS is a team that is "on the upswing".
Wins, IMHO are less important than being seen as being well coached and, more importantly, COMPETITIVE., even with a somewhat less than ideal roster.
If they just do that, then this will be a place where FA's will be willing to come to.
You always need trench guys. Nobody is disputing that. But you also can't dispute this is a LOT of money to pay to a guy who is coming off his first big year of production.Football is won in the trenches, you pay for guys who can disrupt.
I'm excited about them returning the entire unit while also getting Judon, Gonzalez and Marcus Jones back... along with continued growth by Keion White, who has barely scratched the surface.
The offense doesn't even have to be explosive, if they can be efficient, run the ball, sustain drives and control the clock this team can win a lot of games assuming health.
Gotta wonder how many of these extensions would have gotten done if BB was here.
Who is going to be the great FA WR for the Patriots to go after next year?Given the value of the importance of being strong in the middle of the DL for say 30 plays a game vs having a very good, but aging and somewhat undependable WR is something I would do 100 times out of 100.
We don't need that #1 WR THIS year to make Jacobi look better. We need him NEXT year for Drake. And next year will be a good one for FA WR'S
If we got one of them for say a third rounder. Which I highly doubt. I would consider it good value and be in on it.Since we are on an expected multi-year rebuild, I would be against spending future draft capital now.
How much of that is the addition of Mayo and the removal of Mac?
FA is not a simple equation of bid the most and sign the player. Never forget that these are HIGHLY competitive guys. WINNING is very important to them in making a decision.Its just about show me the money, ken. You know that. Except in very rare occasions or when the $ is equal.
Where this team needs to be COMPETITIVE is offering the best deal to the players they want.
Supposedly, next year's FA WR class is much better than this year's.Who is going to be the great FA WR for the Patriots to go after next year?
It feels like more and more teams are tying up their guys long term and the recent bump in the salary cap allowed them to do that.
We lost out on Calvin Ridley and I have a feeling the difference in his decision was more than the 1 million dollar salary difference. He ended up with 4/92 from Titans. 23 vs 22m, is it that big a deal that we couldn't have matched?Its just about show me the money, ken. You know that. Except in very rare occasions or when the $ is equal.
Where this team needs to be COMPETITIVE is offering the best deal to the players they want.
2025 draft is less deep and much weaker, on average the 10th best prospect in 2025 would have been around the 40th best prospect in 2024. 2024 ended all the players from the covid year, and with NIL less underclassmen are coming out so 2025 statistically should be the worst draft for depth in a very long time.we'll be in good shape to burn some cash next off-season and with the likely possibility of another top 5 draft pick (I see Vegas, Carolina, Washington, Denver and Tennessee as the drecks) and a good looking, much deeper draft, we should expect to be a playoff team in 2025. T
I’ll take that bet, between now and kickoff, with under .500 record. It’s crazy talk to think the D can carry this team to 8-9 record. I’ll be watching, like I’ve been since 1981, but won’t expect more than a better team than last year, which was a disaster.2025 draft is less deep and much weaker, on average the 10th best prospect in 2025 would have been around the 40th best prospect in 2024. 2024 ended all the players from the covid year, and with NIL less underclassmen are coming out so 2025 statistically should be the worst draft for depth in a very long time.
Patriots, Giants, Panthers were the 3 worst offenses last year. Patriot could have a top 10 defense in 2024 if Gonzalez plays to his potential and Judon can give them some pass rush. If they get the offense to middle of the road they will be at worst, around .500.
I would not count on a top 5 pick, though it is possible but probably not likely with this defense and any semblance of an offense.
What if Polk/Baker wind up producing similar production to what he had last year? You basically save $20 million per season avoiding paying a depreciating asset that's about to turn 30.We lost out on Calvin Ridley and I have a feeling the difference in his decision was more than the 1 million dollar salary difference. He ended up with 4/92 from Titans. 23 vs 22m, is it that big a deal that we couldn't have matched?
I think since the wheels fell off the wagon, things cannot get much worse and with how the draft went and the extensions we have seen, I am liking how things are going so far. Would these extensions have happened with previous leadership within the timeframe they happened or would things have been dragged out or even not happened? Not knocking how things were done, just getting a different vibe already from new management. So far I must say I am excited for this season and the future. Not saying we are going to see things change overnight but definitely feel that things will improve drastically. Then again, the wheels fell off the wagon so things can't get much worse.I think NE is a mystery for free agents right now: a new coach, a new GM (who isn't a GM), a new OC, a rookie QB (who is behind a vet QB who never did much), and few playmakers on offense. Give that a year or two and I think agents will feel differently about sending their clients to NE.
Nope, she says why can't they wait a little longer...Well. They’ve proven they have no difficulty getting some big time players to stay, now if only they could convince them to come. Yes, that’s what she said.
I celebrated losing out on Ridley.We lost out on Calvin Ridley and I have a feeling the difference in his decision was more than the 1 million dollar salary difference. He ended up with 4/92 from Titans. 23 vs 22m, is it that big a deal that we couldn't have matched?
92m dollars for 4 years. 41m in guaranteed money. That's 23 m aav. So Barmore gets WR1/Calvin Ridley money.
Source: Patriots, DT Christian Barmore Agree To Massive 4-Year Extension
I like Barmore a lot but this also feels like a lot of money. He had 8.5 sacks last year but that was the first year he really had outstanding numbers.
Said it before, the Pats were the only team that could put any more money in his pocket this year. For D lineman in the last year of a rookie deal that signing bonus and the guarantees are a hella incentive to get something done before setting foot on a field again. Generational wealth without risk.
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