FA Pick 5

[50-yard-line]

Okay, so my other thread was very broad in scope, but strictly for free agents...

(Here's a complete list: 2014 NFL Free Agents - Free Agency Update - Rotoworld.com)

Pick 5 you think/hope the Pats will go after. You can include their own.

Just for giggles:

1. Lamar Houston - I would love this. 27 years old, and the guy can really play. He might be pricey, though, but worth it.
2. Aquib Talib - afraid he's leaving, hope he's not!
3. Arthur Jones - let's get a brother connection (discount?)?
4. Manny Sanders - BB likes him a lot, slightly different skill set than JE, should be relatively cheap (Steelers whispered to be keeping Cotchery).
5. Scott Chandler - solid, won't cost too much.

If Wilfork can't return, swap Arthur Jones for Pat Sims.

Who ya got?

 

[Jercules]

Mainly my hopes:

1. Talib (does anyone else wonder if we're coming off a third straight SB appearance if he stays healthy in those two AFCCGs?)

2. Nicks (not the safest play, but we need a legit threat on the outside to take the top off a defense and demand double coverage, and I'm sick of them ****ing around about it)

3. Golden Tate (he'd be an absolute killer with Tom Brady, maybe as good as Cruz)

4. Jared Allen (he's "expected to sign with a contending team as a situational pass rusher", and had 11.5 sacks last year. Maybe he could school CJ a bit in addition to being his bookend)

5. Pitta (it's a bigger interest of mine to see the offense revert back to the 2007 days under McDaniels than to revive the two-TE business, but snagging Pitta would hurt the Ravens and give us important depth)

I don't know the ins and outs of all this (perhaps one of the top pass rushing DEs would be a better fit than Allen?), these picks reflect my attitude towards positional needs if anything. Get a #1 wideout, get a bookend pass rusher, keep Talib!

 

[50-yard-line]

Mainly my hopes:

1. Talib (does anyone else wonder if we're coming off a third straight SB appearance if he stays healthy in those two AFCCGs?)

2. Nicks (not the safest play, but we need a legit threat on the outside to take the top off a defense and demand double coverage, and I'm sick of them ****ing around about it)

3. Golden Tate (he'd be an absolute killer with Tom Brady, maybe as good as Cruz)

4. Jared Allen (he's "expected to sign with a contending team as a situational pass rusher", and had 11.5 sacks last year. Maybe he could school CJ a bit in addition to being his bookend)

5. Pitta (it's a bigger interest of mine to see the offense revert back to the 2007 days under McDaniels than to revive the two-TE business, but snagging Pitta would hurt the Ravens and give us important depth)

I don't know the ins and outs of all this (perhaps one of the top pass rushing DEs would be a better fit than Allen?), these picks reflect my attitude towards positional needs if anything. Get a #1 wideout, get a bookend pass rusher, keep Talib!

1. I don't think we win this last year even if he had stayed on the field, but your point stands.
2+3: You'd want both?
4. This is a distinct possibility. I'd like Lamar Houston because he could be around for a long while and can play all over the line in different schemes.
5. Wouldn't that be great? But Balt is going to franchise him, I hear.

 

[Brady6]

Okay, so my other thread was very broad in scope, but strictly for free agents...

(Here's a complete list: 2014 NFL Free Agents - Free Agency Update - Rotoworld.com)

Pick 5 you think/hope the Pats will go after. You can include their own.

Just for giggles:

1. Lamar Houston - I would love this. 27 years old, and the guy can really play. He might be pricey, though, but worth it.
2. Aquib Talib - afraid he's leaving, hope he's not!
3. Arthur Jones - let's get a brother connection (discount?)?
4. Manny Sanders - BB likes him a lot, slightly different skill set than JE, should be relatively cheap (Steelers whispered to be keeping Cotchery).
5. Scott Chandler - solid, won't cost too much.

If Wilfork can't return, swap Arthur Jones for Pat Sims.

Who ya got?

Top five outside players –

1. Alex Mack
2. Michael Johnson
3. Garrett Graham
4. Riley Cooper
5. Scott Chandler

Internal players –

1. Aqib Talib
2. Julian Edelman
3. Dane Fletcher

 

[ashley]

Probably not realistic but here goes:

1-Talib
2-Edleman
3- Mack
4-Pettigrew
5-J. Allen

 

[DW Toys]

Okay, so my other thread was very broad in scope, but strictly for free agents...

(Here's a complete list: 2014 NFL Free Agents - Free Agency Update - Rotoworld.com)

Pick 5 you think/hope the Pats will go after. You can include their own.

Just for giggles:

1. Lamar Houston - I would love this. 27 years old, and the guy can really play. He might be pricey, though, but worth it.
2. Aquib Talib - afraid he's leaving, hope he's not!
3. Arthur Jones - let's get a brother connection (discount?)?
4. Manny Sanders - BB likes him a lot, slightly different skill set than JE, should be relatively cheap (Steelers whispered to be keeping Cotchery).
5. Scott Chandler - solid, won't cost too much.

If Wilfork can't return, swap Arthur Jones for Pat Sims.

Who ya got?

O.K. I'll play Cousin.

Vanna?
I am putting-
T for Talib
E for Edelman
and
B for Blount

Those are ours.

Two left-

Now I have two FA's we try for and that is about all we can afford.
I'd love Jared Allen but I think the right play is Michael Johnson DE. If you want to invest he has already visited with our staff and he has age going for him. Now you can move Nink around. Teaming Johnson with Chandler Jones and you have and elite pair of your DEs who can rush the passer.

I's move Ninkovich to MLB. tell me why not? Ay 6'2" and 260 he played OLB. He can cover better than Spikes so a three down MLB. I think he moves inside and makes the transition with ease.
Now you have a great LB rotation. He can still play DE with his hands in the dirt as well.

The Browns appear not to franchise C Alex Mack. Then he is the guy to shore up our O Line. He will be expensive but he has youth and talent and solidifies our O Line for years.

With our three and those two the till will be empty.

Now Trades make up the rest of the story.

Now I signed Blount for a reason. I trade Ridley to the Giants for Antrel Rolle who was great in 2013 but the G Man can't sign him and Stevie Brown both, so it would be Rolle who has a CAP out of wack and a long term Team friendly deal as in sign and trade. The Giants need an RB badly. We need a Safety.

I go to the Jags and gamble. I offer a mid round pick in 2014 and another in 2015 if he plays but I grab WR Justin Blackmon. He is only 24 and can be elite with guidance and away from the booze.He is still a cheap gamble.

If we can't get Blackmon, here is door#2;

And finally I do a three way swap destined to be met with scorn and disdain on this board but this is for fun and it does not cost me money. Are you ready Cousins?:

Sam Bradford of the Rams to the Texans for WR Andre Johnson and a swap of 1's (not the Rams #2 pick but #13).
Johnson and the Rams second round pick #44 to the Pats for Mallett and our first round pick, our second round pick and a choice of Boyce or Thompkins.

Bradford needs a change. He has a huge CAP number.

The Rams will have pick #2 and pick #29 in the first plus Mallet and a WR (Thompkins versus starting Rams WR corps had more yards than the touted Tavon Austin and as many TDs, More yards than Givens. More TD's than Petis). They move a high CAP number and Mallett may have a stronger arm but is it better to give Mallett a shot rather than the non durable Bradford?

But a new start in Houston might help Bradford.

Finally a wink/wink trade with Dimittroff for Gonzalez.

I am good with that 2014 FA and Trade season.

DW Toys

 

[Joker]

you're a crazy azzed Pats fan, DW.....reading your posts make me wanna believe in the tooth fairy all over again...

 

[Brady6]

O.K. I'll play Cousin.

Vanna?
I am putting-
T for Talib
E for Edelman
and
B for Blount

Those are ours.

Two left-

Now I have two FA's we try for and that is about all we can afford.
I'd love Jared Allen but I think the right play is Michael Johnson DE. If you want to invest he has already visited with our staff and he has age going for him. Now you can move Nink around. Teaming Johnson with Chandler Jones and you have and elite pair of your DEs who can rush the passer.

I's move Ninkovich to MLB. tell me why not? Ay 6'2" and 260 he played OLB. He can cover better than Spikes so a three down MLB. I think he moves inside and makes the transition with ease.
Now you have a great LB rotation. He can still play DE with his hands in the dirt as well.

The Browns appear not to franchise C Alex Mack. Then he is the guy to shore up our O Line. He will be expensive but he has youth and talent and solidifies our O Line for years.

With our three and those two the till will be empty.

Now Trades make up the rest of the story.

Now I signed Blount for a reason. I trade Ridley to the Giants for Antrel Rolle who was great in 2013 but the G Man can't sign him and Stevie Brown both, so it would be Rolle who has a CAP out of wack and a long term Team friendly deal as in sign and trade. The Giants need an RB badly. We need a Safety.

I go to the Jags and gamble. I offer a mid round pick in 2014 and another in 2015 if he plays but I grab WR Justin Blackmon. He is only 24 and can be elite with guidance and away from the booze.He is still a cheap gamble.

If we can't get Blackmon, here is door#2;

And finally I do a three way swap destined to be met with scorn and disdain on this board but this is for fun and it does not cost me money. Are you ready Cousins?:

Sam Bradford of the Rams to the Texans for WR Andre Johnson and a swap of 1's (not the Rams #2 pick but #13).
Johnson and the Rams second round pick #44 to the Pats for Mallett and our first round pick, our second round pick and a choice of Boyce or Thompkins.

Bradford needs a change. He has a huge CAP number.

The Rams will have pick #2 and pick #29 in the first plus Mallet and a WR (Thompkins versus starting Rams WR corps had more yards than the touted Tavon Austin and as many TDs, More yards than Givens. More TD's than Petis). They move a high CAP number and Mallett may have a stronger arm but is it better to give Mallett a shot rather than the non durable Bradford?

But a new start in Houston might help Bradford.

Finally a wink/wink trade with Dimittroff for Gonzalez.

I am good with that 2014 FA and Trade season.

DW Toys

Do you buy a lot of lottery tickets?

 

[Brady6]

you're a crazy azzed Pats fan, DW.....reading your posts make me wanna believe in the tooth fairy all over again...

He is a nice guy but you're right on he is ambitious x 100...

 

[mgteich]

It's not all that crazy to consider

Talib
Edelman
Blount
Michael Johnson
and Mack

I agree that the rest is tooth fairy stuff.

He is a nice guy but you're right on he is ambitious x 100...

 

[Ring 6]

It's not all that crazy to consider

Talib
Edelman
Blount
Michael Johnson
and Mack

I agree that the rest is tooth fairy stuff.

No way we have the cap space for that

 

[mgteich]

We come close if Wilfork doesn't come back.

In any case, I don't favor the scenario.

No way we have the cap space for that

 

[Deus Irae]

Talib
Cotchery
Edelman
Blount
Ward


Defensive secondary set save for backups
WR position (hopefully) patched
RB position full

First round draft pick used on DT
Second round draft pick used on TE
Third round draft pick used on interior OL

- or -

Talib
Cotchery
Edelman
Blount
Jones


Defensive line first 5 of Nink/Jones//Kelly/Silaga/Jones
WR position (hopefully) patched
RB position full

First round draft pick used on Pryor (S)
Second round draft pick used on TE
Third round draft pick used on interior OL


Which to use depends upon the health of Wilfork, and the team's feeling about DT depth in next year's draft.

 

[patsfan-1982]

if they redo wilfork's contract and re-sign Aqib Talib, to a back loaded 4 year 25 million dollar contract with this years cap hit only being around 3 million, same thing with Julian Edelman, only 4 years 20 million back loaded, get Jared Allen to sign for 1 year 6 million, and my list looks like this

#1 Aqib Talib,
#2 Julian Edelman,
#3 Jared Allen,
#4 Dallas Clark,
#5 Ryan Wendell,

I think other then Jared Allen all the other moves are realistic

 

[supafly]

if they redo wilfork's contract and re-sign Aqib Talib, to a back loaded 4 year 25 million dollar contract with this years cap hit only being around 3 million, same thing with Julian Edelman, only 4 years 20 million back loaded, get Jared Allen to sign for 1 year 6 million, and my list looks like this

#1 Aqib Talib,
#2 Julian Edelman,
#3 Jared Allen,
#4 Dallas Clark,
#5 Ryan Wendell,

I think other then Jared Allen all the other moves are realistic

Dallas Clark and Ryan Wendell are 2 interesting choices that I wouldn't have expected.

 

[supafly]

I'm going to have to go with something in the same vein as Deus Irae, which seems reasonable to me.

I like the idea of doing our best to keep both Edelman/Talib, but I am tempted to go after Emmanuel Sanders should the Edelman negotiations appear to be heading south. The idea of Sanders/Amendola/Dobson (along with Gronk and your choice of blue chip TE prospect) sounds good enough to me.

Much like Deus, I would also like to attempt to bring in something of a possession receiver like Jerricho Cotchery who may be priced cheaply enough to warrant consideration. Someone mentioned a rumor that PIT is trying their best to keep Cotchery, which seems smart on their part, so I'm not sure if he'd be an option or not. I wouldn't mind taking a longer look at a guy like Jason Avant in this role, should PHI decide to release him prior to 3/15, when his roster bonus becomes due. I think that is a possibility, especially if they're going to try and keep one/both of Maclin and Cooper. Many won't care for the selection of Avant here, but we're looking for a guy who can be a solid leader for the WR corps, come relatively cheaply enough, and be able to catch 40 or so passes in a type of 3rd down role. The options are a bit limited, but I think we need to explore the addition of a guy like that, no matter what your specific choice may be.

I still think that safety has been a glaring weakness lately, so the idea of adding a guy like TJ Ward is certainly intriguing. I'm wondering if CLE isn't going to choose to franchise him, however, which I think is a distinct possibility.

These free agency selections would allow us to draft the following in the 2014 NFL draft, and improve the team tremendously:

--TE
--DT
--Interior offensive lineman
--mid to later round WR for future development (possibly...possibly not)

 

[Jercules]

1. I don't think we win this last year even if he had stayed on the field, but your point stands.
2+3: You'd want both?
4. This is a distinct possibility. I'd like Lamar Houston because he could be around for a long while and can play all over the line in different schemes.
5. Wouldn't that be great? But Balt is going to franchise him, I hear.

2+3: Yes, I want both. I want a repeat of the 2007 off season, when it was finally acknowledged it was worth our while to get Tom somebody to throw to.

As of now, the only way I can see the passing game become formidable again is if all of the following occurs: A) Gronk stays healthy; B) Dobson becomes consistent; C) Amendola stays healthy and emerges as a weapon (I was wrong to say he's better than Welker, because the truth is Welker is a specialist. From the LOS to maybe 5 yards, with perhaps 1-2 seconds, there is nobody better than Welker, and it's a testament to the genius of BB that they managed to exploit those quick-twitch skills of his. Amendola is different).

4: Like I said, my only real concern is that we have a solid pass rush next year. I don't watch as much as some, but I'm tired of seeing our otherwise stout defense force 3rd-and-longs, only to give them up like butter because we couldn't even pressure the QB.

I'm scared that the Pats are a little too focused on the long-term, a little too married to this wonderful system that makes them contenders every year, but doesn't make them dominant in any one year anymore. Would it be so terrible if we broke the bank just once, here or there?

 

[supafly]

I'm scared that the Pats are a little too focused on the long-term, a little too married to this wonderful system that makes them contenders every year, but doesn't make them dominant in any one year anymore. Would it be so terrible if we broke the bank just once, here or there?

I think it may end up being more "terrible" than you may feel, particularly in the current era of a more flattened cap.

In 8/12 Brady's starting years, we've gone to the AFCCG or SB. The problem has been poor health and bad luck lately, along with some lean draft classes from 06--09 or so. Otherwise, we'd have (at least) 4 SB's in 5 attempts since 2001.

Considering all that's happened, it's pretty crazy that they can have a year like 2013 and still be extremely competitive with a deep playoff run again. I hear what you're saying, but personally, I'd rather stick with Belichick's approach over the long haul.

We're not that far away to where they have to go "all in," although I think that we can still improve obvious weaknesses still like you wish, without necessarily having to do so.

 

[ausbacker]

I'm staying within the confines of deals I hope the Patriots can afford with the available cap space.

01. DB - Aqib Talib (Obvious signing is obvious)
02. DB - T.J. Ward (Thumper to pair with McCourty)
03. WR - Andre Roberts (Another burner at WR - speed kills)
04. TE - Fred Davis (I don't care that he's nuts, he's talented)
05. DE/DT - Alex Carrington (low risk high reward type of deal BB loves)

 

[50-yard-line]

Talib
Cotchery
Edelman
Blount
Ward


Defensive secondary set save for backups
WR position (hopefully) patched
RB position full

First round draft pick used on DT
Second round draft pick used on TE
Third round draft pick used on interior OL

- or -

Talib
Cotchery
Edelman
Blount
Jones


Defensive line first 5 of Nink/Jones//Kelly/Silaga/Jones
WR position (hopefully) patched
RB position full

First round draft pick used on Pryor (S)
Second round draft pick used on TE
Third round draft pick used on interior OL


Which to use depends upon the health of Wilfork, and the team's feeling about DT depth in next year's draft.

Not sure I'd love the idea of keeping Edelman and bringing in Cotchery...we'd have, essentially, 3 slot guys. And I don't think Pittsburgh is letting him go. All the buzz in the Pittsburgh media is that Sanders is going, but they're keeping Cotchery as the old hand to school Wheaton and the rookie(s) they intend to draft. Makes sense - he won't cost much.

I also expect T.J. Ward and Jarius Byrd to get the franchise tags.