Going Into Free Agency

[Metaphors]

Sydney Rice and vincent Jackson are the two guys who would seem to fill the downfield need but i'm not sure they would go after either.

WR1 13/03, 15 rec, 141 yds, 09.4 avg, 23 yd long, 4 TD
WR2 16/07, 27 rec, 453 yds, 16.8 avg, 55 yd long, 6 TD
WR3 16/10, 24 rec, 432 yds, 18.0 avg, 65 yd long, 3 TD

So which one of those guys would you want as a deep threat?

As for Faulk I think people are writing him off yet again when he is and always has been an extremely valuable player for them, and i think the likelihood of Ridley watching on game days is much higher than Faulk. If he's healthy he not only dresses every game but contributes, just as he always has.

Faulk is a 35 yo RB with almost 1300 touches and coming off a lost season. His role isn't as a #4 RB. His roles are 3rd down back (Woodhead), change of pace RB (Vereen) and punt returner (Edelperson). Has nothing to do with Ridley. In fact, Ridley is the short-yardage and goal line back (probably a ST guy as well) so he should be active if healthy. Unless you plan on keeping 5 RB active, do you sit Vereen or Woodhead to get Faulk snaps?

I honestly don't think there is another player in NFL history who has made more big and clutch plays per touch than Faulk and think he should be first ballot Patriot HOF. Go back through all the big games and critical drives in Belichik era Patriot history and faulk is right in the middle of all of them.

Vrabel, Seymour and Moss got traded. McGinest got released. Asante walked. Players get old and and Belichick moves them out a year early rather than keeping them a year too long. Faulk may stick but it would either be because of injury or one of the youngsters disappointing big time.

I would love to see Taylor Price deliver and hopefully he fills the need the Patriots have to get the ball down the field and open it up underneath but I think that they should still be amking sure they are set in that regard if possible.

BTW, earlier in the post I listed the 2nd year stats of 3 WRs:

WR1 = Sydney Rice
WR2 = Vincent Jackson
WR3 = Brandon Tate

Not going to argue that it was Tate's 1st real year since that concept makes some people mental. Regardless, the people flushing Tate now would have done the same with Rice and Jackson. If Tate and Price don't show adequate development this year, there are lots of options in the draft next year and lots of picks to get them.

 

[DaBruinz]

Sydney Rice and vincent Jackson are the two guys who would seem to fill the downfield need but i'm not sure they would go after either. As for Faulk I think people are writing him off yet again when he is and always has been an extremely valuable player for them, and i think the likelihood of Ridley watching on game days is much higher than Faulk. If he's healthy he not only dresses every game but contributes, just as he always has. I honestly don't think there is another player in NFL history who has made more big and clutch plays per touch than Faulk and think he should be first ballot Patriot HOF. Go back through all the big games and critical drives in Belichik era Patriot history and faulk is right in the middle of all of them.

Why do people insist on mentioning guys like Vincent Jackson whom the Patriots will have NO INTEREST in. Or did you forget all the off-field issues that come with him? I can guarantee you that BB and the Krafts won't overlook it..

I love Kevin. But you need to take a step back and look at reality. He's 35 years old. He's coming off a severe knee injury that everyone knows takes 2 years to fully recover from. Could he make the team? Sure. But, let's be serious. The likelihood is very small. I think that the Pats will PUP him like they did Troy Brown back in 2006. Beyond that? It's unlikely that Faulk sees the field again unless there is a serious injury to one of the 4 youngsters.

As for big/clutch plays. Troy Brown has more.

 

[townes]

Why do people insist on mentioning guys like Vincent Jackson whom the Patriots will have NO INTEREST in. Or did you forget all the off-field issues that come with him? I can guarantee you that BB and the Krafts won't overlook it..

.

Randy Moss and Corey Dillon would beg to differ. I don't think they will sign Jackson either but he certainly fits one of their few needs, which is why people mention him. I'd rather have Rice but doubt they will sign either.

 

[townes]

I love Kevin. But you need to take a step back and look at reality. He's 35 years old. He's coming off a severe knee injury that everyone knows takes 2 years to fully recover from. Could he make the team? Sure. But, let's be serious. The likelihood is very small. I think that the Pats will PUP him like they did Troy Brown back in 2006. Beyond that? It's unlikely that Faulk sees the field again unless there is a serious injury to one of the 4 youngsters.

As for big/clutch plays. Troy Brown has more.

On clutch plays I said (per touch) and I stand by it. I have never seen any player make more clutch plays with so few touches.

 

[DaBruinz]

Randy Moss and Corey Dillon would beg to differ. I don't think they will sign Jackson either but he certainly fits one of their few needs, which is why people mention him. I'd rather have Rice but doubt they will sign either.

WOW.. Clearly you don't know jack about Vincent Jackson.

He is significantly worse than Moss or Dillon ever were.

 

[Snake Eyes]

WOW.. Clearly you don't know jack about Vincent Jackson.

He is significantly worse than Moss or Dillon ever were.

How's that? Jackson has had some DWI problems, yes, but he never assaulted someone with a car and he also never deliberately shut down like Moss ("I play when I want to").

 

[DaBruinz]

How's that? Jackson has had some DWI problems, yes, but he never assaulted someone with a car and he also never deliberately shut down like Moss ("I play when I want to").

You mean the DUI that he lied about? The one he exacerbated by continuing to drive on a suspended license? And this was all while being on probation from his first DUI in 2006.

And, you seem to have over-looked that Jackson got suspended for the league's drug abuse policy..

As for the Moss "I play when I want to", how about you get the correct context?

I Context When I Want To Context

Even Jerry Rice couldn't give 110% every play. And he said so.

 

[supafly]

There is also every chance that the Rosters may be expanded by 2 or 3. Would allow for players on the PS/Cut bubble to be kept.

Players like Lee Smith, Sergio Brown, Josh Barrett, One of the young D-Linemen, as well as the young Secondary guys like Tony Carter.

We're losing a Roster spot with the addition of Mallett as there is no way we wont be carrying 3 QBs now.

The last time they were considering roster additions was the talk that happened about a week ago, and they were only considering making the training camp requirement from 80 to 90. There have not been any recent talks of extending a 53 man roster, especially since they seemed to have given up on the 18 game season (for now anyway).

You could be right though, as one just never knows with these kinds of things, but if there are roster additions I would expect the change from 80 to go up. I don't expect the 53 man to be affected at all personally.

 

[supafly]

There is no way Faulk is denied a spot if he wants to return. Belichik will find another way to manipulate his game day rosters if need be but Faulk is going to be there when the season starts.

The only needs they have in free agency are a pass rusher and a downfield threat, the latter may well be on the market but it could be tough to find a pass rusher that isn't priced out of the market, especially given the fails they have had in going after high priced pass rushers. I will be interested to see who is really available once the dust settles from the lock-out and free agency actually begins.

Personally, I agree with you--but as many have said, it is a very tough call with him. I do think that he has earned the right to come back one more year, and I even agree with your theory on possibly having Ridley inactive on game day--but that will probably solve itself with an injury or two, as Metaphors pointed out.

I realize that we are in the very small minority with thinking that Faulk is coming back for one more yr, but I just have a hunch.

I think we solved the problem in making the position more youth and speed infused, by bringing in Vareen, in addition to BJGE and Woodhead. We also could have Ridley one step away as a gameday inactive, if need be--or we could decide to carry 5 RB's one more time too.

(Yes, I use the term 'we' loosely )

It will be interesting and fun to see what happens, but we can all agree that the position should be upgraded by cutting Morris and Taylor out of the equation, and adding some new blood, no matter what happens to Faulk.

 

[supafly]

I don't see why there is so much momentum to the thought that rosters will expand. Players are fighting for a bigger slice of the pie to increase their own paycheck, not to add another guy to the roster.

As for the 3rd QB, you are right, but NE also kept an extra RB and an extra G/C guy due to uncertainty on the OL last year. They could pretty easily slide a 4th TE and a 3rd QB without putting anyone promising on the bubble.

As noted in another post, the only 'talk' has been to expand the TC 80 to some additional spots, they even talked of having it go up a whopping 10 spots to 90. Beyond that, I think a lot are still going on past whispers way back when they were still talking of the 18 game season expansion. Besides that, there really hasn't been much talk at all about roster expansion--if any.

I too, agree that the team could carry the additional 2 at TE/QB, without having to cut any 'major' guys here.

FWIW--I am also one of what is perceived by me as few, who agrees with your assessment of Myron Pryor. I still think he offers great value as an inside sub rusher, and was quite hurt with his back issues last year. I don't see many of the bubble guys on the DL being able to replace him, as you said, most are much better ends. I'd give Pryor another yr for sure, but then again, we heard a lot of chatter last yr from some who didn't think he should be here, so I am far from surprised this yr, especially considering his off yr in 2010.

The whole roster spot issue will continue all the way to the final cuts, as it does every yr, and will only pick up steam as the summer goes on. Personally, I love the debates, and enjoy the topic overall. I am much happier discussing this than labor issues.

 

[Snake Eyes]

You mean the DUI that he lied about? The one he exacerbated by continuing to drive on a suspended license? And this was all while being on probation from his first DUI in 2006.

And, you seem to have over-looked that Jackson got suspended for the league's drug abuse policy..

As for the Moss "I play when I want to", how about you get the correct context?

I Context When I Want To Context

Even Jerry Rice couldn't give 110% every play. And he said so.

- Kevin Faulk has been busted for weed, probably more than half the players in the league do it. Jackson made the mistake of getting caught. Other than that his past issues stem from drinking and driving, while I dont approve of that I wouldnt put it in the same league as assaulting someone with your car, sorry but they just dont compare.

- As far as context goes, it's irrelevant because Moss dogged it plenty, that's why it's stuck with him, there's a difference between not being able to go full-throttle all the time and shutting it down like Moss has. I havent seen Jackson do that and I dont know of him becoming a cancer like Moss has.

Assuming the numbers work I dont see any reason why Jackson wouldnt work here: get him a full-time driver, insert a DWI clause into his contract, and you're good to go from here. That is all assuming he's the guy you want, Malcolm Floyd gives you a deep threat for less money and Fitzgerald will potentially be available after the 11 season, he's the guy I really want so maybe it's a better idea to get a stop gap for a year.

 

[townes]

WOW.. Clearly you don't know jack about Vincent Jackson.

He is significantly worse than Moss or Dillon ever were.

I thought Dillon had a history of domestic abuse, as well as a DWI?

 

[cstjohn17]

I thought Dillon had a history of domestic abuse, as well as a DWI?

But he won a Superbowl here