Content Post Let's Talk Free Agency 2024

[DW Toys]

Apparently drafting a wide receiver, who doesn’t consistently separate is only a problem if Bill drafts him, because Coleman can’t separate for ****. Pass. Give me Legette or even Polk over him.

Cousin, Have to agree. Leggett seems to be a great pick.
As far as Daniels....first of all...he is not elite if you watch film. I am not a Fan of Fields, but he can do the same thing and has NFL Tape. I'd like to see him here a year. Now you have left yourself leveraging to move some blue chip players here. We are NOT one QB away from the playoffs let alone competitive play.!
If you are filling out the roster for the start of 2024, perhaps it should be Flacco or Minshew or even Browning. Daniels should not see the field quite yet.
My two cents.
DW Toys

 

[venecol]

They don’t have to spend it on high priced free agents. They can use it to re-sign the players they want to keep for the long term, especially on defense, and sign good young players with high upsides that are middle class free agents right now. The big name guys get all of the attention, but there are plenty of others who don’t that their pro personnel guys know about and can go about signing while others are focused on the bigger name players. Guys like Jabril Peppers weren’t among the high priced free agents, but ended up being some of their best players, keep looking for those types of players and wait on signing bigger names with bigger contracts until they are actually looking to challenge for a title.?

That approach is what got us where we are: devoid of talent.

 

[venecol]

From E Lazar's latest article:

New England ranked ninth in DVOA on defense last season. With new head coach Jerod Mayo being a defensive-minded coach, it's worth noting that 15 of Pro Football Focus's top 20 pending free agents are defensive players. In particular, edge rusher and defensive line are deep.

Offensively, the only clear upgrades on the open market are Bucs receiver Mike Evans, Jags wideout Calvin Ridley, and possibly Texans tight end Dalton Schultz. Based on current reports, Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. are expected to be tagged.

At quarterback, Tampa Bay is making a significant push to retain Baker Mayfield, leaving a 35-year-old Kirk Cousins coming off a torn Achilles as the only starting-caliber free-agent quarterback, who will likely seek a contract worth $35 million per year.

Along the offensive line, the tackle market leaves a lot to be desired. One of the Pats own guys, Mike Onwenu, who might be a long-term starter at guard, is the best available lineman. Then, you have 33-year-old Tyron Smith or injury-prone dart throws like Jonah Williams and Mekhi Becton — it's not a good free-agent group at OT, especially compared to the draft class.

What I have been saying for the last 2 weeks. Sign 3 or 4 defensive FAs and draft all offense.

That's just not realistic. We have ZERO TEs. You can't draft:

QB1, WR1, TE1, TE2, TE3, RB2, 3rd down RB, LT, RT, swing T in the DRAFT w/ only 7 picks.

We need to pick up offensive players in FAcy whether we want to or not.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Let's hope

This is the best and deepest tackle class in years, and the first round is going to be so offense heavy that I expect teams to go for defense heavy in the 2nd round. This should push some really good WR’s and tackles into the 3rd round. And overall I agree with you that they should go for defense with re-signings and free agency, and offense in the draft. There’s certainly no harm in trying to build the best defense in the league while rebuilding the offense. They can build a Super Bowl caliber team by 26’ if they are really smart about it.

 

[Huckleberry1]

That approach is what got us where we are: devoid of talent.

No, bad signings and mediocre drafts got them where they are now. Spending 25 million a year for a WR when you don’t have a QB, and you aren’t close to being a playoff team is idiotic.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

That's just not realistic. We have ZERO TEs. You can't draft:

QB1, WR1, TE1, TE2, TE3, RB2, 3rd down RB, LT, RT, swing T in the DRAFT w/ only 7 picks.

We need to pick up offensive players in FAcy whether we want to or not.

Agreed. It is a bit of hyperbole.

Some posters were saying that we should sign a lot of offensive players in FA and draft offensive players too. My point is that the majority of FAs should be defensive and the majority of the next two drafts should be offensive. I am only basing that on the fact that there are very few offensive FAs that are decent so that means their prices will go way up. We are in a rebuild so there is no reason to fall in love with a guy in FA and overpay. Since there are more defensive FAs we will get who we want at a reasonable price. There is a E Lazar article today that details my argument more eloquently.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

They can build a Super Bowl caliber team by 26’ if they are really smart about it.

Agreed. They have to pick the right guys in the draft, especially the QB - easier said than done. Luckily we have the QB whisperer, Ben Mcadoo.

Also easier to hit in the draft if we trade down and get extra picks, but that makes it less likely we will get the QB we want.

 

[venecol]

Agreed. It is a bit of hyperbole.

Some posters were saying that we should sign a lot of offensive players in FA and draft offensive players too. My point is that the majority of FAs should be defensive and the majority of the next two drafts should be offensive. I am only basing that on the fact that there are very few offensive FAs that are decent so that means their prices will go way up. We are in a rebuild so there is no reason to fall in love with a guy in FA and overpay. Since there are more defensive FAs we will get who we want at a reasonable price. There is a E Lazar article today that details my argument more eloquently.

I agree there needs to be a balance. I also agree that we should mainly draft on offense but if there's a must have LB or DT within the 7 picks, we should take them. I'm also not against signing D players in FAcy but we should also sign a QB, TEs, RB, and a WR.

QB: draft and FAcy ($)
LT: draft
RT: draft a/o FAcy ($)
Swing T: draft
TE1: FA ($$)
TE2: draft
TE3: FA ($)
RB2: FA ($$)
3Dwn RB: FA ($)
WR1: draft and FAcy ($$)

What we need to be smart about is how we spend our money but we need to spend it, incl. void years.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I agree there needs to be a balance. I also agree that we should mainly draft on offense but if there's a must have LB or DT within the 7 picks, we should take them. I'm also not against signing D players in FAcy but we should also sign a QB, TEs, RB, and a WR.

A backup QB maybe, TEs - yes, RB - there are lots of RBs in the draft every year and RBs transition instantly to the NFL so no need to sign a RB unless they are cheap like Elliot was. We should pass on a WR in FA because they are expensive and draft WRs this year and next. We can sign Bourne because he is cheap but he most likely will not be healed until late in the season. We can sign WRs in FA in 2025 if there are any.
This is a rebuild, we will have holes in 2024. The goal is to fill the holes before 2026.

What we need to be smart about is how we spend our money but we need to spend it, incl. void years.

Agreed. Do you think that will happen? BB is gone so no excuses.

 

[Patsgofor4]

I like Dugger as a player but I haven’t seen the year-to-year progression that I had hoped to see, particularly in coverage, given his elite height/weight/speed profile. Between Peppers and Mapu (whom I prefer in the SS or coverage LB role) they have Dugger’s skill set covered pretty well.

Winfield is unlikely to hit the free agent marker, so I’d love to see them go after McKinney. Versatile guy, still only 24 (25 in August) can fill McCourty’s deep safety role. Had a very good 2023, and had his best season with Patrick Graham as their defensive coordinator, so he would likely be able to get up to speed with the current patriots defense fairly quickly.

 

[mgteich]

They could get starters at both tackle spots with their 2nd and 3rd round picks.

Yes, we could get two players that we would be forced to start by drafting them in the 2nd and 3rd round.

 

[mgteich]

A backup QB maybe, TEs - yes, RB - there are lots of RBs in the draft every year and RBs transition instantly to the NFL so no need to sign a RB unless they are cheap like Elliot was. We should pass on a WR in FA because they are expensive and draft WRs this year and next. We can sign Bourne because he is cheap but he most likely will not be healed until late in the season. We can sign WRs in FA in 2025 if there are any.
This is a rebuild, we will have holes in 2024. The goal is to fill the holes before 2026.

Agreed. Do you think that will happen? BB is gone so no excuses.

Backup RB's are inexpensive in free agency. We need the draft choices for other positions.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Backup RB's are inexpensive in free agency. We need the draft choices for other positions.

Yes but RB has a very short shelflife, but Elliot was good. He had lost his burst but otherwise was good.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Zuma]

IMO it's a colossal mistake to not resign Uche as long as it's a reasonable price. He is very effective as long as the other side (Judon) is taking most of the heat. For an argument it was the same with Chris Hogan. Very effective player as long as he was just WR2-3. Once injuries happened...he had to take over WR1 which he was NEVER supposed to play. I think they should try to re-sign Uche as long as someone like Judon is on the other side.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

They could get starters at both tackle spots with their 2nd and 3rd round picks.

I believe Paul could start at left tackle for us day 1.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

Xavien Howard being released. I wouldn’t mind watching him line up on the other side of Christian Gonzalez

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Xavien Howard being released. I wouldn’t mind watching him line up on the other side of Christian Gonzalez

I would go after Sneed if he becomes available. He is a bit younger.

I wouldn’t mind Howard. I wouldn’t mind a Gilmore comeback either.

 

[Uptown]

 

[hornetfb85]

Would not mind a Rhamondre/Chubb duo to take the pressure off our rookie QB. Now bring back H. Henry, add Jonah Williams at RT, Ridley at WR, trade back into the 1st and grab a solid LT option. Also wouldn’t mind a DeVante Parker for Jerry Jeudy swap.