NEW ARTICLE: MORSE: 5 Thoughts as Wolf Underwhelms with Patriots Free Agency Class

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MORSE: 5 Thoughts as Wolf Underwhelms with Patriots Free Agency Class
Mark Morse
The final straw broke the camel’s back. When Tyron Smith signed a one-year deal with the NY Jets, this transaction spelled the doom of rookie GM Eliot Wolf’s 1st foray into Free Agency.

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[jmt57]

Come on, Mark. While I agree that the Pats should have matched/upped the Jets offer for the-oft injured Tyron Smith, you completely lost me with your logic for trading down. Your claim that of "the last 20 QBs taken in the 1st two rounds, only 1 has panned out and that is Trevor Lawrence." is absolutely factually incorrect.

Yes, many quarterbacks selected in the first two rounds don't pan out - but that is not a reason to not draft a QB. You still have to have a quarterback, and it is the most important position on the roster! Do you really think a team is better off waiting until later? If so, compile a list of the last 100 quarterbacks selected in round three or later, and see how bad that group looks like in comparison.

Back to the disinformation outlined above; here are the last six seasons of quarterbacks (24) selected in the first two rounds of the draft. It's more like fifty-fifty; not at all the one-in-twenty chance the article claims it to be.

2023
1.1 - Bryce Young, CAR - on a crappy team; too early to tell, but not looking good
1.2 - CJ Stroud, HOU - awesome rookie Pro Bowl season
1.4 - Anthony Richardson, IND - injured last year, too early to tell
2.33 - Will Levis, TEN - too early to tell, we will find out this year

2022
1.20 - Kenny Pickett, PIT - will probably be a career backup

2021
1.1 - Trevor Lawrence, JAX - solid starter, 1x Pro Bowl
1.2 - Zach Wilson, NYJ - will probably be a career backup
1.3 - Trey Lance, SF - will probably be a career backup
1.11 - Justin Fields, CHI - will probably be a career backup
1.15 - Mac Jones, NWE - will probably be a career backup

2020
1.1 - Joe Burrow, CIN - solid starter, 1x Pro Bowl
1.5 - Tua Tagovailoa, MIA - solid starter, 1x Pro Bowl
1.6 - Justin Herbert, LAC - solid starter, 1x Pro Bowl
1.26 - Jordan Love, GB - solid starter
2.53 - Jalen Hurts, PHI - 2x Pro Bowl

2019
1.1 - Kyler Murray, ARI - meh starter
1.6 - Daniel Jones, NYG - meh starter
1.15 - Dwayne Haskins, WAS - career backup
2.42 - Drew Lock, DEN - career backup

2018
1.1 - Baker Mayfield, CLE - solid starter when healthy; 1x Pro Bowl
1.3 - Sam Darnold, NYJ - career backup
1.7 - Josh Allen, BUF - 2x Pro Bowl
1.10 - Josh Rosen, ARI - bust
1.32 - Lamar Jackson, BAL - 3x Pro Bowl, 2x All Pro, 2x MVP

 

[State]

One thing we could have done, and not getting a LT is understandably frustrating, is to target the clear cut best team in our division.

It was clear that for the Bills, resigning effective DT DaQuan Jones who is very effective at stunts alongside Ed Oliver, was priority number one.

We could have targeted him if nothing else to drive up the costs for the Bills. They were $35 million in the hole and we were +$100 million.

Now they’ve been able to add intriguing WR talent withCurtis Samuel and the Caveman (Mack Hollins).

I think this has been a mistake.

 

[captain stone]

What’s even more infuriating about not signing Tyron Smith is that he will cost the Jete that $20M only if he performs at an All-Pro level all 17 games or something like that; only $6.5M of his contract is actually guaranteed.

Pats should not have allowed the Jete to sign him for such a relatively small-dollar deal; at minimum, they should’ve offered $10M guaranteed themselves, to help ease his pain of going from Dak to A-a-ron to Jacoby…

 

[TommyD4207]

What’s even more infuriating about not signing Tyron Smith is that he will cost the Jete that $20M only if he performs at an All-Pro level all 17 games or something like that; only $6.5M of his contract is actually guaranteed.

Pats should not have allowed the Jete to sign him for such a relatively small-dollar deal; at minimum, they should’ve offered $10M guaranteed themselves, to help ease his pain of going from Dak to A-a-ron to Jacoby…

The other common denominator, they're not offering a ton of guaranteed money to anyone.

 

[Patriot Missile]

What’s even more infuriating about not signing Tyron Smith is that he will cost the Jete that $20M only if he performs at an All-Pro level all 17 games or something like that; only $6.5M of his contract is actually guaranteed.

Pats should not have allowed the Jete to sign him for such a relatively small-dollar deal; at minimum, they should’ve offered $10M guaranteed themselves, to help ease his pain of going from Dak to A-a-ron to Jacoby…

Agreed, we didn’t need great, just needed stable for Brissett and whatever rookie they draft. T Smith might be great, but at the least, he would of been much betterthan Trent Brown judging off his time in Dallas. Smith, Sow, Andrews, Onwenu and a 2nd or 3rd rd tackle in the draft would of been quite a turn around. Instead they chose a gaping hole at the most important position. It’s a set back and it could of been solved with 10 million which was a squirt of piss of the money available.

Usually I’m pretty even keeled over the business side of the Pats but that kind of irked me along with not entertaining Kennan Allen who had 108 balls for 1243 and 7 tds. 93 or more receptions in 6 of 8 seasons. Yet they go hard for Calvin “Pete Rose” Ridley instead and get made to look the fool in the process.

Just having those two players would of eased any QB into this team nicely. Wasn’t about the long term future obviously, but building a rookie QB’s confidence goes a long way towards his career. Especially early.

It’s a crying shame.

 

[Ian]

The other common denominator, they're not offering a ton of guaranteed money to anyone.

The other common denominator is that they’re mostly one-year deals, which I’m assuming means that they’re trying to build a foundation with either what few building blocks they have, or draft picks while figuring out if any of the questionable names they signed will pan out into anything beyond that.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

The other common denominator is that they’re mostly one-year deals, which I’m assuming means that they’re trying to build a foundation with either what few building blocks they have, or draft picks while figuring out if any of the questionable names they signed will pan out into anything beyond that.

I think the players may have been the ones behind the 1 year deals.

 

[Ivan]

Terrible article. Your first three points are actually the exact same point, you are mad they didn’t sign Smith, without considering the idea that he may simply have chosen the Jets because they have Rodgers and we have Brissett and Zappe. The Patriots could have offered him more than the Jets, but you don’t even consider that.

Your 5th “ point,” is that your mock is going to piss people off, which sounds like you are going to do that deliberately to piss people off.

And your 4th “ point” is actually your second thought, which is that you are upset that the Patriots didn’t waste resources in a bad free agent market, when in truth they need to make the most of their resources to rebuild this team, and shouldn’t waste them just to make impatient fans happy.

 

[Family]

The line about the last 20 QB's taken is an embarrassment.

 

[borg]

I think the players may have been the ones behind the 1 year deals.

The quality of the players or lack thereof is behind these deals as well a lack of interest (belief) by the rest of the league.

 

[Ivan]

The other common denominator is that they’re mostly one-year deals, which I’m assuming means that they’re trying to build a foundation with either what few building blocks they have, or draft picks while figuring out if any of the questionable names they signed will pan out into anything beyond that.

Frustrating as it can be I think Wolf is going about things the right way. Like most here I wanted guys like Wilkins and Barkley, and I was disappointed they couldn’t or didn’t get them, but he’s right to build solid depth throughout the roster, and hopefully to re sign the guys they want to keep around, like Barmore and Duggars.

Unfortunately this was a really weak offensive free agent class where the Patriots needed the most help, but fortunately this draft is strongest at those exact same areas, so Wolf needs to have a really good draft. After that I would expect more veteran depth signings, and maybe a couple of trades, or June cuts that can bolster the roster.

On the whole I’m fine with what he’s doing, but that’s because my expectations for 24’ are very low. I didn’t expect an overnight rebuild, and I think the real test of whether Wolf has them in the right path will be in 25’, by which time he will have had another free agency period, and another draft, to have improved them enough to see real returns. If they still aren’t close to being a legit playoff team by that point then I think criticism of his work will be valid, until then I think he deserves the opportunity to put his plan into place.

 

[NashuaPats]

I’m disappointed by the way free agency has gone. That’s done. Looking forward, we are going to stink this upcoming season. We are almost certainly getting a top ten, and probably a top five pick, again in 2025. I say we take the best quarterback at #3 (hopefully Maye).

With pick 34, we should take the best receiver available. It’s a great year for receivers, we should get a pretty good player.

It’s also a great year for tackles, but a lot will go prior to 34. From what I’ve read, there will be talent at 34, but players like Paul who will need a year of seasoning first.

I think we should sign a journeyman LT for this year and take our future left tackle with our very early first round pick in 2025.

We redshirt our rookie qb this year and maybe play him the last game or so. Then with the $40 million plus of unused cap space that will be carried forward from this season and all the cap space we already have for next year, we will be major players in next year’s free agency when there should be a lot more talent available.

It will be another year of sucking, but with future optimism.

 

[yukon cornelius]

MORSE: 5 Thoughts as Wolf Underwhelms with Patriots Free Agency Class
Mark Morse
The final straw broke the camel’s back. When Tyron Smith signed a one-year deal with the NY Jets, this transaction spelled the doom of rookie GM Eliot Wolf’s 1st foray into Free Agency.

The post MORSE: 5 Thoughts as Wolf Underwhelms with Patriots Free Agency Class appeared first on PatsFans.com.

Continue reading...

(If you enjoyed this entry - hit the Thumbs Up/If not, hit the Thumbs down in this thread)

I'm supposed to be mad because the Pats didn't sign a 33 year old, broken down tackle? Weren't me mad last season because all they did was sign old, broken down tackles?

Pats clearly aren't done.......they did a solid job retaining talent, they filled some holes in what was a weak FA class (Watts, for example - not flashy, but filled a big need, pun intended)

There's still trades to be made (multiple reports have said Pats are working the phones on this avenue), there's still a draft where the top 12+ tackles all project to be starters in the NFL (plus a few sleepers) - with the FA market as it was, attacking the need at T in the draft was the CLEAR preferred strategy - Smith was a TYPICAL Jets signing - sign a name well past his prime who will offer little return; their only good move was getting him on a 1 year, but they still overpaid for what i anticipate their return to be

The Pats do NOT need one year deals on old, broken down tackles......they still have a few of those coming to camp......they need to build a solid OL with young talent......they have strange (assuming health), they resigned onewnu (love the move), they have Sow, plus a bunch of other maybes, some young, some old........if you didn't think the Pats were going to attack OT through the draft, in one of the deepest T drafts I can remember, then you shouldn't be writing "articles" about the Patriots, no offense intended

if you were just chasing attention with that piece, well, then you got me.......but if you were trying to provide actual commentary/insight, be better......

and don't be surprised to see another WR land here before the draft is over.......FA might be a dying thing in the NFL, but there's still $$ and capital to burn

 

[patman52]

Besides missing out on Jerudy, I cant really fault him. How many players want to play in the north for a team that does not have a qb, won 3 games the prior year and has a rookie head coach. 1/2 the teams had 50 mill plus in space. I was not a Tyquan Smith guy, If you are going to bring in a placeholder at LT, he struck me as riley Rief the 2nd. Give me Leno as a guy who plays 17 games a year. Smith is a great fit for the jets as thier first pick will also probalbly be a tackle at ten and is much more likely to be able to protect Roges than a guy we may pick at 68 will be. James from the texans or Humphries are also two more guys who I rate higher than Smith Value wise.

 

[DW Toys]

I'm supposed to be mad because the Pats didn't sign a 33 year old, broken down tackle? Weren't me mad last season because all they did was sign old, broken down tackles?

Pats clearly aren't done.......they did a solid job retaining talent, they filled some holes in what was a weak FA class (Watts, for example - not flashy, but filled a big need, pun intended)

There's still trades to be made (multiple reports have said Pats are working the phones on this avenue), there's still a draft where the top 12+ tackles all project to be starters in the NFL (plus a few sleepers) - with the FA market as it was, attacking the need at T in the draft was the CLEAR preferred strategy - Smith was a TYPICAL Jets signing - sign a name well past his prime who will offer little return; their only good move was getting him on a 1 year, but they still overpaid for what i anticipate their return to be

The Pats do NOT need one year deals on old, broken down tackles......they still have a few of those coming to camp......they need to build a solid OL with young talent......they have strange (assuming health), they resigned onewnu (love the move), they have Sow, plus a bunch of other maybes, some young, some old........if you didn't think the Pats were going to attack OT through the draft, in one of the deepest T drafts I can remember, then you shouldn't be writing "articles" about the Patriots, no offense intended

if you were just chasing attention with that piece, well, then you got me.......but if you were trying to provide actual commentary/insight, be better......

and don't be surprised to see another WR land here before the draft is over.......FA might be a dying thing in the NFL, but there's still $$ and capital to burn

Cousin, No they don't need deals on broken down Tackles but they missed out on prospect Josh Jones who signed with the Ravens. Both young and productive, again Wolf was sleeping. The "broken down" left OT that is still on the board and could be had at a discount because he is ACL recovering is multi-time Pro Bowler DJ Humpries who is only 30 and was a stable and great Teammate in AZ for years. Not only was he a player to be looked up upon by his Team mates, he was a pillar of the community....i.e. your top charactere guy. YThe Cards have talked about bringing him back as this move was about CAP mostly, not performance for sure.
OK Let's see what we got in this "broken down" OT:

A Team leader

Multi-time Pro Bowler

Only 30

Could be a longer term answer to our LT problems for a few years if we don't stop with those gd one year signings......and have to go through the same process next year!

Great for the community

The character element the Teams always seek and great in the locker room

Rehabbing vigorously to play in 2024 with progress made

Possible discount to the start of his tenure here.

A tutor to other OL including even maybe even his eventual replacement

We supposedly have a band-aid in place for the start on the 2024 season with Chewbacca

A smaller reason maybe some other players might decide to come hear because your starting QB old or new is not going to get clobbered on the blind side.

DW Toys

 

[Simpelton]

One thing we could have done, and not getting a LT is understandably frustrating, is to target the clear cut best team in our division.

It was clear that for the Bills, resigning effective DT DaQuan Jones who is very effective at stunts alongside Ed Oliver, was priority number one.

We could have targeted him if nothing else to drive up the costs for the Bills. They were $35 million in the hole and we were +$100 million.

Now they’ve been able to add intriguing WR talent withCurtis Samuel and the Caveman (Mack Hollins).

I think this has been a mistake.

We aren't good enough for an offer from us to be a credible threat. It would have been child's play for Buffalo to simply say "alright, go playt for the pats, and see if the extra money is worth it." Players like to be on good teams so I guarantee that for Jones, it wouldn't be.

 

[State]

Money is its own reason. We could have inflated the cost to Buffalo. We didn’t need to sign him; rather, leverage him.

 

[Real fan 02]

The other common denominator, they're not offering a ton of guaranteed money to anyone.

Outside of Gibson, there are really no long term commitments for the Outside FAs signed. One day I think I know what the direction the team is heading and another day I get confused.

No LT, no FS.. we know we are getting the QB, but no #1 WR either.. I believe what's also been an issue is no QB.. KJ Osborne even said himself that was something to think about before he signed.. until he spoke with Mayo and wolf.

However seeing Allen traded for a 4th.. is frustrating.. Chicago is in the same boat we are at QB.