Official Free Agency 2018

[Ring 6]

Much cheaper than I would have thought; for that price, I guess Belichick just doesn't think he's a good player for their system, which surprises me a bit.

I never thought he was a good fit here, and think he is severely overrated.

 

[long distance]

Shockingly cheap when so many others got 3+ year deals in the $6M-$8M APY range.

Same thing happened w Z.Brown last yr (now on 3y/24M). Something about these Bills LBs hitting the market. Id like to hear BB's evaluation on both.

He pays 3M for Harris yet won't pay 4M for P.Brown from his favourite farm..??

And then - why BUF is not keeping him on this money (since reportedly they were interested)??

 

[Kontradiction]

I think that an inside linebacker is similar to a bruising running back....a dime a dozen these days...

Someone should tell that to the 2017 Patriots.

 

[DW Toys]

I never thought he was a good fit here, and think he is severely overrated.

AZ might be a good fit where as they just signed Bradford for 2 years and all they have is Fitzgerald at WR.
I mentioned in another post, so that now my kiljones will be mashed,

Cooks and Rowe and our fourth, for CB Patrick Peterson and OT Valdheer. Valdheer wants to play. Was in Gronk maybe-I-retire mode for awhile with broken ankle, now cleared. Is a starter and better than Flemming or Waddle.

Let the fun begin!
DW Toys

 

[Love The Drake]

AZ might be a good fit where as they just signed Bradford for 2 years and all they have is Fitzgerald at WR.
I mentioned in another post, so that now my kiljones will be mashed,

Cooks and Rowe and our fourth, for CB Patrick Peterson and OT Valdheer. Valdheer wants to play. Was in Gronk maybe-I-retire mode for awhile with broken ankle, now cleared. Is a starter and better than Flemming or Waddle.

Let the fun begin!
DW Toys

Madden kind of trades here.
They will never trade Peterson

 

[upstater1]

I have been saying this for awhile now, the WR market was predicted to boom. I was reading about how Jordan Matthews is a $10m receiver in this market. Which is why I wanted the Patriots to lock up Cooks last year.

 

[long distance]

unbiased expert take

 

[maust]

I have been saying this for awhile now, the WR market was predicted to boom. I was reading about how Jordan Matthews is a $10m receiver in this market. Which is why I wanted the Patriots to lock up Cooks last year.

It takes 2 to tango. From a business standpoint Cooks would have been out of his mind to do an extension.

 

[luuked]

unbiased expert take

Something about a prophet, recognition and his own country....

 

[long distance]

"integral" is different for different folks. Our swing OT has been very important for this team for awhile now. Cannon was paid starting pay when he filled this role. With Solder and Cannon, the backup OT was very important. However, we had 3: Waddle, Fleming, and Croston; all played. So, no, Fleming wasn't integral to the team's success.
Obviously, when Cannon and Waddle were injured, Fleming was more important.

That being said, I would be very happy to see us pay fleming $6M-$10M AAV or so to come back. The cap can be worked out. The "real" contract would depend on the 2019 salary. The contract would have only $4M dead money after 2 years.

2018 cap - $3M
4 years
bonus $8M
2018 salary $1M
2019-2021 salaries TBD
possible bonus before 2020 season
some guaranteed 2019 money

Am I reading this right and you are suggesting signing Fleming to a 4y/24-40M contract with 10M+ gtd? Thank god BB is running this boat..

Its a wide range but funny even on the low side. That's Marcus Cannon's money! (the low side). Do you seriously believe BB will pay Fleming more than Cannon? (Im not even asking do you think he deserves it). After he placed just a 2nd rd tender of 1.8M last year? After he invested 4 picks to draft two T last yr and brought 3 more..

Id be surprised if Fleming is even the future here (and I was one of the few who had to say some good things about his play last 2 yrs). Otherwise he'd be signed before last offseason and BB wouldn't invest so heavily in rookies on a bad OL class.

More importantly - that would be a really bad sign about Garcia and Jelks.

In any case if any of the two gets close to Cannon's money on a long term deal - Id be shocked. Id expect a bridge starting/possible future swing T deal (but more for Waddle than Fleming).
___

btw: HOU signed Henderson (in the first wave of FA) on 1y/4M. Despite his troubles he has 7 more NFL starts than Fleming. And HOU in need of T and competing for Solder hard chose him over both other NE FA T.

 

[maineman209]

Brandin Cooks just got waaay more expensive.
Trade the beast for a second if we can.
Try to draft a good reciever on a rookie contract.

Just now?

LOL! For weeks, a bunch of us have been posting regularly about how expensive it's going to be to keep Cooks after this season.

 

[captain stone]

Damn Cowboys, what are they doing to us, both Flemming and Waddle?
They are driving their costs up, let's hope we have a plan that's not starting Tobin to protect Brady's blindside.

Whatever plan Bill has, if he even has one, to protect Brady's blind side should never include either Fleming or Waddle anyway, so these two events should, I hope, be considered as seperate matters.

 

[Love The Drake]

I know we all have discussed it but seeing the Montcrief deal sealed it for me.
Unless this organization starts overvaluing the wide receiver position or Brandin leaves 5 mill a year on the table to stay a Patriot he's likely not in for a long stay here.

 

[maineman209]

I'm really starting to wonder if Cooks is not long for this team.

The average of the top 5 WRs is $74m, $15m aav and $35.5 in guarantees.

BB paying this kind of cash for a WR would be unprecedented.

IDK if Cooks is quite in top-5 range yet. But, if he posts a 4th consecutive 1,000-yd/7+ TD season in 2018, he may get there.

If the Pats had offered a 5-year extension even 2-3 weeks ago, there was probably a small chance that he might have taken a $12M- $13M APY contract. Not happening now that Sammy-freakin'-Watkins got $16M with $30M guaranteed.

I still wouldn't want to trade him right now and lose his potential to contribute to the 2018 offense. But. after the season, he's almost certainly gone for a 2020 comp-3rd.

 

[Jimke]

Whatever plan Bill has, if he even has one, to protect Brady's blind side should never include either Fleming or Waddle anyway, so these two events should, I hope, be considered as seperate matters.

I suspect Bill's plan is to try Thuney and Cannon at LT.

 

[SteveKiner]

Rather have Veldheer but will cost us a low pick. He is about $6.5mm. He was a starter not career long back-uip.Broken ankle last year but better than Flemming and not as good as Solder. Right in between. Can play right side as well.
DW Toys

I agree with you wanting Veldheer, but i disagree with your evaluation of him. I followed him with Oak and with the Cards and when he is healthy I actually think he is better than Solder. More of a mauler but not as athletic.

 

[DW Toys]

I agree with you wanting Veldheer, but i disagree with your evaluation of him. I followed him with Oak and with the Cards and when he is healthy I actually think he is better than Solder. More of a mauler but not as athletic.

The Cards are saying a pick can get him.
DW Toys

 

[maineman209]

personally I think people have it backwards when trying to apply the WR market to Cooks. If anything this booming market makes a Franchise tag next year seem more realistic. 8 MIL this 16 MIL next year 2 year 24 MIL is still a bargain in this market. Maybe we can use this to leverage a long term deal. If not take it year to year. But my point is we have options beyond watching him walk for the next ridiculous wr contract.

Although the WR Franchise Tag number for 2019 is likely to be about $18M, your point is still well taken. If you add in the $1.5M for 2017, then tagging him for 2019, even at $18M, would mean that the Pats had three years of the services of a $15M APY receiver for just over $9M/year. The Pats gave Moss $9M about a decade ago, when the cap was, IDK, like three dollars and change?

 

[DW Toys]

The Cards are saying a pick can get him.
DW Toys

Add he and FAST OLB Mychal Kendricks whom the Eagles will take a low pick and drop the Microphone for FA.
DW Toys

 

[captain stone]

That still pisses me off how the Collins draft situation played out. He should’ve never been declared a FA should’ve went into the supplemental where a team was forced to give up a draft pick the following season for his services

Or...what Bill should've done is, instead of throwing away (what a shock) the pick he used on the damaged-goods, over-weight Florida St stiff Tre Jackson, use it on La'el Collins.