Offseason player acquisition thread

[DaBruinz]

Lets fix the offense:

1) Sign Alaric Jackson
2) Sign Morgan Moses
3) Trade a 3rd for Kupp
4) Trade back a couple spots and draft Tetairoa McMillan

QB: Maye
RB: Stevenson/Gibson
WR: McMillan
WR: Kupp
WR: Douglas
TE: Henry
LT: Jackson
LG: Strange
C: Andrews
RG: Onwenu
RT: Moses

Looks like Kupp is getting released.

Still not sure that Wolf will sign anyone who is over 30...

 

[mike_usagisan]

Looks like Kupp is getting released.

Still not sure that Wolf will sign anyone who is over 30...

Yes, but will Vrabel?

 

[hornetfb85]

Looks like Kupp is getting released.

Still not sure that Wolf will sign anyone who is over 30...

In my opinion, Vrabel doesn’t give a f#%$ what Wolf wants. If he wants Kupp he’ll try to get him.

 

[PatsFan2]

Cam Robinson was horrible over the last 5 games of his season.

Stanley is over 30. It remains to be seen if Wolf changes his MO.

We can live with Ronnie Stanley for a couple of years until we groom a guy. I'm leaning off Cam Robinson now.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Imagine Watt - Carter and White...the sack possibilities.

You forgot Josh Sweat

 

[Hugepatsfan]

We can live with Ronnie Stanley for a couple of years until we groom a guy. I'm leaning off Cam Robinson now.

If the goal is "living with someone for a couple of years until we groom a guy" I think Stanley would be a terrible choice. It's the same thing I said about Tyron Smith last year. If you're signing a guy meant to be more of a "stop gap" than a long term solution, then you have to prioritize availability above all else. You can't be an adequate stop gap from the sideline injured. Stanley's injury history is very concerning.

A higher upside but bigger injury risk makes more sense if your team is poised to compete and you can afford to manage a guy through the season in hopes he's available for the important games in the playoffs. Like us in the Brady years. But where we are, we need a guy we can pencil in and not worry about LT being a team-crippling liability like it has been.

IMO, guys like Alaric Jackson and Dan Moore should be higher priorities for us. They aren't as good as Stanley, but I feel better about penciling them in as weekly starters and getting serviceable production. Obviously they could still get injured, but feel less likely than with Stanley. I think we have a chance to turn it around and push for the playoffs in short order, but I don't view us as truly "competing" yet and therefore I'd rather go with stability/dependability over gambling on higher upside with more availability risk.

 

[Real fan 02]

Nice find there really want Tavai in a back-up role.

Don't worry PF2 he will be backing up against TEs and RBs..

 

[PatsFan2]

If the goal is "living with someone for a couple of years until we groom a guy" I think Stanley would be a terrible choice. It's the same thing I said about Tyron Smith last year. If you're signing a guy meant to be more of a "stop gap" than a long term solution, then you have to prioritize availability above all else. You can't be an adequate stop gap from the sideline injured. Stanley's injury history is very concerning.

A higher upside but bigger injury risk makes more sense if your team is poised to compete and you can afford to manage a guy through the season in hopes he's available for the important games in the playoffs. Like us in the Brady years. But where we are, we need a guy we can pencil in and not worry about LT being a team-crippling liability like it has been.

IMO, guys like Alaric Jackson and Dan Moore should be higher priorities for us. They aren't as good as Stanley, but I feel better about penciling them in as weekly starters and getting serviceable production. Obviously they could still get injured, but feel less likely than with Stanley. I think we have a chance to turn it around and push for the playoffs in short order, but I don't view us as truly "competing" yet and therefore I'd rather go with stability/dependability over gambling on higher upside with more availability risk.

I agree with everything you said: also I think Ronnie Stanley have plenty left in the tank. After last I want them to cover their @sses Rookie OT's are no Guarantee. They do Bust a lot.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Back in 2001 the Pats signed almost a third of their offensive/defensive starters in free agency... Vrabel, Joe Andruzzi, Bryan Cox, Roman Phifer, Mike Compton, David Patten, Anthony Pleasant and then Terrell Buckley as a nickel back (before that was a "starting" spot). Outside of Vrabel, none of those guys ever made a pro bowl (and his didn't come until quite a few years later in 2007). With our crazy amounts of cap space this year, I'd like to see a somewhat similar approach this offseason. Prioritize filling as many positions as you can with baseline talent vs. chasing the top guy at every spot. A list of players that intrigues me:

MIN FS Camryn Bynum
NYG WR Darius Slayton
PIT LT Dan Moore Jr.
NO TE Juwan Johnson
MIN RB Aaron Jones
NYJ RT Morgan Moses
NYG EDGE Azeez Ojulari
AZ EDGE Baron Browning
DET IDL Levi Onwuzurike
SF LB Dre Greenlaw
NO CB Paulson Adebo

No individual player there is likely to make a pro bowl for us (other than Greenlaw maybe if he gets healthy), but it'd be an infusion of talent across the depth chart.

 

[PatsFan2]

Here's a under the radar guy that Vrabel might be interested in.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for Indianapolis Colts Wide Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

 

[PatsFan2]

Back in 2001 the Pats signed almost a third of their offensive/defensive starters in free agency... Vrabel, Joe Andruzzi, Bryan Cox, Roman Phifer, Mike Compton, David Patten, Anthony Pleasant and then Terrell Buckley as a nickel back (before that was a "starting" spot). Outside of Vrabel, none of those guys ever made a pro bowl (and his didn't come until quite a few years later in 2007). With our crazy amounts of cap space this year, I'd like to see a somewhat similar approach this offseason. Prioritize filling as many positions as you can with baseline talent vs. chasing the top guy at every spot. A list of players that intrigues me:

MIN FS Camryn Bynum
NYG WR Darius Slayton NO!
PIT LT Dan Moore Jr.
NO TE Juwan Johnson
MIN RB Aaron Jones
NYJ RT Morgan Moses
NYG EDGE Azeez Ojulari
AZ EDGE Baron Browning
DET IDL Levi Onwuzurike
SF LB Dre Greenlaw
NO CB Paulson Adebo

No individual player there is likely to make a pro bowl for us (other than Greenlaw maybe if he gets healthy), but it'd be an infusion of talent across the depth chart.

Didn't I tell you No to Slayton?? Don't Make me.

 

[NashuaPats]

I just realized that Doug Marrone was the head coach of Jacksonville when they drafted Cam Robinson and coached him for a few years. That could be an interesting connection.

 

[Real fan 02]

Didn't I tell you No to Slayton?? Don't Make me.

PF2 I Don't know why no one is talking about signing chase young.. guys still a force off the edge and against the run.. he would be awesome under Vrabel..

 

[Real fan 02]

Here's a under the radar guy that Vrabel might be interested in.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for Indianapolis Colts Wide Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

He would be a nice pick up.. I want our WR room to be so good that the current guys have trouble getting playing time.

 

[DaBruinz]

Back in 2001 the Pats signed almost a third of their offensive/defensive starters in free agency... Vrabel, Joe Andruzzi, Bryan Cox, Roman Phifer, Mike Compton, David Patten, Anthony Pleasant and then Terrell Buckley as a nickel back (before that was a "starting" spot). Outside of Vrabel, none of those guys ever made a pro bowl (and his didn't come until quite a few years later in 2007). With our crazy amounts of cap space this year, I'd like to see a somewhat similar approach this offseason. Prioritize filling as many positions as you can with baseline talent vs. chasing the top guy at every spot. A list of players that intrigues me:

MIN FS Camryn Bynum - (Gave up 4 TDs, 11 Missed tackles)
NYG WR Darius Slayton (Why?)
PIT LT Dan Moore Jr. (Gave up the Most sacks from a LT. No Thanks)
NO TE Juwan Johnson
MIN RB Aaron Jones (Why?)
NYJ RT Morgan Moses (is 34.)
NYG EDGE Azeez Ojulari (is a name only. Stunk all around)
AZ EDGE Baron Browning (Horrible against the run. Misses tackles)
DET IDL Levi Onwuzurike (has issues tackling)
SF LB Dre Greenlaw (Redundant with Dugger/Peppers/Mapu)
NO CB Paulson Adebo

No individual player there is likely to make a pro bowl for us (other than Greenlaw maybe if he gets healthy), but it'd be an infusion of talent across the depth chart.

Adebo is coming off a major injury (Broken Femur) that required surgery to repair. No telling if he'll be ready for the season or not.

 

[DaBruinz]

Adding Vrabel, McDaniels, brown, Marrone is already an upgrade. Trade for kupp first LARs will take any pick pretty much.. we could send a 4th round this year and a 5th next year for kupp.. Higgins sees this. Along with Drake, kupp,McDaniels and 29m I think Higgins goes for it.. he knows he'll get single coverage. Now you have Higgins, kupp, pop, Boutte as your play makers.

Why trade for a guy who it's rumored is going to be released?

 

[DaBruinz]

Didn't we pay Gawd knows last year??

They didn't pay Godchaux all that much. With the move to the 4-3, they need more DTs anyways.

Bobby Brown or Naquan Jones would help here.

 

[DaBruinz]

In my opinion, Vrabel doesn’t give a f#%$ what Wolf wants. If he wants Kupp he’ll try to get him.

Yes, but will Vrabel?

Vrabel isn't the one negotiating the Contracts. Wolf is. And we don't know where the "No one over 30 get's a contract" edict came from last year. We don't know if it came from Kraft, Mayo, or Wolf. We just know that Wolf was the one doing the negotiating.

One can HOPE that the edict is gone, but until we see that first player over 30 signed, we don't know.

 

[DaBruinz]

PF2 I Don't know why no one is talking about signing chase young.. guys still a force off the edge and against the run.. he would be awesome under Vrabel..

Young did have 68 pressures last year. But he regressed in his run defense. Maybe it was just how NOLA was using him.

The problem with that with the Pats moving to a 4-3, Young projects more as an OLB. Not sure that fits in Vrabel / Williams Single-Gap Defense.

 

[DaBruinz]

He would be a nice pick up.. I want our WR room to be so good that the current guys have trouble getting playing time.

We know that McDaniels can run any variation of Offense sets. We've seen him run 21, 22, and 31. If they stick with either a 21 or 22, then any WR you bring in, you're forcing Boutte or Douglas onto the bench and losing reps. Douglas is their best WR.

You don't know what you have in Polk or Baker.

Bourne is a Catalyst type WR. Good things happen when he's on the field. It's been that way since he got here. Though, rumors have it that Bourne is getting canned. I think it's a bad move, honestly.

Maye showed that he is very comfortable running with 2TEs regularly. I think that's the direction the Pats should continue with. Bringing Hooper back while continuing to develop Bell would be a good thing.

I don't see anyone in FA is a "hands-down" upgrade over Hooper in Free Agency. Not even Juwan Johnson.

I could care less about "improving" the WR room until the O-LINE and D-Line are improved.