OT: 2015 Wide Receiver Free Agent Market

[AzPatsFan]

Y'all are like the Generals who want to fight the Last war over again.

"Pass catcher" and "pass defender" were last years problems and resolved then, and finished this year. This years problem is the lines. A start was made on both lines, but I expect that we will continue to address the lines, NEXT year.

The only Pats over 30, besides QB which is a special case, are OL Dan Connolly, and DL, Vince Wilfork. Sooner or later replacements will have to be found and groomed for both captains. Fortunately they are both in their early 30s,so the need is not necessarily immediate.

There are young prospects for all three positions, but nothing is certain from any of them. Neither a big DT, nor a great interior linemen sit in reserve for either.

It appears that in Siliga and Hayward, the Pats have adequate rotational backups to Vince, but the interior backups for Connolly are even less respected. Talented newcomers Stork and Fleming may be directed elsewhere, replacing Wendell and Mankins.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Now, let me start by saying I don't think that we sign any of these. But I want to know who do you think ends up on a new team, who weakens or strengthens our greatest opponents?

Here's the list of "top tier" names:

Wes Welker
Reggie Wayne
Demaryius Thomas
Torrey Smith
Sidney Rice
Hakeem Nicks
Jeremy Maclin
Jermaine Kearse
Michael Crabtree
Dez Bryant
Nate Washington

A couple "close to home" names (that I think we resign) would be:

Bryan Tyms
Matthew Slater

Who do you see making a splash that is relevant to our team? If the Jets continue their current course for the season I find i hard to believe that they don't sign at least one of the names. I can't see Thomas or Bryant leaving their respective teams, Bryant has been reported as potentially signing a deal before the season started, so barring a setback, it is just on hold, and Thomas is just too important to Peyton if he doesn't retire. Maybe the Jets make a move on a guy like Torrey Smith or Crabtree to pair with Decker and their top 5 QB draft pick.

Again, outside of Slater and Tyms I find it very difficult to picture one of these guys playing for us, but I also have no issue imagining us facing off against any of the other names in 2015 unless Sandiego wins their divison (We're scheduled to face Bryant and the Cowboys in 2015).

Who do you think we see?

Of that list, no way on DT because Denver won't let him go. Same with Dez and Dallas. I really like Maclin but I think he'll command too much money, which means that if there's a realistic target on that list that I'd actually want, it might be Crabtree. He's underperformed throughout his career, but if he comes for reasonable money I think that he's underutilized in SF, and the Pats could make better use of what he does well.

 

[BradyFTW!]

2015 New England Patriots Unrestricted Free Agents:

Ridley
Vereen
Cannon
Connolly
Slater
Chung
McCourty
Gostkowski
Aiken

Bolden - RFA

While that's a fair number of names (not a ton though, relative to the usual), I think Revis and McCourty are the only must-signs in that group. Slater and Gost should both definitely be re-signed as well, and for the right price I'd be fine with having any of Ridley/Vereen/Connolly/Chung/Cannon back, but none of them are by any means irreplaceable. My guess would be that 2 or 3 of them are back next year.

 

[AzPatsFan]

And I care about WR FAs, how?

 

[Gronkowski123]

dez would be a dream.

 

[ausbacker]

All this talk of FA WR's is nice but I'd rather the Patriots added impact players on both lines and at linebacker. I'm confident LaFell, Dobson, Edelman and Tyms in conjunction with Gronk and Wright can get it done.