Patriots are signing WR Michael Jenkins

[Deus Irae]

Bess is a slot receiver so he wouldn't be the best fit when outside receiver is the glaring need.

I believe that PATSYLICIOUS' point is that more receivers will probably shake loose, giving the Patriots more options to choose from moving forward. I don't think it was specific to Bess.

My apologies if I interpreted that incorrectly, but that's how I read it.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I believe that PATSYLICIOUS' point is that more receivers will probably shake loose, giving the Patriots more options to choose from moving forward. I don't think it was specific to Bess.

My apologies if I interpreted that incorrectly, but that's how I read it.

Correct, a guy who just posted 781 yards in 13 games is likely being released in order to save $2.7M. Lots of teams looking to save a buck in this offseason.

 

[Brady6]

This leads me to a related question:

Qb - Brady
RB - Ridley
3rd down RB - Vereen (hopefully he's ready), Washington (Hopefully he's not needed)
TE1 - Gronk
TE2 - Hernandez
OLT - Solder
OLG - Mankins
C - Wendel/Connolly
ORG - Connolly/Cannon
ORT - Vollmer
WR2 - The porcelain Italian
WR1 - TBD
WR3 - TBD

CB1 - Talib
CB2 - Dennard
CB3 - Arrington
S1 - McCourty
S2, S3 - Wilson/Wilson/Gregory
OLB - Hightower
OLB - Mayo
MLB - Spikes
DT - Wilfork
DE - Jones
DT - TBD
DE - TBD

Unless he is an absolute bust Armstead will start at LE in the base and play DT in sub packages. I'd say Wendell is without question the starting center and if Cannon was to overtake Connolly at guard it would send him to the bench. Wendell is one of the top centers in the NFL entering camp. Donald Jones is at least a WR3 with a stretch potential of WR1.

Everything else seems spot on IMO.

 

[Marqui]

Wendell is one of the top centers in the NFL entering camp.

Where did you that from?

 

[Brady6]

DE: Ninkovich is a pretty good #2 DE. Ideally you want a much bigger guy than a 255 pound DE, so maybe Armstead can over take him. Still, 8 sacks, 6 FFs, and versatility make him a starting caliber player. If we sign Abraham, this position is set.

Fanene was projected to be the LE and last year his situation forced us to play Ninkovich as the starter in the base. BB will give Armstead and Bequette every opportunity to be 1&2 at LE with Ninkovich being used as a pass rusher and to back up Hightower should he need rest or move over to fill in for Mayo or Spikes if they need a rest.

 

[BradyFTW!]

He has size and a bit of talent. I like the signing, personally. He could actually stick and provide something valuable. Even if he doesn't, he's worth a training camp roster spot for however long it will take to determine his value.

 

[Brady6]

Where did you that from?

Pro Football Focus - his grade of +16.2 when it comes to run blocking is best in the league, and his overall grade of +14.4

 

[BradyFTW!]

Fanene was projected to be the LE and last year his situation forced us to play Ninkovich as the starter in the base. BB will give Armstead and Bequette every opportunity to be 1&2 at LE with Ninkovich being used as a pass rusher and to back up Hightower should he need rest or move over to fill in for Mayo or Spikes if they need a rest.

I'm not sure if I agree with that. Seemed to me like Fanene's role, first and foremost, was going to be a rotational DT who specialized in pressuring the QB. In other words, the role that Cunningham ended up filling until his PED suspension, and the role which Armstead hopefully projects to moving forward.

The DE opposite Jones, assuming they don't draft/sign Abraham or anyone like that, will probably be Ninkovich, Francis, or Cunningham. Of that group, I think I'm oddly the most optimistic about Francis. Would love to see Bequette enter the mix too, but considering that we saw literally nothing from him last year--at a position of need, and it didn't appear to be due to injury--does not bode well for his future in the NFL.

Realistically, though, the previous paragraph just underscores the fact that the Patriots need to go out and get a starting-caliber DE, because as of right now they only have one, and then several pretty good depth guys.

 

[Brady6]

Yes, I could see Belichick drafting 2 WR's in the first 2 rounds. More likely is 2 WR's in the first 3 rounds, one of which may be using a 3rd for Sanders. We have the free agent money to upgrade the DL and bring in more competition at CB, and still bring in JAGS and minot free agents (like Edelman and/or Lloyd).

I agree if we don't sign Sanders we use our 1st and 3rd on WR IMO. If we sign Sanders we use our 1st and give the Steelers the 3rd.. So either way 2 picks dedicated to WR's

 

[Steve102]

I believe that PATSYLICIOUS' point is that more receivers will probably shake loose, giving the Patriots more options to choose from moving forward. I don't think it was specific to Bess.

My apologies if I interpreted that incorrectly, but that's how I read it.

I'm no cap-ologist by any stretch, but don't we usually see a round of cap cuts in May/June before camp opens?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Pro Football Focus - his grade of +16.2 when it comes to run blocking is best in the league, and his overall grade of +14.4

Most posters here do not take PFF seriously, and with good reason. PFF has done a great job getting itself publicity, mainly by appealing to Peter King's ignorance and then riding his coattails, but the results are consistently wrong. Not just kinda wrong, either - 'back-to-the-drawing-board' wrong.

I'd also have to disagree with anyone who seriously projects Donald Jones as a potential #1. It's probably 50/50 that he even makes the team.

 

[Ring 6]

Fanene was projected to be the LE and last year his situation forced us to play Ninkovich as the starter in the base. BB will give Armstead and Bequette every opportunity to be 1&2 at LE with Ninkovich being used as a pass rusher and to back up Hightower should he need rest or move over to fill in for Mayo or Spikes if they need a rest.

Fanene was signed to play DT not DE.
BB has moved away from 300 lb LDE to smaller guy, focussed on pass rushing. Unfortunately we ended up with a not so good pass rusher there.

Armstead is also a DT (unless we played 34 then he and Fanene would both be DEs). Bequette would play DE, but probably is big enough to be a DT in sub, like Cunningham last year.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I'm no cap-ologist by any stretch, but don't we usually see a round of cap cuts in May/June before camp opens?

The roster cutdown dates are probably the best opportunities to get quality players that other teams cut.

 

[Ring 6]

Pro Football Focus - his grade of +16.2 when it comes to run blocking is best in the league, and his overall grade of +14.4

Pro Football Focus is garbage.

 

[Ring 6]

Yes, I could see Belichick drafting 2 WR's in the first 2 rounds. More likely is 2 WR's in the first 3 rounds, one of which may be using a 3rd for Sanders. We have the free agent money to upgrade the DL and bring in more competition at CB, and still bring in JAGS and minot free agents (like Edelman and/or Lloyd).

I cannot imagine that happening.
We have Amendola and ?????? as the starters.
Jenkins and Jones will compete with a group of other signings for reserve spots.
We may draft 7th round WRs to add to that mix.
If we do get Sanders, I don't expect a WR in the 1st or 2nd.
If we don't I expect Lloyd will be back and we still dont take a WR in the top 3.

 

[primetime]

I would be THRILLED with a Patten ceiling. Good enough for a Lombardi.

Anyone would be thrilled with that, but that's probably a best-case scenario. The good news about Jones is that he's young, fast, and has decent size and that he's improved each year of his career. Honestly, I don't think Emmanuel Sanders is anything special and I'd rather keep the 3rd rounder because the difference between Jones and Sanders probably isn't worth the pick.

Jenkins is the opposite of Jones - he's old enough that he's hit whatever potential he had, but he's slow as a snail and his production plateaued at a very mediocre level even when given the opportunity to play a big role in an offense. Remember Donald Hayes?

 

[Brady6]

I'm not sure if I agree with that. Seemed to me like Fanene's role, first and foremost, was going to be a rotational DT who specialized in pressuring the QB. In other words, the role that Cunningham ended up filling until his PED suspension, and the role which Armstead hopefully projects to moving forward.

The DE opposite Jones, assuming they don't draft/sign Abraham or anyone like that, will probably be Ninkovich, Francis, or Cunningham. Of that group, I think I'm oddly the most optimistic about Francis. Would love to see Bequette enter the mix too, but considering that we saw literally nothing from him last year--at a position of need, and it didn't appear to be due to injury--does not bode well for his future in the NFL.

Realistically, though, the previous paragraph just underscores the fact that the Patriots need to go out and get a starting-caliber DE, because as of right now they only have one, and then several pretty good depth guys.

I see it breaking down as this.

Base 4-3

LDE - Armstead, Bequette
3DT - Draft/UFA, Deaderick
1DT - Wilfork, Love
RDE - Jones, Francis/Cunningham

Nickel

LE - Ninkovich, Benard/Vega
DT - Armstead, Bequette
DT - Wilfork, Draft/UFA
RE - Jones, Francis/Cunningham

So we agree when it comes of the sub packages I just envision use going back to a 4-3 under like we ran in 2011-12 with the LDE as a 5-technique allowing the SAM which will be Hightower and Ninkovich to rush the passer or drop into coverage. That scheme also allows the RDE to be able to rush the passer without having to much of a run stoping assignment which will allow Jones to be free like Carter was a lot of the time.

 

[Brady6]

Fanene was signed to play DT not DE.
BB has moved away from 300 lb LDE to smaller guy, focussed on pass rushing. Unfortunately we ended up with a not so good pass rusher there.

Armstead is also a DT (unless we played 34 then he and Fanene would both be DEs). Bequette would play DE, but probably is big enough to be a DT in sub, like Cunningham last year.

I disagree I think he will move back to it with Armstead playing 5-technique allowing Hightower or Ninkovich to blitz from the SAM LB positions and free up Jones to play as a Leo at RE more in 2013.

I could be wrong but right now I see him using Ninkovich their last year as his only option because of Fanene's injury and having to use Deaderick inside because of Pryor and Brace providing nothing at DT.

I am very interested to find out though.

 

[Brady6]

Fanene was signed to play DT not DE.
BB has moved away from 300 lb LDE to smaller guy, focussed on pass rushing. Unfortunately we ended up with a not so good pass rusher there.

Armstead is also a DT (unless we played 34 then he and Fanene would both be DEs). Bequette would play DE, but probably is big enough to be a DT in sub, like Cunningham last year.

Rumor is that Bequette is around 290-295 pounds now. Based on that I think they want to use him as a 5 technique DE and pass rushing DT?

 

[Brady6]

Pro Football Focus is garbage.

I don't disagree in theory but it very hard to justify an OL in any other way on paper anyway.