Player Signing Patriots Claim 4 on Waivers

[upstater1]

I agree with you. The big problem we have in FA right now is that difference making FAs don’t want to come here because the team has been on a 4 year decline. I mean we did offer Ridley 22-25M/yr and Ayuk 28-32M/yr. They said “no” because we suck at the moment.

The core of our team should be built through the draft. FA should: 1) compliment the draft because the draft can’t possibly fill every need and 2) add a game changer that puts the team over the top. (Unfortunately the Pats aren’t in a position to attract that kind of talent currently because of what I said above)

In FA you should not expect to bring in players for premium positions. You need to draft QBs, WRs, LTs and to some extent, CBs.

The goal is to use FA to bring in really good players like Judon and Peppers and Stephen Gilmore, etc.

 

[mgteich]

They brought in DBs in the FA and the draft

They brought in LB help via FA

They brought in DL via FA

They claimed a DT and LB on waivers today

They haven’t ignored the D

Let’s revisit this topic at the season halfway point; then we’ll really know if the D was ignored or not.

Please list all the defensive players signed from other teams or drafted that will improve the Defense from 2023 and into the future. We can then discuss the quality of those players and how much they will help now and in the future. Are any of these even active backups, except Hawkins?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

They brought in DBs in the FA and the draft

A 6th rounder? All JAGs - no real help.

They brought in LB help via FA

Has never stepped on the field and a backup - no real help.

They brought in DL via FA

And cut him. A JAG. No real help. They cut Guy and traded Judon - we are going backwards.

They claimed a DT and LB on waivers today

This further proves my point. Adding this to your list indicates your whole post is sarcasm.

They haven’t ignored the D

Again I missed that your post was sarcasm. My apology.

Let’s revisit this topic at the season halfway point; then we’ll really know if the D was ignored or not.

Do you work for the Pats reporting to E. Wolf? Do you support E Wolf for GM of the Year?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I also don't believe in a slow rebuild. Almost all of have been discussing being a playoff contendor in 2025 and in the 4 years of Maye's first contract.

It does NOT follow that we should have spent another $40M on player services for 2024.

Consider that we have $120M of cap money over the average to spend. Should we spend $30M a year including this year. Or should we spend an average of $40M starting next year?
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I do agree that we should have spent a bit more, adding a front-seven player or two. And, sure, even a backup LT to replace/compete with Lowe and Anderson. However, I do prefer to push the money forward and spend it on years when we are competing for the playoffs.

We could have signed young FAs at FS, CB #2, DT, or OLB. FA on the defensive side had good young players. We could have integrated those players this year on a 3 or 4 year contract and they would have helped us in 2025 or 2026.

 

[signbabybrady]

Please list all the defensive players signed from other teams or drafted that will improve the Defense from 2023 and into the future. We can then discuss the quality of those players and how much they will help now and in the future. Are any of these even active backups, except Hawkins?

Marco Wilson and Hawkins right now top the list.

OX looks interesting too.

If he ever gets out the tub I still expect Takitaki to contribute.

 

[palialka]

Please list all the defensive players signed from other teams or drafted that will improve the Defense from 2023 and into the future. We can then discuss the quality of those players and how much they will help now and in the future. Are any of these even active backups, except Hawkins?

You have a fair point. One the surface, the guys they brought in aren’t exactly a “who’s who” of defensive studs.

I think Wilson And Hawkins will contribute to the secondary.

Ximenes has looked the part so far in TC and preseason. Takitaki is TBD, but he was solid for the Browns.

Watts was a miss for the DL.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

I was thinking that I hear they are planning to have Strange work at Center. I think we are fine at Center with Andrews...we Need a Guy who can at least play LT decently. Strange have the make up of a zone blocking LT.

In the perfect universe, maybe between Sow and Strange we have our left tackle and center of the future?

 

[palialka]

A 6th rounder? All JAGs - no real help.

Has never stepped on the field and a backup - no real help.

And cut him. A JAG. No real help. They cut Guy and traded Judon - we are going backwards.

This further proves my point. Adding this to your list indicates your whole post is sarcasm.

Again I missed that your post was sarcasm. My apology.

Do you work for the Pats reporting to E. Wolf? Do you support E Wolf for GM of the Year?

Hawkins, Wilson, Ximenes and Takitaki will all contribute this season.

I will admit that cast is not full of defensive studs but I’m willing to see how they perform in games before I make a judgement about the D and how Wolf/Mayo are performing in their roles. Rome wasn’t built in a day…

 

[mgteich]

Marco Wilson and Hawkins right now top the list.

If he ever gets out the tub I still expect Takitaki to contribute.

This isn't much of a step forward.

I like Takitaki, the replacement for losing Wilson.

The replacement for Guy couldn't even make the 53.

I agree than Hawkins is a reasonable upgrade for losing Mills, but his is only a one-year contract.

Marco Wilson was signed late last season, not by the current leadership.
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Frankly, I can't imagine a team spending fewer resources in trying to secure new defensive players for the playoff run.

 

[mgteich]

Hawkins, Wilson, Ximenes and Takitaki will all contribute this season.

I will admit that cast is not full of defensive studs but I’m willing to see how they perform in games before I make a judgement about the D and how Wolf/Mayo are performing in their roles. Rome wasn’t built in a day…

I missed something. We are building for playoff runs in 2025-2027.

How many of those players were signed for the future. Only Takitaki is committed for 2025 and no one beyond that. And yes, I am happy that Belichick signed Wilson, the only one who will even come close to starting.
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You don't build by signing one-year contracts and hope to extend them if they do well.

 

[Ring 6]

Brissett is not the future and you know it. Anything else is just you trying to win debate points.

Better than JJSS

Probably not.

Disagree. Gibson was best available 3rd down back. Elliot is name brand and nothing else at this point.

Gesicki sucks. Hooper is marginally better. The best TE in FA signed here.

I hate to sound like Deus, but who do you suggest? You throw this 50m number around like it's the great salve to fix all ills. What was available year 1 of this regime's rebuild? Names.

At best it’s marginal improvement and there is nothing that is significant or impactful.

I’ve posted numerous times there were dozens of free agents available that would have improved this team. You act as if since you don’t know the names they don’t exist. Check the list, I can’t respond to everyone who wants to crawl under the excuse that there weren’t any players out there that could improve a 4 win team. We just signed 4 that were cut, there were 100 free agents better than those guys.

 

[Toofy]

Hmm dunno if robinson is ready? Looked a bit out of place in the commanders game but im no expert. But yes im more comfortable if onwenu is back at rg and chuks at rt that seemed to work a little better at least in pass protection

I heard Robinson looked like a stud at LG.

Play okrafor/ lowe, Robinson/ sow, Andrews , wallace and onwenu. Get a blocking tight end and play next to lowe.

Keep playing them for 4 weeks and then try out strange at LT or center .

Leverett should be swing guard or center.

And develop the rest and pray that the QB does not go into IR. Game plan to get ball out within 2 .25 seconds.

 

[Ring 6]

Of course my opinion could change as the season progresses; I don’t need to wait until the end of the season. I want our team to win and become a contender again as soon as possible.

Let me ask you this…If we improve this season and become a playoff team in the next couple of years, will you admit that Wolf’s team building philosophy was correct and yours wasn’t?

I don’t think “in the next couple of years” is a good goal. If we win 5 games then 7 then 8 then get a wild card in 2027 that’s a failure.

I believe we are going to be the worst team in the NFL this year and get spanked in many games. That wasn’t necessary. If we suck real bad and eventually become decent i don’t think that is success.

Yes if they are successful, i will praise them and I hope that happens. But other than hopefully getting a qb I don’t see any positives and I cannot understand why any team would not spend the bulk of their cap. There really is no advantage to doing that

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Hawkins, Wilson, Ximenes and Takitaki will all contribute this season.

I will admit that cast is not full of defensive studs but I’m willing to see how they perform in games before I make a judgement about the D and how Wolf/Mayo are performing in their roles. Rome wasn’t built in a day…

Hawkins has been cut by two other teams. YAG at best. Wilson was benched and cut by the Cardinals for abysmal play. JAG but athletic. Ximenes is undersized and has bounced around. YAG. Takitaki has never been on the field.

We went backwards on defense. Signing JAGs after other teams release them is not a winning strategy. There were a bunch of good defensive players in FA. We ignored them, have $50M in cap space, and signed a bunch of JAGs.

I can't believe I am arguing this.

 

[jdlboot14]

Can't believe they're keeping Milton. He's the ultimate Fathead sticker - looks amazing on paper, but can't play QB.
We'd be so much better off to add depth where it's needed (everywhere on the team) and sign a ~3yr QB on the PS to be the emergency guy.

 

[signbabybrady]

I missed something. We are building for playoff runs in 2025-2027.

How many of those players were signed for the future. Only Takitaki is committed for 2025 and no one beyond that. And yes, I am happy that Belichick signed Wilson, the only one who will even come close to starting.
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You don't build by signing one-year contracts and hope to extend them if they do well.

Wow I forgot Bill scooped up Wilson. Bill was awesome.

 

[palialka]

I missed something. We are building for playoff runs in 2025-2027.

How many of those players were signed for the future. Only Takitaki is committed for 2025 and no one beyond that. And yes, I am happy that Belichick signed Wilson, the only one who will even come close to starting.
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You don't build by signing one-year contracts and hope to extend them if they do well.

You didn’t miss anything. Obviously the jury is out and everyone has to prove themselves..players, coaches and staff.

I’m just preaching patience with the new regime. There are some here who think that everything can be fixed in one offseason. I’m not saying the new regime has been perfect, but I’m taking a wait and see approach before I start piling on.

Besides, nothing we say or think is going to have any impact on the success or failure of this team. But it is fun to talk about…

Let’s hope the Pats show improvement this season and continue to build on that. That’s what we all want.

 

[Ring 6]

I have to give you credit. You’re a bulldog at beating your drum and grinding that axe while twisting people’s words to fit your agenda. It never ends with you lol! I admire that in a certain way.

To your point:

1) Free Agency is always important…so is winning
2) I always say newly hired GMs/HCs need 3 years for a fair assessment . If you’re not going to give them that, then what’s the point of hiring them in the first place
3) You sign FAs because you believe they will make a valuable contribution to the success of your team…whether they are big signings or role players
4) I believe all fans should give the benefit of the doubt to a new GM/HC. We shouldn’t get the pitchforks out and burn them at the stake before the season even start's. That’s petty and self-serving.

It’s a conversation and we disagree. I wouldn’t make a statement if I hadn’t thought it through. So when you raise a point I already considered in forming my opinion what would you like me to do? Say oh well, never mind?
I am pointing out what I see as the flaw in your argument, such as saying it would be dumb to sign free agents because they are all JAGs but at some point in the future we are going to get some great free agents.

1) So you would agree the Patriots didn’t believe that this year, right? Based upon their actions.
2) Why would I as a fan watch 3 years of decisions and not assess whether I think they are good or not? I am not saying fire them today, I’m saying so far I think they have done a terrible job, for the many reasons I stated. Of course what happens on the field is what matters and if their decisions equal success my prediction was wrong.
3) so why did we pass on so many that would have made contributions to this team and leave so many holes in the roster?
4) So we post on a patriots message board and we aren’t allowed to have opinions on the patriots?

I have always been one of the most optimistic Patriot fans in the world. I always trusted that the team was doing what it felt best to win. I just don’t feel that any more. I think they are acting negligently to the fans by not really even trying to field the best team. They chose not to spend 50,000,000 that they could have spent. Why? You can easily find 50,000,000 of players, many times over that would have made this team better. We didn’t even try to sign them. We only signed cheap players. That is not doing what is best for the team.

 

[palialka]

Hawkins has been cut by two other teams. YAG at best. Wilson was benched and cut by the Cardinals for abysmal play. JAG but athletic. Ximenes is undersized and has bounced around. YAG. Takitaki has never been on the field.

We went backwards on defense. Signing JAGs after other teams release them is not a winning strategy. There were a bunch of good defensive players in FA. We ignored them, have $50M in cap space, and signed a bunch of JAGs.

I can't believe I am arguing this.

There’s no reason to argue. I’m not ready to mail in the defense yet before the season even starts. Let’s see how they play.

As I’ve said in other posts, let’s hope we take some steps forward this season and have some to build on for future success.

 

[Ring 6]

Hawkins has been cut by two other teams. YAG at best. Wilson was benched and cut by the Cardinals for abysmal play. JAG but athletic. Ximenes is undersized and has bounced around. YAG. Takitaki has never been on the field.

We went backwards on defense. Signing JAGs after other teams release them is not a winning strategy. There were a bunch of good defensive players in FA. We ignored them, have $50M in cap space, and signed a bunch of JAGs.

I can't believe I am arguing this.

It’s amazing how people want to defend Kraft refusing to pay his share to build a quality team