Patriots FA updates via Jeff Howe

[patsinthesnow]

@jeffphowe
Looks like Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon will hit free agency then present their best offers to Pats to see if they'll be interested to match.

@jeffphowe
Dont'a Hightower and Patriots are continuing to keep an open, productive dialogue, per source. Sides are aware of each other's parameters.

@jeffphowe
The Patriots believe they made a solid offer to Alan Branch this week. They're deep in negotiations.

@jeffphowe
The Patriots are expected to be heavily focused on edge rushers this offseason. I'd be surprised if they didn't draft two and sign one.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I'm curious if Belichick would rather have just Hightower, or all three of the others, if the price were the same. Not that it will be.

Harmon is good and would be a full-time starter playing almost every snap on other teams, so I would be surprised if we got him back, considering the money invested in McCourty at that position. Unfortunately, I think Ryan is definitely gone as well and will get blown away with a monster deal.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Get the sense that Ryan would rather stay put, but I just don't think the Pats would match anything too high... and I do believe someone will reach a bit with Ryan. Harmon is gone. I'm happy for him to get starter snaps somewhere. I hope Branch likes his offer. I want him here. And it seems things are cordial between High and NE. Maybe be also will give NE a chance to match any offer within range of what's been discussed.

 

[BobDigital]

Ryan wants to be here and the Pats want him here. I think Ryan would stay for a bit less. The issue is it may not be a bit less. As a fan I would be a bit put off if Ryan left over a million or two over the life of the contract when he says he wants to be here.

However how could he leave 6, 7, or 8 Million on the table? That be asking a lot for a player. Particularly one who is yet to have a secure future.

Also it would be interesting if the Pats let Hightower walk and draft 2 pass rushers. That would show a transition to more of an attack based defense and getting after the QB.

One thing I love about BB is he doesn't stick to one defensive style. He lets the market and talent decide the roster to an extent then changes the scheme to fit it.

 

[50-yard-line]

Both Ryan and Harmon remind me of McCourty, regarding their relationship with the team. The "Rutgers connection" for example, and while McCourty became a leader and was a bigger talent coming out, all three have been trained hard to fit into a system that works.

If the Pats are near the offers for either, I think he/they come back.

With Hightower, it's more of a Mayo/Wilfork/Mankins BB-player love affair. The Pats will go as far as they can to keep him, and since his talent set is very rare in today's NFL, that number will be high.

Branch, I think, will be back. They revived his career, he seems to love it here. He's affordable and deserving of some $$$. He's been one of the best BB pickups, and that's saying a lot.

So I expect Branch back and at least one of the 3.

Which is worth nothing, given how often I, like everyone else here, is dead wrong.

Ryan could be looking at a deal of 10+/year, Harmon not far south of that, and Hightower could break someone's bank.

 

[willard]

I think salary structure in terms of where players fit is very important for the Patriots. They will not pay Bennett more than Gronk and the idea we could Franchise tag Jimmy G and pay him more than Brady is laughable.

The only one of our free agents I am sure is getting paid is Butler. I really think Branch will stay and Devlin probably will too. The rest I am not so sure. Superbowl's pay and getting some Patriots FA is a superbowl off season win for some teams that I am not sure the Pats will match salaries.

Then you wonder what are we going to do with all our cap space. I like how Bill finds other players to fit our system, but I especially like how he does it cheap. Never been a fan of the high priced FA because you don't know how they will fit in to the system.

 

[50-yard-line]

I think salary structure in terms of where players fit is very important for the Patriots. They will not pay Bennett more than Gronk and the idea we could Franchise tag Jimmy G and pay him more than Brady is laughable.

The only one of our free agents I am sure is getting paid is Butler. I really think Branch will stay and Devlin probably will too. The rest I am not so sure. Superbowl's pay and getting some Patriots FA is a superbowl off season win for some teams that I am not sure the Pats will match salaries.

Then you wonder what are we going to do with all our cap space. I like how Bill finds other players to fit our system, but I especially like how he does it cheap. Never been a fan of the high priced FA because you don't know how they will fit in to the system.

And when you become top-heavy with high-priced FA's, you become far more vulnerable to injuries.

Talib and/or Miller goes down and Denver is a different team. Not true, rarely true, of anyone other than Brady on the Pats.

 

[Marqui]

I hope Julius Peppers and Demarcus Ware are a couple of the "edge rushers" they will look at.

 

[Love The Drake]

Calais Campbell

 

[bormio]

Howe is spot on about the edge defenders. Long gone, Nink long in the tooth, Sheard - who knows. Flowers the only young stud. A major point of emphasis this year I think.

 

[crownontherocks]

USA Today's Tom Pelissero reports the Patriots plan to release RT Sebastian Vollmer.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

I hope Julius Peppers and Demarcus Ware are a couple of the "edge rushers" they will look at.

Peppers's finished in my mind. Maybe ware.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

USA Today's Tom Pelissero reports the Patriots plan to release RT Sebastian Vollmer.

Loved me some Vollmer, sad to see him go

 

[Uptown]

DB-Micah Hyde would be a great fit in NE