Patriots Rumor Tracker / FA Signings (Updated: Signings in OP - 4/7)

[mgteich]

I’d give them 31 for him.
And Boutte and a third for AJ Brown.

The price is now lower than that.

I certainly would keep Boutte.

 

[Love The Drake]

The price is now lower than that.

I certainly would keep Boutte.

We have to give up one of the WRs if we go for Brown.

 

[upstater1]

It's 11:55. We're now fully 12 minutes past the time for the Patriots to make a late night announcement.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think that the Raiders may panic trade Crosby now because they verbally agreed to terms with a lot of FAs. Now teams are not going to give them 2 1st rounders. Baltimore got cold feet and ****ed the Raiders imo

How is Maxx Crosby failing his physical Baltimore getting cold feet?

 

[DaBruinz]

There are only maybe 8 to 10 teams that can even afford Crosby, and not all of them have a big need at edge where they’d be highly motivated to acquire him. Plus, this situation has put a bit of a damper on it all so the market will be even less active. I bet mainly only a couple teams will still be interested in a trade and it won’t be for two 1sts. I bet if they get offered just one 1st they’ll take it. Maybe they will throw in a player or a middle round pick to make it “look better”.

If I was NE I would trade pick 31 for him because I would likely be drafting EDGE at that pick anyway and he’s as good as they get at that position. And then I don’t need to bring Chaisson back so that’s some money saved towards the salary.

Help me understand why you think Crosby would magically pass his physical with another team when he failed it with the Ravens? Help me understand why any team would want to take on that injury liability from the Raiders, let alone give up a draft pick for that "honor"?

 

[Ross12]

Help me understand why you think Crosby would magically pass his physical with another team when he failed it with the Ravens? Help me understand why any team would want to take on that injury liability from the Raiders, let alone give up a draft pick for that "honor"?

There was no physical. They used a failed physical designation but in reality he can’t even take one right now because he is still rehabbing. Basically Baltimore said “oh our doctors decided they aren’t comfortable with where he is at in his rehab timeline, so, we’re out”. Which is information that they likely would have had before they even made the trade.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

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Currently at $31.6M of cap space left. This does not include the releases of Tavai or Diggs yet.

My guess is that they'll designate Tavai as June 1st cut. That means they won't save anything until June 1st, at which point they'll save $3.2M. If they just cut him without the June 1st designation, they'll save $1.7M. They aren't hurting for that $1.7M now so might as well squeeze out that extra $1.5M by waiting until June 1st to free it up.

Diggs is a harder call to make. If they do June 1st designation, they won't free up anything until June 1st at which point they'll save $20.8M. If they just cut him now, they'll only save $16.8M. Can they hold out until June 1st without those savings to squeeze out the extra $4M?

You only can make 2 post June 1st designations for players cut before June 1st but those are the only two guys it seems they're cutting as of right now.

In theory, they could spend RIGHT up to the cap through free agency with those released players still counting on the books and then on June 1st create $24M of cap space to sign their draft picks and have the cap space leftover that they want to go into camp with and to cover for in-season moves. The cap nerd in me is interested to see if that's what they do.

In terms of remaining needs, they should look to retain or replace Hawkins at safety so they have a vet starter, retain or replace Chaisson because they already needed to add one proven EDGE player in addition to retaining him so the Jones addition only covers one of those, and then they should have a second veteran TE. That all just fills out the depth chart to where they don't NEED anything specifically by way of rookie contributions if the draft board doesn't fall their way. They'd have a competent depth chart at every position, at least starter wise with those three moves.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Help me understand why you think Crosby would magically pass his physical with another team when he failed it with the Ravens? Help me understand why any team would want to take on that injury liability from the Raiders, let alone give up a draft pick for that "honor"?

It doesn't happen commonly, but occasionally free agent signings do fail physicals in the offseason. Those guys don't then instantly retire in most cases; they usually end up signing somewhere else or even with he same team, just under new contract terms. Passing or failing a physical isn't some specific yes-no thing - it's subjective team to team. I'd expect that Crosby would still be movable to other teams, but their doctors will do their own subjective analysis and their assessment will play into the cost that team is willing to pay.

 

[Ross12]

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Currently at $31.6M of cap space left. This does not include the releases of Tavai or Diggs yet.

My guess is that they'll designate Tavai as June 1st cut. That means they won't save anything until June 1st, at which point they'll save $3.2M. If they just cut him without the June 1st designation, they'll save $1.7M. They aren't hurting for that $1.7M now so might as well squeeze out that extra $1.5M by waiting until June 1st to free it up.

Diggs is a harder call to make. If they do June 1st designation, they won't free up anything until June 1st at which point they'll save $20.8M. If they just cut him now, they'll only save $16.8M. Can they hold out until June 1st without those savings to squeeze out the extra $4M?

You only can make 2 post June 1st designations for players cut before June 1st but those are the only two guys it seems they're cutting as of right now.

In theory, they could spend RIGHT up to the cap through free agency with those released players still counting on the books and then on June 1st create $24M of cap space to sign their draft picks and have the cap space leftover that they want to go into camp with and to cover for in-season moves. The cap nerd in me is interested to see if that's what they do.

In terms of remaining needs, they should look to retain or replace Hawkins at safety so they have a vet starter, retain or replace Chaisson because they already needed to add one proven EDGE player in addition to retaining him so the Jones addition only covers one of those, and then they should have a second veteran TE. That all just fills out the depth chart to where they don't NEED anything specifically by way of rookie contributions if the draft board doesn't fall their way. They'd have a competent depth chart at every position, at least starter wise with those three moves.

My understanding was that you don’t need to wait until 6/01 to get the cap savings if you use the designation, you get it immediately. But because of how that could be abused, they limit it to two players. If you had to wait until 6/01 for the cap space to become available, there would be little point in using the designation, you may as well keep the player until then.

Edit: Looked it up, apparently I am wrong. That seems sort of stupid.

 

[Urgent]

New England Patriots Salary Cap Calculator | Over The Cap

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Currently at $31.6M of cap space left. This does not include the releases of Tavai or Diggs yet.

Diggs is a harder call to make. If they do June 1st designation, they won't free up anything until June 1st at which point they'll save $20.8M. If they just cut him now, they'll only save $16.8M. Can they hold out until June 1st without those savings to squeeze out the extra $4M?

You only can make 2 post June 1st designations for players cut before June 1st but those are the only two guys it seems they're cutting as of right now.

Diggs’ contract guarantees $6M for 2026 on March 13, yes?
They would need to release him ahead of that to avoid an additional $6M of cash spend and dead money.
Regardless would be dirty to tell him he’s being released but not actually do it until after all of free agency and the draft when cap space is tighter.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't buy this one. Doesn't seem like a scheme fit. Cross is great against the run. Seems more like a fit for strong safety. The Pats use split safeties and Cross struggles in coverage.

 

[patsinthesnow]

There’s a chance the pats offseason concludes with:

++LG (Wilson to Vera-Tucker)
+C (Bradbury to Wilson)
++WR1 (Diggs to Brown)
+WR2 (Boutte to Doubs)
+EDGE1 (Chaisson to Jones)
+FS - some rumors pats are looking at other safeties

-DT3 (Tonga to Durden)
-RT (Moses age concerns)

All while the bills, chiefs & ravens have their worst rosters in years. Patience. This offseason is either a B- with 11 draft picks coming or an A with AJ Brown & 9-10 draft picks coming.

 

[Ring 6]

There was no physical. They used a failed physical designation but in reality he can’t even take one right now because he is still rehabbing. Basically Baltimore said “oh our doctors decided they aren’t comfortable with where he is at in his rehab timeline, so, we’re out”. Which is information that they likely would have had before they even made the trade.

What are you talking about? How can he not take a physical? How can a team not inspect the surgery and recovery before giving up 2 #1s and committing to 35 mill a year?
How did they “likely know about it before the trade” without examining him?
The trade was always hinging on how the damaged goods checked out.

 

[mike_usagisan]

There’s a chance the pats offseason concludes with:

++LG (Wilson to Vera-Tucker)
+C (Bradbury to Wilson)
++WR1 (Diggs to Brown)
+WR2 (Boutte to Doubs)
+EDGE1 (Chaisson to Jones)
+FS - some rumors pats are looking at other safeties

-DT3 (Tonga to Durden)
-RT (Moses age concerns)

All while the bills, chiefs & ravens have their worst rosters in years. Patience. This offseason is either a B- with 11 draft picks coming or an A with AJ Brown & 9-10 draft picks coming.

I think this is right and we're mostly done (though you should add in the FB). Expecting much more is probably not in the cards. Probably a safety still to come. And Chaisson if his pricetag comes down and the team doesn't think Landry is going to recover.

 

[bakes781]

I don't buy this one. Doesn't seem like a scheme fit. Cross is great against the run. Seems more like a fit for strong safety. The Pats use split safeties and Cross struggles in coverage.

This guy says its a done deal.

 

[bakes781]

This Commander fan has the stats on Cross

 

[Wozzy]

Boom… I was banging the table for Nick Cross.

 

[Toofy]

I think this is right and we're mostly done (though you should add in the FB). Expecting much more is probably not in the cards. Probably a safety still to come. And Chaisson if his pricetag comes down and the team doesn't think Landry is going to recover.

I think we need a linebacker and a safety still . I would make Hawkins a priority resign .

I feel they will add olinemen in draft - a RT in rd1 and a swing guard as onwenu insurance . If they feel caedan Wallace is adequate as RG, they will keep him as swing for this year and starter for next while training the next understudy from rookie class.

Linebackers are cheaper in free agency and Good value gets. Can we get one to replace tavai. We might need one to replace jennings too unless the cost is similar in which case we keep jennings.

As salary cap explodes , drafts are going to be key and you need to allow at least 2 years of development time for rookies . So essentially 20 /53 should b rookies (y1/y2) and you hope that at least 5 from each rookie class graduate into 3rd and 4th season. So technically 30 / 53 on rookie wage scale. And then split the rest to make up for cap space.

I honestly feel 2 WR2 and 1 TE1 ,DE1,CB1,QB1, Lt1, mid tier 2 olinemen, 2 rookie or vet minimum oline men is the way to go to build a consistent team.

QB - 60
De1- 32
Wr pool- 45
Te pool - 20
Oline - 50
Cb + safety - 50

Just this come to 250 for around 19 people

For rookie wages you need at least 60 million and add another 10 million for vet minimums .

With QB contracts we can't do much I guess. So you might need to stagger it such that you have a reset year after every 4 years and you absorb the cost overruns of prior 4 years . So have a dead cap of say 80 million every 5th year . That way you can overspend to tune of 20 million each year or get a dynamic player added for 4 years in a 5 year period.

 

[jboston19]

Farewell to Jennings.

 

[jboston19]