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

[WhatJustHappened]

Yup.
Why would they dump a "Stud" in his 3rd year?
Serious red flags if they are actually thinking about it.

 

[p8ryts]

How would you rank the remaining team needs. Not including WR because for me it’s either trade for Brown after June 1st or roll with what we have. Dont need more 2/3 options.

My personal list:
1) Edge
2) Future RT
3) NT
4) #3 S
5) Backup LT
6) TE
7) # 3 CB

Roll with what we have.

 

[hornetfb85]

Roll with what we have.

Yep. AJ Brown or bust for me.

 

[BobDigital]

At this point you need to consider what needs the team has to fill in free agency or trade. Yeah they can improve in a lot of spots. But looking who is on the market now there aren't many players who move the needle much for us right now. And you don't want to overspend on a back up or depth piece. Here is where I am.

QB - No
RB - Maybe... but how much are you going to invest in a 3rd guy and
TE - Whose left? If you let Hooper walk who is really better and how bad do you want them? Njoku is the only guy who moves the needle and it is hard to know how much he has at this point.
WR - Why bring in another mid or over the hill guy? This to me is trade or draft.
IOL - Maybe... I have mentioning curring Onwenu for Bitonio or Zeitler. It can save you some cash but really you are traiding one one year contract for another. It is potentially worth upgrading, but it isn't a huge jump exactly (I'd probably try it)
OT - Do you pick a vet up to slow Campbell's development or just kick him inside. Frankly taking even an all pro guard 4th overall feels like a subpar pick to me considering the position alone is so unimpactful. Just not enough impact. And there is nothing that saying he will be amazing inside. Moses you don't replace this year.

DE - This is one spot they can clearly add.
DT - Add who to kick who? Farmer/Durden/Gregory are all good depth. Losing Tonga sucks but without him there isn't anyone i'd pound the table for.
LB - You have your 2 starters. You aren't paying Ellis 9 milllion to ride the bench. Also who do you pick up that is much better right now? Not many options
CB - It be a depth signing.
S - Again only need depth.

So looking at the team now and the free agent pool, there isn't a lot of impact stuff to do. You could get an Edge guy but really not a lot else makes sense for big names unless you trade for AJ Brown.

 

[hornetfb85]

Seeing some disagreements with my AJ Brown or bust. Confused why that is. We need a #1 option. AJ Brown is that. I personally don’t think there is a #1 option available to us in the draft. We have plenty of 2/3/4 options.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Surprised Njoku is still an available? Lack of demand or his salary demand is not tracking market valuation?

 

[RobertWeathers]

At this point you need to consider what needs the team has to fill in free agency or trade. Yeah they can improve in a lot of spots. But looking who is on the market now there aren't many players who move the needle much for us right now. And you don't want to overspend on a back up or depth piece. Here is where I am.

QB - No
RB - Maybe... but how much are you going to invest in a 3rd guy and
TE - Whose left? If you let Hooper walk who is really better and how bad do you want them? Njoku is the only guy who moves the needle and it is hard to know how much he has at this point.
WR - Why bring in another mid or over the hill guy? This to me is trade or draft.
IOL - Maybe... I have mentioning curring Onwenu for Bitonio or Zeitler. It can save you some cash but really you are traiding one one year contract for another. It is potentially worth upgrading, but it isn't a huge jump exactly (I'd probably try it)
OT - Do you pick a vet up to slow Campbell's development or just kick him inside. Frankly taking even an all pro guard 4th overall feels like a subpar pick to me considering the position alone is so unimpactful. Just not enough impact. And there is nothing that saying he will be amazing inside. Moses you don't replace this year.

DE - This is one spot they can clearly add.
DT - Add who to kick who? Farmer/Durden/Gregory are all good depth. Losing Tonga sucks but without him there isn't anyone i'd pound the table for.
LB - You have your 2 starters. You aren't paying Ellis 9 milllion to ride the bench. Also who do you pick up that is much better right now? Not many options
CB - It be a depth signing.
S - Again only need depth.

So looking at the team now and the free agent pool, there isn't a lot of impact stuff to do. You could get an Edge guy but really not a lot else makes sense for big names unless you trade for AJ Brown.

I think starting caliber CB boundary is needed as Davis is injury prone and most likely gone after this year.

DT/DE are also priorities. Draft and 1yr stopgaps are needed.

 

[mgteich]

Where linebacker? That's probably my #3 need after EDGE and TE.

I think that there will be no TE signing other than camp competition for the #3 spot if there is one. We have a #1 TE and a #2 TE.

 

[patfanken]

Hey, I read the last 3 pages of this thread and thought you guys are having a great discussion that I enjoyed and learned from. Kudos. Let me add a couple of point to the mix.

1. For a fan base that has watched the Pats these last 25 years, I don't get the near obsession with "finding at #1 WR" rather than simply finding reliable "good" WR who can all eat and catch balls from a QB good enough to elevate those around them. Well we HAVE that guy at QB. We didn't have a true #1 last year and we had the 4th best passing offense, the 3rd best total offense, and 9th in scoring (have to improve that red zone efficiency).

Having a #1 WR implies that he's your go to guy and is likely to get 12-15 targets a game. Think about what that means to a team that only throws the ball around 25 times a game. Josh McDaniel's offense is DESIGNED to do the opposite and NOT focus on one individual. Everyone is a threat. That's how it works. WR's have to share the ball because RB's and TE's are going to get a lot of targets too. So investing a hefty percentage of your cap space on a #1WR and feeding him the targets he's going to want could be counter productive in THIS particular offense.

2. Now that doesn't mean I'd oppose a reasonable trade to get AJB (say a 27 2nd and a 28 3rd), not because he's a #1 WR, but because he's a good one and will add to the room and fit into the offense well. I wouldn't expect huge numbers for him since he's likely only to get 6-8 targets a game like the rest of starters, BUT the overall offense will be better with him. It will be a better offense with 3 WR's getting 800 yds than one guy getting 1200. Besides, with the additions of AVT, Gilliam, and Hill we might be running the ball even more this season.

 

[50-yard-line]

Question for my fellow posters: if the price were the same: AJ Brown or Max Crosby?

 

[hornetfb85]

Question for my fellow posters: if the price were the same: AJ Brown or Max Crosby?

I’d lean Crosby on that one. A game wrecking pass rusher is a game changer for our defense

 

[hornetfb85]

Hey, I read the last 3 pages of this thread and thought you guys are having a great discussion that I enjoyed and learned from. Kudos. Let me add a couple of point to the mix.

1. For a fan base that has watched the Pats these last 25 years, I don't get the near obsession with "finding at #1 WR" rather than simply finding reliable "good" WR who can all eat and catch balls from a QB good enough to elevate those around them. Well we HAVE that guy at QB. We didn't have a true #1 last year and we had the 4th best passing offense, the 3rd best total offense, and 9th in scoring (have to improve that red zone efficiency).

Having a #1 WR implies that he's your go to guy and is likely to get 12-15 targets a game. Think about what that means to a team that only throws the ball around 25 times a game. Josh McDaniel's offense is DESIGNED to do the opposite and NOT focus on one individual. Everyone is a threat. That's how it works. WR's have to share the ball because RB's and TE's are going to get a lot of targets too. So investing a hefty percentage of your cap space on a #1WR and feeding him the targets he's going to want could be counter productive in THIS particular offense.

2. Now that doesn't mean I'd oppose a reasonable trade to get AJB (say a 27 2nd and a 28 3rd), not because he's a #1 WR, but because he's a good one and will add to the room and fit into the offense well. I wouldn't expect huge numbers for him since he's likely only to get 6-8 targets a game like the rest of starters, BUT the overall offense will be better with him. It will be a better offense with 3 WR's getting 800 yds than one guy getting 1200. Besides, with the additions of AVT, Gilliam, and Hill we might be running the ball even more this season.

I don’t necessarily think we need AJ Brown. But if we’re going to add a WR, I think it is a game changer. We have good depth and solid players down the board. Having a #1 puts those other guys in more favorable matchups as well.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Hey, I read the last 3 pages of this thread and thought you guys are having a great discussion that I enjoyed and learned from. Kudos. Let me add a couple of point to the mix.

1. For a fan base that has watched the Pats these last 25 years, I don't get the near obsession with "finding at #1 WR" rather than simply finding reliable "good" WR who can all eat and catch balls from a QB good enough to elevate those around them. Well we HAVE that guy at QB. We didn't have a true #1 last year and we had the 4th best passing offense, the 3rd best total offense, and 9th in scoring (have to improve that red zone efficiency).

Having a #1 WR implies that he's your go to guy and is likely to get 12-15 targets a game. Think about what that means to a team that only throws the ball around 25 times a game. Josh McDaniel's offense is DESIGNED to do the opposite and NOT focus on one individual. Everyone is a threat. That's how it works. WR's have to share the ball because RB's and TE's are going to get a lot of targets too. So investing a hefty percentage of your cap space on a #1WR and feeding him the targets he's going to want could be counter productive in THIS particular offense.

2. Now that doesn't mean I'd oppose a reasonable trade to get AJB (say a 27 2nd and a 28 3rd), not because he's a #1 WR, but because he's a good one and will add to the room and fit into the offense well. I wouldn't expect huge numbers for him since he's likely only to get 6-8 targets a game like the rest of starters, BUT the overall offense will be better with him. It will be a better offense with 3 WR's getting 800 yds than one guy getting 1200. Besides, with the additions of AVT, Gilliam, and Hill we might be running the ball even more this season.

When people say "#1 WR" I think most of them really mean "#1 receiving option". That can be a TE, like it was with Gronk for years. It's really about having a guy who sets the defense and makes it easier to read coverages because they can't disgusise as much when one guy is drawing so much extra attention.

Pats acquired Moss in 2007 and he was "#1 WR" level through 2009. In 2010, they had no "#1 WR" or "#1 receiving option" because Gronk was a baby, but from 2011 through 2017 he was that level of player for sure. It's not like they weren't great in 2010 still and Gronk missed time with injuries so still from 2011 through 2017 they had to deal with not having that guy and were still productive (even won a SB in 2016). 09-11 weren't McDaniels offenses anyway, so that 2010 year isn't even part of the sample size.

In 2018 he declined to the point they no longer had it and the offense really suffered that year - Brady went from MVP to game manager for most of the year. 2019 the offense struggled again, this time even worse. In 2020, the Cam Newton year, we sucked. 2021 with Mac Jones we started out ok and ending up sucking. Then McDaniels came back last year and we were very good but did fizzle out down the stretch.

Even if you look at his time in DEN, he had B-Marshall for a year as a #1 then traded him and got himself fired that 2nd year without him. And when he traded him, he did use a 1st round pick on Demaryus Thomas so it's not like he didn't place some priority on the position. He went to STL for a year in 2011, didn't have a #1 WR and his offense was LAST in scoring. When he went to Vegas, the first offseason there he made a mega-trade for Davante Adams.

For the pretty heavy majority of McDaniels time as OC here and his coaching history overall, he has had a "#1 WR". A lot of those years that guy just happened to play TE so I think that creates the ILLUSION this his offense isn't built for one. A lot of things go into it, but the years he ran this offense there were serious issues. Again, even those years with the literal GOAT in Tom Brady the offense labored through the post-Gronk prime seasons.

Having a #1 WR type player, even if it was a TE, has been something he's had for most of his history an din situations where he had personnel say it's been something he's used significant draft capital to acquire.

 

[gobesmug]

When people say "#1 WR" I think most of them really mean "#1 receiving option". That can be a TE, like it was with Gronk for years. It's really about having a guy who sets the defense and makes it easier to read coverages because they can't disgusise as much when one guy is drawing so much extra attention.

Pats acquired Moss in 2007 and he was "#1 WR" level through 2009. In 2010, they had no "#1 WR" or "#1 receiving option" because Gronk was a baby, but from 2011 through 2017 he was that level of player for sure. It's not like they weren't great in 2010 still and Gronk missed time with injuries so still from 2011 through 2017 they had to deal with not having that guy and were still productive (even won a SB in 2016). 09-11 weren't McDaniels offenses anyway, so that 2010 year isn't even part of the sample size.

In 2018 he declined to the point they no longer had it and the offense really suffered that year - Brady went from MVP to game manager for most of the year. 2019 the offense struggled again, this time even worse. In 2020, the Cam Newton year, we sucked. 2021 with Mac Jones we started out ok and ending up sucking. Then McDaniels came back last year and we were very good but did fizzle out down the stretch.

Even if you look at his time in DEN, he had B-Marshall for a year as a #1 then traded him and got himself fired that 2nd year without him. And when he traded him, he did use a 1st round pick on Demaryus Thomas so it's not like he didn't place some priority on the position. He went to STL for a year in 2011, didn't have a #1 WR and his offense was LAST in scoring. When he went to Vegas, the first offseason there he made a mega-trade for Davante Adams.

For the pretty heavy majority of McDaniels time as OC here and his coaching history overall, he has had a "#1 WR". A lot of those years that guy just happened to play TE so I think that creates the ILLUSION this his offense isn't built for one. A lot of things go into it, but the years he ran this offense there were serious issues. Again, even those years with the literal GOAT in Tom Brady the offense labored through the post-Gronk prime seasons.

Having a #1 WR type player, even if it was a TE, has been something he's had for most of his history an din situations where he had personnel say it's been something he's used significant draft capital to acquire.

Wes Welker became the #1 WR on the team after Moss Declined.

Then the narrative became we need a deep threat to stretch the defense.

 

[resdubwhite]

Give me any WR that can get open and catch 4 to 5 balls a game. Seattle didn't win the Superbowl because of JSN. They won because they ultimately had more studs on the field. I'd much prefer depth. that's why another successful draft is critical. Like the pieces we added. MOre of that please. But we do need another consistent pass catcher. Not necessarily a 30 million guy.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Seeing some disagreements with my AJ Brown or bust. Confused why that is. We need a #1 option. AJ Brown is that. I personally don’t think there is a #1 option available to us in the draft. We have plenty of 2/3/4 options.

Why are you confused?
It's been discussed, how many SB's did we win with the ONE REAL WR 1 we've had in the past 25 years?
I'll tell you...

ZERO

And that guy is considered top 2 ALL-TIME.

HOW MANY did we win WITHOUT this superstar Fkn Fantasy Football Player?

We were 3rd in scoring last year, even though JSN was on Seattle, their offense was almost 40 yds per game less than ours last year, and JSN did exactly jack **** in the SB.

I don't understand WTF is so difficult to understand?

Btw, I don't want a 1 man show, too ez to take away.

 

[silentone]

Question for my fellow posters: if the price were the same: AJ Brown or Max Crosby?

I wouldn't want either due to paying twice (draft capital and salary) but if you made me choose, I'd go with Brown
- Brown costs a lot less ($23, $23, $28, $29 vs $38, $36, $30) source sportrac
- Crosby (maybe) failed physical and just had menicus surgery in Jan
- Brown could have huge impact on Drake Maye's development
- This draft has a lot of highly rated Edge's (see manxman, mayoclinic & others' excellent work) and seems much more likely to find the next Crosby than the next Brown.
This assumes that Brown doesn't ask for new contract & is in good health
Guessing I'm in the minority as Crosby went for two 1sts and one was #14 and it sounds like Brown could be had for a late 1st (although partially mitigated as it sounds like Eagles would like to get rid of him).

 

[WhatJustHappened]

You win in the Trenches, this isn't Fantasy Football.

IF you control the LOS, you have a decent chance of winning if you have a decent QB.

WTF do we have to keep discussing this?

Cincy probably has the most dangerous offense (Rams right there) in the NFL, 2 Qualified #1's, yet the trenches SUCKED, and they didn't even make the fkn playoffs!
How much $ tied up in Burrow/Chase/Higgins?

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

Why are you confused?
It's been discussed, how many SB's did we win with the ONE REAL WR 1 we've had in the past 25 years?
I'll tell you...

ZERO

And that guy is considered top 2 ALL-TIME.

HOW MANY did we win WITHOUT this superstar Fkn Fantasy Football Player?

We were 3rd in scoring last year, even though JSN was on Seattle, their offense was almost 40 yds per game less than ours last year, and JSN did exactly jack **** in the SB.

I don't understand WTF is so difficult to understand?

Btw, I don't want a 1 man show, too ez to take away.

Again this is kind of misleading. You had a TE that was better than most WR1s and is considered the greatest TE of all time catching balls from the greatest QB of all time. So let’s not keep spinning this narrative here that the Pats never won without an elite pass catcher who was essentially everything a WR1 was and then some.

In fact I believe very few teams out of the 60 teams that won the Super Bowl have had their top WRs under 1000 yards. So it’s doable but the odds aren’t great. I mean 2022 Kelce had 1300 yards so again not a WR1 but in reality he was better than a WR1. Gronk being with the Pats is similar to that.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Again this is kind of misleading. You had a TE that was better than most WR1s and is considered the greatest TE of all time catching balls from the greatest QB of all time. So let’s not keep spinning this narrative here that the Pats never won without an elite pass catcher who was essentially everything a WR1 was and then some.

WHAT has Cincy won with that RIDONKULOUS Money spent on Fantasy Football?

They've won EXACTLY Jack ****.

Thanks