Positions that we need to address this offseason.

[TriplecHamp]

Two edge defenders, a linebacker that will ensure we never see Elandon on the field on 3rd down. A corner to push Rowe back down the depth chart. Cut Jordan Richards and hope to trade that 2nd round pick because you know Bill is ready to just draft another one.

 

[IllegalContact]

I don’t need 17 sacks, I am just appalled how bad our pass rush was, Ours was non existent against a competitive defense.

I kinda wanted Campbell last year in FA but already go Gillmore.

Jones is a guy we had and gave up on who is now an ALL_PRO........this team certainly needed his 17 sacks....to suggest otherwise is silly

hell, he even managed to sack wentz in a 34-7 loss

 

[skspikex2]

Resign Harrison. Only him and Gilmore were actually trying on defense.

Need front 7 help big time and with solid number 2 corner. Butler is pretty much gone. And drive to a recycle bin, drop elandon Roberts there.

 

[Snooky97]

I can potentially see us trading up in the first round if Vita Vea is there in the 20s. He's Vince Wilfork esque.

If were trading up it will be our first rounder and our late second round pick, weather this happens is another matter.

I cannot see Evans from Alabama falling to us in the second round, but i can see Malik Jefferson falling to us. He would bring a lot of speed and coverage ability in the LB area. He reminds me of Jones from Atlanta.

Third round comp pick. I think Josh Sweat could possibly be there for us.

Honestly this is a draft where theres a lot of very good talent. Theres a chance that maybe 7 QBs could be drafted within the first round. Which means talent could be dropping. Honestly we need a draft like we did in 2011 where we picked up Jones/HT/Collins.

Last night my god i was angry. Lets keep going.

 

[IllegalContact]

DE and LB.....both in draft and FA......

Did Trey Flowers play last nite?

 

[patsinthesnow]

The offense will contend with one of the best in NFL history if Edelman returns to 80-90% of what it was:

With a Solder re-signing:

• Our best OL since 2011
• Gronk
• Edelman
• Cooks
• Hogan
• Mitchell

That unit won’t be coverable. 32-34 PPG if Brady continues to beat father time.

What we need for a 6th ring: A mediocre defense.

 

[SebertJr]

Defense, defense, defense....and a little o line help

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Chandler Jones received 5 votes for NFL defensive player of the year....

Is Joe Thuney and Malcolm Mitchell enough of a return for a player of that caliber?

 

[203Pat]

LB's, D-ends anyone in the front 7 really. A QB for the future, a TE if Allen is cut, RB when Lewis walks, corner when Butler walks. Looks like we are going to have a good amount of turnover.

 

[Ivan]

Even though the defense should be the focus I think getting Lewis and Burkhead under contract is a priority. I would also like to see them re-sign Solder to a two year deal.

On defense:

Butler is gone, period. However getting J. Jones back will help, however they will still need another quality CB.

Safety is strong overall but Richards is a big liability and he needs to go. They should be able to bolster the secondary in free agency.

Linebacker-To me this is their biggest area of need. Getting Hightower, Rivers, and Langi back will obviously help but they struggle mightily with RPO and Mobile quarterbacks, and they really need more speed outside. Hopefully Marquis Flowers and Lee will also continue to develop.

D-Line. Branch is gone but they will get Valentine back. The core is young, Brown, Flowers, Butler, and Wise all look good, but they need more depth and re.-signing Flowers and Brown are going to be priorities in the near future.

Overall it’s going to be a fascinating offseason with many changes, fortunately there is no organization better at handling change than the Patriots.

We’re on to 2018

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The Pats also have rookie Keionta Davis (6030/271, EDGE) on the NFI List. He might have been a mid-round pick if not for a swollen disk in his neck that wasn't discovered until the Combine medical exam. They also have rookie UDFA Caleb Kidder (6044/269, DE) on IR. Davis' disk issue apparently didn't require surgery; it simply didn't heal soon enough to allow him to participate this season. He could well be in the mix this off-season.

It's possible, but historically most rookie UDFAs who go on IR in Foxboro do not get a second chance, for whatever reason.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Hopefully BB hires a competitive D-coordinator.

Also a 39 year old James Harrison was putting our d-linemen to shame! He was the only one generating pressure on Foles for most of the game. The rest of the guys were just there unable to get off their blockers.

We need to invest in some talent on d-line badly. You can see how that paid off with Jax and the eagles.

I think it was a mistake letting Jones and Long go. Those guys are an upgrade over what we currently have.

Long didn't want to play in this system anymore.

 

[Steve102]

Holes everywhere.

OC
DC

DL: they were pushed around quite a bit last night. Need a guy with some girth. Washington/Wilfork type.
LB: the weakest of the SB units. Need playmakers in the mold of High and Bruschi. Harrison won't be back at 39 yrs old. Sign flowers.
CB: replace Butler. Bademosi is UFA.
WR: Amendola is UFA, will likely go get his final pay day.
RB: Burkhead and Lewis UFA, Burkhead hurt often.
QB: the Next Guy was here. Now we need to get another one.

I expect a very ugly off season. Lots of finger pointing right now.

 

[maineman209]

At LB, the Pats currently have ...
- Roberts, ILB
- Harris, ILB (turned 34 the day of the AFCCG and is likely cut before FA)
- Van Noy, ILB/OLB
- Langi, ILB/OLB/DE ... NFI
- Hightower, ILB/OLB/DE ... IR
- McClellin, OLB/DE ... IR (may not return)

[Grigsby, Grissom and Reilly (PS) are primarily ST, and would provide playing-depth only under catastrophic circumstances.]


- Harrison, OLB/DE ... UFA
- M.Flowers, OLB/DE/ILB ... UFA (I think the Pats really need to try to re-sign this guy, given how well he performed over the second half of the season).

As with the DL-Interior, there seems to be a lack of both quantity and quality that is somewhat exacerbated by the lack of (known) quality SS depth behind Chung - who turns 31 during 2018 Camp, as does McCourty.

It seems to me that the Pats need to add one quality player to the LB corps (draft or FA) and, depending on the developmental progress of Travis and/or Jones (on the PS), perhaps another young prospect at Safety.

++++++++++

As always, the caveats are:

1) the Pats have only six draft picks
2) the Pats have only about $13.8M in cap space until cuts/contract restructurings are performed to increase that space. Up to $20M - $25M seems within easy reach without creating further significant roster holes, but that's still not a lot.
3) there is no guarantee that quality developmental college prospects who may fit the Pats systems and schemes will be available when they draft
4) there is no guarantee that the prospects the Pats draft will be able to make significant contributions in their rookie seasons (or ever)
5) there is no guarantee that quality NFL free agents who may be able to fill and/or upgrade the Pats roster at various roles and positions will be both available and affordable.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Honestly we need a draft like we did in 2011 where we picked up Jones/HT/Collins.

Last night my god i was angry. Lets keep going.

Those were 2012 and 2013. 2011 was Solder and Vereen.

 

[DaBruinz]

Start hacking away if you want to re-sign Nate Solder and Dion Lewis.

New England Patriots Salary Cap | Over the Cap

Left Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Note: Fleming, Solder, Waddle will be unrestricted free agents in 2018.

Running Back Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Note: Bolden, Burkhead, Lewis will be unrestricted free agents in 2018.

Gross cap savings by cutting Bennett, Allen, Gillislee, Britt: $14,821,875

Why do you think that Gillislee is getting cut? Especially with the likelihood that Burkhead and Lewis aren't back?

Also, the Gross savings doesn't matter.. The NET does. and it's 960K less than what you posted due to the Top 51 Rule being in effect.

 

[Snooky97]

Those were 2012 and 2013. 2011 was Solder and Vereen.

Ahh! knew it was one of them..

 

[DaBruinz]

I think we definitely need to address the front 7. A pass rusher, defensive tackle that can be disruptive and at least one linebacker. Don't want to see any more Roberts in there.


I'd also like to add another safety and cb. Can't have Richards or Badamosi playing either.

On offense, another tight end, depending on Bennett.

Not sure what your issue with Bademosi (a UFA) is but he played well when Gilmore was out. Much better than Rowe played, imho.. Rowe was a much bigger issue last night than Bademosi..

 

[JackBauer]

This team needs better linebackers in the worst way. HT is great but with his play style durability is a real concern. The lack of anything approximating depth behind him caught up to the defense in the end.

Van Noy is fine but if he’s your best LB, that’s a bad sign. Flowers has intriguing athleticism.

Coaching was garbage last night but it was still a feat making the SB with one starting caliber LB on the field for most of the season.

 

[maineman209]

I think we definitely need to address the front 7. A pass rusher, defensive tackle that can be disruptive and at least one linebacker. Don't want to see any more Roberts in there.


I'd also like to add another safety and cb. Can't have Richards or Badamosi playing either.

On offense, another tight end, depending on Bennett.

If Bennett is on the roster as of March 14th (first official day of the new league year), $2M of his $6.2M 2018 cap hit becomes fully-guaranteed. If he hasn't renegotiated more cap-friendly terms before then, he'll very likely be cut. In any case, he turns 31 on March 10th, so an extension to the 2-years remaining on the contract the Pats acquired when they claimed him (2018 & 2019) in order to reduce his immediate cap hit may not be a realistic option.