Positions that we need to address this offseason.

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

2018:
Here we go:

Before: $38,769,018

Cap after cuts/possible retirement/extension/draft:

After: $4,018,600

Pick 31: Trade to Arizona #47 and #79

Quarterback (2): Tom Brady, Hoyer - Ideal world you find a young QB in the second round and let Hoyer go, but this team has too many holes..

Running back (4): James White, Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead - They really need a big back
Pick 96: Royce Freeman

Fullback (1): James Develin

Wide receiver (5): Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks, Malcolm Mitchell, Julian Edelman, Amendola

Tight end (3): Rob Gronkowski, Allen, Bennett

Offensive line (8): LT Nate Solder, LG Joe Thuney, C David Andrews, RG Shaq Mason, RT Marcus Cannon, OT/G Cole Croston, OT Antonio Garcia, LT Cameron Fleming

Defensive tackle (5): Malcom Brown, Vincent Valentine, Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler - They could flip the SF pick and add a late #2 and #3

Defensive end (4): Trey Flowers, Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Pick 47: Arden Key, ED

Linebacker (6): Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Marquis Flowers, Elandon Roberts, McClellin
Pick 43: Tremaine Edmunds, ILB - The ideal would be add another ILB. Let's see if they can find another one.


Cornerback (5): Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, Johnson Bademosi
Pick 79: Duke Dawson, CB or Queenton Meeks,CB

Safety (4): Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon
Pick 63 Ronnie Harisson, SS

ST(6): Gostkowski, Allen, Cordona, Slater, Ebner, King

 

[Ivan]

Apparently Head Coach will need to be addressed, some Patriot fans are mad.

 

[chasa]

Our offensive line held up its end of the bargain last night. People are going to remember the unit for the sack fumble, but remember there was only 1 sack the entire game against the best defensive front in the NFL. That's excellent.

We don't need a new holder. It hasn't been a problem all year long, and one game, no matter how important, shouldn't erase 18 games of tape. We don't need a TE2 either. We have Bennett and Allen for now, and Hollister shows promise. I have no idea what Gronk is gonna do, but I'll safely assume that he won't retire this year. DLine needs to be revamped with a star or two, I'm not worrying like crazy about backup QB just yet since we do have a backup QB who has quite a bit of starting experience. In Hoyer I trust.

True, but we have a lot of question marks heading into next year. Soldier might be gone, Cannon coming off IR lots of work needs to be done if they don't keep the whole thing together.

Bennett might retire, as he was planning to do before the pats picked him up. Allen is a good blocker but we need more.

Hoyer was just a stopgap. i love the little fella, but we need a longer term backup option with a better ceiling.

 

[Brewskies]

Much to early for me to go down this path. Too many unknowns. Still digesting what happened last night.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

A more physical interior offensive line

 

[Snooky97]

2018:
Here we go:

Before: $38,769,018

Cap after cuts/possible retirement/extension/draft:

After: $4,018,600

Pick 31: Trade to Arizona #47 and #79

Quarterback (2): Tom Brady, Hoyer - Ideal world you find a young QB in the second round and let Hoyer go, but this team has too many holes..

Running back (4): James White, Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead - They really need a big back
Pick 96: Royce Freeman

Fullback (1): James Develin

Wide receiver (5): Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks, Malcolm Mitchell, Julian Edelman, Amendola

Tight end (3): Rob Gronkowski, Allen, Bennett

Offensive line (8): LT Nate Solder, LG Joe Thuney, C David Andrews, RG Shaq Mason, RT Marcus Cannon, OT/G Cole Croston, OT Antonio Garcia, LT Cameron Fleming

Defensive tackle (5): Malcom Brown, Vincent Valentine, Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler - They could flip the SF pick and add a late #2 and #3

Defensive end (4): Trey Flowers, Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Pick 47: Arden Key, ED

Linebacker (6): Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Marquis Flowers, Elandon Roberts, McClellin
Pick 43: Tremaine Edmunds, ILB - The ideal would be add another ILB. Let's see if they can find another one.


Cornerback (5): Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, Johnson Bademosi
Pick 79: Duke Dawson, CB or Queenton Meeks,CB

Safety (4): Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon
Pick 63 Ronnie Harisson, SS

ST(6): Gostkowski, Allen, Cordona, Slater, Ebner, King

Edmunds will not be there at 43, hes a top 15 pick. if we are getting a ILB at that area, we are looking at Malik Jefferson.

Arden Key is an interesting prospect, but seen him going top 20 but he could easily fall to us.

Not sure that Ronnie Harrison will be there at 63, Kyzier White could be an option there. @reamer and @BaconGrundleCandy can talk more about the safety spot than i can for this draft.

 

[maineman209]

Good information MM.....If that's the case and he doesn't return, how big of a priority do you see the tight end position, the biggest on offense, assuming we bring back Solder?

Assuming that Gronk implying that he might be considering retirement was just heat of the moment talk, behind him that Pats have ...

- Allen ... developed into a brilliant blocker for most of the season and really assisted in the ground game. Oddly, he apparently wasn't part of the initial game plan for the AFCCG (played only one snap before Gronk got hurt) and not part of the SB game plan (played only two snaps). However, his $5M cap hit is significantly pricey for a "blocking TE", especially considering that Develin costs only $1.2M Allen's cap hits will need to be drastically reduced with some converted to receiving incentives or he'll likely be gone.
- Jake Hollister ... has simply yet to develop sufficient blocking or route/receiving skills. He's pretty good on ST, though, and probably in the mix for one of those spots for 2018 (at a mere $560k). At this point, I wouldn't be counting him as part of the offense for 2018.
- Bennett ... turns 31 March 10th and his current contract is way too dear for a guy who may be in decline soon, if not already
- Will Tye (on the PS since mid-October after being cut by the Jet) ... 6021/262, about the same size as Allen & Develin (and a bit quicker than both) ... his first two seasons in the league (2015 -16) he averaged 45 catches and about 430 yards per season for the Giants at a 68% catch rate, though apparently his blocking was inconsistent. If he's given a futures contract, he could be in the off-season mix.

While there could be a big roster hole at TE behind Gronk, I wouldn't say it's the "biggest" priority, necessarily.

The Pats need to maintain a certain amount of redundancy in the numbers of legitimate receiving threats at TE and RB, and at the various WR roles (deep-range, intermediate-range, slot, split-end, flanker) in order to maintain the effectiveness and balance of multiple personnel packages and formations. With no legit receiving threat behind/pairing with Gronk, and with less than optimal numbers at intermediate-range WR due to Edelman and Mitchell on IR, the offense was somewhat limited in that regard in 2017.

With Burkhead and Lewis both UFA and with Edelman (coming off IR) and Amendola (also UFA) both on the wrong side of 32, and with Mitchell also coming off IR, there are really a lot of unknowns for the 2018 offense for 2018, beyond TE.

 

[reflexblue]

ROFLMAO.. Yes.. Let's get rid of the ENTIRE O-LINE because of a stellar play by the opposing lineman.. SMH..

You realize that you just said they need to replace 16 starters? That's not even close to accurate..

Have you ever read his/her game day threads? This is typical of what you would read.

 

[Deus Irae]

As of now, it looks as if they need to address:

1. Brady's so-called successor, if one is available in this draft
2. CB2, as it seems pretty clear that the team has checked out on Butler
3. DT, as it seems pretty clear that the team has checked out on Branch
4. 2 LBS (one a superior run stuffer, one a cover LB) at the #1/#1a level
5. Better backup LBs
6. Replacement for Richards
7. LT
8. 1DRB, as it seems pretty clear that the team has checked out on Gillislee
9. Keeping Lewis in the fold
10. Re-signing or replacing Amendola
11. TE (at the TE2 or TE3 level, as I have Gronk returning as of this time)
12. DE (even if you bring Harrison back, you want to find more pass rush)
13. SlotWROTF

It's a long list, but that's to be expected when Malcolm Brown is the only first round pick from the last 5 years (2013-2017) that's on the roster (Thanks, in part, to Herr Goodell), and the only second rounders still on the roster from that time period are Richards and Cyrus Jones.

And I may still have missed a spot or two.

 

[Username]

I just never want to see Jordan Richards play for the New England Patriots ever again. He is beyond hopeless and a glaring weak link to be abused over and over again.

 

[Redman443]

I like Luke Faulk from Washington st. First pats qb from Washington state since Bledsoe. He’s a pocket passer and reminds me of a Belichick player. Pure talent, id say baker mayfield but his ego will turn off mr Kraft and Belichick.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

We will need a replacement for DMaC soon, he has been non existent.

What games have you been watching?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Looking quickly the Pats need to resign Solder and DA if they don't follow JM to Indy.

Will Solder even be re-signable? I'm figuring he'll retire to spend more time with his son, especially if the prognosis looks bad.

 

[everlong]

Will Solder even be re-signable? I'm figuring he'll retire to spend more time with his son, especially if the prognosis looks bad.

Very real option making LT a first or second round need.

 

[rads2005]

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?

To be fair it’s not just those two players- it’s also the players they’re able to keep/resign due to the much high salary they’re saving on Chandler Jones.

17 sacks is a gaudy number, but in the Pats conservative (IMO crappy) scheme it’s unlikely he gets to that here anyway.

 

[Deus Irae]

Very real option making LT a first or second round need.

BB's going to rely solely on Garcia, just to piss off Captain Stone.

 

[Spiral]

McCourty's role changed significantly this season. He played a combination of free safety, strong safety and cornerback (often in man coverage). He played 97% of all defensive snaps and 24 % of ST snaps.

Thru the AFCCG, he'd allowed a 46% completion rate into his coverage for 9.5 yards per catch, had one INT and 6 PBUs. He also led the Pats in solo tackles and in total tackles.

Harmon had four INT during regular season, in addition to the one yesterday.

 

[maineman209]

Will Solder even be re-signable? I'm figuring he'll retire to spend more time with his son, especially if the prognosis looks bad.

He and his wife were interviewed this past week. Apparently, their son has responded very well to this most recent round of chemo. Apparently, it was during Week-1 of the season that they got the diagnosis that the kid's cancer had returned and that he'd need to go through chemo again. Solder himself said his mind wasn't totally on football those first few weeks until the boy started responding to treatment.

 

[maineman209]

Harmon had four INT during regular season, in addition to the one yesterday.

Interceptions aren't the only stat that has value. Harmon had 23 total tackles. McCourty had 94.

In any case, it's apples-to-oranges since they weren't playing the same roles.

 

[Spiral]

Interceptions aren't the only stat that has value. Harmon had 23 total tackles. McCourty had 94.

In any case, it's apples-to-oranges since they weren't playing the same roles.

DMC is a decent player. The problem is his contract. His 2018 cap number is $11.9M, the third-highest on the team, and third-highest among all safeties in the league. He isn't the third-best safety in the NFL, and he isn't the third-best player on the Patriots.