Predict Pats biggest FA signing 2013

[PATSYLICIOUS]

1. He's very good in the slot.

2. Plays the run well.

3. Knows the system.

4. BB clearly likes him.

And he can play ST.

It's not his fault he was being asked to play outside corner where he doesn't belong. He's easy to hate on but at the end of the day he adds alot to this team.

 

[manxman2601]

True. The problem is that we need our #1 and #2 CBs to be healthy all year so we can play him in the slot. It gives me nightmares every time he plays wide replacing Talib/Dennard.

That's why we really need Dowling to step up as the #3 CB, or better yet a hybrid S/CB role, so that he can juggle back and forth between the positions instead of McCourty, and keep Arrington and Cole out of the outside CB role.

We need a 3rd CB good enough to step in to Dennard/Talib's shoes if either of them are injured or falter. Whether that's Dowling or a draft pick is up for debate but we need it to keep Arrington where he's best (i.e. nowhere near the outside).

 

[josh24]

Anybody thought about CB Brent Grimes? I don't think the Falcons can keep Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson, who have been great this season, plus Grimes.

Also, S Jairus Byrd is an UFA next season. The guy is a beast. Probably the best safety in the AFC. Long shot, tough.

Both could be huge hits to cap room, but it would be great having one of both coming to NE next season. Still, long shots...

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

True. The problem is that we need our #1 and #2 CBs to be healthy all year so we can play him in the slot. It gives me nightmares every time he plays wide replacing Talib/Dennard.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't want him on the team, the fact that there isn't a better alternative to #2 CB when someone goes down isn't due to him being on the roster.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Anybody thought about CB Brent Grimes? I don't think the Falcons can keep Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson, who have been great this season, plus Grimes.

Also, S Jairus Byrd is an UFA next season. The guy is a beast. Probably the best safety in the AFC. Long shot, tough.

Both could be huge hits to cap room, but it would be great having one of both coming to NE next season. Still, long shots...

I'd like Grimes if he can be signed cheap coming off the injury. Low risk high reward in that case

 

[Deus Irae]

Anybody thought about CB Brent Grimes? I don't think the Falcons can keep Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson, who have been great this season, plus Grimes.

Also, S Jairus Byrd is an UFA next season. The guy is a beast. Probably the best safety in the AFC. Long shot, tough.

Both could be huge hits to cap room, but it would be great having one of both coming to NE next season. Still, long shots...

I mentioned him earlier in the thread. Coming off of the injury, he might be willing to take less money/more incentives in a deal. He may still price himself out of the Patriots range, but it's definitely worth a look, IMO.

I mentioned Byrd, too. He'd work nicely if the Patriots wanted to go with what would amount to a pair of free safeties.

 

[patfanken]

Since he's set to bank over $11 million for one more Patriots year, you're essentially trying to extend him at 2 years, $13 million. Why would he take that deal?

No actually he's set to bank Zero Dollars from the Pats next year. The Pats are NOT going to franchise him again....period. Either he signs for approximately whatever they are offering him (6-8MM/yr would be my guess) or he goes elsewhere. Either way this offense will be in the top 5....again.

 

[mayoclinic]

Anybody thought about CB Brent Grimes? I don't think the Falcons can keep Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson, who have been great this season, plus Grimes.

Also, S Jairus Byrd is an UFA next season. The guy is a beast. Probably the best safety in the AFC. Long shot, tough.

Both could be huge hits to cap room, but it would be great having one of both coming to NE next season. Still, long shots...

I'd like Grimes if he can be signed cheap coming off the injury. Low risk high reward in that case

Everyone would love Grimes if he could be signed cheap coming off the injury. If that were the case, Atlanta could probably keep him. He was one of the best cover CBs in the NFL last year, and played well enough to get the franchise tag.

Byrd would also be nice, but the Bills have reportedly been trying to tie him up, and I'm sure losing him to the Pats would be their worst nightmare. I don't see how we could afford him, unless you're talking about Byrd instead of Talib. I don't like that scenario.

 

[Deus Irae]

My notion of chatting with Sean Smith just took a bit of a hit:

According to Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post, the Dolphins will “almost certainly” place the franchise tag on Smith if they can’t sign him long term before free agency commences.

Franchise tag in play for Dolphins’ Sean Smith | ProFootballTalk

 

[mayoclinic]

My notion of chatting with Sean Smith just took a bit of a hit:

Franchise tag in play for Dolphins’ Sean Smith | ProFootballTalk

I would have loved to get Sean Smith - I wanted him badly in 2009, he was one of my favorite prospects - but I never really thought there was much chance.

 

[ATippett56]

Since he's set to bank over $11 million for one more Patriots year, you're essentially trying to extend him at 2 years, $13 million. Why would he take that deal?

Supposedly, the four teams with the most salary cap space for the 2013 NFL Season will be the Browns, Colts, Dolphins, Jaguars.

Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, the following players will be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2013:

Jake Long
Brian Hartline
Anthony Fasano
Reggie Bush
Randy Starks
Sean Smith

As for the Cleveland Browns, Mike Wallace seems a more attractive wide receiver candidate at 6 years, $60 million than a 32 year old Wes Welker.

The Indianapolis Colts need defense, defense, and even more defense. I would not doubt the Indianapolis Colts will make a strong bid for cornerback Aqib Talib during the upcoming off-season. Besides, the Indianapolis Colts have a younger version of Wes Welker in rookie wide receiver TY Hilton.

Finally, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in complete disarray.

 

[Sciz]

As for the Cleveland Browns, Mike Wallace seems a more attractive wide receiver candidate at 6 years, $60 million than a 32 year old Wes Welker.

Mike Wallace for $10M a year shouldn't be at all attractive to anyone.

 

[Deus Irae]

Supposedly, the four teams with the most salary cap space for the 2013 NFL Season will be the Browns, Colts, Dolphins, Jaguars.

Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, the following players will be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2013:

Jake Long
Brian Hartline
Anthony Fasano
Reggie Bush
Randy Starks
Sean Smith

As for the Cleveland Browns, Mike Wallace seems a more attractive wide receiver candidate at 6 years, $60 million than a 32 year old Wes Welker.

The Indianapolis Colts need defense, defense, and even more defense. I would not doubt the Indianapolis Colts will make a strong bid for cornerback Aqib Talib during the upcoming off-season. Besides, the Indianapolis Colts have a younger version of Wes Welker in rookie wide receiver TY Hilton.

Finally, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in complete disarray.

What does that have to do with Welker swallowing a $5 million per season cut? As of right now, if the Patriots want him back but can't work out a deal, he gets about $11.5 million for 2013. Under your deal, he'd essentially be playing both 2014 and 2015 for $12.5 million. Your post makes no sense without further development/explanation.

Also, just a note on the teams you listed, the Dolphins could have up to $47 million available, according to reports, so money won't be a problem for them.

 

[mayoclinic]

Mike Wallace for $10M a year shouldn't be at all attractive to anyone.

Anyone who gives Wallace that deal deserves exactly what they will get.

 

[PATS16N0]

Mike Wallace is coming off a bad year. I wonder if we could get him in a short term deal for cheap after signing all of our own guys.

Wallace would make a nice replacement for Branch and he might be interested in a Superbowl ring. Two year deal at like 3M?

 

[mayoclinic]

Mike Wallace is coming off a bad year. I wonder if we could get him in a short term deal for cheap after signing all of our own guys.

Wallace would make a nice replacement for Branch and he might be interested in a Superbowl ring. Two year deal at like 3M?

No offense intended, but the words Mike Wallace and "cheap" have no business being used in the same sentence. After being reamed by the Steelers and having to play under his RFA tag this year, seeing his dreamed of big money contract go to Antonio Brown, and getting demoted, Wallace will be out to cash in for whatever he can get. He'll may come out blazing for half a season or so just to prove something, but I don't he's a me first guy all the way.

 

[ATippett56]

What does that have to do with Welker swallowing a $5 million per season cut? As of right now, if the Patriots want him back but can't work out a deal, he gets about $11.5 million for 2013. Under your deal, he'd essentially be playing both 2014 and 2015 for $12.5 million. Your post makes no sense without further development/explanation.

With a flat salary cap, a number of aging free agents will be squeezed. It remains to be seen how big of market there will be for Wes Welker in calendar year 2013.

Also, just a note on the teams you listed, the Dolphins could have up to $47 million available, according to reports, so money won't be a problem for them.

Why would the Miami Dolphins, an organization trying to rebuild, invest in a 32 year old wide receiver when wide receiver Brian Hartline will be an unrestricted free agent? As for the other five remaining unrestricted free agents, none will be cheap to re-sign. Furthermore, the Miami Dolphins have two second round and two third round draft picks in the 2013 NFL Draft with plenty of options at the wide receiver position to choose directly from the collegiate ranks. Finally, Davone Bess is the slot receiver for the Miami Dolphins.

 

[ausbacker]

We need a 3rd CB good enough to step in to Dennard/Talib's shoes if either of them are injured or falter. Whether that's Dowling or a draft pick is up for debate but we need it to keep Arrington where he's best (i.e. nowhere near the outside).

Put me in the corner who believes Dowling is good enough to be a Pro Bowl DB. I'm unsure how his body is going to hold up. If there's a question mark about Dowling, it's going to be health.

 

[mayoclinic]

Put me in the corner who believes Dowling is good enough to be a Pro Bowl DB. I'm unsure how his body is going to hold up. If there's a question mark about Dowling, it's going to be health.

I'm with you, still on the Dowling bandwagon. Health has always been the question, not play. I also think that an offseason around Talib would have a huge ruboff effect on Dowling's game.

I actually think that Dowling could be a terrific hyrbid CB/S, the way they've been forced to use McCourty. Play him at safety next to McCourty with Talib-Dennard outside and Arrington in the slow and you have 2 rangy safeties with ball skills and coverage ability. Dowling is physical enough to support the run, and big enough to cover the TEs. Or you can move him to outside CB when you need to have 2 big outside CBs to over big WRs or in case of injury, and you can still keep Arrington in the slot and McCourty at FS, and avoid the juggling that we've had to go through this year. Gregory or Wilson would move into the safety spot in that scenario, otherwise they would provide depth and be used in big nickel situations.

Just as the Talib trade helped shift a lot of players into position, having a healthy Dowling would help solidify those positions and keep them there. Arrington would stay firmly in the slot, McCourty entrenched at FS as the QB of the secondary, and we would have both outside depth and a big cover safety to pair with McCourty. But it all depends on Dowling staying healthy, which is still a big unknown.

 

[Deus Irae]

With a flat salary cap, a number of aging free agents will be squeezed. It remains to be seen how big of market there will be for Wes Welker in calendar year 2013.

Why would the Miami Dolphins, an organization trying to rebuild, invest in a 32 year old wide receiver when wide receiver Brian Hartline will be an unrestricted free agent? As for the other five remaining unrestricted free agents, none will be cheap to re-sign. Furthermore, the Miami Dolphins have two second round and two third round draft picks in the 2013 NFL Draft with plenty of options at the wide receiver position to choose directly from the collegiate ranks. Finally, Davone Bess is the slot receiver for the Miami Dolphins.

Your arguments are really weak here. You've not shown anything to back up the notion that Welker should be happy with a $5 million per year cut. "It remains to be seen....." is true of every free agent in the league.


As for the Dolphins, I can only assume you're kidding.