Rapoport: Pats making signing Bennett a high offseason priority

[Froob]

 

[farn]

Six months ago, we had the "long term guys" all wrong. I'll believe it when I see it : but this much is true - he IS everything they hoped for & more. (Until he isn't - who knows what'll happen)

 

[long distance]

Great news in this somewhat disturbing future FAs times ..

Not only for his on-the-field performance but also his off the field greatness. He is the leader this team needs - smart, outspoken and mellow - adding some relaxed perspective to the Do Your Job mantra.

If High, Bennett and Butler stay long-term all the rest will be soon forgotten.

 

[JMC00]

Well figured that was the case when the news came out that they tried to reach an extension before the season

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Great news in this somewhat disturbing future FAs times ..

Not only for his on-the-field performance but also his off the field greatness.

If High, Bennett and Butler stay long-term all the rest will be soon forgotten.

I think keeping all three is reasonable...
Butler is an RFA and they can franchise one of the other two (if need be but hopefully not) so it makes resigning or even potentially "overpaying" from a Patriots perspective to keep all three considering the cap space available next year...
Bennett has been allowed to flourish here, on and off the field ( his comments are not even controversial when Patriots players are considered to be robots when talking to the media and he is the personification of a free thinker) and he knows what's out in other teams there so maybe he is inclined to resign. Maybe no home team discount but look at what a certain incarcerated TE was scheduled to count against the cap the next few years ( $6-7 million IIRC)

 

[AtomicDawg]

How appropriate that he Tweeted this a few days ago:

 

[aluminum seats]

If High, Bennett and Butler stay long-term all the rest will be soon forgotten.

If that's coming off a Super Bowl season, then yes, I agree.

 

[FCB02062]

"sources" say... I bet This is coming from Bennet's agent in an effort to pressure the Pats....

 

[RayClay]

Interesting. I was a bit leery of his "unique" personality, though i get a kick out of him. Bottom line, though..when they need blocking he devastates, he stays in excellent shape and delivers when they double Gronk. BB isn't afraid of a personality and that probably saves him when he has to make tough cuts.

Needs to strike gold on a couple LB/DE, though.

 

[Love The Drake]

I dont think Butler deserves elite money 8 Mill a year should be the max.

 

[pctronics0072]

Well then wave goodbye to butler....

 

[RayClay]

If they can tie up Bennett and Gronk, that will free dollars for defensive acquisitions. As their receivers age, they can try out multiple affordable smurf receivers they don't need to rely on right away, because the 2 TE tandem can carry them some games.

Actually, if Mitchell hits, he and Hogan would be a pretty good base down the road.

The offense seems good, with a RB, and a belief that Brady will last forever. can't really deal with reality on that one.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

I am assuming now that they will use all their draft picks on defense?

 

[RayClay]

I go by, if the player wants to stay and the team wants to keep the, they find a number. Plenty of indication that collies and Sheard lost their focus, zero indication Butler has.

I think they are narrowing five large contracts down to three and I don't see why that isn't doable, if they want to stay and the team wants to keep them.

Believe it or not, though it is important, people do things for other reasons than just money, or everybody would play in Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville.

 

[BelichicksBlackEye]

I remember when resigning Revis was the patriots offseason priority...

 

[Ross12]

IMO they should make Bennett the top priority. When all is said and done this team relies on offense and their offense relies heavily on the TE position. It's insane to have both Gronk and Bennett together on the field but it's equally important to have the guy behind Gronk who can be his near equal if he should be injured (and he will be - just the nature of his play.) Besides that, Bennett has fit in extremely well in the locker room by all accounts and has become somewhat of a leader - a "relaxed Do Your Job mantra" is a fitting description. He's mellow and a unique cat, but that's a good thing in this instance.

They should keep him for sure.

 

[primetime]

Butler is a RFA. Even if they don't lock him up long term, they get him for either another year or a 1st and 3rd for him. And if they franchise him, it's 2 more years. Bennett and Hightower are the two free agents who stand to get paid this off-season, hopefully by the Patriots.

 

[long distance]

I am assuming now that they will use all their draft picks on defense?

They'll take RB this time. Possibly developmental TE. Possibly OT if a good prospect falls to them.

 

[AtomicDawg]

Well then wave goodbye to butler....

They have $60M in cap space. With Collins gone and now, seemingly Sheard gone as well, they should be able to take care of everyone else. As long as nothing else happens to disrupt things.

 

[DefenseRules]

I will believe it when I see it. Color me skeptical .