Release the Hounds: BB on a FA rampage!

[BlueThunder]

Bell would be a nice addition at Safety.....let him compete and maybe we won't see anymore of Brown on defense.

 

[Tunescribe]

They'll get Wes done. This builds competition and puts more an onus on Wes I would think. He's still the best slot in the league, but we can work the middle with tight ends if need be and we have a couple receivers who should eb able to play the outside.

It will be best with Wes, but the games will still be played.

I haven't heard any rumblings from the Welker camp about a holdout, unless I missed something. He issued a pretty positive statement about the tag. I would expect him in camp even without a long-term contract done.

 

[WhiZa]

I suspect that McDaniels is behind some of what has happened so far.

Probably right, especially with all the additions on offense. The last year he was here was also a big FA year for us.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Guess we weren't very active the first say or two of FA, but the philosphy since then must be

Sign 'em all and let training camp sort em out. still got draft too.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Exactly. But by the same token the ones that aren't flyers are an impressive first step too.

It seems many of these guys will make the offense "Bernard Pollard" proof.

Hard to believe one guy could cost so much.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Patriots signed CB Marquice Cole, formerly of the Jets.His first name is pronounced mar-KWEECE, Cole is a special teams gunner. According to the New York Daily News, the 28-year-old had also earned a reputation as the biggest prankster on the Jets roster. Mar 19 - 4:48 PM

Great pickup! We're thin at the prankster position, especially since Wes started... er... toeing the line

 

[wizwor]

Must of us have never heard of most of these guys or at least haven't heard from them in years.

You must be a very young fan.

 

[Huckleberry1]

No rampage but a really good exercise in building great depth behind an already strong team. I think they have done their homework on the players they brought in and have designs for using many of them, the others will fight for a spot. They have addressed WR aggressively, added decent players on every level on defense, re-signed their core ST players, and even added a pro bowl caliber guard when they already have two of them. It appears that Belichick is bringing in talent for depth and to challenge their starters at certain positions. Lloyd, Fanene, and Gregory would all start if the season started today and Gallery is a really good player who will start if Waters retires. Scott, Stallworth, Gonzalez and Fells all provide experience with decent upside if they stay healthy and will compete for spots and give them really good depth if they make it.

Overall I think Belichick really likes the team he had last season and most of the players on it, but he knows who he is building on and is bringing in veterans to push for as many spots as he wants competition at. If Wr is any indication he may not be done on any unit until he is well past the limit for each of them.

 

[DW Toys]

I think people are getting caught up in the numbers. A lot of these players are low enders or risk/flyer types.

Have to agree.Three or four don't make it out of camp.
DW Toys

 

[Fencer]

I hope i'm wrong, but i got a feeling all those wide receiver signings were made i because they anticipate a wes welker holdout.

Anticipate or at least want to have options against.

On the other hand -- Lloyd would be here in any case. Stallworth would be a good gamble in any case. Gonzalez is the only one who's a real head-scratcher if Welker is here, and even he might be viewed mainly as a candidate to replace Edelman, especially if Edelman can be transitioned to DB.

 

[Run DMC]

Does anyone doubt we are ridiculously stacked on the O side of the ball at this point? And this without the draft yet. I like these moves BB is making. We made to the SB with a ton of questions on the D. We're only getting better. When I hear people complaining about lack of playmakers on D, the names Wilfork, Chung, DMc, Mayo and Spikes pop into my head.
We are #1 favored team to win the AFC as of today, all the while managing the cap. How can anyone complain?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

I REALLY hate that picture and that damn red hoodie.

 

[Patspsycho]

65 are signed to this point. I think we will see a few more signings then it'll stop until the draft. We can sign 15 more players, max.

 

[NewFeep]

Lloyd, Fanene, Fells, and Gallery all seem like significant contributors to me. The rest seem like back-of-the-roster types, with the possible exception of Gregory, who might end up playing a lot on defense just by default.

It doesn't seem to me like they've gone crazy at all. None of these moves comes with a major financial commitment. But they bought a lot of upside. I'd like to see one more big sign on defense -- maybe Castillo?

Steve Gregory will be the starting FS for this team.... 5 players added that can start at their positions is definitely "loading up" in FA.....

BB is gonna pick the draft clean on defensive players, methinks.....

 

[Bostonian1962]

Exactly. But by the same token the ones that aren't flyers are an impressive first step too.

Agree with you. In fact, with all the Manning coverage, I don't think the team has gotten enough credit for a very solid first week of free agency.

 

[Bostonian1962]

We haven't loaded up on talent during FA, we've just signed a lot of bodies. Lloyd is the only starter I see so far, the rest are for competition or marginal improvements in areas that will still potentially be further addressed.

Don't get caught up in the quantity of signings when most are simple depth signings (which isn't bad, we we heavily tested in the depth department last season).

Lloyd started for the Rams. Gregory started 13 games for the Chargers. Cole was one of the best special team's players in the NFL. Fells was the starting TE for Denver. Robert Gallery started all 12 games he played for the Seahawks. I don't know if you still call Dante Stallworth a starter, but he saw a bunch of action his last 5 games with the Redskins this year. DE Fanene may very well start for the Pats at LDE, and is a definite upgrade over S. Ellis. Trevor Scott had the injury bug, but is a positively talented player who can rush the passer. My point is, how can that not be called loading up on talent? They were at least talented enough to start on their respective teams in the NFL. Even the ones that weren't starters are talented. This has been a terrific week for the Patriots, and I disagree with anybody who doesn't think so.

 

[goheels22002]

Excellent group of back-ups or competitors for a starting position. The only definite starter is Lloyd. All the other guys have an uphill battle to stick on a Super Bowl team. I like this approach. While half the teams in the league are using their mind-space and money on big ticket guys that will eat cap money for years to come, the Pats load up on depth and the reclamation project that may not work at little risk.

The draft is now a long-range exercise to seek out players who might turn into solid pros, regardless of position. I doubt that BB trades up to get a top 10 draftee unless he goes after a OL or DL stud.

The one position that would really help is a big running back who can pass block like Corey Dillon to take pressure off the short passing game late in games with a one possession lead. Oddly, Tebow might fill that role - he sure did in Denver. The problem with FA RBs is that they age so quickly and come with injuries. The Patriots have seen that for the past five years with all the workhorses they brought in who couldn't stay healthy.

 

[Leemo]

If we can take Yeremiah Bell, SS who t he Phins released last night then we have done a great job. Another OLB wouldn't go amiss either. Then when the draft comes around focus on 90% defense.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Maybe the Pats are realizing the clock is ticking for TB12 and it's time to go for it. I can't remember a FA orgy like this ever. The O is beyond ridiculously stacked now, hopefully we draft 5 DB's in the draft! This is going to be a fun season.

Rampage? I've seen some flyers, a few solid moves for training camp and Lloyd, who will definitely contribute in a real way, but nothing that looks like a Moss-ian game changer. I think Williams was the only chance for that and he was too expensive.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I haven't heard any rumblings from the Welker camp about a holdout, unless I missed something. He issued a pretty positive statement about the tag. I would expect him in camp even without a long-term contract done.

Yeah. I don't think anybody who knows what they're talking about has said anything else. Welker is not just terrific in his own right but he's also a pretty happy guy to be able to play catch with Tom Brady on weekends. The deal will get done eventually.