The Defense

[mgteich]

I don't think that this is big ask.

Re-sign Flowers, Brown or Shelton, J McCourty and Jones.

This is not a huge problem (other than paying Flowers his $15 AAV. By doing the above, this defense will be set for awhile. Of course, Belichick will still use draft choices on defense, especially on the Dline.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think that this is big ask.

Re-sign Flowers, Brown or Shelton, J McCourty and Jones.

This is not a huge problem (other than paying Flowers his $15 AAV. By doing the above, this defense will be set for awhile. Of course, Belichick will still use draft choices on defense, especially on the Dline.

You aren’t set with either brown or Shelton and if it’s shelton he is not even a good bet to make the team.
I think brown will get priced out of what we want to pay. The DT position needs to be rebuilt.

 

[Adam Seward]

Imagine Flowers closer to 11M

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I don't think that this is big ask.

Re-sign Flowers, Brown or Shelton, J McCourty and Jones.

This is not a huge problem (other than paying Flowers his $15 AAV. By doing the above, this defense will be set for awhile. Of course, Belichick will still use draft choices on defense, especially on the Dline.

15m per year for Flowers just doesn't conjure up the April headline "Patriots re-sign Flowers". I'm not BB and weirder things have happened. However, IMHO a 2019 without Flowers and how the DL shapes up without him and others (such as Brown if I understand his likely asking price for 2019+) is what I consider to be the probable reality.

Again, that's strictly my own guess work, nothing more.

 

[edkk323]

15m per year for Flowers just doesn't conjure up the April headline "Patriots re-sign Flowers". I'm not BB and weirder things have happened. However, IMHO a 2019 without Flowers and how the DL shapes up without him and others (such as Brown if I understand his likely asking price for 2019+) is what I consider to be the probable reality.

Again, that's strictly my own guess work, nothing more.

The Pats might be outbid by teams like the Colts and the Jets. With a historical amount of cap space by teams across the league, some stupid money will be given out.

 

[DarrylS]

While I know money is important and to be among the highest paid at your position is a measure of how good you are...

Do you really want to go to the Jets for more cash and 16 game seasons, or do the "bright lights" of the Tournament have an appeal??

 

[Ring 6]

15m per year for Flowers just doesn't conjure up the April headline "Patriots re-sign Flowers". I'm not BB and weirder things have happened. However, IMHO a 2019 without Flowers and how the DL shapes up without him and others (such as Brown if I understand his likely asking price for 2019+) is what I consider to be the probable reality.

Again, that's strictly my own guess work, nothing more.

At this point it’s really hard to argue with the approach we have been taking so having any player walk doesn’t really concern me because we will take those resources use them elsewhere and have a team that is slightly different in strengths and weaknesses yet the sum of the parts will still be championship caliber.
I think the “In Bill We Trust” philosophy makes even more sense when you realize that every move is a small piece of an overall group of moves and there is rarely a net sum loss (except when the cap constrains it)

 

[BTTA]

I don't think that this is big ask.

Re-sign Flowers, Brown or Shelton, J McCourty and Jones.

This is not a huge problem (other than paying Flowers his $15 AAV. By doing the above, this defense will be set for awhile. Of course, Belichick will still use draft choices on defense, especially on the Dline.

Generally agree. This year is about adding youth to an aging, slowing defense. DL, LB, and safety could all use a young player that will be a star in 2-3 years.
Hightower's play improved with a suddenness that doesn't remove questions about his sustainability over the course of a season. I was delighted and impressed, but still wondering about him going forward.

 

[Nunchucks]

I am not sure that Shelton or Brown should be back with the team. Patriots need to find some guys coming up for their first contract that have been under utilized, kind of like Akiem Hicks...

We know for sure that they will sign a bunch of guys in FA to fill the holes in their roster and hope to improve those positions in the draft.

Free Agency is going to be fun this year.