What positions would you like to see addressed this Offseason?

[cstjohn17]

Branch is weak?
Look Rowe's and Ryan's stats. Are they really JAGS?

Branch and Ryan are free agents, not on the roster when the off season starts. If they come back they it changes everything. Rowe is a JAG, good depth but nothing special.

The more I look at it the priorities are Hightower and DE <-- only Grissom and Flowers are signed

The offense is in good shape at least from a warm body perspective, defense is very thin.

Offseason roster

 

[English Patriot]

McCaffrey should be priority number 1, no questions asked. Can't remember an RB that was that good of a fit for this offense with that much talent. There is your Le'Veon Bell if you're the Pats right there. I'd trade Jimmy G for a high-mid pick and take him with that then a DT with the later 1st.

 

[OhExaulted1]

This is the first one I've found:
New England Patriots Future Draft Pick Status

So it appears that the Pats will have only 7 picks unless they are given compensatories.

OTC has them getting awarded a 5th for Akiem Nicks.

 

[Minitron]

McCaffrey should be priority number 1, no questions asked. Can't remember an RB that was that good of a fit for this offense with that much talent. There is your Le'Veon Bell if you're the Pats right there. I'd trade Jimmy G for a high-mid pick and take him with that then a DT with the later 1st.

No way he's a 1-round rb. It would be a reach if anyone took him in the first 25 picks. While he is a really good pass catching running back, he's not a big bruiser-type and durability is a major concern. I don't know if he can be the 300-carry type running back in the NFL on a consistent basis and thats the only type of RB i would spend a 1-round pick on.

 

[mgteich]

1) We need to address any position at which we don't sign one of our free agents. Perhaps this should be obvious. If we sign our free agents, the team we have is capable of a Super Bowl this year and next. After all, we'll have Gronk back.

2) The DL could use a youngster or two.

3) We need a backup OT since Vollmer will almost surely retire.

4) We will need to address coaches to replace those who leave.

 

[mgteich]

1. Surprised to see so few people looking for a DT. Defense starts there, and Brown's recent slippage makes me wonder if he's a long term solution. It's not a talent issue, but we've always said that playing here isn't for everyone and maybe Brown isn't happy here. If that's the case, we need a high end DT. If I am wrong and Brown is thrilled to be here, we need a DT. Branch is having his best season as a pro, but 32 year old DT's need to be upgraded. Brown and Valentine need to have a quality 3rd guy in the rotation. Finally high end DT's are the rarest commodity outside of Gronk quality TE's and QB's.

2. DE- Nink and Long both need to be upgraded with younger players. DE becomes my #2 need mostly because it matches a deep area of the draft, and are likely to get a good one

DT
Sure, we need a young DT. However, Patricia may be fine with Brown, Valentine and Branch. Branch is a very high quality #3.

DE
And yes, we need a DE to replace Sheard, if he goes. I'm fine with both Ninkovich and Long being part of our 4 DE's. Flowers is certainly one of the starters.

 

[mgteich]

3. CB - Ryan might be gone, plus we need some size at the position. Most people think you need 3 deep at the CB position. They are wrong, you need to be at LEAST 4 deep and preferably 5. Good CB play is the key to defensive flexibility. You can't have enough

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. Yes, we need defensive backs to replace Ryan and Harmon if they go.

2. Consider the situation if they stay.
a) We are fine at safety. We even have Harmon who can play the big nickel.
b) Butler, Rowe and Ryan are a pretty good set of 3. And yes, the Jones boys may be OK as #4 and #5.
c) I'm fine with additions. Competition is great. We always need young defensive backs. After all, we have two top draftees who may or may not produce in Cyrus Jones and Richards.

 

[mgteich]

1
6. RB No one loves LGB more than me, and no one appreciates the job he's done this season. HOWEVER, wearing my coldest BB hat, he's someone I want to replace with a young big back in the draft.

I'm fine with drafting a RB. However, I think that our top 4 draft priorities are OT, OT, DT and DE.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

LB - try to get that cornerstone to go along with hightower that Collins was supposed to be.
DE - long is a FA and who knows what he 'll have left in a year. Nink also aging. Could use another pass rusher.
CB - not sure whether Logan can be retained at a reasonable rate, and even then could use depth here.
HB - would like a feature back in case Blount starts to slow down - as of 12/16/16 he is on the wrong side of 30. also if we can really strike gold, having a top 10 caliber rb for the remainder of Brady's career on a rookie contract would be huge in lightening tb12;s load.
Depending on what happens with Bennett this offseason, TE

That would be my starting list as well, but we also may need a lot of additional pieces depending on what happens with free agency

Safety - If Harmon leaves via FA, which he most certainly will as some team out there will make him a starter and give him the salary to match, then we'll need another Free Safety to backup McCourty and contribute in sub-packages.. We should also think about drafting another SS type if its looking like Jordan Richards role on this team will never be much more than a special teamer.. Chung is great, but no one to truly come in and spell him, or replace him if the worst case happened and he missed significant time with an injury.. Ebner and King are pure special teamers.. so really that leaves Richards as the only backup option to McCourty/Chung if Harmon leaves via FA.. YIKES!

Offensive Tackle - Need to start developing that next Left Tackle who can also play as a Swing or something.. Solder has 1 year left on his deal and I hope they extend him because he still has another 5+ years of solid football left in him at that position.. but if they don't, then that leaves us with Waddle and Fleming.. yikes... With Cannon solidifying the RT spot, that creates the need for the Swing tackle position that we'll need to develop as well. They should be targeting an upgrade over Waddle/Fleming in the draft and if Solder isn't in the future plans then they need to spend a very high draft pick getting their next starting LT THIS YEAR.... like pronto

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I wouldn't draft a QB; I would rather sign one as a UDFA, and use our draft picks on other positions
such as LT, RB, TE (depending on Bennett), DE, DT & CB.

Depends if they get rid of Garrapolo.. if he's gone, at Brady's age, I think you pretty much always need to have 3 QBs on your roster now until his career is over... 2 guys you're trying to develop into this system to eventually replace him, competing against each other.. So Brissett would be one, but I'd want another young guy being developed as well... maybe a QB that's already been in the league 3-5 years or so

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Greg Scruggs - TE 6-3 277 lbs Age: 26 Experience: 4 years
These are some guys from the practice squad that could potentially compete to fill some of the positions of need instead of drafting them as well;

Chris Barker - OL 6-2 300 lbs Age: 26 Experience: 2 Years
Tyler Gaffney - RB 6-0 220 Age: 25 Experience: 3 Years (3 yrs in the ice tub, AMIRITE!?)
Woodrow Hamilton - DL 6-2 315 lbs Age: 24 Experience: R
Devin Lucien - WR 6-2 200 lbs Age: 23 Experience: R
Darius Kilgo - DT 6-3 319 lbs Age: 25 Experience: 2 years


And these players returning from IR:

Jonathan Freeney - LB 6-2 255 lbs Age: 27 Experience: 5 years (lots of experience in our system too)
Greg Scruggs - TE 6-3 277 lbs Age: 26 Experience: 4 years
Tre Jackson - G 6-4 320 lbs Age: 24 Experience: 2 years
Sebastian Vollmer - OT 6-8 320 lbs Age: 32 Experience: 8 years (I think they cut him for sure given his salary, but its not outside the realm of possibility that he returns on a very team friendly deal and could play that Swing tackle role while we develop the next young gun)

 

[meatface]

DE - I don't think Sheard is coming back + too expensive FA position
LB - I believe in High but is not a certainty (price tag, injuries) - one solid in FA one high in draft
TE - Both Gronk and Marty are ? at this point + not much in FA + need of developmental TE after Derby's gone
(RB - good choices; big body)
_

@S - extend Harmon
@CB - sign a vet FA (enough choice) + some UDFAs
@WR - resign Floyd
@D.T - depends on Branch; good young depth in Kilgo, Hamilton; maybe draft/FA quicker DT/DE
@OT - extend Fleming

somone like the Jags is gonna give Harmon starter money and the Pats are not going to be able to match that, you cant bank on UDFA at Cornerback.

 

[meatface]

Depends if they get rid of Garrapolo.. if he's gone, at Brady's age, I think you pretty much always need to have 3 QBs on your roster now until his career is over... 2 guys you're trying to develop into this system to eventually replace him, competing against each other.. So Brissett would be one, but I'd want another young guy being developed as well... maybe a QB that's already been in the league 3-5 years or so

you cant have a developmental QB who has been in the league 3-5 years

 

[Brandon_Cox]

Let's try this another way. Would it be safe to say our least position of need is OG? We've got Mason and Thuney as very solid starters, with Jackson, Karras and Barker (PS)?

 

[meatface]

Ideally this is what I want to see:

Another center, Andrews gets pushed around a lot, he is decent but we need someone bigger and stronger.

Tight end, Gronk is injury prone these days, we need another tight end next year next to Bennett if one of the two goes down, a blocking tight end would be ideal.

Next a strong safety, Chung is somewhat meh, I like the guy but he hasn't been doing much at all this year and we need a game changer safety that can get in there and deliver big hits and of course be able to cover as well.

We definitely need another corner, I am not sure how the Jones project gonna work out next year but we need another corner to start.

We also need another free safety. Dmc is getting up there in age and we need someone with speed and good football IQ.

Inside linebacker is a point of concern, I have 0 faith in Roberts to backup Hightower, also Hightower has been injury ridden all year, we need another run stuffing linebacker.
I think Van Noy can be decent at pas coverage, maybe not as athletic as Collins, but still serviceable.

Lastly, we need another slot receiver, Amendola is good when healthy but he hasn't been much of a game changer this year when playing, we are spending too much money on a guy that gets barely any receptions, if he wants to stay on this team next year then we need him to take a pay cut.

I dont view upgrading from Chung as a huge priority, if the Pats felt that he wasnt doing enough they would probably have played Richards more, they will look at another safety because harmon is leaving.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

you cant have a developmental QB who has been in the league 3-5 years

Yea, I'd be for drafting another one to develop, but if they did go to free agency for one then I'd want them to be on the younger side in the 3-5 years of experience range.. I don't want a Matt Hasselback on the roster as an insurance policy, I want to develop a young guy who will eventually try to compete for the starting QB role

 

[meatface]

Yea, I'd be for drafting another one to develop, but if they did go to free agency for one then I'd want them to be on the younger side in the 3-5 years of experience range.. I don't want a Matt Hasselback on the roster as an insurance policy, I want to develop a young guy who will eventually try to compete for the starting QB role

im saying that I just dont buy that a guy who has been in the league for three to five years is going to turn into someone who can compete to be a starter, they may be a decent backup but id rather draft someone that sign Matt McGloin or Matt Barkley.

 

[Pats1989]

This may be blasphemy around these parts. Whats the QB situation going forward? Draft, FA, or keep Jimmy? It seems unreasonable to talk about now. However, what if Brady falls off a cliff? It's going to happen eventually....l think.

 

[Dragda]

DL, OL, best player available

 

[Edelmania]

My list of needs this offseason really depends on what happens with our free agents but regardless my biggest need would be an edge rusher. Either sign a free agent like Melvin Ingram or JPP or preferably draft someone in the first 2 rounds.

Now this isnt really a position of need but I really want us to draft WR Corey Davis. He should be the first or second receiver taken but trust me, he is going to be an all-pro receiver in this league some day. We dont have too many holes so I think it would be smart to just take the best player available.

Another guy I like at a potential position of need would be FS Malik Hooker. If we dont resign Harmon we would need to either draft or sign another safety. Hooker and Davis are projected to be high first round picks so drafting one of them would only be possible if we trade Jimmy, but I think they are gonna be great NFL players.