Will the FA market get crazy/how will Pats respond?

[makoute]

I'm still upset we let Julian Peterson go to Seattle. A young stud like that is someone you can reasonably overspend a little for. Although I prefer Vrabel outside, having Vrabel and Bruschi inside with Peterson and Colvin outside - yowzer.

I was hoping they would sign him too, wishful thinking though!

 

[BradyManny]

Exactly, which is why I added the point that a priority must be to extend some of these guys a season before they see the market, and a season before they put on that "contract year" performance for the $$$. Lock them up for 3 or 4 more years before all of the coaches hard work comes to fruition but after said coaches know that their work is about to come to fruition. For instance, if we had locked up Asante last season, think about what kind of money he would have been happy to sign for.....

Which is going to take me down the sports agent controlled player....I am now going to the Chad Jackson thread.......

Locking players up early is tough, though - the players always want to reach FA.

 

[everlong]

What's fair price?

Take Seymour or Brady. There signed for a fair market value but neither of them is the highest paid player at their position.

The franchise number for LBs is $7,206,000 for 2007.

If somebody like Thomas or Briggs would take a 5/35-40 with a 12M signing Bonus I believe the Patriots would do it in a heartbeat. But if that player wants to be the highest paid player and get 5/50-55 with an 18M bonus they'll move on without giving it another thought.

 

[makoute]

The real question is why are you calling it fair price. What you should call it is Patriots' price.

 

[everlong]

It depends on how the player defines fair price. If they want top dollar to go 2-14 every year with the Lions like Woody then the Pats price isn't fair. If they want 85% of top dollar and the chance to be on a team that can win the SB every year then that's fair for that player.

I get your point and we're arguing semantics at this point.

 

[ATippett56]

Teams have a crapload to spend this offseason, I can see the FA market becoming nuts real fast in the way MLB did this past offseason when teams had more $$.

So, will the NFL FA market do likewise and how will the Pats respond? Will they make a splash early before things get nuts? Or will they wait it out, wait for the storm to pass and see what's left after other teams have a huge spending spree?

The Patriots, as has been the case for the last three years, will sit out the feeding frenzy phase of free agency and will go after the second tier unrestricted free agents. I would not be surprised if the New England Patriots signed linebacker Junior Seau to an one year bargain basement rate.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I say let Graham go and pay Samuel as long as it's at least a 5 year deal. Graham is a good blocker who is needed very little as a receiver.

Keep Samuel ... get an A- ILB and draft the rest and we are all set. Kaczur could be listed as a TE if need be ... he's the fastest of the OT's ... it will save $$$ for 1 year.

That's how I would keep Samuel .. by making Kaczur a blocking TE for a year and saying bye bye to Grahambo!!!!

 

[Underoath]

Graham made better and tougher catches than Ben Watson all season...

I'd rather sign both Samuel and Graham, it's not line we're going to be running short on cap room or anything..I doubt Graham will be asking for that much money anyway...

 

[maverick4]

I say let Graham go and pay Samuel as long as it's at least a 5 year deal. Graham is a good blocker who is needed very little as a receiver.

I used to think this, but since then, Graham was made a captain, so now I would like the Pats to keep one of their captains.