Will the Patriots use the franchise tag this year?

[Nunchucks]

Sorry, I don't understand.

Why would Flowers accept $13M from the patriots after the draft? He will have signed the tag and have accepted his guaranteed $17M. Are you suggesting that he would then sign a 3/$39M contract, essentially accepting $11M a year for 2020 and 2021?

Or are suggesting that you hope that Flowers doesn't sign his tag, and that the patriots can withdraw the tag and hope to sign him for $13M AAV?

This is exactly the problem with the tag. Once tagged, the team basically sets the starting point for negotiations at the tag amount. Good luck getting Flowers to sign for less than 17 million a year, if the Patriots already indicated he was worth 17 million a year by franchising him.

 

[SBLIII]

This is exactly the problem with the tag. Once tagged, the team basically sets the starting point for negotiations at the tag amount. Good luck getting Flowers to sign for less than 17 million a year, if the Patriots already indicated he was worth 17 million a year by franchising him.

Agreed. But he would be nice to have for the 2019 team if we can tag him.

 

[patfanken]

ual

If you replace flowers with deadrick wise, for example, you gave a big droppoff at one position but 15,000,000 to spend to improve others.

That is the annual conundrum. But let me say this. Flowers situation is a bit different this year. We are likely losing Brown, Shelton, and Claybourne as well as Flowers. That is a LOT of snaps that you have to replace with what is now $24MM and likely to be closer to $35-40MM when the dust clears.

I know this is supposed to be a VERY deep draft in those positions, so bodies to replace these guys CAN be found. However, for the most part, pass rushers take a few years to develop into the franchise type players. Even top 5 guys take time to adjust, and Andy, we aren't picking in to top 5, 10, 20 or even 30. So while I don't doubt we can find some guys that we can develop into EFFECTIVE pass rushers with some of those first 6 picks; they all aren't going to be ready out of the box to replace the production we have lost.

I think THAT's a reason to perhaps overpay (in the Pats scheme of reality) a bit to keep some continuity in area that is going through a big transition, not only with the on the field personnel, but with the coaching staff as well

 

[Joey007]

 

[mgteich]

There will be a transition, how big depends on Belichick.

I expect us to re-sign Simon and either Shelton or Brown. Clayborn may or may not be coming back. Wise, Butler, Guy and Rivers will be back. The top 4 LB's will be back (including Bentley).

.

I think THAT's a reason to perhaps overpay (in the Pats scheme of reality) a bit to keep some continuity in area that is going through a big transition, not only with the on the field personnel, but with the coaching staff as well

 

[SBLIII]

Is he implying we will franchise someone different?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Is he implying we will franchise someone different?

He's not even explicitly ruling out using it on Ghost. That said, if they don't use it (whether on Ghost or anyone else), I hope they know what they're doing.

 

[luuked]

I have more concern about losing Flowers to either Miami or the Jets than I do about losing Gostkowski, and using your tag logic it’s just a one year deal for either. I think they can get both done by finding out where the guaranteed money lines are and making sure both reach that number, I don’t think the overall value of the deal’s are as important as the guarantees.

I understand your worry and I most certainly also would not want him to join anyone in the AFC (East). The difference between tagging someone for 17m and for 6m should be pretty obvious though.

My point was you only tag someone if you are very optimistic that you will figure out a long term extension until May (or whenever the deadline for rescinding a tag is). I think getting this done is more likely with someone like Ghost than with Flowers.

That being said I'd love the team to franchise Flowers because that would imply that there should be an extension to drop as well.

 

[Hyped]

I don't see why that's relevant.

Do you think that the team should avoid putting a tag on Gost because they believe that deal will be signed by the 13th?

Even if I were 80% sure of signing a deal with Gost next week, I'd still franchise him. It is a matter of insurance.

I know that the Niners franchised Gould....so if Gould is getting X amount...so should Ghost...

But a part of me thinks that we should let the market play it out....and risk losing Ghost to save maybe 1-2M a year.

 

[SBLIII]

It's over.

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

It's over.

Didn’t expect flowers anyway. End of the ghost era?

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

It's over.

Bye Bye Flowers!

 

[farn]

It's over.

Sigh. We need to settle for a SB win every second year...

 

[PatsFan2]

No surprises there move on now nothing else here to see.

 

[luuked]

It's over.

Good news on Ghost because that kinda implies a deal should be made that keeps him from being able to hit the market.

Bad news on Flowers. While I think the Pats will stay competitive on the lower-to-mid end of contracts once there is a small bidding war it will be all over.

One of the reasons why we were able to keep DMac and HT even though we let them explore FA is because there was never competing interests of several teams that pushed up the price ridiculously.

Not sure we will have that luck with Flowers.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

Good news on Ghost because that kinda implies a deal should be made that keeps him from being able to hit the market.

Bad news on Flowers. While I think the Pats will stay competitive on the lower-to-mid end of contracts once there is a small bidding war it will be all over.

One of the reasons why we were able to keep DMac and HT even though we let them explore FA is because there was never competing interests of several teams that pushed up the price ridiculously.

Not sure we will have that luck with Flowers.

Flowers is as good as gone! He is the #1 DE available in FA. Many teams already showing interest. He is going to get paid! Our biggest need in the draft now is a DE!

 

[mgteich]

Flowers is as good as gone! He is the #1 DE available in FA. Many teams already showing interest. He is going to get paid! Our biggest need in the draft now is a DE!

agreed

I also expect Belichick to consider trading a 3rd for a DE.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Generally when everyone does the same thing, it means they’re going to get mediocre results. The Chiefs (Ford), Falcons (Jarrett), Texans (Clowney), Seahawks (Clark), and Cowboys (Lawrence) all opted to use the franchise tag. You don’t become a historical outlier by doing the same thing as everyone else. If all five of these players are now getting the franchise tag, then I guess they just happen to be the top 5 DEs in the entire NFL, since the franchise tag by its nature should be for a top 5 positional player. All in the same free agency class?

With all these guys getting the tag, it goes to show the position has plenty of depth and these teams are overvaluing their DEs from an economics standpoint. Patriots are the smartest team again.

 

[Joey007]

Welp

 

[Family]

Yes Flowers is as good as gone.

They might not have been keen going as high as $14-15 million.