Free Agency/Trade Market

[BradysKnee]

No to Asante Samuel. Very over-rated guy. I've said this even when he was in NE. Very good opportunistic corner. But he cannot tackle and cannot play anything but deep 3rd coverage.

[AntoinCD]

Originally Posted by BradysKnee

No to Asante Samuel. Very over-rated guy. I've said this even when he was in NE. Very good opportunistic corner. But he cannot tackle and cannot play anything but deep 3rd coverage.

There also seems to be a bridge burnt between Samuel and Robert Kraft from what I've been reading. Apparently in 2007 when the positional groups were having photographs taken Samuel called for a FA class photo.

That being said I want nothing of Samuel. There is a lot of potential fits at WR this year that I love. Lloyd, Colston, Meachem etc.

I would also love to add someone like Brent Grimes or Brandon Carr in FA if they become available and don't cost much.

Robert Mathis is also a dream

[nepg]

If Carr or Grimes become available, they're going to cost a lot.

[BradysKnee]

Originally Posted by AntoinCD

There also seems to be a bridge burnt between Samuel and Robert Kraft from what I've been reading. Apparently in 2007 when the positional groups were having photographs taken Samuel called for a FA class photo.

That being said I want nothing of Samuel. There is a lot of potential fits at WR this year that I love. Lloyd, Colston, Meachem etc.

I would also love to add someone like Brent Grimes or Brandon Carr in FA if they become available and don't cost much.

Robert Mathis is also a dream

I believe it. Any douchebag who gets a tattoo of 'Get Paid' reveals their character pretty good.

[nepg]

Well... How much are these guys going to cost?

QB Brian Hoyer*
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis
WR Deion Branch
WR Wes Welker
OL Dan Connolly
DE Andre Carter
DL Kyle Love**
LB Gary Guyton
LB Tracy White
CB Antwaun Molden
ST Matthew Slater

*- RFA
**- ERFA

I have them sitting at ~$44m before signing any of those (I think).

I'd value these guys at:
Hoyer $1.5m (or whatever the 2nd round tender is)
BJGE - $3.5m
Branch - $3.5m
Welker - $8m
Connolly - $2m (starter)
Carter - $4m (if they bring him back...he's not a fit in their base defense)
Love - $1.5m (only because he's ERFA)
Guyton - $1m
White - <$1m
Molden - <$1m
Slater - $1m

Leaves the Pats with like $17m to work with. Not much and still needing to fill 9 rosters spots.

Brandon Lloyd's last contract only got him $1m/year. They're going to have to pay him a bit more than that to bring him in even if what he comes in at would be considered a discount for playing for McD.

[FlyingElvis]

I highly doubt Branch & BJGE come anywhere close to 3.5M. They can pound sand at that price.

[ElectricEye]

Branch can pound sand anyway. Diminishing returns and better options available.

Doubt we offer Guyton anyway. He's off the depth chart with Fletcher proving to be both the better player right now and in the future.

[FlyingElvis]

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

Branch can pound sand anyway. Diminishing returns and better options available.

Doubt we offer Guyton anyway. He's off the depth chart with Fletcher proving to be both the better player right now and in the future.

See that . . . we just cleared nearly 8M. Plenty of money for Vincent Jackson.
(Even though I still think we'll have Lloyd in the fold, which is cool by me.)

[nepg]

I don't know... I like Branch in the Gaffney role. He's dependable as all get out when Brady needs him most. He was the #4 option and still caught 51 balls for over 700 yards... He really wasn't targeted that much this year. I'd keep Branch. If Brady-to-Edelman was working better on the outside I'd be more inclined to let Branch go, but Brady just doesn't seem to have good timing with him (I really think Edelman's lack of success as a receiver is more on Brady than Edelman).

I do want them to add a high upside WR through the draft. They keep failing, but I think they need to keep trying until they get it right. But I think adding Lloyd to the current equation would be enough for 2012.

WR, S, DL, and a pass rusher are their 4 needs and should be their first 4 picks in the first 2-3 rounds (depending on whether they trade a pick or not).

[ElectricEye]

Branch can't do the Gaffney role though. He doesn't have a down the field game. He gets loose like once every three weeks because everyone forgets he exists. We can do that with someone else, maybe even find someone who demands some kind of attention to take attention away from Welker, who has also been less effective lately. With that in mind and McDaniels' preference for bigger receivers, I don't think Branch has much value here anymore.

[BradysKnee]

I imagine we'll see more like this:

Hoyer $1.5m
Welker - $8m
Connolly - $2m
Love - $1.5m (only because he's ERFA)
Guyton - $1m
White - <$1m
Molden - <$1m
Slater - $1m
- Ochocinco + other cuts - 4m

Leaves us with more likely about 32m. Not a bad number to do something with.

[nepg]

Ocho and others were already included as cuts.

To say the Pats can find anyone that can find an open space in coverage as good as Branch is crazy. That is what he does better than anyone save for a few receivers in the league.

[BradysKnee]

Originally Posted by nepg

Ocho and others were already included as cuts.

To say the Pats can find anyone that can find an open space in coverage as good as Branch is crazy. That is what he does better than anyone save for a few receivers in the league.

Ah. Still can't see BJGE or Branch coming back for that money.
Branch would be vet min.
I'd love Andre Carter back but I don't see it.

I'd take Lloyd over Branch at this point as he has become less and less a factor.

[ElectricEye]

Originally Posted by nepg

Ocho and others were already included as cuts.

To say the Pats can find anyone that can find an open space in coverage as good as Branch is crazy. That is what he does better than anyone save for a few receivers in the league.

That's no longer what we need out of a receiver. We threw the ball 285 times this year to guys who can do that not named Deion Branch, both of whom are better than Branch at this point.

[Razor]

Originally Posted by nepg

If Carr or Grimes become available, they're going to cost a lot.

Grimes is an overrated piece of ****. Also, Gary Guyton won't be back next year.

[Blackluck]

We have much more cap space than I thought.

Even with Welker's pending contract we'll have a lot of flexibility next year in FA.

[Nalej]

Originally Posted by Blackluck

We have much more cap space than I thought.

Even with Welker's pending contract we'll have a lot of flexibility next year in FA.

Effin' sweeeeetttttt

[AntoinCD]

So I'm probably going to do one of these for each position in FA, but I thought I'd start with CB. I'm going to rank the top players and have a bit of a description on their fit with the Pats

1. Brandon Carr-Gets overshadowed in KC because he plays across from Brandon Flowers but he is a very good CB in his own right. Has the ability to play both man and zone and has played under Romeo Crennel and excelled in his system. Will probably be priced out of the Patriots market but would be a great player.

2. Brent Grimes-Grimes is a real feisty CB who doesn’t have great measureables, but despite playing for a team with a horrible pass rush still had a very good year. He is more of a #2 CB so it depends if some team decides to pay him stupid money on whether the Pats will be players.

3. Stanford Routt-After getting a ridiculous contract he was unsurprisingly cut by the Raiders. Very talented player but has a tendency to play the man instead of the ball. Probably won’t be a great fit in NE.

4. Tracy Porter-didn’t have the best year but is a very good #2 CB with good ball skills. His price tag may be more in range of what BB will want to offer and he is only 26.

5. Cortland Finnegan-Competitive player who plays with a chip on his shoulder. Can play man coverage and be physical. Struggles with bigger WRs who can outmuscle him though and can be immensely ill-disciplined.

6. Terrell Thomas-Would be higher on the list if he wasn’t coming back from an ACL injury. Can play zone, man, press and off coverage. Pretty well rounded player but will he ever be the same now after the injury?

7. Marcus Trufant-Long, rangy player who can jam the WR at the line and run with him. Has injury concerns and his best days may be behind him. If he would come for a lowish salary he seems the type BB would go for.

8. Aaron Ross-Really talented but really inconsistent. Will probably look for more money than he is worth on the open market.

9. Carlos Rogers-Had a very good season last year in San Francisco but so did pretty much everyone on that defense. 31 years old at the minute and will probably look for that one more big contract.

[cmarq83]

I mentioned it in the other thread, but if we can't get a good deal on those top guys then I wouldn't be opposed to tendering a guy like Lardarius Webb. He's only 26 and played like a legit Pro Bowler last season. He's a top 8 CB IMO, and is only finishing up his 3rd year as a pro. We could certainly do worse than him, even if it means giving up a high draft pick.

[BradysKnee]

Originally Posted by cmarq83

I mentioned it in the other thread, but if we can't get a good deal on those top guys then I wouldn't be opposed to tendering a guy like Lardarius Webb. He's only 26 and played like a legit Pro Bowler last season. He's a top 8 CB IMO, and is only finishing up his 3rd year as a pro. We could certainly do worse than him, even if it means giving up a high draft pick.

if we give up picks for a RFA it should be Wallace.

[cmarq83]

Originally Posted by BradysKnee

if we give up picks for a RFA it should be Wallace.

Wallace would be my first choice in RFA too, but honestly if we ended the offseason with Wallace, Webb, retained our defensive ends, and drafted a safety in the second I'd be ecstatic.

BB covets picks too much to do that, but there is nothing wrong with trading picks for ascending players in their mid 20's.

[BradysKnee]

Anyone else want Moss back? I think he still has it and i love watching that man play.

[Nalej]

Sign Wallace... give up a first.
Sign Moss.
Take over the world.

[BradysKnee]

Originally Posted by Nalej

Sign Wallace... give up a first.
Sign Moss.
Take over the world.

I think that offense would shatter 2007.
Moss Welker Hern Gronk Wallace. Sick.

[Nalej]

It wouldn't surprise me, honestly.
Wallace and Moss on the outside.
Welker in the slot. AaRob Hernkowski lined up at TE.

Take Welker out and put in Ridley/Vereen in the backfield.
Audible Hernandez into the backfield and have the defense **** itself.

*dreams*