2009 Off-season information

descendency · 01-29-2010, 07:51 PM

Patriots off-season information:

Free Agents if no one is signed:
Kevin Faulk (RB)
Jarvis Green (DE)
Stephen Neal (RG)
Vince Wilfork (NT)
Leigh Bodden (CB)
Logan Mankins* (LG)
Derrick Burgess (OLB/DE)
Pierre Woods* (OLB)
Ben Watson (TE)
Stephen Gostkowksi* (K)
Chris Hanson (P)
Gary Guyton* (ILB)

* means RFA
(List provided by http://patscap.com, RFA listings are by me. I could have them wrong though.)

Tender:
Logan Mankins
Stephen Gostkowski
Gary Guyton

Franchise:
Vince Wilfork
Ben Watson (???)

Re-sign:
Kevin Faulk
Jarvis Green
Stephen Neal (who said he may retire)
Leigh Bodden* (our best corner, for now)
Derrick Burgess*

* = may be hard to resign.

Let-Go:
Pierre Woods (Special teamer who can't rush the passer.)
Chris Hanson (Old, can't really punt that well...)

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Depth Chart (assuming zero signings):
QB: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer
RB: Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Benjarvus Green-Ellis
TE: Chris Baker
WR: Randy Moss, Wes Welker*, Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate, Sam Aiken
OT: Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Nick Kaczur, Mark LeVoir
OG: Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell, Rich Ohrnberger
OC: Dan Koppen

DL: Ty Warren, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace
OLB: Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich, Adalius Thomas, Derrick Burgess
ILB: Jerod Mayo, Eric Alexander, Junior Seau
CB: Leigh Bodden, Terrence Wheatley, Jonathan Wilhite, Shawn Springs, Darius Butler
S: Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, Brandon McGowan, Pat Chung

K: None
P: None
KR: Matthew Slater, Laurence Maroney
PR: Wes Welker*
LS: Jake Ingram

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Assessment:
QB: Tom Brady is elite, Brian Hoyer needs someone to push him for the second spot. While this could be a free agent acquisition, a late round QB flier would be nice. Tim Tebow rumors are brewing up big time for the Patriots, though.

RB: Laurence Maroney is up and down. Sammy Morris isn't a starter. Fred Taylor, when healthy, is the best running back on this team. Clearly, running back is a need. Benjarvus Green-Ellis is basically a fullback for now. Kevin Faulk is a 3rd down running back, but has the best attitude of all of the players.

TE: Ben Watson needs a set of hands. Chris Baker looked good during the pre-season but hardly played in the regular season. The patriots need a big target. The blocking aspect seemed fine to me.

WR: Randy Moss is slipping into a #2 (speed, but not elite). Welker may not play in 2010 (:(). Brandon Tate is an unknown. Julian Edelman has looked good, but looks more like a slot WR than a #2. Sam Aiken is a special teamer.

OT: Matt Light is on his last leg, Sebastian Vollmer can take over for him but That leaves a hole at RT. Matt Light isn't a very good RT. Nick Kaczur is worse. Mark LeVoir is a backup at best right now. A RT is a need at minimum. Maybe a left tackle if the value is good since Vollmer can play RT.

OG: Logan Mankins is the LG. If Stephen Neal retires, I don't really know how the RG spot will look. I'd say not good.

OC: Dan Koppen is in his last few seasons. A center could be a nice target, but guard and tackle are much higher priorities.

DE: The defensive line in general is not a bright spot. While Ty Warren and Jarvis Green (if resigned) are good defensive ends, the backups are Mike Wright and Myron Pryor, the backups at NT as well. A DE that can take over for Jarvis Green would be a decent need and would allow Pryor or Wright to be more of a NT.

NT: Vince Wilfork being franchised is the only option. The Patriots can not go all season with Myron Pryor or Mike Wright manning the nose.

OLB: Tully Banta-Cain is the best pass rusher. Derrick Burgess is the best run stopper. Adalius Thomas is malcontent. Rob Ninkovich plays both inside and outside, but neither extremely well. Easily the biggest sore spot.

ILB: Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton do a sufficient job manning the middle when someone like Wilfork is in the middle at NT. Tyrone McKenzie could be in the rotation next year. Someone to replace Junior Seau would be nice though.

CB: If Leigh Bodden isn't resigned, then Darius Butler and Jonathan Wilhite will be the starters with Terrence Wheatley at nickel (who doesn't belong in the NFL).

S: Pat Chung, Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, and Brandon McGowan are all good options at safety. This is the only area that does NOT need improving.

K/P: Stephen Gostkowski is a good Pro-Bowl caliber kicker. Chris Hanson is old.

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I'm going to assume the Patriots make the moves I have listed above, but sign no free agents. Obviously, they could fix some needs in free agency.

Draft/FA Needs (biggest need to smallest):

1. Outside Linebacker
2. Outside Linebacker
3. Defensive Line (End or Nose)
4. Offensive Line (Tackle or Guard)
5. Tight End
6. Wide Receiver
7. Running Back
8. Cornerback (Nickel)
9. Inside Linebacker
10. Offensive Line (Guard or Tackle)
11. Defensive Line (Nose or End)
12. Offensive Line (Center)
13. Backup QB
14. Punter

descendency · 01-29-2010, 07:53 PM

Please let me know if I have something wrong.

BradysKnee · 01-29-2010, 08:27 PM

Great post. Solid assessment.

proshoota25 · 01-30-2010, 02:32 AM

no chance in hell does the possibility ever arise where watson could get tagged lol. other than that, not bad

nepg · 01-30-2010, 07:16 AM

Keep Woods. He's cheap, and a very good special teams player (which is a weak spot for the Pats).

While I'd like to see a punter brought in, Hanson does a good job of not screwing up. I'd say give him a 1-year contract and have him compete with a rookie punter in camp. Not much to lose there.

CB is definitely emerging as a bit of a need. I'm a Wilhite fan and haven't given up on Wheatley yet, but they need more options... I don't know that they can invest one of their second round picks here, but maybe in the 4th or 5th round...

Nalej · 01-30-2010, 07:04 PM

Good **** so far, fellas...

On top of what has been said- we need a better KR/PR
M.Slater was suppose to be that for us but has underachieved in my eyes
That's why a guy like CJ Spiller would do wonder for us 'cause he fills more then one need

descendency · 01-30-2010, 07:32 PM

You can't keep roster spots for special teamers unless they are the special teams captain. Those spots go to rookies coming in trying to make the defense or offense.

Watson knows the system, the only other TE is Baker, and 1 TE won't work. Failing to resign him could be huge.

I really doubt CJ Spiller or Brandon Graham is going to be available at 22 though, now :(

ElectricEye · 01-30-2010, 09:32 PM

Forget failing to resign Watson, let alone franchising him, get his ass out. Dickson or McCoy in the fourth is an equivalent player for us in our offense. I'm sick of him disappearing for three game stretches at a time then coming back and promptly dropping passes. When it's good with Watson, it's pretty good. When it's bad, you don't even notice it sometimes and that might be worse in his case.

nepg · 01-31-2010, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by descendency

You can't keep roster spots for special teamers unless they are the special teams captain. Those spots go to rookies coming in trying to make the defense or offense.

Watson knows the system, the only other TE is Baker, and 1 TE won't work. Failing to resign him could be huge.

I really doubt CJ Spiller or Brandon Graham is going to be available at 22 though, now :(

The Pats have always had a priority on their backups being good special teamers, not necessarily their special teamers being good backups.

FlyingElvis · 02-01-2010, 09:11 AM

I agree on Watson. Bump TE up to #5 on your list of needs and I'd say that's dead on. Let Baker be the default starter since he is a reliable target and hope a draftee can step up. Gresham if he slides into round 2 and someone else if not.

Nalej · 02-01-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingElvis

I agree on Watson. Bump TE up to #5 on your list of needs and I'd say that's dead on. Let Baker be the default starter since he is a reliable target and hope a draftee can step up. Gresham if he slides into round 2 and someone else if not.

Agreed. Just no Gresham in the 1st. Please no.

FlyingElvis · 02-01-2010, 09:41 AM

TE looks pretty deep at this point. No major stand outs but plenty of good options. The combine will be the difference maker at the TE spot, I think.

nepg · 02-01-2010, 09:41 AM

I think Baker and <insert random TE> is fine... Watson might come back for cheap, in which case, keeping his blocking around is a no-brainer. Colin Peek seems like a likely target for the Pats.

descendency · 02-01-2010, 12:42 PM

Right now my first round pick would be Brandon Graham. I think he'll get under-rated because of his size. He might struggle in coverage, so I will likely drop him if he struggles in the 3-cone drill at the combine. If he doesn't he'll be a lock as my top prospect to pick at 22nd (baring a fluke like Suh or Gerald McCoy falling to 22nd). He's my #1 OLB.

I was trying to think of someone worth trading up for. Obviously Rolando McClain and Dez Bryant are names. (Bryant could be gone before the end of the top 10 though... and I wouldn't trade up past the top 10). Other than that, I'm not really in love with anyone. Joe Haden maybe. CJ Spiller maybe.

ElectricEye · 02-01-2010, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepg

I think Baker and <insert random TE> is fine... Watson might come back for cheap, in which case, keeping his blocking around is a no-brainer. Colin Peek seems like a likely target for the Pats.

I think the ideal option with Watson is resigning him for a cheap contract AND drafting another tight end in the fourth round or so. That's a position we just don't get the production out of that we should. Watson just isn't the mismatch in coverage he should be. Colin Peek is a bit overrated in my opinion and I don't think he would be a good fit. Ed Dickson is perfect for our system. Not sure he would be there after our slew of second round picks, but if he falls like Shawn Nelson did last year, I say we snap him up. The routes he ran for Oregon in the spread are pretty much the same type of things our tight ends do. He's dangerous in the open field on dump off passes after chips and is athletic enough to stretch the seam. Doesn't hurt that he has soft hands and good redzone size(something we're laking) either.

descendency · 02-02-2010, 03:10 PM

Bill will want a TE in the first four picks and probably a CB. The other two have to be a OLB and some kind of lineman.

With that... I want Graham, Aaron Hernandez, Perrish Cox, and Jared Veldheer.

Nalej · 02-02-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by descendency

Bill will want a TE in the first four picks and probably a CB. The other two have to be a OLB and some kind of lineman.

With that... I want Graham, Aaron Hernandez, Perrish Cox, and Jared Veldheer.

I highly doubt it but more importantly- highly dislike it if thats how our 1st 4 picks went

ElectricEye · 02-02-2010, 08:21 PM

Yeah, **** it if that happens. Graham is alright, the rest would sucks.

descendency · 02-02-2010, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nalej

I highly doubt it but more importantly- highly dislike it if thats how our 1st 4 picks went

Personally, I wouldn't be shocked if one of those first 4 are traded away for something.

Second, I could see one of those positions shifted to the 4th round instead of in the first two rounds, but Belichick likes taking TEs and CBs in the first three rounds.

FlyingElvis · 02-03-2010, 09:15 AM

CB will depend entirely on Bodden. If he signs with us then CB will not be an early pick. We have no 3rd or 5th so I could see a guy like McCourty or Arenas in the 4th but that would be more for their return skills than their CB position - though they would be good depth picks for the CB spot, too.

TE - I'm all for it with one of our top 4. Watson is a good blocker but is frustratingly unreliable in our pass happy offense. I don't mind the short term deal for him but I can't imagine he wants that. We need his replacement.