Patriots Offseason Moves

[Cman]

Feel free to post/ discuss Pats' offseason moves here.

[Cman]

Here's one prediction:

Today (Monday March 4) is deadline to tag a player. I'm going to go bold and predict the Pats tag Talib.

Why?

(1) I don't think they'll tag Welker.  Too expensive and too clear to both sides that they need each other. I suspect a multi-year deal will get done.

(2) I think the Pats will see what Vollmer can get on the open market, but I think he's the least important of the three.

(3) Talib played well on an expiring contract, perhaps bc he was motivated since it was expiring. Why not try it again? It motivates Talib to play well, gives the Pats extra time to evaluate him.

[birdwatcher]

I agree with all of that.
We can't really afford to lose a proven corner or a proven receiver, and using the transition tag on Talib will save them almost 2mil vs using the franchise tag. Welker should get a multi year deal, possibly close to the length of Brady's extension.
Vollmer is solid, but has a plethora of injury concerns and is not worth using either tag on IMO. Same with Dan Connolly. The way Scarnecchia coaches the OL, I believe he could fill his shoes if he had the personnel in place going into training camp.
I also thank Baltimore for overpaying Flacco, cause I doubt they will value Ed Reed high enough to spend any money on him. I bet the two guys we see the Pats flirt with are Reed and Freeney. Maybe we'll see us go for an outside receiver like Percy Harvin or Mike Wallace, but we rarely pull the trigger on those types of players.
And finally, I expect to see Ryan Mallet traded for draft picks, since we don't have the usual 3 picks per round that we normally accumulate. hopefully we'll address our return game soon!

[Cman]

I agree with all of that.
We can't really afford to lose a proven corner or a proven receiver, and using the transition tag on Talib will save them almost 2mil vs using the franchise tag. Welker should get a multi year deal, possibly close to the length of Brady's extension.
Vollmer is solid, but has a plethora of injury concerns and is not worth using either tag on IMO. Same with Dan Connolly. The way Scarnecchia coaches the OL, I believe he could fill his shoes if he had the personnel in place going into training camp.
I also thank Baltimore for overpaying Flacco, cause I doubt they will value Ed Reed high enough to spend any money on him. I bet the two guys we see the Pats flirt with are Reed and Freeney. Maybe we'll see us go for an outside receiver like Percy Harvin or Mike Wallace, but we rarely pull the trigger on those types of players.
And finally, I expect to see Ryan Mallet traded for draft picks, since we don't have the usual 3 picks per round that we normally accumulate. hopefully we'll address our return game soon!

Agreed RE Scarnecchia, which I meant to add to reasons why Vollmer was the least important of the three.

I'd love to see Ed Reed with the Pats, but I don't see it -- I bet he ends up back with Baltimore.

I also doubt the Pats go with Harvin or Wallace, but I could see Moss. We've seen time and time again how there are certain players that Brady plays well with, and ones he doesn't. I think there's too big a risk with Harvin or Wallace that "it just work out", but that would be an expensive mistake to make.

[Evantime34]

WEEI reported that Welker is going to get a 5 year 40 MM extension. That leaves around $20 MM for the Pats to re-sign Vollmer and Talib. I am not very well versed in how much players make but I think Vollmer for 6 and Talib for 8 would be reasonable. Hopefully the rest will will be enough to bring in a pass rusher/defensive back/deep threat receiver.

Would love to see us bring one or more out of the group of Ed Reed, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe.

[kozlodoev]

WEEI reported that Welker is going to get a 5 year 40 MM extension. That leaves around $20 MM for the Pats to re-sign Vollmer and Talib. I am not very well versed in how much players make but I think Vollmer for 6 and Talib for 8 would be reasonable. Hopefully the rest will will be enough to bring in a pass rusher/defensive back/deep threat receiver.

Would love to see us bring one or more out of the group of Ed Reed, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe.

I'm not sure WEEI "reported" anything like this. All I heard today morning was that "a deal of the sort of 5 years at 8 per may already be in the works, for what we know".

Unless it's something that was announced later today, this is all far from certain at this point.

[Cman]

WEEI reported that Welker is going to get a 5 year 40 MM extension. That leaves around $20 MM for the Pats to re-sign Vollmer and Talib. I am not very well versed in how much players make but I think Vollmer for 6 and Talib for 8 would be reasonable. Hopefully the rest will will be enough to bring in a pass rusher/defensive back/deep threat receiver.

Would love to see us bring one or more out of the group of Ed Reed, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe.

That would be a relief (Welker is a great deal at $8M/yr, so long as there isn't much guaranteed at end of deal). I don't like the idea trading for or signing another big time WR. I'd prefer if the Pats can get Lloyd to restructure his contract (don't know if its possible, though).

[Evantime34]

WEEI reported that Welker is going to get a 5 year 40 MM extension. That leaves around $20 MM for the Pats to re-sign Vollmer and Talib. I am not very well versed in how much players make but I think Vollmer for 6 and Talib for 8 would be reasonable. Hopefully the rest will will be enough to bring in a pass rusher/defensive back/deep threat receiver.

Would love to see us bring one or more out of the group of Ed Reed, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe.

I'm not sure WEEI "reported" anything like this. All I heard today morning was that "a deal of the sort of 5 years at 8 per may already be in the works, for what we know".

Unless it's something that was announced later today, this is all far from certain at this point.

I saw the thread on a pats forum I frequent so I might have misunderstood.

[connor]

I really hope the Patriots don't tag anyone today. I don't think any of our own free agents are worth the tag price.

Talib would be the closest, but I don't think the desire to tag him is because he is worth $10.8 million, but rather because our secondary has been in such shambles for the last few years. But this year's crop of free agent cornerbacks is pretty solid and the draft has some solid big cornerback prospects, so I think that although there will definitely be a market for Talib, his off the field issues etc. should drive his price down and we would have a better chance at signing him at a more reasonable number as a FA. Plus this year's draft is pretty stacked at safety and with some solid free agent options out there (I'd love to see Ed Reed in a Patriots uniform) so there is still the option to move McCourty back to corner and solidify the secondary that way. 

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Welker will be back, rumors are in the 5 year 40 million range, which I'd be happy with. And I'd like to see them pick up a WR in the draft to develop (if there is value when they are picking, I don't expect Bill to take a WR just for the sake of it). But I don't expect any other big names to be walking through the door.

Vollmer is a [dang] good tackle, but the Pats need to see what he can get on the open market. If his injury history keeps other teams from bidding too high, I'd like to see him back but if not I agree with everybody else that Dante can work his magic and still put together a solid o-line.

It's going to be a while before they can make any moves because they need to see the market develop. Once a few dominoes start falling it should pick up. I don't expect anything (other than a Welker deal) before the draft.

[Cman]

well, looks like no tag on anyone:
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4740488/patriots-dont-use-franchise-tag

[crownontherocks]

I believe the Pats are at $99 million and change and the cap has been confirmed at $123.9 million which leaves the Pats at $24.836 million in cap space.

You would have to say subtract about $4 million for rookie contracts and that brings you to $20 million for free agents.

Plus theres a good chance Llyod is released with the deadline thats comes with guaranteed money and i think march 16 is that deadline 

[Lightskinsmurf]

I know if we brought everybody back we'd be a 12-13 win team again. That being said idc about that. This team isn't getting it done when it matters most. Changes need to be made. I know injuries messed us up alot but injuries happen to everyone and is no excuse.

[BleedGreen1989]

I really hope they resign Talib.. The guy made a very clear and obvious difference and it was no coincidence that in the AFC championship Joe Flacco started going off once Talib pulled up with a bad hamstring.

Glad it looks like we'll keep Welker. He was not worth the numbers being tossed around last season but the new rumored numbers seem very fair. Also, I would like to see Lloyd restructure his contract as he is still very useful IMO

[crownontherocks]

I really hope they resign Talib.. The guy made a very clear and obvious difference and it was no coincidence that in the AFC championship Joe Flacco started going off once Talib pulled up with a bad hamstring.

Glad it looks like we'll keep Welker. He was not worth the numbers being tossed around last season but the new rumored numbers seem very fair. Also, I would like to see Lloyd restructure his contract as he is still very useful IMO

Brandon Lloyd's contract is 1.9 for this year. I doubt he's going to restructure, its pretty cheap for a guy who caught 74 catches. He's not the deep threat we thought he was but his contract is cheap. the problem the patriots have with it is he will be getting a 3 mil option bonus starting march 16th

[BleedGreen1989]

I really hope they resign Talib.. The guy made a very clear and obvious difference and it was no coincidence that in the AFC championship Joe Flacco started going off once Talib pulled up with a bad hamstring.

Glad it looks like we'll keep Welker. He was not worth the numbers being tossed around last season but the new rumored numbers seem very fair. Also, I would like to see Lloyd restructure his contract as he is still very useful IMO

Brandon Lloyd's contract is 1.9 for this year. I doubt he's going to restructure, its pretty cheap for a guy who caught 74 catches. He's not the deep threat we thought he was but his contract is cheap. the problem the patriots have with it is he will be getting a 3 mil option bonus starting march 16th

Ohh thanks for that. I wasn't sure of the numbers but I'd hate to see him go