Patriots & NFL Free Agency Updates 2015

[TwinTower14]

However, the Pats should take some heat for this.  They had 12 months to hammer out an extension with this guy and they blew it.

There was this...
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2014/08/report_patriots_already_working_to_extend_darrelle.html

Note the date.

... and then there's this:

At this stage in his career, Revis’ primary desire is to win a Super Bowl, and he will turn down larger offers from teams that can’t contend for postseason glory. After all, he turned down millions of dollars in the first year of a deal to join another team that vied for his services in March when he linked up with the Patriots, and that philosophy is expected to hold true again.

Apparently, not so much.

Revis's uncle is making a run at the head of Player Association, there is no way he was ever going to take a home town discount, everyone knows that...

[Donoghus]

Well, I can see the Felger-esque #hotsportztakes are rampant in the past few pages of this thread.

It was always a one year deal.  It was apparent a year ago when the deal was signed that the intention was to never actually exercise the 2nd year option because the cap hit was poison.  Pats knew the risk.  I can't see how anyone would really be shocked about this given both the Pats history of negotiation & Revis' history of negotiation.  Pats tend to always have a line they draw when it comes to free agents or restructures.  This has been going on for 15 years now.   You also can't blame Revis because of the nature of the NFL and the very limited window for these guys to cash in.  It was a mutually beneficial deal for both the Pats & Revis last year.  Pats won a Super Bowl & Revis won his gamble with a one year deal and cashed in.   So that was actually a contract that both sides won and would do in a heartbeat again in retrospect.

In regards to actual on-field stuff, of course this hurts the Pats on the defensive side.  The guy basically shut down one side of the field by himself and let the Pats roll coverage help to the other side.  That's huge.   Obviously, unless one of the young guys step up, they're going to go back to more zone coverage which was a mixed bag over the course of the past few years.

Still, its one guy. It's not the end of the world.  This team is still arguably the prohibitive favorite in the AFC if they stay healthy.  Indy still has question marks, Baltimore seems to have gotten worse, Denver still has question marks.  AFC East will be improved but its still the Pats division to lose. 

They also have a bit more cap room to work with now as well as the upcoming draft to fill needs.  Just like the other 31 teams, this roster is still an incomplete.

[kozlodoev]

However, the Pats should take some heat for this.  They had 12 months to hammer out an extension with this guy and they blew it.

There was this...
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2014/08/report_patriots_already_working_to_extend_darrelle.html

Note the date.

... and then there's this:

At this stage in his career, Revis’ primary desire is to win a Super Bowl, and he will turn down larger offers from teams that can’t contend for postseason glory. After all, he turned down millions of dollars in the first year of a deal to join another team that vied for his services in March when he linked up with the Patriots, and that philosophy is expected to hold true again.

Apparently, not so much.

Revis's uncle is making a run at the head of Player Association, there is no way he was ever going to take a home town discount, everyone knows that...

Jeff Howe at the Globe apparently doesn't

[kozlodoev]

Look at players that come to New England, then opt to go play elsewhere. They all command BIG bucks because they have the "New England premium". Two notable examples in recent history are Jonathan Casillas and Mark Anderson, but you could lump many other players in that bucket.

Watch Browner get an $8-10 million dollar offer from someone who's desperate. It's too bad we had to cut him, he was signed for relatively short cash.

[TwinTower14]

However, the Pats should take some heat for this.  They had 12 months to hammer out an extension with this guy and they blew it.

There was this...
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2014/08/report_patriots_already_working_to_extend_darrelle.html

Note the date.

... and then there's this:

At this stage in his career, Revis’ primary desire is to win a Super Bowl, and he will turn down larger offers from teams that can’t contend for postseason glory. After all, he turned down millions of dollars in the first year of a deal to join another team that vied for his services in March when he linked up with the Patriots, and that philosophy is expected to hold true again.

Apparently, not so much.

Revis's uncle is making a run at the head of Player Association, there is no way he was ever going to take a home town discount, everyone knows that...

Jeff Howe at the Globe apparently doesn't

hahah...my thing is Revis is all about the money, I know, you know, the Pats know it.  All they had to do is pay him fair market value for an elite CB.  Brady gave them a cut, so they could pay guys like Revis....Pats are heading back to the days of 08-13, great offense and the defense that can't stop anyone when it matters..

[Cman]

Just like the other 31 teams, this roster is still an incomplete.

Wait... that sounds too reasonable and even-handed.

I mean... aren't the Jets contenders now?
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12458090

[Cman]

.Pats are heading back to the days of 08-13, great offense and the defense that can't stop anyone when it matters..

The years of mediocrity, right?

[Evantime34]

Now that Revis is gone, I'm curious where the Pats spend their money. There aren't any great corners available (wouldn't be surprised if we saw a trade to bring one in), so the $9 MM they have left in cap space should go towards other positions.

Pats have been rumored to have interest in CJ Spiller and Percy Harvin. I wouldn't be surprised if they turned their money towards the offensive side of the ball, because playing with a lead makes it easier for the defense.

[Donoghus]

Now that Revis is gone, I'm curious where the Pats spend their money. There aren't any great corners available (wouldn't be surprised if we saw a trade to bring one in), so the $9 MM they have left in cap space should go towards other positions.

Pats have been rumored to have interest in CJ Spiller and Percy Harvin. I wouldn't be surprised if they turned their money towards the offensive side of the ball, because playing with a lead makes it easier for the defense.

I think they turn their attention to the defensive front seven.  Especially the D-Line.  Randy Starks got cut by the Dolphins this morning.  Wouldn't be surprised if the Pats take a look at him.

Another area to improve on would be O-Line although I think that area might be addressed more by the draft. 

They'll try & add a skilled position or two on the cheap (RB & WR) too.

[TwinTower14]

.Pats are heading back to the days of 08-13, great offense and the defense that can't stop anyone when it matters..

The years of mediocrity, right?

No, the years of not having a championship caliber defense.  You know, the years when the hall of fame QB gives them leads late in Super Bowl and the defense can't hold on...

[littleteapot]

Brady is older and we don't have as many skill guys. I don't think we can dominate 2011 style any more without more additions.

I do think as long as we at least get starting caliber players to play on the D-Line, we'll be a better defense than back then. Chandler Jones and Hightower have really emerged and they'll be much more disruptive to teams than any defensive player we had back then. Wilfork was a 1 man run defense, and that is a big problem because we are going to try to go with the 0 man run defense as of now.

[Donoghus]

Brady is older and we don't have as many skill guys. I don't think we can dominate 2011 style any more without more additions.

I do think as long as we at least get starting caliber players to play on the D-Line, we'll be a better defense than back then. Chandler Jones and Hightower have really emerged and they'll be much more disruptive to teams than any defensive player we had back then. Wilfork was a 1 man run defense, and that is a big problem because we are going to try to go with the 0 man run defense as of now.

First level, there are certainly concerns on run stopping.  However, they will be getting Mayo back and he's immediately their best run stopping LB when healthy. 

[kozlodoev]

hahah...my thing is Revis is all about the money, I know, you know, the Pats know it.

Not according to Manish Mehta.

“If it was all about money, he would have accepted a trade last year when he was still on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a couple places that were willing to pick up his six-year, $96 million contract that Tampa had signed,” he said. “But there is an affinity for the New York-New Jersey area that’s obviously the place where he began his career. He loves Manhattan and he does have a history with the Jets, so I think if another team had offered something similar, a place that he maybe didn’t want to live, a place he wasn’t familiar with, I don’t think he would have gone.

“So does the money play a factor? It absolutely does. Anyone who knows Darrelle Revis’ history knows that he’s a savvy businessman so the money is a significant factor, is it the only factor in this case? No, it wasn’t.”

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2015/03/11/manish-mehta-on-dc-jets-getting-darrelle-revis-wasnt-all-about-the-money/

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

.Pats are heading back to the days of 08-13, great offense and the defense that can't stop anyone when it matters..

The years of mediocrity, right?

No, the years of not having a championship caliber defense.  You know, the years when the hall of fame QB gives them leads late in Super Bowl and the defense can't hold on...

LOL. Exactly right. As someone else said, there's still a lot of offseason to go, so the Pats may enter next season in a good position on defense, but on the other hand ...

* There are only a couple other CBs in Revis' league (Sherman, Peterson), and they're not going anywhere.

* Jerod Mayo is a big question mark in my mind; can he stay healthy? if he does, will he still be really good?

* Dominique Easley may be a total bust.

* No elite run-stopper with Wilfork gone.

Pats may have to score 30 a game to have a shot at another Super Bowl.

[littleteapot]

Brady is older and we don't have as many skill guys. I don't think we can dominate 2011 style any more without more additions.

I do think as long as we at least get starting caliber players to play on the D-Line, we'll be a better defense than back then. Chandler Jones and Hightower have really emerged and they'll be much more disruptive to teams than any defensive player we had back then. Wilfork was a 1 man run defense, and that is a big problem because we are going to try to go with the 0 man run defense as of now.

First level, there are certainly concerns on run stopping.  However, they will be getting Mayo back and he's immediately their best run stopping LB when healthy.

I think Mayo or no the LBs are very good against the run. I don't think they can do a whole lot with the current roster - if they don't run blitz Chris Jones and whoever else are going to get pushed back by good rushing teams so Mayo and Hightower are going to be making tackles 5 yrds in front of the LOS anyway. If we do blitz, we don't have DBs who can man up anymore so teams will just throw on us.