Looking for some mention of his 2016 performance but not finding much. Here is what titaninsider.com says:
The McCourty twins will turn 30 in August.
2017 Patriots FA & Trades Thread
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
- Start date
I really hope they can find a way to keep Ryan. I've been watching a bunch of Game Pass condensed games recently and holy crap did he seem to have a good number of high impact plays this year. And that's not counting the impact you can't see because he makes a receiver look invisible. The guy is a tackling machine.
I remember his TD being a pretty high degree-of-difficulty catch, but I suppose you're right, it's an anecdote, not data. But BB has been to practice, and all I'm saying is that he could plausibly be the plan.
Would Jack Doyle be a consideration at TE?
He is a UFA coming off 59 catch, 584 yard, 5 TD season. He is younger than Bennett and will definitely be cheaper.
From Blue Stampede, the Colts SB Nation site.
He is a UFA coming off 59 catch, 584 yard, 5 TD season. He is younger than Bennett and will definitely be cheaper.
From Blue Stampede, the Colts SB Nation site.
In terms of contract, I have no idea what he would command. SportTrac has a tool to predict salary based on a number of factors but I'm not certain on its accuracy. Doyle's profile is here and his salary prediction is
- 4 yrs, $24,826,176
- Avg. Salary: $6,206,544
- NFL Rank: #219
- TE Rank: #16
Martellus Bennett fired off some tweets complaining about people tweeting at him to take a discount for New England.
As anticipated, it's doubtful he'll take much of a discount in years or guarantees to stay in New England. I still wouldn't rule out his return, though. The Patriots may be the ones to pay him.
As anticipated, it's doubtful he'll take much of a discount in years or guarantees to stay in New England. I still wouldn't rule out his return, though. The Patriots may be the ones to pay him.
Alterraun Verner has been cut by Tampa. Not sure how well he has played the last few years but he was on my radar when he was a free agent in 2014. He just turned 28. Potential veteran CB signing?
Nick Folk got released by the Jets. Those looking for a Ghost replacement, take notice
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18751753/new-york-jets-release-long-kicker-nick-folk-right-tackle-breno-giacomini
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18751753/new-york-jets-release-long-kicker-nick-folk-right-tackle-breno-giacomini
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Would love to have Branch back. Reiss just posted this: http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0626816431249431478-4
Free-agent-to-be Alan Branch told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Friday morning that his love for football has been "revamped" since joining the Patriots in 2014. It sounds like he prefers a return to New England in 2017 but also said in the interview, "If it's a significant difference (financially), sometimes it's hard to say no."
Free-agent-to-be Alan Branch told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Friday morning that his love for football has been "revamped" since joining the Patriots in 2014. It sounds like he prefers a return to New England in 2017 but also said in the interview, "If it's a significant difference (financially), sometimes it's hard to say no."
Verner was a possible Talib replacement in 2014: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000332483/article/alterraun-verner-definitely-eyeing-broncos-patriots
Appearing on SiriusXM's "Mad Dog Radio" on Monday, Verner said he expects to sign quickly -- and added a pair of AFC contenders to his wish list.
Already connected to the New York Giants and Jets, Verner said the Denver Broncos "would definitely be a good situation for me" and the New England Patriots are "definitely a possibility."
We suspect Verner would only be a fallback option for both teams, in case Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib sign elsewhere.
Already connected to the New York Giants and Jets, Verner said the Denver Broncos "would definitely be a good situation for me" and the New England Patriots are "definitely a possibility."
We suspect Verner would only be a fallback option for both teams, in case Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib sign elsewhere.
More knowledgeable posters may drop some info here but Vernon was losing playtime in Tampa:
Verner appears destined to play a reduced role, considering Grimes' Pro Bowl pedigree, familiarity with defensive coordinator Mike Smith's system, and two-year, $13.5 million dollar contract.
Verner had already been demoted for a stretch in 2015, losing his starting left cornerback job before regaining it in November.
After grabbing 11 interceptions over the first four years of his career in Tennessee, Verner has only managed three picks over his first pair of campaigns in Tampa. He finished the 2015 season with 56 tackles (45 solo), an interception, 0.5 sacks, four passes defensed and a forced fumble.
At least when Lovie Smith was there, they played Tampa 2 and I believe they still do. Here's Matt Bowen's excellent article on Tampa/Cover 2:Verner had already been demoted for a stretch in 2015, losing his starting left cornerback job before regaining it in November.
After grabbing 11 interceptions over the first four years of his career in Tennessee, Verner has only managed three picks over his first pair of campaigns in Tampa. He finished the 2015 season with 56 tackles (45 solo), an interception, 0.5 sacks, four passes defensed and a forced fumble.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2039934-nfl-101-introducing-the-basics-of-cover-2
Again you missed the point. He wasn't cut for performance reasons in 2014, he become an unrestricted free agent, and he thought he wanted to sign in Denver or New England.
Edit: oh and he was a Pro Bowler in 2013. That title doesn't have a ton of meaning but he was clearly a top tier CB when he hit free agency. I don't see how that means he doesn't have a sense of reality. Denver opted to sign Talib instead.
I know, but you're so cute when you get bothered by something. We all take turns agitating you.
Pass on Verner.
SB Bucs Nation: Alterraun Verner charted as one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL
SB Bucs Nation: Alterraun Verner charted as one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL
While this article is from 2015, since then his playing time has been slashed as he was fourth among Bucs CBs in snap count this past season. Between Weeks 14 and 17 this year he played a total of 7 defensive snaps. He was only being used as a special teams player at that point and during that time Tampa was still in the hunt for a playoff berth.
Pass: his name sounds too much like Alderaan, at least how I'm pronouncing it in my mind, and they have no weapons. We need CBs with weapons. Plus, I've been drinking.
Barnwell has an article listing five things each team should do this offseason. It's pretty generic and doesn't add much Pats-wise to what we've already been discussing, but I'll link to it anyway. It goes here since 4/5ths of the Patriots suggestions are FA-related.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/Barnwell5Moves2017AFCE/bill-barnwell-five-moves-afc-east-team-make-2017-nfl-offseason#Patriots
Summary:
1) Re-sign Hightower
2) Sign Butler to a long-term deal, let Ryan walk
3) Re-sign Floyd and Blount, let B. Unicorn walk (in the Titans' list, he says they should sign him)
4) Make a run at Dontari Poe, Calais Campbell, or Chandler Jones
5) Trade Jimmy
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/Barnwell5Moves2017AFCE/bill-barnwell-five-moves-afc-east-team-make-2017-nfl-offseason#Patriots
Summary:
1) Re-sign Hightower
2) Sign Butler to a long-term deal, let Ryan walk
3) Re-sign Floyd and Blount, let B. Unicorn walk (in the Titans' list, he says they should sign him)
4) Make a run at Dontari Poe, Calais Campbell, or Chandler Jones
5) Trade Jimmy
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I talked to my friend last week who knows Latavius Murray. As is reported now by other outlets, the Raiders aren't in on him. He mentioned the Giants, Eagles, and Lions as teams Murray said are most likely for him. But he also said that his number one choice is to play for the Patriots and Tom Brady. At the time, Murray indicated to my friend that the money has to be comparable to what others are offering but that if the Pats come close he'd come.
That's always going to be the issue with this management. From Kraft on down, they take advantage of the belief that playing for the Patriots itself has a monetary value that should be added to the tangible dollars in a contract offer. For free agents with a choice, they willingly have to accept that concept if they really want to play for the Patriots. Otherwise, the dividing line occurs when Team X offers $$ and the Patriots offer $+(Playing for NE).
It really depends on where a player is in their career ... and how much they're willing to turn down to play in a financial system as strictly structured as the Patriots
With Murray, he's not in a position financially to be able to take less and shouldn't. It comes down for him whether taking less on a shorter contract, winning in NE, and getting paid on his next deal is worth it to him. We all know if you perform as a Patriot you can get paid elsewhere. Look at Shane Vereen.
Hell, look at Jonathan Casillas. Undrafted. Injured most of his career. Traded for virtually nothing -- ends up playing special teams for the Pats in a Super Bowl year. Inks a 3-year/$10.5M with the Giants and had 59 tackles last year.
Playing for the Pats is good for business.
Playing for the Pats is good for business.
Vereen was going into his age 26 season when he signed with the Giants. Murray would be 28 after next season, and that's only if he were to sign for one year with the Pats. This is when he needs to get his money, this contract cycle.
It's not impossible that they sign him; I just don't think he's in the stage of career to accept a one-year short pay deal
Casillas is a LB/ST ... an entire different type of contract scenario than those faced by running backs.
It's not impossible that they sign him; I just don't think he's in the stage of career to accept a one-year short pay deal
Casillas is a LB/ST ... an entire different type of contract scenario than those faced by running backs.
It may be more than that.
With draft picks, we hear how the Pats value how much that player values football, how much it means to him.
Well, if you value football, you presumably value winning. If you value winning, then coming to the Patriots has real value to you.
Conversely if your negotiating stance is about money, then you presumably value money more than football.
I'm not saying that's right or wrong, but it does mean that your priorities are different.
Think this would be a very typical Pats type of signing to replace Nink / Long
I figured they would kick the tires on him the minute he was released. He played good against NE when he was with Miami.
Count me as a 'fan' of a Odrick signing. He's always seemed to play well when I've watched him, and he's got the sort of versatility along the line of scrimmage that Belichick/Patricia covet.
Interesting that Long has concluded that he cannot be the player in NE next season that he was before he came to NE. I assume that it's because he has been told or just knows based on experience this past season that he will only be asked to X when he would like to do X, Y and Z, but I hope that gets fleshed out somewhere.
I think he's delusional. He's not an every down player any more. But good luck to him and thanks for the service.
Totally agree with this statement. He is a useful role player but he doesn't have the ability to handle a huge workload anymore.
It doesn't matter.
If it's not a good fit, moneywise or otherwise, both sides are better off parting. Neither side is talking the other into anything because one guy's delusion is another's reality.
Schefter was on DC radio this morning to talk about, of course, Cousins. He segued into a "super-smart" team not brandishing the franchise tag as a negotiating weapon anymore because in the big picture it's counter-productive. Lest anyone wonder who he was referring to, he mentioned the Pats with Hightower.
Unhappy employees are not worth the trouble.
If it's not a good fit, moneywise or otherwise, both sides are better off parting. Neither side is talking the other into anything because one guy's delusion is another's reality.
Schefter was on DC radio this morning to talk about, of course, Cousins. He segued into a "super-smart" team not brandishing the franchise tag as a negotiating weapon anymore because in the big picture it's counter-productive. Lest anyone wonder who he was referring to, he mentioned the Pats with Hightower.
Unhappy employees are not worth the trouble.
BB in September: "I don't think you can be afraid of free agency. It's not like if a guy gets to free agency you can't re-sign him. You're in a competitive market but, you know, you're in a competitive market anyway."
Chris Long is exactly who I would like every player to emulate in his position. He took his role with no complaints and did it to the best of his abilities. He handled his exit with pure class and appreciated everything about being a New England Patriot player. I wish him nothing but the best in the future and if there's not a role to your liking please come back to NE.
Sort of case by case. They certainly played hardball with Ty Law and Logan Mankins.
Just seems like there is a decent amount of straight talk that goes on in Foxboro. Belichick won't tell Long what he wants to hear and Long is being clear with what he wants, all while completely putting it to the side for the team when he was there. You may not like what Bill has to say, but it sounds like he is always prepared to talk to you like a grown up so you can make your choices like an adult. They don't blow smoke. In the end, isn't that the best way to define a true "players' coach"?