Your Grade for 2014 Offseason

[SeoulSoxFan]

I think Mallett trade puts a nice cap to the exciting offseason. From the FA pick ups to the draft to the UDFA signings, what grade would you give the FO?

A safe and solid B+ for me. Revis signing dampened a bit by Browner's lackluster PS, while JG's emergence is encouraging.

Potential to move up to an A if Easley holds up and Butler and Tyms actually stick around as starters or rotational players.

 

[Reverend]

You left out Mr. Wright and LaFell. They could put out some packages of really big receivers some plays.

 

[Stitch01]

If we are waiting for results (ie if Easley plays well, how Browner does with the lights on) I'd say the range is still really wide, from an A plus to a C plus. Revis being peak Revis would make it hard not to be an A just by itself.

Id say B plus given what we know now. I think they should have done a little more on the OL if moving Mankins was a real option and Smith/Anderson were whiffs at places where the team needed help, but I thought focusing on the secondary, the Easley pick, and the focus in the rest of the draft was all pretty smart.

 

[bankshot1]

I'm in "B" land, I think the Revis trade was hugely positive, and am generally positive with the D (stay healthy). The offense should be improved with the maturing (a little) of the receivers, but a lot hinges on how the O-line pans out.

 

[jaimecohenl]

Sc añiñ

 

[ragnarok725]

I don't know why everyone is being so conservative with the grades here. They picked up Darrelle Revis. He's one of the best defensive backs in the game, maybe one of the best defensive players in the game. He's a leader for the defense and could make everyone else back there better. He's a guy that addresses one of the team's most significant weaknesses the last 5 years.
 
On top of that, they made a lot of really other really solid moves. Preseason doesn't scare me off Browner - we're going to be super happy to see him lining up across from Julius Thomas and the like. They addressed the receivers issue as well as you can while making a big splash elsewhere. [SIZE=13.63636302948px] They retained Julian Edelman, [/SIZE]LaFell looked better in camp and has received significant praise from BB, and Tim Wright looks like he could help. The draft yielded an exciting prospect in Easley, a succession plan that people seem to be genuinely excited about in Jimmy G, and some other pieces along the OL.
 
If all of that isn't an A offseason, then they've been in the D to C range the last several years and half the teams out there this year are getting a F.

 

[pappymojo]

A+

 

[Reverend]

I'm with ragnarok--this is a tough crowd.

They went to the AFC title game last year and appear to have upgraded perhaps most of the units, with the chance of having massively upgraded a couple of them.

Go read the Cowboys thread or something if you need some perspective. Although bosoxen might reach through his monitor and shove a pencil through your eye socket.

 

[mwonow]

They get an A for Revis alone. If Easley can play the way people say he can, they nudge up from there.
 
Good health for Vince and Mayo - two more huge upgrades over last year's AFC championship game squad.
 
I don't know if it's fair to just point to "another year", but receivers are generally better year 2, and the Pats played a couple of rooks pretty extensively in 2013. Plus Collins.
 
Oh, and also - Browner, and an upgrade at backup QB.
 
I'm gonna go on pretending Chung didn't happen.

 

[Tony C]

I don't know why everyone is being so conservative with the grades here. They picked up Darrelle Revis. He's one of the best defensive backs in the game, maybe one of the best defensive players in the game. He's a leader for the defense and could make everyone else back there better. He's a guy that addresses one of the team's most significant weaknesses the last 5 years.
 
On top of that, they made a lot of really other really solid moves. Preseason doesn't scare me off Browner - we're going to be super happy to see him lining up across from Julius Thomas and the like. They addressed the receivers issue as well as you can while making a big splash elsewhere.  They retained Julian Edelman, LaFell looked better in camp and has received significant praise from BB, and Tim Wright looks like he could help. The draft yielded an exciting prospect in Easley, a succession plan that people seem to be genuinely excited about in Jimmy G, and some other pieces along the OL.
 
If all of that isn't an A offseason, then they've been in the D to C range the last several years and half the teams out there this year are getting a F.

Amen. My thoughts precisely.
 
edit: A+ will come if the OL guys (Stork, Fleming...) they picked up later work out. That'd be the cherry on the sundae on what has been an unreal off-season as I do share the concern about the interior OL. But not all holes can be fixed and the OL should at a minimum be solid. And I don't want to hear anything about being fanboyish -- I'm fanboyish (and only a quarter serious -- it's mostly a binky goof) about a guy like Finch. The idea that seeing this off-season was anything other than an A or A- is not fanboyish.  Who are the teams that improved more? Arguably Houston (with the #1 overall), but I don't really think so.  Maybe Denver as I really like their moves. Beyond that it's a matter of whether or not drafted QBs work out --  Jacksonville, Oakland and/or Minnesota will rank as As if Bortles, Carr, T Bridge work out (same for Cleveland with Manziel, but...heh), but I have as much confidence in JG at this point as in Teddy B. or Derek Carr. And leaving that to future, Revis, Browner, Easley, Wright along with a back-up QB with a lot of upside at a cost of Talib and Mankins is a terrific great off-season.

 

[soxfan121]

Incomplete. Check back in January and then again in three years from now (on the rookies). 
 
I'm just about ready to grade the 2011 offseason and draft. 

 

[ivanvamp]

Obviously it's very hard to put a final grade on this offseason, because who knows what JG will become, who knows if Easley's knees will hold up, etc.  However, if we *must* give a grade, here's mine:  A-.
 
Love the Easley pick, though I was surprised on draft day by it.  Kid can be a monster.
 
Obviously, Revis alone makes this a great offseason.
 
Despite him not playing great in preseason, I still love the Browner signing.
 
JG could be legitimately the heir apparent.  One day we may look back on that pick as THE PICK that transitioned the Patriots successfully from Brady to the next era.
 
Like the new OL guys they added.
 
Also like the new receivers (LaFell, Wright).  
 
Long story short, I think this team is significantly improved from last year's edition.  Of course, guys returning from injury helps a great deal (Wilfork, Mayo, etc.).  
 
Losing Mankins probably is the one big loss, but by season's end I don't think it'll end up really hurting much.  Other than that, I can't really think of a single negative from the offseason.