FA WRs: Who's left?

[TheoShmeo]

Given the likely difference in roles, it's hard to blame him.  Plus, SD isn't exactly Buffalo.
 
Still, this is disappointing.  After Edelman, LaFell and Amendola, the Pats are pretty thin at WR.  It obviously didn't hurt them last year, but it would have been nice to have a talent like Johnson (or Harvin) if any of those three went down for more than a game or two.
 
Is there anyone left on the market worth pursuing?

 

[jsinger121]

Given the likely difference in roles, it's hard to blame him.  Plus, SD isn't exactly Buffalo.
 
Still, this is disappointing.  After Edelman, LaFell and Amendola, the Pats are pretty thin at WR.  It obviously didn't hurt them last year, but it would have been nice to have a talent like Johnson (or Harvin) if any of those three went down for more than a game or two.
 
Is there anyone left on the market worth pursuing?

 
Crabtree and Bowe are still out there.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

So is Greg Jennings. Best out of the lot.

 

[jsinger121]

So is Greg Jennings. Best out of the lot.

 
And probably the best route runner of the available receivers. Probably even better than Stevie Johnson.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

New thread for FA WRs.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

I'd take Crabtree. He's a risk, of course, but healthy he's better than Stevie Johnson.

 

[Stitch01]

Hakeem Nicks, Reggie Wayne, Greg Jennings stand out to me although Reggie looked really toasty last year.
 
Im comfortable going into camp with this position group and a mid round draft pick though, but Im still an optimist on Dobson.

 

[dynomite]

I actually really like Greg Jennings, but I think he might head for familiarity and a bigger role elsewhere -- maybe the Dolphins (Philbin is his former OC and Jennings would be a starter)?

Edit: Also, between Gronk/Chandler/Wright how many 3-4 WR sets are the Patriots going to run? Especially if they sign a pass-catching RB like Helu (or use White?), doesn't seem like they will need a 4th WR to play a big role, especially not one who will cost much.

 

[Super Nomario]

I'd take Crabtree. He's a risk, of course, but healthy he's better than Stevie Johnson.

Crabtree is also a product of the Texas Tech offense that produced Welker and Amendola (he was actually a teammate of Amendola's). He was terrific in 2012 and seemed to be making a comeback from his Achilles tear late in 2013, but he did nothing last year and was effectively benched down the stretch (just 46 snaps in the last two games). Then again, I don't really understand anything that happened with San Francisco's offense last year, so maybe he should get a pass. I'm guessing he'll get real money from someone, though.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

Crab has the highest ceiling, IMHO, but he's also supposedly a bit of a head case.

 

[Rusty13]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet 1m1 minute ago
The #Chargers will pay WR Stevie Johnson $10.5M over three years, source said. He can get to $12M. He’ll be a big part of their offense.
 
Mark Daniels ‏@MarkDanielsPJ 1m1 minute ago
To put the Stevie Johnson $10.5 million/3 years into perspective, the Patriots gave Brandon LaFell $9 million over three years last year.

 

[DanoooME]

But the Johnson deal is better than Eddie Royal's deal with the Bears (3 yrs, $15M, $10M guaranteed) or Dwayne Harris' with the Giants (5 yrs, $17.5M, $7.1M guaranteed) assuming the majority of that isn't guaranteed.  Is there any difference between Royal and Johnson at this point?  And Harris is only 1 year younger than the other two.

 

[Ed Hillel]

I like Johnson, but that's too much to spend on a guy who may have been competing to remain active each week. I like Jennings quite a bit, but he's going to get a deal probably north of Johnson's, ditto with Crabtree. Maybe they can get Nicks cheap, but I'm not a fan and not sure he'd make the roster. Remember when SoSH wanted to trade the pick that became Jamie Collins for a Nicks rental a couple years back? Good times.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Do the Patriots even need a WR? I didn't understand the pursuit of Johnson, frankly.

I don't really see the need. Would much rather they allocate the remaining cap on guys who get cut post-June 1 (and Greg Hardy) and extensions for guys like Hightower, Solder, Collins, Jones. Not all have to get done this year, but Jones and Solder are UFA in less than 12 months.

 

[DourDoerr]

I don't really see the need. Would much rather they allocate the remaining cap on guys who get cut post-June 1 (and Greg Hardy) and extensions for guys like Hightower, Solder, Collins, Jones. Not all have to get done this year, but Jones and Solder are UFA in less than 12 months.

I'll second this.  I was intrigued by Johnson but not at that money.  I'd much rather look to locking up the young talent, particularly on the defense.  As we're seeing, once they get near free agency, it's almost impossible - and very expensive - to keep them.  Don't know why they gambled on McCourty.  Once he got on the market, it was lucky and, again, more expensive to retain him.  The price for Chandler and Collins in particular - if they continue to develop - will be prohibitive.
 
Since Amendola, Edelman and LaFell are still in their primes, the Pats have a couple of years to draft and develop  WR's.  Dobson's still on the roster too and maybe someday he'll be healthy.  Tyms also had some interesting moments and he's still here.  If either can make the leap, we'll be in good shape.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

I don't really see the need. Would much rather they allocate the remaining cap on guys who get cut post-June 1 (and Greg Hardy) and extensions for guys like Hightower, Solder, Collins, Jones. Not all have to get done this year, but Jones and Solder are UFA in less than 12 months.

 
I see do a need. Currently the roster is thin at the WR & at CB. Literally serviceable bodies, not special team/fodders like Dorsey or Gibson.
 
It's so early that signing someone like Jennings (or Johnson) is critical, and am 99% sure some other vet will be picked up before or during training camp, but I'm not sure that there isn't a need. 

 

[Ed Hillel]

 
I see do a need. Currently the roster is thin at the WR & at CB. Literally serviceable bodies, not special team/fodders like Dorsey or Gibson.
 
It's so early that signing someone like Jennings (or Johnson) is critical, and am 99% sure some other vet will be picked up before or during training camp, but I'm not sure that there isn't a need. 

 
What about offensive line? As of now, Kline/Devey/Cannon are fighting for a starting Guard spot. Ryan Wendell is the other starter. They probably need 2 starting caliber players there to feel comfortable.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Several of us mentioned this in the TE thread, but perhaps they're thinking of making Wright a WR again

 

[Klostrophobic]

 
I see do a need. Currently the roster is thin at the WR & at CB. Literally serviceable bodies, not special team/fodders like Dorsey or Gibson.
 
It's so early that signing someone like Jennings (or Johnson) is critical, and am 99% sure some other vet will be picked up before or during training camp, but I'm not sure that there isn't a need. 

I guess if you look at it as a strictly WR conversation, they might be thin but they also have three receiving TE which is basically unheard of in the NFL. Gronk, Wright, LaFell, Edelman, Chandler, Amendola—that's a solid group of receivers. What player are they going to add that upgrades the receiving core? Is Greg Jennings going to add anything to this group? Dwayne Bowe? Does he suck or has he just been in a garbage system for WR? I was intrigued by Steve Johnson because he gave them the potential for a deep-threat, but Brady also throws an ugly deep ball, so maybe that's not even a position worth investing in.

 

[RG33]

I'm in the camp that Crabtree offers some pretty significant upside if they could get him on a short "prove it" deal. He has incredible hands and will be two years out from his injury. I think he would be worth a flyer, but would have to imagine that somebody out there offers him a deal with the ridiculous deals that have been given out to pretty marginal WRs so far.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
I see do a need. Currently the roster is thin at the WR & at CB. Literally serviceable bodies, not special team/fodders like Dorsey or Gibson.
 
It's so early that signing someone like Jennings (or Johnson) is critical, and am 99% sure some other vet will be picked up before or during training camp, but I'm not sure that there isn't a need. 

What do you mean by serviceable bodies? I count five WR (Edelman, LaFell, Amendola, Dobson, Gibson) who've had at least 500 yard seasons in the NFL, and a couple other guys (Tyms and Boyce) who the Pats have thought worth keeping on the roster in recent seasons. How deep do you want to go?
 
CB is a little thinner, but there are four guys (Ryan, Butler, Arrington, Dennard) who have been big contributors of late, and Chekwa / Green / Swanson are at least interesting. Plus you have McCourty with CB experience. I see that as more of a top end problem than a depth problem.

 

[E5 Yaz]

CB is a little thinner, but there are four guys (Ryan, Butler, Arrington, Dennard) who have been big contributors of late, and Chekwa / Green / Swanson are at least interesting. Plus you have McCourty with CB experience. I see that as more of a top end problem than a depth problem.

 
They can all wear "He's the shutdown corner" t-shirts.
 
Someone else said that already, didn't they?
 
On topic, I'm not seeing a crying need at WR. I think they might have been intrigued with Johnson's rep against Revis.
 
A pass catcher out of the backfield, though; a Vereen substitute would be nice

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

We need to sign Crabtree so he can reach his full potential in helping the Pats win the Super Bowl 50 rematch against Richard Sherman and the Seahawks IN the 49ers Stadium. That would make for quite a media storm leading up to the Big Game. Unless someone let's a ball lose pressure just because science and, ya know, winter or whatever.

 

[dynomite]

I'm in the camp that Crabtree offers some pretty significant upside if they could get him on a short "prove it" deal.

I just think some desperate team is going to pay him like a superstar and hope he is one. Just guessing, I'd look at the Bucs, the Washingtons, the Raiders, all of whom probably want to make a "splash" and haven't yet done so.

Very, very unlikely he ends up on the Pats in my opinion.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Does it seem odd that we've heard almost nothing about Crabtree or any teams expressing interest in him? Or am I just not seeing those reports?

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

According to Florio, not a lot of action for Crabtree.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/17/some-veteran-receivers-are-getting-no-sniffs/

I would take him on a decent-ish $$$ and otherwise incentive-laden deal to guard against games lost to injury.

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

Perfect

Tampa, Oakland or Washington overpay

Just like always these teams do what *my* first instincts say to do

I'm no expert - and from the past performance of these teams plus Miami, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami - these teams suck always largely because they make splashes. Overpay - cut players the next year - eat dead money - hire idiot retread or Neanderthal coaches, etc.

Some if these teams will never ever win until the owners and/or management dies.

Fwiw, Indy would be in the same boat now if they didn't have a young stud QB. They will lose despite him based on their idiotic moves this off season.

Fwiw - I only know what I know today from reading this board diligently the last 4-5 years. I used to *think* I knew a bit about football until I found real experts here.