One player from another team you'd love to add to the Patriots

[BaseballJones]

Free acquisition, contract doesn't matter for this exercise. It certainly would be harder to do if we had to take contracts into account. The Pats are the beneficiary of a weird new expansion draft where every player on every team is exposed, and the Patriots get to pick ONE player from the rest of the NFL to be on the Patriots. In exchange, the Pats have to give up a starting player at the same position, so it's not like NE can add, say, Pat Mahomes as a backup to Tom Brady.

Which player from the rest of the NFL would you pick, and which presumptive starter (knowing that not every "starter" is in the books in NE's depth chart currently, so do your best) would you give up for this player?

You can decide if you want this as a GFIN now move to help get BB/TB another ring before TB retires. Or maybe you decide you want Mahomes to replace Brady and maybe set the Pats up for the next 15 years. Just give your selection and your reasoning.

 

[tims4wins]

Assuming Gronk doesn’t come back, I’d probably pick Kelce. Weakest position on the team IMO and area for biggest potential upgrade. Choosing TE over WR due to Harry.

 

[Bergs]

It pains me to say it, but I think it's Mahomes.

 

[BaseballJones]

My candidates:

- Aaron Donald. The D is already very very good. Imagine having that guy on the D-line? What a wrecking crew they'd have. So much better than anyone else they have, even though their D-line is workmanlike solid.
- Travis Kelce. Yep, agree with @tims4wins - he'd be a huge upgrade over what they have now.
- Patrick Mahomes. I'm with you, @Bergs - it would be SO hard to jettison Brady, but my word to have the team set with another star QB for the next 10-15 years? Very very hard to turn down.
- Khalil Mack. Another wrecking machine on D, would be a major upgrade.
- David Bakhtiari. All-pro left tackle, when right now the Pats have Joe Thuney converting to LT because Wynn still isn't recovered and even when he is, he's a rookie.

 

[tims4wins]

Which guy would you have to give up for Donald? Bennett? Same question on LT - I wouldn’t want to give up Wynn.

 

[BaseballJones]

Which guy would you have to give up for Donald? Bennett? Same question on LT - I wouldn’t want to give up Wynn.

Well right now Wynn isn't the starter. I'd assume Thuney is actually the LG meaning that there is no starter at LT so I'm kind of cheating a little on that one.

As for Donald...I'd give up Wise or Guy. Donald can play DE or DT. I mean, Donald is better - way better - than ANY defensive lineman the Pats currently have. I'd rather have Donald and Bennett paired up though, than give up Bennett. But there's not a person on earth that wouldn't do a 1-for-1 swap of Bennett for Donald right now if that was available to NE.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Kelce is the obvious answer but I’m going DeAndre Hopkins. Incredibly precise route runner with great hands + Brady? Yes, please.

 

[tims4wins]

Well right now Wynn isn't the starter. I'd assume Thuney is actually the LG meaning that there is no starter at LT so I'm kind of cheating a little on that one.

As for Donald...I'd give up Wise or Guy. Donald can play DE or DT. I mean, Donald is better - way better - than ANY defensive lineman the Pats currently have. I'd rather have Donald and Bennett paired up though, than give up Bennett. But there's not a person on earth that wouldn't do a 1-for-1 swap of Bennett for Donald right now if that was available to NE.

I hear ya was just trying to understand the rules. For TE it doesn’t matter who you give up. For DL it matters more. And for LT.

 

[Kliq]

Donald, Mack or JJ Watt. Tom and Josh will always be able to come up with enough offense to win games with lesser players; a destructive defensive player that forces turnovers would be ideal.

 

[edoug]

Being a BC fan, Luke would be pretty good.

 

[RIrooter09]

Donald

 

[Mugsy’s Walk-Off Bunt]

Mack is definitely my choice. Although Hopkins is tempting.

 

[snowmanny]

Hekker.

But that might be recency bias.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Hekker.

But that might be recency bias.

We might have drafted him. (Jake Bailey)

But that might be recency bias.

 

[j-man]

for denver mahaomes
for u aaron donald

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

Current moment, Kelce. TE is easily biggest gap. Failing that, a LT but I assume they feel comfortable with Wynn. D is fine.

 

[Ale Xander]

Fletcher Cox
Runners up: Donald, Mack, Amendola

 

[Was (Not Wasdin)]

I’d love to have Trent Brown back. I’d give up Wynn. That line just mashed during the playoff run.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Fletcher Cox
Runners up: Donald, Mack, Amendola

So you'd give up Edelman for Amendola?

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

So you'd give up Edelman for Amendola?

Why would they have to give up Edelman?

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Terrell Suggs, just so he could be given every humiliating rookie chore and hazing target... picking up pads, eating last, getting blown up running with the other scrubs in practice. And then Bill can leave him off the 45.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Why would they have to give up Edelman?

The opening post suggested you had to give up a player from the same position to get your guy

 

[Saints Rest]

Variations on the OP challenge to make it more interesting:
1. You get to pick any player on any team to come to the Pats, but then that team gets to pick the replacement (same position).
2. You get to pick any player on any team to come to the Pats, but then that team gets to pick any Patriot, any position.
3. Blend the two. You pick opponents player; then they pick a Patriot (any position). Then both teams pick a replacement from that position (this making it two players on each team moving to the other team).

For my option 1, I think DE or TE become the obvious choices as the Pats wouldn’t give up much in the replacement.
For 2, I think you have to try to pick from a team whose depth positions tend to be the same as yours. For example, if you pick Kelce, the Chiefs probably don’t take Brady, but rather Gilmore.
For 3, it becomes even more complicated.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Free acquisition, contract doesn't matter for this exercise. It certainly would be harder to do if we had to take contracts into account. The Pats are the beneficiary of a weird new expansion draft where every player on every team is exposed, and the Patriots get to pick ONE player from the rest of the NFL to be on the Patriots. In exchange, the Pats have to give up a starting player at the same position, so it's not like NE can add, say, Pat Mahomes as a backup to Tom Brady.

Which player from the rest of the NFL would you pick, and which presumptive starter (knowing that not every "starter" is in the books in NE's depth chart currently, so do your best) would you give up for this player?

You can decide if you want this as a GFIN now move to help get BB/TB another ring before TB retires. Or maybe you decide you want Mahomes to replace Brady and maybe set the Pats up for the next 15 years. Just give your selection and your reasoning.

I think the obvious answer here would be the best LT in football, whoever that is. It's a potential area of weakness with Brown's departure, Wynn's recovery, and the Pats apparently considering shifting their team's stud LG over to tackle.

 

[BigJimEd]

I agree with Donald. Beast in middle. Mack wound be good. Hopkins is interesting.
Fuller to team with Gilmore would make an impressive pair.

I can understand a LT. Kelce would be way down my list.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

The opening post suggested you had to give up a player from the same position to get your guy

Ok, but you realize there’s more than one starting WR and the two guys in question actually used to both start on same team right?

 

[bigq]

Khalil Mack for Elandon Roberts.

Mack is a disruptive force who causes a lot of turnovers (six forced fumbles and one interception in 13 starts in 2018). Roberts occasionally shoots the gap correctly and gets a big hit in the running game but thus far in his career has forced just one fumble. Roberts typically plays on the inside while Mack is on the outside but they are both LB so close enough. Would never work for salary cap purposes but that is outside of the scope of the OP.

And for the record Roberts had 11 starts in 2018.

 

[snowmanny]

Ok, but you realize there’s more than one starting WR and the two guys in question actually used to both start on same team right?

I interpreted it the same way as Lose but even by your reading I would regard the current WR starters as Edelman and Harry.

 

[reggiecleveland]

It pains me to say it, but I think it's Mahomes.

This is the only answer really.

 

[InstaFace]

for denver mahaomes
for u aaron donald

Yeah this isn't an interesting question for most teams, because the obvious answer for most of them is QB, whether you prefer Brady, Mahomes or Rodgers. Only teams with top-5 QBs have much of a choice to consider.

Me I'd want the best cover CB, except we'd have to give up Gilmore. So I'd probably look at MLB for playmaking and IQ, maybe a Bobby Wagner. I think the upgrade from Hightower would be worth it.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Ok, but you realize there’s more than one starting WR and the two guys in question actually used to both start on same team right?

I interpreted it the same way as Lose but even by your reading I would regard the current WR starters as Edelman and Harry.

Exactly. And I expect the other team would chose Edelman for the sure thing since we have a "contracts don't matter" clause here. And I'm not sure anyone would give up Edelman in 2019 for Amendola.

But it's an Ale Xander suggestion, so maybe one person would.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

I understand this is all just for fun, but I'm not sure I'd use ink writing in Harry as a starter and I'm assuming they start 3 WR, but "starter" is obviously a vague term for the NFL. especially for the skill positions.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

Mack or Donald resonate. Mahomes if you want to tell Brady to take a hike, personally I couldn’t do that but that’s probably the right answer from a cold hearted “how to extend the Dynasty” standpoint.

Amendola is a ridiculous suggestion.

 

[snowmanny]

Mack or Donald resonate. Mahomes if you want to tell Brady to take a hike, personally I couldn’t do that but that’s probably the right answer from a cold hearted “how to extend the Dynasty” standpoint.

Amendola is a ridiculous suggestion.

Yeah Mahomes is the definitely the actual right answer (even though it would cost the Patriots the AFCCG next January.)