With Revis in the fold and our collective boners fading after the four-hour limit, conversation is turning to what comes next.
In several threads, there are various proposals, ideas and daydreams being pitched, as well as discussion about what to do about veterans with large cap hits (Vince, etc.).
Based on Miguel's Cap Page (a vital resource for anyone interested in the Pats), there is still money left to spend. How much depends on what happens with some possible cuts, restructurings and/or extensions. Suffice to say, the Pats can still bring in five or six free agents with moderate price tags and still have draft picks to use in May.
My own ideas/daydreams:
1. Sign Julius Peppers. The rumored price tag of $4M/season would be manageable and he was not obviously washed up at the end of 2013. He is older than Jared Allen but he's also a better all-around player (i.e. makes an effort against the run) and cheaper. Adding Peppers to the Jones/Ninkovich/JAGs at DE would do many things for the defense and having three legit "starters" might help keep them all healthier, energetic and active. Plus, Peppers is absolutely in his "get a ring" phase, so $4M might even be a little high (based on what Freeney/Abraham got last season, it would be right in the range).
2. Sign Wesley Woodyard. He's been in for a visit, where I think he was given a very interesting proposal - to play the Rodney Harrison role in the defense on 1st down and to be a coverage weapon on 3rd down. Safety - strong safety, if you must - is a spot without a clear starter to pair with McCourty. Harmon provides good depth and it seems Tavon Wilson is a bust as a defender but is a key special teamer, as is Nate Ebner. Woodyard is a small, undersized (6', 233) LB with excellent coverage skills. He is seemingly a very poor fit for the Patriots as a LB - I cannot recall a single player with those dimensions being a full-time LB under Belichick. But I have seen BB's fascination with big safeties. Rodney. Tank Williams. Don Davis (converted LB). Woodyard as a Safety seems crazy until you pair it with Revis Island and then a guy who has no experience as a Safety makes a bit of sense as the underneath cover guy, run support and TE coverage specialist. Also, it hurts a direct rival and I'm not above that kind of petty thinking.
3. Sign Steve "Crazy Pants" Smith. Yes, he is also 34. Yes, I am sort of advocating putting the 2003 Carolina Panthers back together (where's my Delhomme?!) And 48 hours ago, I would have made the following arguments AGAINST this idea: he punches teammates, he's a bit of diva, he yells at QBs when they don't throw him the ball, he's 34, he's obviously in decline. So...there's that.
But Steve Smith is one of the most competitive motherfuckers in the NFL. We all saw him crawl inside Aqib Talib's head during the game in 2013. We saw him set up camp, set a fire, toast some marshmallows and draw some penalties. He is short but he might be the strongest man of his size in the league. He wants a ring. He has reportedly matured into a leader and a positive presence (i.e. no longer punches teammates for fucking around during film sessions). And he will absolutely love the idea of playing against Talib TWICE, in big games. Can you give him a $1M bonus if he gets Talib ejected from one of those games? (no? shit. can we take up a collection?) Steve is a smart, outspoken guy and he would be SO much fun.
4. Sign an interior OL. Phil Costa? Shelley Smith? Whatever. I trust they know what they are doing. I think Wendell is gone, Connolly is going back to C on a small extension (to lower his cap hit) and Cannon plays RG. I mean, Cannon has to start somewhere, right? So a back up Center for short-term starter Connolly makes the most sense. Also need to retain Will Svitek or something similar.
And draft an interior OL with one of the first two picks. Mankins has to go next year (cap number) and Connolly is fine as a stopgap and Cannon might be the long term solution at RG...but this area is in flux. And Vollmer better get healthy and stay healthy or this could be a problem area again.
5. Vince. I think Bedard might be right - the Pats will carry Vince and his cap hit into camp and then look at his form and recovery before making the decision. That complicates the cap and maybe even the moves I've suggested above. But I also think that if Vince looks like Ted Washington Redux in camp - not able to penetrate but able to collapse and/or just not be moved - they'll keep him around to anchor (literally) the line.
This means a DT is also a draft priority, with one of the first two picks. Armond Armstead still around? Will Tommy Kelly take a phantom extension that allows them to just convert salary to a bonus to stick around? Will he be healthy? Is Vellano JAG? What about Chris Jones? Is Siliga for real?
Healthy, immovable Wilfork and healthy Tommy Kelly, backed by Siliga, a draft pick, Armstead and Jones might be a good unit. Or it might be a disaster.
ETA: James Casey would be an upgrade on Develin. Depending on if the Sproles-to-the-Eagles rumors are true, he might be cut. Or I can dream about it.
In several threads, there are various proposals, ideas and daydreams being pitched, as well as discussion about what to do about veterans with large cap hits (Vince, etc.).
Based on Miguel's Cap Page (a vital resource for anyone interested in the Pats), there is still money left to spend. How much depends on what happens with some possible cuts, restructurings and/or extensions. Suffice to say, the Pats can still bring in five or six free agents with moderate price tags and still have draft picks to use in May.
My own ideas/daydreams:
1. Sign Julius Peppers. The rumored price tag of $4M/season would be manageable and he was not obviously washed up at the end of 2013. He is older than Jared Allen but he's also a better all-around player (i.e. makes an effort against the run) and cheaper. Adding Peppers to the Jones/Ninkovich/JAGs at DE would do many things for the defense and having three legit "starters" might help keep them all healthier, energetic and active. Plus, Peppers is absolutely in his "get a ring" phase, so $4M might even be a little high (based on what Freeney/Abraham got last season, it would be right in the range).
2. Sign Wesley Woodyard. He's been in for a visit, where I think he was given a very interesting proposal - to play the Rodney Harrison role in the defense on 1st down and to be a coverage weapon on 3rd down. Safety - strong safety, if you must - is a spot without a clear starter to pair with McCourty. Harmon provides good depth and it seems Tavon Wilson is a bust as a defender but is a key special teamer, as is Nate Ebner. Woodyard is a small, undersized (6', 233) LB with excellent coverage skills. He is seemingly a very poor fit for the Patriots as a LB - I cannot recall a single player with those dimensions being a full-time LB under Belichick. But I have seen BB's fascination with big safeties. Rodney. Tank Williams. Don Davis (converted LB). Woodyard as a Safety seems crazy until you pair it with Revis Island and then a guy who has no experience as a Safety makes a bit of sense as the underneath cover guy, run support and TE coverage specialist. Also, it hurts a direct rival and I'm not above that kind of petty thinking.
3. Sign Steve "Crazy Pants" Smith. Yes, he is also 34. Yes, I am sort of advocating putting the 2003 Carolina Panthers back together (where's my Delhomme?!) And 48 hours ago, I would have made the following arguments AGAINST this idea: he punches teammates, he's a bit of diva, he yells at QBs when they don't throw him the ball, he's 34, he's obviously in decline. So...there's that.
But Steve Smith is one of the most competitive motherfuckers in the NFL. We all saw him crawl inside Aqib Talib's head during the game in 2013. We saw him set up camp, set a fire, toast some marshmallows and draw some penalties. He is short but he might be the strongest man of his size in the league. He wants a ring. He has reportedly matured into a leader and a positive presence (i.e. no longer punches teammates for fucking around during film sessions). And he will absolutely love the idea of playing against Talib TWICE, in big games. Can you give him a $1M bonus if he gets Talib ejected from one of those games? (no? shit. can we take up a collection?) Steve is a smart, outspoken guy and he would be SO much fun.
4. Sign an interior OL. Phil Costa? Shelley Smith? Whatever. I trust they know what they are doing. I think Wendell is gone, Connolly is going back to C on a small extension (to lower his cap hit) and Cannon plays RG. I mean, Cannon has to start somewhere, right? So a back up Center for short-term starter Connolly makes the most sense. Also need to retain Will Svitek or something similar.
And draft an interior OL with one of the first two picks. Mankins has to go next year (cap number) and Connolly is fine as a stopgap and Cannon might be the long term solution at RG...but this area is in flux. And Vollmer better get healthy and stay healthy or this could be a problem area again.
5. Vince. I think Bedard might be right - the Pats will carry Vince and his cap hit into camp and then look at his form and recovery before making the decision. That complicates the cap and maybe even the moves I've suggested above. But I also think that if Vince looks like Ted Washington Redux in camp - not able to penetrate but able to collapse and/or just not be moved - they'll keep him around to anchor (literally) the line.
This means a DT is also a draft priority, with one of the first two picks. Armond Armstead still around? Will Tommy Kelly take a phantom extension that allows them to just convert salary to a bonus to stick around? Will he be healthy? Is Vellano JAG? What about Chris Jones? Is Siliga for real?
Healthy, immovable Wilfork and healthy Tommy Kelly, backed by Siliga, a draft pick, Armstead and Jones might be a good unit. Or it might be a disaster.
ETA: James Casey would be an upgrade on Develin. Depending on if the Sproles-to-the-Eagles rumors are true, he might be cut. Or I can dream about it.
