Patriots & NFL Free Agency Updates 2015

[kozlodoev]

Pot Roast Knighton signs with the Redskins for one year $4M (seems cheap to me).
Relevant news bc he might have been a replacement for Vince.

I read an article that teams backed away from Pot Roast because he was very out of shape.  Must have been an unacceptable version of big and round.

I didn't realize there was an unacceptable version of big and round for a nose tackle

[colincb]

Another WR on the Patriots radar. Sounds like their MO, good route runner on the cheap.

Report: Patriots ‘targeting’ Stevie Johnson

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2015/03/13/report-patriots-in-on-stevie-johnson/


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And Miguel has us with $12+ million in cap room to spend entering the post-frenzy phase of free agency.  Some dumb deals out there as usual.

https://twitter.com/patscap


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Lastly, Reggie Bush was in today, but no word on an offer. Would be a nice step up from Vereen.

[jambr380]

Would love Reggie and Stevie - both former 'stars', but still at a reasonable age. They should each be able to have killer comeback years with the Pats.

[Cman]

Another WR on the Patriots radar. Sounds like their MO, good route runner on the cheap.

Report: Patriots ‘targeting’ Stevie Johnson

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2015/03/13/report-patriots-in-on-stevie-johnson/


~~~

And Miguel has us with $12+ million in cap room to spend entering the post-frenzy phase of free agency.  Some dumb deals out there as usual.

https://twitter.com/patscap


~~~

Lastly, Reggie Bush was in today, but no word on an offer. Would be a nice step up from Vereen.

Bush signed with the 49ers today.
So, on to the next person...Pierre Thomas?

[Cman]

Reports that Texans and Colts are no longer looking at Vince Wilfork, potentially leaving just the Ravens and New England.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/16/reports-vince-wilfork-wont-sign-with-texans-colts/

I'd be quite excited if the Pats can re-sign Vince. I feel like that will help shore up the defense. Yes, it won't be the same without Revis and Browner, but Vince brings a whole lot of veteran leadership and stability to the DL.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Reports that Texans and Colts are no longer looking at Vince Wilfork, potentially leaving just the Ravens and New England.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/16/reports-vince-wilfork-wont-sign-with-texans-colts/

I'd be quite excited if the Pats can re-sign Vince. I feel like that will help shore up the defense. Yes, it won't be the same without Revis and Browner, but Vince brings a whole lot of veteran leadership and stability to the DL.

I want him back—I think he's still good enough as a player, and a great leader—as long as the price is right.

[Cman]

Reports that Texans and Colts are no longer looking at Vince Wilfork, potentially leaving just the Ravens and New England.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/16/reports-vince-wilfork-wont-sign-with-texans-colts/

I'd be quite excited if the Pats can re-sign Vince. I feel like that will help shore up the defense. Yes, it won't be the same without Revis and Browner, but Vince brings a whole lot of veteran leadership and stability to the DL.

I want him back—I think he's still good enough as a player, and a great leader—as long as the price is right.

Ummmm, I guess I had some bad info earlier, because Vince just signed with the Texans....

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/577554358981783552/photo/1

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Reports that Texans and Colts are no longer looking at Vince Wilfork, potentially leaving just the Ravens and New England.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/16/reports-vince-wilfork-wont-sign-with-texans-colts/

I'd be quite excited if the Pats can re-sign Vince. I feel like that will help shore up the defense. Yes, it won't be the same without Revis and Browner, but Vince brings a whole lot of veteran leadership and stability to the DL.

I want him back—I think he's still good enough as a player, and a great leader—as long as the price is right.

Ummmm, I guess I had some bad info earlier, because Vince just signed with the Texans....

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/577554358981783552/photo/1

Hahahaha, no problem 

I wish the Pats could've made a way to bring him back, but I wish Vince the best.

Edit: There's an update on your original link, which includes an interesting tidbit I didn't realize:

The defensive lineman visited Houston ... where former Patriots coaches Bill O’Brien and Romeo Crennel, along with former Wilfork teammate Mike Vrabel, are all on the coaching staff.

[Cman]

Another WR on the Patriots radar. Sounds like their MO, good route runner on the cheap.

Report: Patriots ‘targeting’ Stevie Johnson

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2015/03/13/report-patriots-in-on-stevie-johnson/

And it looks like Stevie is headed to the Chargers, not the Pats. I guess no one likes our low ball offers.... 

[Eja117]

I am loving this offseason for the Pats (within the context of losing Revis, Browner, and Dennard)

They tremendously upgraded the front 7 (at least for the long term) adding 4 decent rookies, Jabaal Sheard, and one would expect Dominique Easely to be better and Chandler Jones is still in the improvement phase of his career. They also get back Jerod Mayo, and they signed a free agent LB as well to help with the loss of Ayers and Casillas.

They added two rookie DBs in the draft (including what seems to be a highly intelligent one) and one as a college free agent (M Butler was a college free agent. You never know), and they brought in 3 vet DBs in free agency.

They added two decent rookies to the OL but added another college free agent with a ton of starts at Georgia. That goes with any improvement from Cameron Flemming that they drafted last year. And Stork is still in the improvement phase.

The running backs are fine. James White had a year to grow and they brought in Travaris Cadet and that youngin Tyler Gaffney comes off the injured reserve.  Between Blount, Gray, White, Gaffney, Bolden, and Cadet I think they're fine there.

They added receivers too. They added two in free agency, they added Scott Chandler at TE, they added TE in the draft, and two college free agents, so the competition at the bottom should be pretty good. Dobson, Boyce, and Tyms are still in the improvement phase.

At DB L Ryan, Tavon Wilson, Ebner, Harmon, M Butler, and even Kyle Arrington are all still in the improvement phase of their career.

The team now has about as much depth and youth as you could possibly ask it to have at every position except DB where they have a ton of youth and a pro bowl safety. But they have a heck of a front 7 to help them out.

And for what it's worth the Seahawks didn't have a first round pick.

They don't have to be great on day one. They just have to be great when they hit the playoffs

[PhoSita]

I like that Belichick placed an emphasis on adding talent and depth to the front seven on defense.

We'll see if these guys actually have the physical ability to pressure opposing offensive lines and get to the quarterback.  They're going to need the pass rush to be a lot better this year with the secondary so much weaker.

[Roy H.]

for what it's worth the Seahawks didn't have a first round pick.

I'm not sure that it's worth a lot, when they added Jimmy Graham with that pick.

On paper, I think the Pats took a step backward, and the Seahawks probably got better overall.  They're still the two best teams in the NFL, but there are so many variables that it makes it extremely unlikely we'll see a Super Bowl rematch.

[boscel33]

A lot of people are upset that they didn't add a top level CB.  Listening to 98.5 yesterday, one thought is that, after the top three CB's were gone, the Pats felt that the other CB's were not better than what they already had.  That's an interesting angle to take, and one not mentioned by most.  If you're not upgrading a position, then why waste the pick, why not choose another position. 

[Eja117]

A lot of people are upset that they didn't add a top level CB.  Listening to 98.5 yesterday, one thought is that, after the top three CB's were gone, the Pats felt that the other CB's were not better than what they already had.  That's an interesting angle to take, and one not mentioned by most.  If you're not upgrading a position, then why waste the pick, why not choose another position.

Exactly. Whereas they really did have significant needs elsewhere on the team that they may very well have plugged up now for a long time.

[Donoghus]

Outside Brown falling to them, I felt pretty underwhelmed.   I do like the fact that they continue to add depth to that front seven on defense, though.  Can't have enough quality depth there and it looks like they're trying to build that.  Stronger front seven means less pressure on the secondary.