2022 Patriots free agency period

[E5 Yaz]

Mike Reiss take a guess as to who's leaving, staying or could go either way

2. Free-agent forecast: It's always risky business to predict how things will unfold with Patriots free agents, but let's have some fun and share this reporter's viewpoint.

• More likely to depart: LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, OT Trent Brown, LB Jamie Collins Sr., LB Dont'a Hightower, CB J.C. Jackson
• More likely to stay: QB Brian Hoyer, McCourty, Slater
• Could go either way: RB Brandon Bolden, K Nick Folk, C/G Ted Karras, RB James White
• Bold predictions: Hightower in Pittsburgh, with the Brian Flores connection ... Karras playing himself into a $5 million per-year range deal ... Restricted free agents Gunner Olszewski and Jakob Johnson signing two-year deals instead of being tendered.

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4824993/culture-first-projecting-the-new-england-patriots-plans-in-free-agency

 

[BigSoxFan]

Mike Reiss take a guess as to who's leaving, staying or could go either way

2. Free-agent forecast: It's always risky business to predict how things will unfold with Patriots free agents, but let's have some fun and share this reporter's viewpoint.

• More likely to depart: LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, OT Trent Brown, LB Jamie Collins Sr., LB Dont'a Hightower, CB J.C. Jackson
• More likely to stay: QB Brian Hoyer, McCourty, Slater
• Could go either way: RB Brandon Bolden, K Nick Folk, C/G Ted Karras, RB James White
• Bold predictions: Hightower in Pittsburgh, with the Brian Flores connection ... Karras playing himself into a $5 million per-year range deal ... Restricted free agents Gunner Olszewski and Jakob Johnson signing two-year deals instead of being tendered.

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4824993/culture-first-projecting-the-new-england-patriots-plans-in-free-agency

Pitt was the most serious non-Pats suitor of Hightower a few years back too, right?

 

[E5 Yaz]

Pitt was the most serious non-Pats suitor of Hightower a few years back too, right?

Yep

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/03/15/donta-hightower-patriotrs-steelers-free-agency-rumors-2017-lawrence-timmons-ryan-shazier/stories/201703150164

 

[E5 Yaz]

Further in Reiss's column, he talk about a sneaky big decision ... namely Folk.

The two-year, $4.5 million contract that Zane Gonzalez agreed to with the Panthers last week is the league's most recent kicker contract. Some informed observers believe that's a ballpark of where Folk can realistically expect to be. To others, it might not be enough because Folk, while older and not one to regularly kick off, has been better.

 

[54thMA]

Too bad about Trent Brown, understood he's an injury concern, but the offensive line was a tire fire with him out early in the season, it got much better once he returned.

 

[BaseballJones]

Mike Reiss take a guess as to who's leaving, staying or could go either way

2. Free-agent forecast: It's always risky business to predict how things will unfold with Patriots free agents, but let's have some fun and share this reporter's viewpoint.

• More likely to depart: LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, OT Trent Brown, LB Jamie Collins Sr., LB Dont'a Hightower, CB J.C. Jackson
• More likely to stay: QB Brian Hoyer, McCourty, Slater
• Could go either way: RB Brandon Bolden, K Nick Folk, C/G Ted Karras, RB James White
• Bold predictions: Hightower in Pittsburgh, with the Brian Flores connection ... Karras playing himself into a $5 million per-year range deal ... Restricted free agents Gunner Olszewski and Jakob Johnson signing two-year deals instead of being tendered.

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4824993/culture-first-projecting-the-new-england-patriots-plans-in-free-agency

Losing Bentley, Hightower, Collins, and Van Noy - basically the vast majority of the whole line backing corps.

 

[Rico Guapo]

Losing Bentley, Hightower, Collins, and Van Noy - basically the vast majority of the whole line backing corps.

Not a bad thing considering how poorly they played last year especially down the stretch.

 

[DeadlySplitter]

"Patriots have decided to use the 2nd-round tender on WR Jakobi Meyers, per his agent @DrewJRosenhaus. The Patriots will not be tendering FB Jakob Johnson, who now will be a free agent and is expected to have a market for his services. "

View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1503076378320773133?s=21

 

[tims4wins]

"Patriots have decided to use the 2nd-round tender on WR Jakobi Meyers, per his agent @DrewJRosenhaus. The Patriots will not be tendering FB Jakob Johnson, who now will be a free agent and is expected to have a market for his services. "

View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1503076378320773133?s=21

Feels kind of 50/50 on whether another team will offer him. There’s a chance I think

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Not a bad thing considering how poorly they played last year especially down the stretch.

its just a lot of downs to replace. Hard to see how it happens with the guys in house, so it’s a combination of using draft capital, and hoping you find guys who can step in right away, and going back to the FA market without a lot of cap room.

Such is the life of a normal middle of the pack NFL team. Feels like the Pats have a ton of work to do if they want to improve the team.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

its just a lot of downs to replace. Hard to see how it happens with the guys in house, so it’s a combination of using draft capital, and hoping you find guys who can step in right away, and going back to the FA market without a lot of cap room.

Such is the life of a normal middle of the pack NFL team. Feels like the Pats have a ton of work to do if they want to improve the team.

Yeah as bad as they looked, it’s really hard to replace that many snaps at league average production.

 

[Van Everyman]

Such is the life of a normal middle of the pack NFL team. Feels like the Pats have a ton of work to do if they want to improve the team.

A little OT but this feels so LOL boo hoo to me. This isn’t the Browns or Vikings – yes, they faded down the stretch last year but were really fun to watch most of the year.

I’m a little surprised Bentley is expected to go. He looked a lot better last year than the year before when he had to wear the dot in High’s absence and was heavy.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Feels kind of 50/50 on whether another team will offer him. There’s a chance I think

You think so? I’d be pretty surprised if another team were willing to give up a 2nd for a possession receiver. But if they did I’d probably gladly accept and let him move on.

 

[tims4wins]

You think so? I’d be pretty surprised if another team were willing to give up a 2nd for a possession receiver. But if they did I’d probably gladly accept and let him move on.

Maybe not 50-50 but non zero? I dunno you’re probably right. I’d probably be happy overall if it happened

 

[IdiotKicker]

View: https://twitter.com/McCourtyTwins/status/1503129991856459780


McCourty back on a 1-yr deal that Reiss is reporting is at $9M, but is using some of the voidable years on his current contract, so cap hit is likely to come in lower than that based on how it is structured.

 

[Captaincoop]

You think so? I’d be pretty surprised if another team were willing to give up a 2nd for a possession receiver. But if they did I’d probably gladly accept and let him move on.

He feels like one of those guys who is going to end up being more valuable to us than he is on the FA market.

 

[tims4wins]

He feels like one of those guys who is going to end up being more valuable to us than he is on the FA market.

Agree on this.

 

[Mugsy’s Walk-Off Bunt]

I love Jakobi but there’s very little chance he gets claimed, and if he does, I’ll take the second, no problem.

 

[E5 Yaz]

I love Jakobi but there’s very little chance he gets claimed, and if he does, I’ll take the second, no problem.

Claimed?

 

[Average Game James]

I have a hard time seeing none of High, Bentley, Collins, and Van Noy back - that’s something like 2400 snaps to replace. Even if we pencil in Uche for a full time role and assume they draft at least one LB in the first two rounds who starts immediately , there’s still basically two full time players worth of snaps to fill that have to come from somewhere. Am I dramatically underestimating Raekwon McMillan? Is it reasonable to expect anything from Cam McGrone?

 

[BigSoxFan]

I have a hard time seeing none of High, Bentley, Collins, and Van Noy back - that’s something like 2400 snaps to replace. Even if we pencil in Uche for a full time role and assume they draft at least one LB in the first two rounds who starts immediately , there’s still basically two full time players worth of snaps to fill that have to come from somewhere. Am I dramatically underestimating Raekwon McMillan? Is it reasonable to expect anything from Cam McGrone?

I’m ready to move on from that group. They are slow as hell and it’s not getting any better on that front given the mileage. Clearly, Pats have a lot of experience to replace but they were going to have to turn over that unit very soon regardless. Might as well start now.

 

[RedOctober3829]

View: https://twitter.com/globejimmcbride/status/1503330249169420291?s=21

 

[Saints Rest]

I actually think KVN or DHT might be back on a reworked deal.
But I think Bentley is gone for sure.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Karras end up with TB12, assuming Marpet stays retired.

 

[Phil Plantier]

I think this LB offseason is fascinating. Will Belichick go with lighter, faster players along with the rest of the league? Has he found that his kind of LBs are now less demanded and therefore undervalued? Will we get big names (Seau) or underutilized unknowns (Vrabel)?

 

[JohnnyK]

View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1503354366924926984?s=21


4 mil. for 2 years, 3 gtd. for Hoyer

 

[E5 Yaz]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Karras end up with TB12, assuming Marpet stays retired.

That's a good call. Las Vegas might be another fit

 

[BigSoxFan]

View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1503354366924926984?s=21


4 mil. for 2 years, 3 gtd. for Hoyer

I hope he never reaches those incentives.

 

[shawnrbu]

Where do the Patriots rank in cap allocated to the QB position?

 

[Saints Rest]

I have a hard time seeing none of High, Bentley, Collins, and Van Noy back - that’s something like 2400 snaps to replace. Even if we pencil in Uche for a full time role and assume they draft at least one LB in the first two rounds who starts immediately , there’s still basically two full time players worth of snaps to fill that have to come from somewhere. Am I dramatically underestimating Raekwon McMillan? Is it reasonable to expect anything from Cam McGrone?

I think many are dramatically underestimating McMillan. I think he has potential to be a KVN/Nink/Vrabel type of guy who goes from being partially-used on his rookie deal into a solid 4-down player with the Pats. For those that don't know, he was a 2nd round pick by the Dolphins, after running a 4.61 40 at the Combine and a first-team all-Big 10 selection at Ohio State. He missed his rookie season after tearing his ACL during the first preseason game. He came back in his second year to start all 16 games, recording 105 tackles and two forced fumbles. He had 72 more tackles in the first 13 games of his third year before pulling a hamstring and missing the last 3 games. He was then traded to the Raiders where he didn't see much playing time, only playing in 16% of defensive snaps.

McGrone I think remains more of a project. Like McMillan, he has battled injuries, in his case, he's already ruptured both ACLs.

In terms of measurable, the two are similar:
McMillan: 6-2, 242, 4.61 (40)
McGrone: 6-0, 235, 4.4 (40)

 

[Cellar-Door]

Where do the Patriots rank in cap allocated to the QB position?

3rd from the bottom I think? Colts and Eagles are lower

 

[leftfieldlegacy]

Where do the Patriots rank in cap allocated to the QB position?

It appears they are curently 3rd lowest in the NFL and if I'm reading it right they might be the lowest once the season starts. Their current position does not include Hoyer's new deal which should have minimal impact. The only teams with a lower cap percentage are Seattle and Indy each of which should move past the Pats once Wilson and Wentz are replaced.

 

[Cellar-Door]

It appears they are curently 3rd lowest in the NFL and if I'm reading it right they might be the lowest once the season starts. Their current position does not include Hoyer's new deal which should have minimal impact. The only teams with a lower cap percentage are Seattle and Indy each of which should move past the Pats once Wilson and Wentz are replaced.

Hoyer will put them past the Eagles, but SEA isn't really below them. Spotrac doesn't count dead money (which is dumb), SEA ate a massive cap hit in trading Wilson.

 

[DJnVa]

 

[BigJimEd]

Pats showing interest in Valdez-Scantling

View: https://twitter.com/MarkDanielsPJ/status/1503406592175353864?t=2mp14vWIhDSHjIteRHUkiQ&s=19

 

[bsj]

The only way i like MVS for the Pats is if they somehow are able to shed Agholor and Harry. Then, add MVS and then a rookie....Metchie maybe. I'm down with that.

MVS, Bourne, Myers, Metchie....thats a solid 1-4. Not amazing, but def upgraded

 

[Dduncan6er]

The only way i like MVS for the Pats is if they somehow are able to shed Agholor and Harry. Then, add MVS and then a rookie....Metchie maybe. I'm down with that.

MVS, Bourne, Myers, Metchie....thats a solid 1-4. Not amazing, but def upgraded

That's a bottom 10 receiving corps. MVS might not even be better than 2021 Agholor.

 

[Cellar-Door]

yeah, I see no real indications that MVS is any better than Agholor... he's only a year younger and his production hasn't been any better despite playing with a much better QB.

 

[DJnVa]

yeah, I see no real indications that MVS is any better than Agholor... he's only a year younger and his production hasn't been any better despite playing with a much better QB.

He's also playing with someone like Adams who sucks up a lot of targets.

 

[Jungleland]

Agreed. As I said in the other thread they can upgrade the unit even if they go with a less splashy signing than Robinson or even Chark, but I really don’t see MVS as the right piece for that puzzle. He would not be a top two wide receiver on the roster.

 

[BigSoxFan]

He's also playing with someone like Adams who sucks up a lot of targets.

He also sucks up a lot of defense attention too though

 

[Cellar-Door]

He's also playing with someone like Adams who sucks up a lot of targets.

I mean... he's the #2 WR on his team allegedly, on a team that doesn't use TEs. Agholor has been the 2nd/3rd/4th option on his teams as well. If MVS can't produce in that offense with that QB... he's not going to take some leap because he gets here with a worse QB and an offense that is noted for spreading targets around to backs, TEs, etc.

Also MVS got not that many fewer targets than Agholor the last few years, the problem is in 2 of his last 3 seasons he's caught significantly less than 50% of his targets, for his career he's under 50% catch rate.

 

[bsj]

That's a bottom 10 receiving corps. MVS might not even be better than 2021 Agholor.

It’s not good. But what options are there? That same group with Harry instead of a rookie? Hard pass

I said “only way I like it”. Ultimately I really don’t. Give me Chark if money is close.

I've come to realize we need to swallow hard and accept that we are not getting an elite WR. The corps is what it is and its always going to be bottom half. Belichick just doesn't believe in tying big $ into any one WR

 

[Dduncan6er]

It’s not good. But what options are there? That same group with Harry instead of a rookie? Hard pass

I said “only way I like it”. Ultimately I really don’t. Give me chark if money is close.

we need to swallow hard and accept that we are not getting an elite WR. The corps is what it is

Chark is the guy I want as well. I think either way they need a big bodied guy who can play outside. I'd kick the tires on Will Fuller to see if he'd sign a 1 year deal to improve his value and hit the market next yeat.

 

[Average Game James]

I don’t see MVS as enough of an upgrade over Agholor to warrant the contract he will likely require (I’m assuming 2-3 years at $8-10 million AAV). Too many other holes on the roster and not exactly swimming in cap space.

 

[Jungleland]

Cedric Wilson from Dallas is intriguing to me. Bench guy year 1, no real impact year 2, pretty big jump last year on a team that spreads it around (and had at least 2 of several much bigger names active in just about every game).

 

[Jerry’s Curl]

yeah, I see no real indications that MVS is any better than Agholor... he's only a year younger and his production hasn't been any better despite playing with a much better QB.

He’s not. He’s a WR2/3. We don’t need those.

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

I would love to see Jarvis Landry here as a chain mover. He is probably looking for a ring at this stage , age (30 in November) and injuries piling up, but he should be on the inexpensive side and he won't count against the comp pick formula.

 

[Saints Rest]

I would love to see Jarvis Landry here as a chain mover. He is probably looking for a ring at this stage , age (30 in November) and injuries piling up, but he should be on the inexpensive side and he won't count against the comp pick formula.

Could be another guy TB-bound. Could replace AB, with TB.

 

[Saints Rest]

Field Yates reporting Slater has re-signed for $2.6M fully guaranteed. 1 year deal.
View: https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1503434160966451201

 

[bsj]

Mad credit to Yates for not calling him a WR