--- THE OFFICIAL NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS THREAD --- OFFSEASON THREAD

[7th Chamber]

wouldn't be surprised

usually once tempers cool, everyone buys back in. i'm still pretty hot about it, though. it's damn near unforgivable in my eyes.

Man, I got over the loss and then it all starting coming back to me. Brady played the game of his life out there and the despite everything that went wrong, the defense just needed one stop. I legitimately can't think of one reason why Butler was benched for the entire game other than Bill letting his ego get in the way and him trying to prove a point. If what Butler did was that bad, then he shouldn't have even suited up.

 

[getback]

One freaking stop. I honestly thought they were gonna get it after going up 33-32. Should've known better.

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

looks like the players still got Bill's back....

Idk, Marquis, you kinda blew your assignments that night.

There's one quip said on Felger & Mazz that Marquis and Trey got mixed up on the Ertz TD. Marquis was supposed to drop back into coverage but he blitzed and Trey was the one who dropped back. Since they became confused with the scheme, Harmon had to compensate for Trey and took Marquis' cover instead of doubling Ertz with Devin. Such a WEIRD execution and the Pats were supposed to take a timeout prior to the snap.

Coincidentally they have last names (but I'm nitpicking at this point)

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Since it's Lent, I made a sacrifice of not listening/checking/watching/following up on sports games, then my nephew switches radio stations and lo and behold, the Butler drama still being talked around here. Screamin A had the nerve of preaching to FAs to avoid signing with the Pats. Ugh.

But yeah, let's say BB does let Josh shop for players... and/or end up convincing Gronk to stay, I think Josh will try to get Jimmy G...raham to keep Brady happy since TB thrives with tall receivers. #pipedream

Of course, defense is a priority. Any FAs

Jimmy Graham AKA Chico-lite

I hope all is well with y'all!

 

[getback]

 

[getback]

Sounds like Dion is halfway out the door...

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

I agree with the reports that he was under-utilized this past season. We had him, Burk, Gillislee(spell check), and White so it's expected that he wasn't going to be used frequently. He did so well when he's put in and kinda feel bad that he's leaving. His skillset is top notch and I'd like to see him in fast offenses like LA; imagine Gurley and him

But I believe BB/Josh will find another player like him since these coaches were the only ones that believed that DLew could flourish in the Pats' system.

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

I'm not buying Sherman-To-Pats talk, but do you guys think it's possible??

Him opposite Gilmore?

 

[getback]

I think Sherman or Talib is very much possible. Pats inquired about Sherman during the season before he tore his achilles.

 

[DeadsetAce]

i think sherman is definitely possible. i would love to have him

 

[7th Chamber]

I'm hearing more rumblings about Talib. Y'all have a preference between Talib or Sherman

 

[getback]

Sherman's achilles worries me. Talib's unpredictability also worries me. Tough call

 

[DeadsetAce]

yeah i hear you

i feel like with Gilmore on the other side and D-Mac/Harmon patrolling CF...i like Sherman more and we don't have to worry about any craziness


brandon king re-signed. not surprising...him and Slater gotta hold down the ST unit

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

There's an upcoming LB FA from the Bills that's willing to play for the Pats. I forgot his name but he said he's jelly of the success of his former teammates (Hoagie, Gilmore, and Gillislee) had over the years

Our system may not be the best, but it's a winning system.

But yeah, I kinda buy the notion of the "win-now" of the Pats cuz of the Guap situation and the "internal struggle" that Pats went through this past season. Therefore we gotta make great signings this offseason to make that case and rebuild on the fly.

 

[DeadsetAce]

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

335?! Wilfork territory

C'mon, NE, we gotta make more solid moves!

 

[DeadsetAce]

yeah, mayne.

need MAJOR help at linebacker. speed speed speed.

and **** sherman too

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Media here floated the idea of Josh Norman being released/cut or what not and landing here in NE.

I was like , but then

 

[DeadsetAce]

gonna have to be someone

otherwise is rowe and edelman at CB

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Oh man, Edelman pulling a Troy Brown... he could prolly do a better job, too, compared to those scrubs

 

[ggarvinxx3]

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Welp

Rowe/Bademosi/Jones Era

 

[DeadsetAce]

damn...we didnt even get a shot

still some guys out there...fingers crossed

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

 

[DeadsetAce]

Patriots free-agent primer: 13 defenders to target on all three levels

ByChristopher Price
Posted on March 12, 2018

(JEREMY BREVARD/USA TODAY SPORTS)

COMMENTS


The Patriots head into free agency with some serious questions on the defensive side of the ball. While free agency is only part of the team-building process, taking into account fit, skill set and (likely) financial demands, here are 13 names that jump off the page when you’re talking about potential free-agent targets for New England. (For the purposes of this exercise, we’re not counting the Patriots’ own free agents.)

EDGE DEFENDERS

Julius Peppers: The veteran pass rusher is just the sort of guy who appeals to Bill Belichick — a smart, cost-effective defensive lineman looking for one more shot at a title. (From Keith Traylor to Ted Washington to Tommy Kelly to Andre Carter, Belichick collects these guys.) The 38-year-old has 154.5 career sacks, including 11 last year with Carolina, but the Panthers still squeezed 499 snaps out of him in 2017. He had shoulder issues at the end of last year, but using him judiciously as a situational pass rusher would make an awful lot of sense for a team like the Patriots looking to provide a boost when it comes to getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. (For the record, the two sides almost made it work in 2009.)

Connor Barwin: Full disclosure — Barwin was one of my draft binkies in 2009, and I’m not quite sure I ever got over the fact that the Patriots passed on him … several times. But the 31-year-old has enjoyed an impressive nine-year career in the league with stops in Houston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. He had 14.5 sacks with the Eagles in 2014, and 55.5 for his career. The 6-foot-3, 253-pounder is not a top-of-the-line free agent, but could project as the sort of easy veteran fit in Foxborough for a team that’s seeking pass rush help.

Junior Galette: Another veteran edge presence who has shown a knack for getting after the quarterback, this 6-foot-2, 257-pound defensive end had back-to-back double-digit sack seasons with the Saints in 2013 (12) and 2014 (10), and has 34.5 in his six years in the NFL. Galette, who will turn 30 later this month, missed all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of knee issues, but bounced back to play 37 percent of the defensive snaps this past season for the ********.

Lamarr Houston: The defensive lineman will turn 31 before the start of the 2018 season, and while he’s been up and down when it comes to production (and health, especially his knees) over the last few seasons, the 6-foot-3, 302-pounder has enjoyed some good years, including four seasons where he registered five or more sacks. Houston worked out for the Patriots last September. (His most notable achievement in Foxborough to this point in his career? Tearing his ACL while celebrating a sack in a 2014 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.)

Alex Okafor: This defensive end is a 6-foot-5, 264-pounder who just turned 27 and has 18 career sacks in five seasons in the NFL. On a one-year “prove-it” deal with the Saints last season, he had 4.5 sacks and was a good complementary piece of the defense until going down with an Achilles injury in Week 11. The injury will almost certainly mean a lukewarm market for his services, so he’ll be a cost-efficient pickup that could start slow. But as is the case for many names on this list, even a part-timer like Okafor has a chance to jolt the New England pass rush.

OFF-THE-BALL LINEBACKERS

Nigel Bradham: A league insider first made the possible connection between the Patriots and Bradham to us shortly after the end of the 2017 season, and upon further review, the pairing would certainly make sense. A speedy off-ball linebacker who could be paired nicely with Dont’a Hightower, the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder will have plenty of suitors on the open market after a strong season that culminated with a title, but could still be had for a reasonable sum. Bradham, who will turn 29 before the start of the 2018 season, is effective against the run and the pass, and finished last year with 88 tackles, one sack and eight passes defensed.

Jonathan Casillas: This is a guy who has been around the block a bit, including a stint with the Patriots in 2014. But he’s a smart and savvy linebacker who will provide you with additional depth at a position of need. At 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, Casillas (who will turn 31 before the start of the 2018 season) is a steady and consistent defender who can also take reps on special teams. Again, not a high-profile signing, but could potentially represent an upgrade at the back end of the depth chart.

Preston Brown: Look, the guy practically came out and begged to be signed by the Patriots at the start of the offseason, so he’ll likely be relatively affordable when free agency opens. (At least when you’re taking the measure of a guy who was in on 144 tackles last year and hasn’t missed a regular-season game in the last three-plus seasons.) The 25-year-old, who has spent four years in the league (all with the Bills) is a 6-foot-1, 251-pounder who is a stout defensive presence.

CORNERBACKS

Nickell Robey-Coleman: The undersized (5-foot-7, 165-pounder) and aggressive slot corner will likely be looking to move on from a Rams’ team that has already dramatically remade its secondary. In five years, the 26-year-old Robey-Coleman has five career picks and five sacks, and carved out a niche as a solid and scrappy slot defender. A lot of how the Patriots operate when it comes to corner this offseason is going to depend on how they feel about the health and long-term chances of Cyrus and Jonathan Jones (as well as where Eric Rowe fits best), but Robey-Coleman would be an intriguing addition to the group.

E.J. Gaines: The 26-year-old corner had a good year opposite Tre’Davious White last year in Buffalo, but by the looks of his Instagram page, he appears ready to move on. He has three picks and 31 passes defensed in three seasons (two with the Rams and one with the Bills) on his resume. Ultimately, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder might be a bit pricey, but depending on how the Patriots end up using the rest of their free-agent budget, he remains a possibility for any team seeking a boundary corner.

Byron Maxwell: The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder, who has spent seven years in the league, has played for the Seahawks, Eagles and Dolphins, and has done well to establish his bonafides as a No. 2 corner. The 30-year-old has 11 career picks and 59 passes defensed, and has played both man and zone over the course of his career. He has a rep as someone who comes with a little baggage — he was benched last season with Miami, reportedly because he ignored coaching — but on the surface, projects as a cost-effective second corner behind the likes of Stephon Gilmore. (There are some similarities to Brandon Browner in his game — both good and bad — that include roots in Seattle, feistiness, and a knack for being penalized.)

Tramon Williams: As part of a very good Cardinals’ secondary last season, Williams had a pair of picks and 12 passes defensed in his first season in Arizona. He’ll turn 35 later this month, but the 6-foot-1, 192-pounder is known as a reliable presence who could be a relatively inexpensive one-year signing for a New England team that could use some cornerback depth.

Morris Claiborne: He struggled last year with the Jets, but the former first-round pick of the Cowboys in 2012 could get a career jump-start this offseason if he finds the right location. The 27-year-old has five interceptions and 35 passes defensed over the course of his six-year career (five years with Dallas, one with New York), nowhere near the totals some believed he was capable of coming out of LSU. But a one-year “prove-it” contract loaded with incentives could be just the ticket to get him pointed in the right direction.