Rebuilding The Patriots For 2021 And Beyond

Jeff Howe gives his thoughts - the Athletic

My comments:
I'll add Fla. QB Kyle Trask to his list of QBs to draft. 6'5", 240. Drop back pocket presence++ with decent mobility. 2020 stats - 70% completion rate, 4125 yds, 11.6 AY/A, 43 TDs and only 5 ints. BB could trade back to around 20-25 and still get Trask while adding a late 2nd or early 3rd to boot.

Kyle Trask College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Kyle Trask's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

WRs - Marvin Jones &/or Corey Davis would be perfect, thank you.
TE - Hunter Henry for sure. He'd help immensely.
Adding a TE & 2 WRs would do wonders for the offense.
LB - Lavonte David has been productive his entire career plus he can cover a back or a TE.
Of our own FAs, I'm not certain JMac will be back, at least not as a CB; maybe at S. I'd like to keep Byrd and James White.

10 New England Patriots predictions for 2021

They will acquire a new QB. Mike Onwenu will settle in for a big role. And N'Keal Harry ... will improve — because he has to, right?

theathletic.com

By Jeff Howe Dec 28, 2020

44

The best thing about 2020? There’s at least a sliver of hope it’ll turn to 2021.
That’s where the Patriots have set their focus, as the regular season will expire in a week and they can turn their attention toward the next phase of their rebuild.
So let’s do the same and make 10 bold predictions for the upcoming year. Due to the likelihood that many of these predictions won’t be worth the paper they’re printed on, this message will soon self-destruct. No receipts, please.

1. The Patriots will trade up to draft a quarterback and keep* Cam Newton​

Bill Belichick has publicly acknowledged the advantages of building a roster around a quarterback on a rookie contract, and there are four franchise-caliber talents who are projected top-10 picks.
Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence will likely be the No. 1 pick — too rich for the Patriots — and BYU’s Zach Wilson, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance will be gone shortly thereafter. It’ll most likely cost the Patriots at least a pair of first-round picks to get into range to select one of them.
That’s a price worth paying if there’s conviction behind their evaluation of the right quarterback, and the pace of their rebuild depends on it.
There’d be some value in keeping Newton on a short-money contract, especially if the Patriots boost the talent at tight end and wide receiver. If the Patriots trade up to draft a quarterback, they’re not going to want to also spend a significant chunk of cap space on a veteran, so keeping Newton would make some sense.
He’s good for the locker room and should be a solid mentor for a rookie. If the draft pick isn’t ready to start early in the season, Newton would be a serviceable placeholder.
(*I changed my mind three times while writing this section, could do so 10 more times depending how Jarrett Stidham is involved in the final two games and might do so hundreds more times prior to free agency.)

2. The Patriots will extend Stephon Gilmore’s contract and place a second-round tender on J.C. Jackson​

Gilmore is still playing at an extremely high level, but he’ll only earn $7.5 million in cash next season because the Patriots have accelerated future earnings to keep him competitively compensated over the past two seasons.
While Gilmore’s name has come up in trade conversations, the Patriots didn’t come close to dealing him because there was never an acceptable offer on the table, according to a source. The presumption is the Patriots wouldn’t move him for less than a first-round pick. Would their price actually come down in the next three months, and how much will the torn quad impact his fate?
Keeping Gilmore would therefore make the most sense. A two-year, $28.5 million extension would be fair value, rolling that into the balance of his current contract for a three-year, $36 million pact.
Jackson is a restricted free agent, and the Patriots would like to accumulate more picks, particularly under the premise that they’re willing to trade into the top 10 for a quarterback. The Patriots’ two options with Jackson would be to give him a first- or second-round tender, but it’s historically rare for an opposing team to sign away a restricted free agent at the cost of a first-round pick.
Therefore, use a second-round tender, and entice a team to sign Jackson to an offer sheet. That’s an affordable price for a corner with a budding reputation around the league, and the Patriots could use the second-round asset while replacing Jackson with Joejuan Williams or Myles Bryant. They could also re-sign Jason McCourty.

3. The Patriots’ two biggest splashes in free agency will be Hunter Henry and Lavonte David​

Henry will be the top tight end on the market, so he’ll require a contract worth an average annual value of at least $10 million. But Henry also probably got the memo this month that Belichick is infatuated with him.
The Patriots desperately need more production at tight end. Rookies Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene could still grow into solid pieces, but how long will it take? The Patriots can’t go a third consecutive year devoid of statistical output from the position, and Henry would be the answer.
David, a linebacker who turns 31 in January, has flown under the radar in Tampa but has been reliable and productive on all three downs throughout his career. If the Patriots can get him for $8-9 million annually, they can stick him in the middle of their defense with Dont’a Hightower and let Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings flourish alongside them.
The front seven would enjoy an immediate upgrade with David on the inside.

4. Josh Uche will become the Patriots’ top pass rusher​

This is an easy one.
Uche has made an impact with his increased role over the past month, and his trajectory should have a sharp ascension with a normal offseason. Chase Winovich has had a very good season as the Patriots’ best pass rusher, but Uche’s raw talent will shine once the Patriots remove his training wheels.

5. The Patriots will focus on the second tier of free-agent wide receivers​

It would be a surprise if the Patriots completely abandoned their philosophy on paying receivers just because they’ve got $60 million in projected cap space, the fourth-most in the NFL.
That’s why $14-18 million annually doesn’t add up for JuJu Smith-Schuster, Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Kenny Golladay or Will Fuller. Rather, it’d make more sense to try to snare a pair of the next tier that includes Curtis Samuel, Marvin Jones, Sammy Watkins and Corey Davis.
If the Patriots can land two of them, somehow land one of the plethora of talented wideouts in the draft and combine them with Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers, the group would look much better.

6. The Patriots will re-sign Joe Thuney​

The Pats used the $14.8 million franchise tag on Thuney despite being tight against the cap because they hoped to extend him to a long-term contract. The two sides were never close to an extension before the deadline, nor were the Patriots close to trading him due to an absence of acceptable offers. They also weren’t going to just flip him to the highest bidder due to his value to the team, which played out tenfold as he hopped between left guard and center early in the season.
It’d be surprising if they didn’t continue to offer him a competitive contract. There are only 10 teams with at least $30 million in projected cap room, and it’s tough to envision most of them using a major chunk of it on an interior lineman. Maybe Washington or the Bengals makes a huge push, but Thuney would then have to decide between the fattest payday and an environment he knows best and is closer to achieving postseason success.
It’s unconventional for teams to devote so much cap space to guard, as Shaq Mason will carry a $9.775 million cap hit, but the Patriots can pull it off while their tackles are on rookie contracts.

1/2​

 

Free agency is not over and the Patriots could still do a few more things, and probably will (the quarterback situation is still a bit up in the air … and complicated).

But if signing center David Andrews to a 4 year deal is the final big move for the Patriots in free agency, then take a bow, Bill Belichick.

Talk about executing a shopping list. I can’t even remember everything at the grocery store, let alone throwing millions of dollars around of someone else’s money, setting up my final Hall of Fame act, and trying to wash away the bitter aftertaste of a 7-9 season when the Patriots basically spent the final nine games playing out the string. Belichick knew it was over at 2-5 last year.

In essence, Belichick was saying, “Look, Brady left, we had some key opt-outs, not much cap space, a new QB, Covid made restarting almost impossible … yeah, we’re not very good, but it’s a one-year thing. It’s a blip. You best believe that.”

Belichick had to deliver this offseason. And, boy, did he.

Look, a lot of this was fortuitous luck. You can believe people out there who want to sell you that this was the plan since Tom Brady walked out the door. It’s not the truth. There were the Julian Edelman and Stephon Gilmore injuries. Nobody knew the opt-outs were going to happen. No one knew the pandemic was going to keep people out of NFL stadiums the entire season and cause the salary cap to shrink in the offseason when the Patriots had gobs of cap space

But you also make your own luck. And Belichick did plenty of that. Just take the Andrews situation, which I strongly hinted at in our latest podcast released Thursday afternoon.

“Andrews thinks he’s moving on. Whether he does … we’ll see. … He could come back with his hat in his hand. (Ted Karras) is a good fill-in, but the Patriots need to find better. Perhaps it’s Andrews coming back for a one-year deal to maybe hit free agency again next year, I’m sure the Patriots would be open to that. I think that would be the ideal situation for both sides at this point. We’re just gonna have to see whether that happens or not.”

In discussions with Andrews during the tampering period, it was clear that Andrews viewed his value near the top among all NFL centers. He’s certainly entitled to view himself that way, and I could understand it as a first-time free agent. But Belichick, as he always does and not wanting to insult his important veteran line leader, had a value on Andrews and told him to go find it, while also getting a potential fill-in with Karras (similarly with Lawrence Guy, the Patriots signed former Packers DT Montravius Adams as a cheaper stopgap … maybe Guy won’t be far behind following Andrews’ return trip).

After the Chargers signed Corey Linsley and the Cardinals traded for Rodney Hudson, the big market for centers was over. The 49ers (Alex Mack), Raiders (Nick Martin), Dolphins (Matt Skura) and Washington (Tyler Larsen) all went the cheap veteran route. Andrew was basically a man without a country — or a good option — and Belichick welcomed Andrews back after keeping a light on for him.

Getting Andrews back at their number is a big bonus. With the incumbent instead of Karras, who is much less athletic, the Patriots now can use their entire running playbook. Andrews can get to the second level and pick off linebackers much better. The screen game will be easier to execute. With so much on the offense needing to be taught with new receivers and tight ends, the offensive line continuity will give the offense a great base.

As of today, I would expect the starters to be, from left to right, Isaiah Wynn, Michael Onwenu, Andrews, Shaq Mason and Trent Brown. They’re ready to go from jump with Karras the top interior backup, and Justin Herron at backup tackle. Don’t worry about Karras’ feelings … he had to know this was possible, and after a less-than-great experience in Miami, I bet he’s just fine being a top backup and great teammate. His contract was not starter money, and he could have easily been supplanted by a draft pick. Steddy Teddy knows the drill around here.

With this veteran and talented line, the Patriots could line up tomorrow and run on opponents at will, while letting the passing game take its time getting up to speed.

This was the cherry on top of this unprecedented free agency class.

It’s certainly not without pitfalls. Brown may never want to work hard after he got paid. Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry have never had to be leading men in a football town like this. The last time Nelson Agholor playing for a Northeast team (Eagles), he was basically run out of town with the drops. Will Kendrick Bourne be able to handle being better than a fourth option in an offense? Matt Judon had a few work ethic issues in Baltimore, and Jalen Mills and “burned” is a fun internet rabbit hole.

And then there’s the whole track record of teams who bring in a bunch of new talent in the offseason. It’s tough to bring it all together in Year 1, if at all. And the level of coach really doesn’t make much of a different. The Dream Team Eagles of 2011 got Andy Reid fired two years later.

A couple things about those factors, though.

I checked across the league. Not only do all the players the Patriots added check out on film — the receivers and tight ends, for example, are excellent route runners — but they check the boxes for work ethic, leadership, buy-in (the lone exception is Judon, who wasn’t universally beloved in Baltimore) and they all should be entering their prime. The Raiders, 49ers and Titans hated to lose Agholor, Bourne and Smith.

And about those Eagles a decade ago … four of the players they signed were over 30, the average age was 28.6 and only Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (25) was entering his prime.

None of the newcomers on the Patriots are over 29, the average age is 26.8 and half are under 27.

This is what I mean about the Patriots being fortuitous. There may never be another free agency period like this in NFL history in that so many young players were available to be signed, with little resistance from competition — the Jaguars and Jets weren’t formidable opponents, and the Colts continued to sit on their cap mountain — and their own teams.

You will never, ever see another free agency period when a team could whiff on drafting for years and import an entire class of players in their mid-20s that could be good NFL starters. It’s unprecedented, and it’s why Belichick pounced so quickly on his mulligan.
If the Patriots lined up tomorrow, the Patriots would have the following drafted starters:

Devin McCourty (2010)
Dont’a Hightower (2012)
Ja’Whaun Bentley (2018)
Isaiah Wynn (2018)
Mike Onwenu (2020)
Shaq Mason (2015)
Damien Harris (2019)

And Bentley is on shaky ground, and three of the seven are on the offensive line.





Belichick was able to erase all the bad in a single offseason, and buy himself time to right the draft ship with last year’s class and this year.

Belichick probably doesn’t ever want to do this again — especially 7-9 — but he executed this offseason perfectly. Now he needs to find a quarterback.

Boston Sports Journal

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If the Patriots lined up tomorrow, the Patriots would have the following drafted starters:

Devin McCourty (2010)
Dont’a Hightower (2012)
Ja’Whaun Bentley (2018)
Isaiah Wynn (2018)
Mike Onwenu (2020)
Shaq Mason (2015)
Damien Harris (2019)

Bedard's list of seven seems to me to be incomplete:

• Chase Winovich isn't listed anywhere on Bedard's chart, and he started 9 games last year. There's a good chance he's an opening day starter.
• Josh Uche is missing from the list. He's a 2020 2nd round draft choice, and he's shown on the chart as a starter.
• JC Jackson, Jonathan Jones, and Jakobi Meyers weren't draft picks, but they went from college directly to the Patriots. UDFAs that stick with the team should be counted as positive indicators of the prowess of the team's scouting and coaching staffs.

It's seems to me that 12 of the 22 should be counted as home-grown talent. That number goes up to 13 if Edelman starts.

 

And god knows he's not the only one here and elsewhere and there's nothing wrong with that, except failing to admit it. Constantly criticizing everything BB and Kraft do, belittling the players who have recently been brought here and generally behaving like spoiled little bitches. I, like virtually all Pats fans, love and appreciate Brady and everything he did. He's the GOAT and anyone who questions that is just a hater. But, I'm a Patriots fan and Tom is gone and he's not coming back, so since the moment he left, I'm still giving the team, not Tom, 100% of my rooting efforts. I have friends who tell me all the time they're 50% Pats fan and 50% percent Tom/Bucs fan. Bullshit. True fandom can't work that way. It's one or the other. Just my 2 cents worth.

Why not? We have a poster on this board that is a WFT fan. I believe he grew up down in that area. He is also a Pats fan and has tremendous passion for the team. Does that make his less of a fan because he roots for 2 teams? I really can't stand the virtue signaling when it comes to fandom. It is absolutely fine to have multiple rooting interests. And for Pats fans to be rooting for Brady who helped bring 6 chips here and a lifetime of memories over 20 years is the very definition of fandom. He will always be a Patriot and the GOAT, no matter what uniform he is wearing.

 

You are not him. I've very much enjoyed your posts and passion over the years, and have missed you after that donkey in Denver was such an ass and you left. I think you're dead wrong about BB, but I still look forward to your posts and wait for the time when TFB is no longer so polarizing. Welcome back, btw

Be careful or you will give me a big head. LOL. I appreciate the kind words. I didn't leave over the Denver fan, I actually liked him but man, things must be real tough for him now with Mahomes owning the West. I venture over to the OrangeMane every now and again and they are in complete meltdown over the Chiefs. The Chiefs to them are like what the Jets are to us so for them to see that franchise with the best QB in the league has them out of their minds. They actually posted a thread after the SB thanking Brady for beating the Chiefs. LOL. LOL.
It has been pure bliss reading their site. I don't know if our guy is over there at all. Perhaps has taken a break altogether given the pain of watching the Chiefs. I remember how much he LOVED Elway. Thought he was as good of a GM as a Bill. LOL.

Anyways, I enjoy your posts and takes too. I often agree with much of what you say even when I have the opposite viewpoint.

 

It is relative to our roster which has been grossly mismanaged for the last 5-6 years.

During which time, our grossly mismanaged roster managed some how to win the division 5 times and advance to the playoffs, Advance to the AFCCG 4 Times, Advance to the super bowl 3 Times And bring home the Lombardi twice. Obviously that's not possible with a mismanaged roster. Thank God for Tom the Almighty who clearly did it singlehandedly.

Cheers

 

During which time, our grossly mismanaged roster managed some how to win the division 5 times and advance to the playoffs, Advance to the AFCCG 4 Times, Advance to the super bowl 3 Times And bring home the Lombardi twice. Obviously that's not possible with a mismanaged roster. Thank God for Tom the Almighty who clearly did it singlehandedly.

Cheers

The drafting was awful those years which is why we are in the shape we are in now. We had a pretty good run of drafts in the early part of the 2010s which is what set up the run from 2014-2018. The roster was really depleted starting in 2018 especially at the skill spots and then really deteriorated after that. Just too many veterans on heavy contracts and no youth behind them. You add into that no QB succession from 2017 on when we traded Jimmy and that is why we are where we are.

 

The drafting was awful those years which is why we are in the shape we are in now. We had a pretty good run of drafts in the early part of the 2010s which is what set up the run from 2014-2018. The roster was really depleted starting in 2018 especially at the skill spots and then really deteriorated after that. Just too many veterans on heavy contracts and no youth behind them. You add into that no QB succession from 2017 on when we traded Jimmy and that is why we are where we are.

Yes, Pats are in a terrible position right now.

 

Yes, Pats are in a terrible position right now.

Looking up at the Bills and Miami is just so sweet.

 

Yes, Pats are in a terrible position right now.

I still label the last few as disappointments. Your got maybe 1 or 2 hits for production. Harris & allen have made a impact . Winovich regressed last year.

 

Looking up at the Bills and Miami is just so sweet.

I'll take the down year and trust BB. He's definitely not sitting idly expecting to luck out.

 

I'll take the down year and trust BB. He's definitely not sitting idly expecting to luck out.

I agree. I fully expect Bill to turn this around. He is too good for this to go on very long. I am prepared for a long rebuild. It's Ok. If we can get the QB then we will get there much quicker. I have never looked so forward to the draft as I have this year.

 

New England faced considerable competition for big-name signings such as tight end Jonnu Smith and linebacker Matthew Judon.

Up to eight different teams might have been involved with those two players alone:

Part of New England’s logic was this: These deals will be obsolete in two years due to the kick-in of television deals, so attack the window of opportunity now. And other suitors drove prices up in some cases. The New York Jets and Tennessee Titans, for example, made efforts to sign tight end Jonnu Smith. Judon had four to six teams involved. Both players were going for big numbers regardless.

Belichick still has a ton of cachet with players around the league. The organization still has equity. That’s been a common theme. Two decades of unprecedented success didn’t get tossed out the window because of one bad year, and Brady walking out the door.

Listening to players who have now joined the fold, that’s one of the takeaways from the Patriots massive free agency haul, signing more than a dozen players.

“This is an historical franchise … I’m excited to be a part of it,” Jonnu Smith said during a Webex call. “It’s a winning mentality here when you walk in the building. I’m just glad for the opportunity. The culture around here is different. It’s not like anything I’ve been around.”

“You could see how the organization works, and you could see the players they’ve had, and the success they’ve had,” said Smith.

The appeal of playing for Belichick was also stated as a draw for many.

“I had conversations with him from my rookie year. He’s a man of few words, but what he says is extremely important,” said Smith. “That’s why you gotta keep your mouth shut, and your ears open. I’m just extremely excited to be a part of this.”

Defensive lineman Henry Anderson also cited the Belichick factor when deciding where to play.

“Coach Belichick is one of the great defensive coaches and defensive minds in the history of the league,” Anderson said. “It’s a great chance to play for a coach like that and continue to learn and improve my game. I’m really excited.

“I’m just glad I was one of those guys that they wanted to come in.”

As for the losing record, that was considered an outlier. Players still consider the Patriots a winning organization.

Patriots organizational equity didn’t leave with Tom Brady

New players wanted to sign not just for the money, but also because of Bill Belichick and associating the Patriots with winning

www.bostonherald.com

 

This is a very well written article the pats resigning Cam & big FA spending

Patriots set themselves up to aggressively pursue a quarterback in the draft

New England bolstered its roster in free agency. The next domino could fall in the draft.

www.patspulpit.com

Even with Cam Newton being brought back on a one-year contract, and with Jarrett Stidham proactively attacking the offseason by organizing a passing camp in California, the New England Patriots are in need of a long-term solution to their questions at the most important position on the field. They need a quarterback, plain and simple.
New England knows this as well, with the organization doing its due diligence on seemingly every passer available leading up to free agency. No moves came from this just yet, but that does not mean that none will follow in the future.

In fact, the Patriots set themselves up over the last week to aggressively pursue a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft.

For starters, they re-signed a well-respected leader in the locker room with plenty of starter-level experience just before the market opened last Monday. Despite his issues during the 2020 season, Cam Newton gives the team a solid fall-back option at the quarterback spot — and be it only until a new passer added via the draft becomes ready.
Re-signing Newton is not an indication that the Patriots will go that route, but it certainly puts them in a good position to do that. After all, he is playing on a comparatively cheap contract: the former league MVP, who first arrived in New England last offseason and went on to start 15 of a possible 16 games, will hit the team’s salary cap with only $5.5 million — 12th highest number on the team, and just 30th among all quarterbacks in football.

Investing limited resources in the most pivotal of positions may not seem like sound business, but it actually makes sense in the Patriots’ case. Why pay big bucks for another outside hire when you can keep a proven commodity at a fraction of the cost?

Doing that, in turn, allowed New England to be aggressive in free agency. The tight end position was completely rebuilt with Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry arriving on four- and three-year contracts, respectively. At wide receiver, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne will add some much-needed athleticism and playmaking ability — two things the Patriots’ passing game lacked during its difficult 2020 campaign.
Having a cheaper quarterback on the roster put the club in a position to use its available cap space on rebuilding an offensive skill position group devoid of established talent last year. It therefore created a setup favorable not just for Newton, should he retain the starting spot, but also a young passer being added to the equation.

Their spending spree might have looked like it was out of character for the Patriots, and was oftentimes misinterpreted as Bill Belichick operating under the pressure of ex-quarterback Tom Brady having won a Super Bowl in Year One after leaving New England, but it is actually nothing out of the ordinary. The team did tackle free agency like this before, and we may be able to learn from this experience.

The setup was a bit different in 2017, though.

Fresh off a second Super Bowl win in three years, the Patriots were among the league leaders in salary cap space. They spent their resources on outside additions such as cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive tackle Lawrence Guy — two players who would play pivotal roles on the defense the next four years and eventually be voted to New England’s Team of the 2010s — as well as running back Rex Burkhead. They also re-signed linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Duron Harmon.
With a roster well-stocked across the board, the Patriots went looking for what was seemingly a missing piece. They found it via trade: New England sent first- and third-round draft selections to the New Orleans Saints to acquire Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick.

Cooks was a good addition. He gained over 1,000 receiving yards, helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl for a second year in a row, and eventually was traded again the following offseason for another first-round pick.

The wideout itself is not what this detour into the 2017 offseason is about, though, but rather what the trade to bring him aboard represents. After already using its cap space to shore up most holes on its roster, New England identified one that still needed to be addressed even if it meant sacrificing considerable draft capital.
Sounds familiar?

The 2021 Patriots are far less proven a team than their 2017 version. However, they do have one prominent open spot that still needs to be tackled.

Free agency did not see New England do that, at least outside of the Newton re-signing. However, the club did fill multiple roles by using its available capital just like it did four years ago. The Stephon Gilmores and Lawrence Guys of today are named Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry and Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

The foundation has been built, now it appears to be time to make that final move. And the Patriots’ free agency spending plus a good draft position should allow them to do just that.
While currently “only” slated to pick 15th overall next month, they have the resources to move up the board if one of the four viable quarterbacks — BYU’s Zach Wilson, Ohio Sate’s Justin Field, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, Alabama’s Mac Jones — should become available. It will be costly depending on the size of the trade-up, but New England has shown a willingness to use its draft picks to make bold moves before.

Back in 2017, this left the Patriots with only four selections and none before the third round. The following three years, the team selected 29 players, including 13 in the first three rounds. Combining this influx of young talent with an active free agency period this year created a roster with few clear possibilities for first-year players to crack into the lineup — just like in 2017.

The Patriots have positioned themselves to make an aggressive move on draft day, and this time the quarterback position should be the target.

 

5, 6 or 7 are easy trade ups. 3 would be costly but BB could always throw Gilmore in.

Here's how I see it for the teams in need of QBs.
1. Jags- TLawrence
2. JETE - Zach Wilson
3. Miami -
4. Atlanta - (high probability they will ride with Matt Ryan) A lot rides on what Atlanta does here. If they don't take a QB, Mac Jones could fall to 15.
5. Bengals -
6. Eagles -
7. Lions -
8. Panthers - Trey Lance
9. Denver - Mac Jones here or a trade up with Miami for Fields at 3 or with Bengals for Lance at 5. They need a QB.
10. Cowboys -

In this scenario the top 5 QBs will be gone by pick 9.
If you're BB, how would you play this out?
15 is worth 315 pts
3 is worth 514. Deficit = 200 pts.
5, 468. = deficit of 153 pts. Our picks 46 and 120 = 151 pts. So our 15, 46 and 120 would/should do it.
6, 446. = 131 pts. Our 46 = 128 pts. So our 15 and 46 should do it.
7, 425. = 110 pts.

 

5, 6 or 7 are easy trade ups. 3 would be costly but BB could always throw Gilmore in.

Here's how I see it for the teams in need of QBs.
1. Jags- TLawrence
2. JETE - Zach Wilson
3. Miami -
4. Atlanta - (high probability they will ride with Matt Ryan) A lot rides on what Atlanta does here. If they don't take a QB, Mac Jones could fall to 15.
5. Bengals -
6. Eagles -
7. Lions -
8. Panthers - Trey Lance
9. Denver - Mac Jones here or a trade up with Miami for Fields at 3 or with Bengals for Lance at 5. They need a QB.
10. Cowboys -

In this scenario the top 5 QBs will be gone by pick 9.
If you're BB, how would you play this out?
15 is worth 315 pts
3 is worth 514. Deficit = 200 pts.
5, 468. = deficit of 153 pts. Our picks 46 and 120 = 151 pts. So our 15, 46 and 120 would/should do it.
6, 446. = 131 pts. Our 46 = 128 pts. So our 15 and 46 should do it.
7, 425. = 110 pts.

Instead of JJ points Draft chart. What would you give up to move up. Eagles had to make 2 separate deals to move from 9 to 2 to select Wentz.

 

Instead of JJ points Draft chart. What would you give up to move up.

I'd think hard about 15, Gilmore and 120 to get to 5. There's some speculation that Gilmore wants more than his $9M to play this year. BB fell for it last year. IDK about this year.

 

James White. 1 yr, $2.5M. Bargain, imo.

 

James White. 1 yr, $2.5M. Bargain, imo.

He obviously had zero market value. I think the drop in his production last year, combined with his age (29) and a depressed FA market really ruined him getting a big pay day. He was smart to sign a one year deal and see if he can hit it next year when the FA market may be more lucrative.