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.
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.




By Jeff Howe Dec 28, 2020
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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​

 
Yep many places had top 5 or even top 10 lists and didn't even have the Bucs on them, it was scattershot, and the top 5 most 'likely' options I saw listed for him were:
1) Staying with the Pats
2) The LA Chargers
3) The Tennessee Titans
4) The San Francisco 49ers
5) The LA Raiders

With the Dolphins, Colts, Bengals, Bucs, Cowboys, Bears, Panthers, and Retirement also on the table. Scattershot with the hope that whatever happened, they could retroactively claim they saw it coming. At this point any rumors regarding Watson are likely to be based on wishful thinking and / or speculation rather than anything concrete, totally agreed.
 
he's a little bitch for how he's handling this, no thanks.

Maybe you're right, but good QBs have so much clout in this league that practically all of the top guys aren't really treated like the rest of regular mortals on the roster.

Pat Mahomes was called by their GM the day before the last draft and was asked who he wanted them to draft. Mahomes instantly responded "Clyde" and Clyde Edwards-Hellaire became a Chief. Coincidence?

All I know is that Watson has conducted himself like a Gentleman and leader since day one. I've always thought he seems like an exceptional person. He's also playing at an elite level on a team that is turmoil which has nothing to do with him, so I'd be glad to overlook some minor bitchiness if he were willing to come here.
 
I would love to have Watson in New England . He would require a kings ransom. O'Brien F that team with horrible trades. BB has never giving away muliple High draft picks for a Player.
 
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Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract. He will have control over which team he gets traded to, in the event that such a trade is consummated.
 
Maybe you're right, but good QBs have so much clout in this league that practically all of the top guys aren't really treated like the rest of regular mortals on the roster.

Pat Mahomes was called by their GM the day before the last draft and was asked who he wanted them to draft. Mahomes instantly responded "Clyde" and Clyde Edwards-Hellaire became a Chief. Coincidence?
I hear you. my biggest issue is his not handling it behind closed doors. i'm betting that had the Chiefs not drafted E-H, mahomes wouldn't have been subtweeting about it. his bitchy giselle like girlfriend, maybe! 😄
 
Plan A: Investigate the Watson situation.
Plan B: Take a run at Dak Prescott. No draft picks involved. His stats are eerily similar to Watson's.
Plan C: Stafford
Plan D: Fitzmagic
Get a guy who can be the bridge and maybe more.

Either way, draft a QB in 2021 or 2022 in rnd 1. Be prepared to move up when possible - use current players (Gilmore) as well as draft picks to get it done.
Franchise QBs matter...a lot. Teams should do whatever is necessary to get one and make certain they hang on to him for 12-14 yrs or more.


View: https://twitter.com/fbgchase/status/1350268972797734913
 
Is Jordan Love better than Mac Jones? Im asking seriously. I have no idea.

Why would Rodgers want to come to NE? The roster is garbage, and he’d hate BB. Y’all thought Tom was high maintenance, or bratty his last year? I’d love to see reactions to Rodgers post game interviews after 6 games of forcing throws to Harry.
 
Is Jordan Love better than Mac Jones? Im asking seriously. I have no idea.

Why would Rodgers want to come to NE? The roster is garbage, and he’d hate BB. Y’all thought Tom was high maintenance, or bratty his last year? I’d love to see reactions to Rodgers post game interviews after 6 games of forcing throws to Harry.
I was curious about that too.
 
Is Jordan Love better than Mac Jones? Im asking seriously. I have no idea.

Why would Rodgers want to come to NE? The roster is garbage, and he’d hate BB. Y’all thought Tom was high maintenance, or bratty his last year? I’d love to see reactions to Rodgers post game interviews after 6 games of forcing throws to Harry.

This is an easy and incorrect viewpoint to take, in my opinion.

We have a very strong OL and plenty of running backs. We need either 1 or 2 dependable WRs, a TE that can produce immediately and a couple of front 7 pieces. The D backfield is still strong and should be OK even without Gilmore if that's how it plays out. Everybody knows we are flush with cash in an offseason where 2/3rds of the teams will have to let good players walk free and won't be able to compete for anybody else seeking even moderate money. It's a buyer's market, clearly and we will be one of the buyers holding the chips.

That's it. That's all we really need to compete. Except a QB, of course.

For a veteran QB considering a move to New England he would need to be assured that we are planning on filling these vacancies, which is totally obvious, but he'd be coming to a team that can protect him and give a defense fits with the ground game before we start restocking the shelves. We're very well coached, disciplined and never quit. We have a history of winning more rings than anybody.

Definitely not a career suicide. For a guy like Stafford, for instance, he'd likely jump at the chance. He's already made more money than he could ever spend, but he doesn't know what it's like to play for an organization like this.

I know you like to drop bombs, but don't take a wholesale dump on this team and expect everybody will agree. The difference between us and the teams in the tournament isn't that big. We need a QB and about 7 productive guys and we're back in the mix. That is definitely doable and I believe it will get done. We need the process to play out.
 
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