Targeting: WR

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Flagg the Wanderer

Flagg the Wanderer

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We have the two general 2022 threads, but I thought we could have specific threads dedicated to specific team needs.

  • Which guys are signed for 2022, at what cap numbers?
  • Which Patriots 2021 players are FAs?
  • If they don't fill the spot well, how can they compensate with scheme or other alternatives?
  • Who are the interesting available free agents? Any potential cap casualties at the position that might add to the pool?
  • What do draft options look like?
  • Are there trade options available?

Starting with everyone's faaaaavorite topic, WR!

Signed for 2022:
Agholor @14.9
Bourne @6.4
Harry @3.2
Wilkerson @0.8
Nixon @0.7

Unsigned for 2022:
Slater, Meyers, and Ozl...Oshe...Olscz....Friggin' Gunnah! Not really counting Slater & Gunner.

Generally:
So, we can probably all agree that we need to assume that as it stands we don't have a true #1 WR. Is it theoretically possible that Harry suddenly becomes the guy they thought he could be when they picked him, or Agholor steps forward? Yeah, but even at the top of their projected ceiling, neither would be a true #1. If Agholor we're to turn the corner he could mitigate the need for a true #1 by being the outside deep threat that they need, but he's not a game changer.
It's not impossible that Agholor and/or Harry are cut, though I think in both cases it wouldn't be until at least after 6/1, and more likely that it would be after the staff gets a look at them in camp.
If they pick up a #1 (and are not cutting Agholor) re-signing Meyers becomes a luxury, but I bet they re-sign him because he's Mac's security blanket and it gives them some leverage.

Alternatives to adding a WR1:
Sign Meyers or another WR 2/3 type and lean on the "4 2s" strategy while leveraging the other receiving options at TE and RB.

Available FAs:
Top Tier:
Allen Robinson (CHI)
Devonte Adams (GB)
Chris Godwin (TB)
Of these, Adams is probably the most expensive, and only Godwin fits the profile of an expensive Belichick signing as he's barely 25 and, after 2 years with Brady, has at least some grasp of the system and concepts of the Patriots offensive scheme (pending a replacement at OC).

Others:
JuJu (PIT)
Will Fuller (MIA)
Crowder (NYJ)
Hilton (IND)
Of these I think only the first 2 have the potential to be real WR1s, and Fuller, er...comes with some risk. Belichick may look to see if he can get a bargain on JuJu because of questions about him coming back from injury.

Potential Cap Casualties:
Amari Cooper (DAL)
Cole Beasley (BUF)
Jarvis Landry (CLE)
None of these are true #1s except Cooper, but he's on the downside. Beasley and Landry are slot guys, but could be targets if the team goes for an upgrade of the "4 2s" strategy.

Potential trade targets:
DK Metcalf
Brandin Cooks
Devonte Parker
Calvin Ridley
We know Ridley's available, and cooks and Parker are both likely available. Metcalf is rumored to potentially demand a trade. A lot of the value of these guys depends on their contract demands. For this team. Team, I like Parker and Ridley more than cooks and Metcalf, but your mileage may vary, of course.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this? I didn't do the potential draft targets, but it would be great if someone could have them in.
 
Good primer, flagg.

I expect GB will tag Adams.
Robinson and Godwin will cost too much.
Amari Cooper or Landry maybe. No on Beasley.

Agholor carries a $10M dead cap. I can't see him going anywhere.
I'd rather draft a guy than trade for a guy --> draft capital + have to pay a big salary. I don't think BB would be inclined to do that this year.
Draft seems most likely but if not in the 1st round I think we'll be stuck with the production and scheme from current players.

Draft at 21: Burks is my #1 target for WR bc he fits the scheme best and plays like Edelman but a lot bigger & faster. The next 3 would be Drake London, Chris Olave and Jameson Williams. I'll have lower round picks for the Pats just before the draft.

Garrett Wilson is getting play as a 1st round top 15 pick but he's too raw a route runner for the Pats. He'd take 2-3 years to get up to par. He's great after the catch so someone may take him top 20 but I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped to late 1st round or early 2nd round.
 
Last edited:
What if I were to tell you Jakobi Meyers got open against man coverage the 9th best of all WRs in the league. He's a "must re-sign" in my mind.

FMneV0PXoAMybcW
 
chevss454 said:
What if I were to tell you Jakobi Meyers got open against man coverage the 9th best of all WRs in the league. He's a "must re-sign" in my mind.

FMneV0PXoAMybcW
Click to expand...

I'd say those stats just further cement the understanding my eyes provided for.

Love the kid.
 
chevss454 said:
What if I were to tell you Jakobi Meyers got open against man coverage the 9th best of all WRs in the league. He's a "must re-sign" in my mind.
Click to expand...
I was looking it up a few weeks ago and believe he lined up in the slot just shy of 50% of the time (somewhere in the high 40's) for his snap total. Any idea if this stat breaks it down further on where the player may have been lined up on these man coverage routes?

To my naked eye, the 2021 Patriots were subpar in the slot. I am not sure if that's in part to the receivers, Mac, the coaching or a bit of all of the above. There's no doubt Meyers was their best WR last year (and I am optimistic about what Bourne may do in year 2), but they need to solve for the slot. From Troy Brown to Edelman, this has been a sport where they would just insert someone and got high production. In many years, they'd have multiple players that could step in.

I haven't gone back to re-watch many games but perhaps this is as good a reason as any to do so.
 
3 Point Stan said:
I was looking it up a few weeks ago and believe he lined up in the slot just shy of 50% of the time (somewhere in the high 40's) for his snap total. Any idea if this stat breaks it down further on where the player may have been lined up on these man coverage routes?

To my naked eye, the 2021 Patriots were subpar in the slot. I am not sure if that's in part to the receivers, Mac, the coaching or a bit of all of the above. There's no doubt Meyers was their best WR last year (and I am optimistic about what Bourne may do in year 2), but they need to solve for the slot. From Troy Brown to Edelman, this has been a sport where they would just insert someone and got high production. In many years, they'd have multiple players that could step in.

I haven't gone back to re-watch many games but perhaps this is as good a reason as any to do so.
Click to expand...
They need a #1, and a slot...then they will have a nice WR lineup.
 
A little followup to flagg's OP

I prefer a WR1 starter with some speed and a lot of nuance to his game. 4.4ish +/- 0.05 is good enough
Assuming BB re-signs RFA Jakobi Meyers...

1. Calvin Ridley - He bet $1500 and lost $11M. No stupid peeps, please.
2. Brandin Cooks - back to back 1000 yd seasons in Houston with no QB. Familiar with our system. Under contract for $7.3M. He did fine with us. Yes all day long.
3. Michael Thomas - NO is in cap hell & needs to shed contracts. Re-work his deal and just like that our WRs are relevant again.
4. Jarvis Landry - He's under contract through 2022 for $15M/. The Browns just FTagged Njoku which likely means Landry is a spare part. 5 time Pro Bowl Slot Receiver.
5. Robby Anderson - After a down year with multiple little injuries the Panthers may be enticed to trade him. 2 years left on his contract @ $13M/. WR2+ but not a WR1.
6. Andy Isabella - The topic of the last week. 1 catch for 13 yds last year. ROFL. He's not what I'm looking for and anyway I don't want no short people 'round here.

UFAs
1. OBJ - He's getting up in years and injuries have been a problem. His recent ACL means his 2022 season is down the drain.
2. Will Fuller - Miami paid him $10M last year. He missed all but 2 games with a thumb injury! Hell no.
3. Isaiah McKenzie - He's not a WR1 but stay with me. He killed the Pats in 2 games this year with 14 catches, 170 yds and 2 TDs. Plus I like taking players from rivals - Buffalo. Win/win.
4. Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Green Bay's #2 WR last year and GB can't afford to bring Rodgers back and sign all their FAs to lucrative deals and keep Davante Adams.
5. John Ross - yeah, the Combine 40 champ. He's been a big disappointment in the NFL but 2 things: he's fast and he played under HC Joe Judge last year with the Giants. JK
6. JuJu - When AB left, JuJu fell down the rabbit hole & has been lost in wonderland ever since. Curious isn't it?

Special category - Might get released
Amari Cooper - Yeah but too expensive for BB more likely than not.
 
chevss454 said:
A little followup to flagg's OP

I prefer a WR1 starter with some speed and a lot of nuance to his game. 4.4ish +/- 0.05 is good enough
Assuming BB re-signs RFA Jakobi Meyers...

1. Calvin Ridley - He bet $1500 and lost $11M. No stupid peeps, please.
2. Brandin Cooks - back to back 1000 yd seasons in Houston with no QB. Familiar with our system. Under contract for $7.3M. He did fine with us. Yes all day long.
3. Michael Thomas - NO is in cap hell & needs to shed contracts. Re-work his deal and just like that our WRs are relevant again.
4. Jarvis Landry - He's under contract through 2022 for $15M/. The Browns just FTagged Njoku which likely means Landry is a spare part. 5 time Pro Bowl Slot Receiver.
5. Robby Anderson - After a down year with multiple little injuries the Panthers may be enticed to trade him. 2 years left on his contract @ $13M/. WR2+ but not a WR1.
6. Andy Isabella - The topic of the last week. 1 catch for 13 yds last year. ROFL. He's not what I'm looking for and anyway I don't want no short people 'round here.

UFAs
1. OBJ - He's getting up in years and injuries have been a problem. His recent ACL means his 2022 season is down the drain.
2. Will Fuller - Miami paid him $10M last year. He missed all but 2 games with a thumb injury! Hell no.
3. Isaiah McKenzie - He's not a WR1 but stay with me. He killed the Pats in 2 games this year with 14 catches, 170 yds and 2 TDs. Plus I like taking players from rivals - Buffalo. Win/win.
4. Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Green Bay's #2 WR last year and GB can't afford to bring Rodgers back and sign all their FAs to lucrative deals and keep Davante Adams.
5. John Ross - yeah, the Combine 40 champ. He's been a big disappointment in the NFL but 2 things: he's fast and he played under HC Joe Judge last year with the Giants. JK
6. JuJu - When AB left, JuJu fell down the rabbit hole & has been lost in wonderland ever since. Curious isn't it?

Special category - Might get released
Amari Cooper - Yeah but too expensive for BB more likely than not.
Click to expand...
Pass on Cooks. He never fights for any contested ball. Not when he was in NE anyways...I like a WR who is fearless. Like...Edelman?
 
Amari Cooper would be a great fit for the Patriots, but I just don't see him settling for anything less than what Mike Williams signed for.
 
Big/Sky/Fly said:
Pass on Cooks. He never fights for any contested ball. Not when he was in NE anyways...I like a WR who is fearless. Like...Edelman?
Click to expand...

Edelman was 1 of a kind. You won't find any WR1, boundary WRs (X) who are like him today. They rely on speed & route running skills to succeed. Steve Smith retired long ago.
What if I were to tell you...
That year with the Pats, Brandin Cooks had 65 catches, 1100 yds, 42 1st downs and 7 TDs with an avg catch of almost 17 yds. That's great production. We could have used him last year.
He had 90 catches last year for over 1,000 yards with Davis Mills at QB.

Here's a video of him as a Patriot...you can see his value and toughness in the first 3 or 4 plays. The very first play is the same play Agholor allowed to get intercepted. Watch Cooks make the catch the way it's supposed to be done. It's worth the click.

 
chevss454 said:
Edelman was 1 of a kind. You won't find any WR1, boundary WRs (X) who are like him today. They rely on speed & route running skills to succeed. Steve Smith retired long ago.
That year with the Pats, Brandin Cooks had 65 catches, 1100 yds, 42 1st downs and 7 TDs with an avg catch of almost 17 yds. That's great production. We could have used him last year.

Here's a video of him as a Patriot...you can see his value and toughness in the first 3 or 4 plays. The very first play is the same play Agholor allowed to get intercepted. Watch Cooks make the catch the way it's supposed to be done.

Click to expand...

Is that Bama rookie slot guy fearless...or, good enough? Hopefully BB drafts him.

When Cooks was open, he caught it fine...just seemed too Beta imo.
 
chevss454 said:
Edelman was 1 of a kind. You won't find any WR1, boundary WRs (X) who are like him today. They rely on speed & route running skills to succeed. Steve Smith retired long ago.
What if I were to tell you...
That year with the Pats, Brandin Cooks had 65 catches, 1100 yds, 42 1st downs and 7 TDs with an avg catch of almost 17 yds. That's great production. We could have used him last year.
He had 90 catches last year for over 1,000 yards with Davis Mills at QB.

Here's a video of him as a Patriot...you can see his value and toughness in the first 3 or 4 plays. The very first play is the same play Agholor allowed to get intercepted. Watch Cooks make the catch the way it's supposed to be done. It's worth the click.

Click to expand...

It does seem that Lazar is correct that BB has given up on spending a high draft pick on a WR.
 
Big/Sky/Fly said:
Is that Bama rookie slot guy fearless...or, good enough? Hopefully BB drafts him.

When Cooks was open, he caught it fine...just seemed too Beta imo.
Click to expand...

He'd be ok as a Slot guy but he's not nearly as quick as Edelman was.

I thought Cooks had great production with the Pats and production/value is what matters. As I remember his contract this year is $7.3M. That's great value, imo.
 
It also took Edelman 5 years to become Julian Edelman. If there's a guy they identify could become the next JE11, no problem... just do me a favor and find a Welker or Amendola for him to play behind until he's ready to take the mantle.
 
3 Point Stan said:
It also took Edelman 5 years to become Julian Edelman. If there's a guy they identify could become the next JE11, no problem... just do me a favor and find a Welker or Amendola for him to play behind until he's ready to take the mantle.
Click to expand...
This is true...
 
Big/Sky/Fly said:
Pass on Cooks. He never fights for any contested ball. Not when he was in NE anyways...I like a WR who is fearless. Like...Edelman?
Click to expand...
Your hatred for Brandon Cooks has been an enjoyable watch throughout the years.
 
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