Targeting: WR

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Initially, the Patriots entered the sweepstakes for Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley before news came to light that Ridley would be suspended for the entire 2022 season, but were out-bid by the Philadelphia Eagles armed with three first-round picks before Atlanta pulled out of the deal due to the suspension.

New England could also make a run at Allen Robinson, who they were prepared to chase last offseason before the Bears franchise tagged him. The 28-year-old Robinson is projected to receive a three-year deal worth $15 million per season as an unrestricted free agent, which is doable for the Patriots who typically backload contracts (example: Hunter Henry had a cap hit of $6.8M in 2021 on a three-year, $37.5M deal).

According to a league source, the Patriots have also expressed interest in adding wide receiver and return specialist Jakeem Grant to the fold in an effort to add more speed offensively. Other names floated as potential options for New England were Carolina’s Robby Anderson (as first reported by BSJ’s Greg Bedard), Packers restricted free-agent Allen Lazard, D.J. Chark, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

The Patriots feel they’re not far away offensively, with nine of 11 starters projected to return and G/T Mike Onwenu taking a starting spot on the offensive line.

New England is hopeful that Kendrick Bourne will reach another level in year two with the team, while Jakobi Meyers is expected back on a one-year restricted free agent tender, and James White wants to return. Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, and running back duo Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson round out a solid foundation.

Then, there’s an anticipated year-two leap for quarterback Mac Jones bringing it all together.

Truly, the last piece of the puzzle is a wide receiver at the top of the depth chart. By acquiring a veteran wideout, Belichick can then turn his attention to reloading defensively in a highly-touted 2022 draft class.

As always, the market will dictate if a move comes to fruition for the Patriots. But make no mistake about it; the goal this offseason is to find Mac Jones a true number one weapon.

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Lazar’s Free Agency Primer: Patriots Pursuing Upgrades at Wide Receiver Heading Into Free Agency - CLNS Media

After a record-setting offseason a year ago, the Patriots are in a much different spot heading into this free agency period. According to cap wizard Miguel Benzan, Bill Belichick currently has roughly $10 million in cap space to play with when free agency opens unofficially on March 14 and then...
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I'm expecting a trade down year as the Pats only have 6 drafts picks.
It's a pretty deep wr draft and BB values... value.
As such I would expect BB to be looking at some of the second tier guys.
Guys such as
John Metchie if he drops because of injury concern.
Sky Moore, I know he's not the big receiver we want but he makes plays.
George Pickens ,has the height and hands to be a number 1 but hasn't dominated as he should have (Injury)
Alec Pierce, Maybe he'll never be a true number 1 but he has size 6'3 213 ,and always seems to make plays.
 
HAMMERMILL said:
I'm expecting a trade down year as the Pats only have 6 drafts picks.
It's a pretty deep wr draft and BB values... value.
As such I would expect BB to be looking at some of the second tier guys.
Guys such as
John Metchie if he drops because of injury concern.
Sky Moore, I know he's not the big receiver we want but he makes plays.
George Pickens ,has the height and hands to be a number 1 but hasn't dominated as he should have (Injury)
Alec Pierce, Maybe he'll never be a true number 1 but he has size 6'3 213 ,and always seems to make plays.
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BB is doing everything he can to turn over every stone in the WR FA/trade market. Today I spoke to a few folks. Word is BB had a deal almost done for Calvin Ridley before his suspension.

Allen Robinson, DJChark, Marquez Valdez-Scantling and a couple of others have been discussed at length within the Pats' FO and discussions have been ongoing with teams who own rights to players. Other players may become available soon, too. None will be WR1s but, as you said, BB covets value. Divas need not apply.
 
Newbie here. Been a Patriots fan since Billy Sullivan was awarded the franchise in 1959. Yep, I'm an old fart.

My opinion.

Bill doesn't have a lot of money to play with and I have a feeling that there will be more than few guys peeled before next week. Remember. He has to be under the $208.2M cap by March 16 and with just about $20M he won't attract too many FAs who are looking to be paid big time. He has to be considering jettisoning Agholor and using that money better.

A couple of guys who he might be able sign would be ex Bronco Hamilton, who tore an ACL last year and maybe 'pain in the butt' Fuller, who didn't shine with the 'fins as cheap fill ins.

Question: Would you like to see Shaq Mason traded to the Seahawks for Lockett or the now available DK Metcalf?
 
BigKen said:
Newbie here. Been a Patriots fan since Billy Sullivan was awarded the franchise in 1959. Yep, I'm an old fart.

My opinion.

Bill doesn't have a lot of money to play with and I have a feeling that there will be more than few guys peeled before next week. Remember. He has to be under the $208.2M cap by March 16 and with just about $20M he won't attract too many FAs who are looking to be paid big time. He has to be considering jettisoning Agholor and using that money better.

A couple of guys who he might be able sign would be ex Bronco Hamilton, who tore an ACL last year and maybe 'pain in the butt' Fuller, who didn't shine with the 'fins as cheap fill ins.

Question: Would you like to see Shaq Mason traded to the Seahawks for Lockett or the now available DK Metcalf?
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Nice beginning.

:smilies-11117:

And seems there's more than a few old farts around. I was personally at Emerson field for the Pats 3rd game ever vs. The Bills. We lost.

Cheers, BostonTim
 
BigKen said:
Newbie here. Been a Patriots fan since Billy Sullivan was awarded the franchise in 1959. Yep, I'm an old fart.

My opinion.

Bill doesn't have a lot of money to play with and I have a feeling that there will be more than few guys peeled before next week. Remember. He has to be under the $208.2M cap by March 16 and with just about $20M he won't attract too many FAs who are looking to be paid big time. He has to be considering jettisoning Agholor and using that money better.

A couple of guys who he might be able sign would be ex Bronco Hamilton, who tore an ACL last year and maybe 'pain in the butt' Fuller, who didn't shine with the 'fins as cheap fill ins.

Question: Would you like to see Shaq Mason traded to the Seahawks for Lockett or the now available DK Metcalf?
Click to expand...

Welcome aboard! Plenty of us are old farts so no worries there.

There's not currently a lot of cap space but we all know BB can create all the space he needs any number of ways.
I've been thinking for a while that Mason and Hightower could be gone one way or another. Mason is a great player but we have Onwenu riding pine while Mason makes $10M/ as a starter.
There are other players who can have their contracts extended, be released or traded to make new cap. I worry about cap but only because I don't want too much pushed forward.

Fuller missed all but a few games with a thumb injury as I remember. Seems like a pissant reason if you ask me. Toughness counts with BB.
If Metcalf came here he'd suddenly have to learn to run a properly nuanced option route. Great size and speed and he looks great on the field and all that but I question his fit and route running skills for NE.
Lockette may be ok although I have sights a little above him and he's awfully similar to Meyers already. I'd rather have a bigger guy anyway.

I'm looking squarely at Allen Robinson or DJ Chard right now but others may get released or become cap casualties in the next few weeks.

Nice To Meet You Stephen Colbert GIF by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
 
chevss454 said:
Welcome aboard! Plenty of us are old farts so no worries there.

There's not currently a lot of cap space but we all know BB can create all the space he needs any number of ways.
I've been thinking for a while that Mason and Hightower could be gone one way or another. Mason is a great player but we have Onwenu riding pine while Mason makes $10M/ as a starter.
There are other players who can have their contracts extended, be released or traded to make new cap. I worry about cap but only because I don't want too much pushed forward.

Fuller missed all but a few games with a thumb injury as I remember. Seems like a pissant reason if you ask me. Toughness counts with BB.
If Metcalf came here he'd suddenly have to learn to run a properly nuanced option route. Great size and speed and he looks great on the field and all that but I question his fit and route running skills for NE.
Lockette may be ok although I have sights a little above him and he's awfully similar to Meyers already. I'd rather have a bigger guy anyway.

I'm looking squarely at Allen Robinson or DJ Chard right now but others may get released or become cap casualties in the next few weeks.

Nice To Meet You Stephen Colbert GIF by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
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I mean, you can bring in a Chris Conley, ditch Harry for similar money, except Conley doesn't suck. I don't think bringing in a #1 WR is anywhere close to a priority. You want to upgrade Agholor, fine, but you have to ditch him as well. Kendrick Bourne, assuming healthy, is going to be a monster in this offense. He's a stronger Deion Branch, I'm tellin' ya. :coffee:
 
Of all the FA's or trade targets mentioned, I'd be happiest with Allen Robinson.

I don't know how many times I've watched him bail a shit QB out with a great 3rd down grab and I've always admired his toughness and
effort to lift his teammates up, which can't be said for some of the others. He plays with a lot of pride, so I wouldn't hesitate paying him. I
wouldn't be surprised to learn that Bill covets Robinson.

I was surprised to learn that he's only 28. I figured he had to be 32-ish.
 
Heard the Patriots scouts have been talking with Daesean Hamilton. He tore his ACL in the 2021 preseason and there's some speculation that the Rams were talking to the Broncos about him before he got hurt. Had 4.3-4.4 speed, not sure if he's been slowed.

My grandson tore his ACL and meniscus his senior year and actually came back stronger and faster for his freshman college year. Before Covid cancelled the season. He was pretty fast. A week after he tore it, he went to the NH Senior Blast and ran a 4.8 and limping 5.1. That ended his day and his HS senior season.

Now he's working full time, going to school full time and made me a great grandfather this past December. Frickin' Covid.
 
And Landry gets cut after the Brownies acquire Cooper.

I have some interest. Interested to see what his market looks like, honestly.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
And Landry gets cut after the Brownies acquire Cooper.

I have some interest. Interested to see what his market looks like, honestly.
Click to expand...

I'd kick his tires, but don't really see the fit with our present roster.

He always fought his ass off for Miami even when we were killing them, which impressed me, and I liked his
locker room leadership when the Browns were on Hard Knocks. He struck me as a Patriot type. He's a maximum
effort type of player who'd fit our culture well.

I see him as a No. 2 or maybe 3, though, and we already have a few of those. I want one talented stud and/or burner that opponents
have to take seriously before I'd commit any limited resources on Landry. He's not really that guy but not banged-up enough to
end up in the bargain bin.
 
Hawg73 said:
I'd kick his tires, but don't really see the fit with our present roster.

He always fought his ass off for Miami even when we were killing them, which impressed me, and I liked his
locker room leadership when the Browns were on Hard Knocks. He struck me as a Patriot type. He's a maximum
effort type of player who'd fit our culture well.

I see him as a No. 2 or maybe 3, though, and we already have a few of those. I want one talented stud and/or burner that opponents
have to take seriously before I'd commit any limited resources on Landry. He's not really that guy but not banged-up enough to
end up in the bargain bin.
Click to expand...
I like him because he can line up outside or in the slot. Even with the current WR/TE corps, it would give them an interesting boost.
 
Hawg73 said:
I'd kick his tires, but don't really see the fit with our present roster.

He always fought his ass off for Miami even when we were killing them, which impressed me, and I liked his
locker room leadership when the Browns were on Hard Knocks. He struck me as a Patriot type. He's a maximum
effort type of player who'd fit our culture well.

I see him as a No. 2 or maybe 3, though, and we already have a few of those. I want one talented stud and/or burner that opponents
have to take seriously before I'd commit any limited resources on Landry. He's not really that guy but not banged-up enough to
end up in the bargain bin.
Click to expand...

With the money being thrown around at WRs in FA so far, we'd be lucky to land Jarvis Landry at this point. He's a very good Slot receiver.

Christian Kirk made a killing! and he's a Slot guy


View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1503449828679954432?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
 
chevss454 said:
With the money being thrown around at WRs in FA so far, we'd be lucky to land Jarvis Landry at this point. He's a very good Slot receiver.

Christian Kirk made a killing! and he's a Slot guy


View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1503449828679954432?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Click to expand...

Yeah, suddenly things look very different. Let's say... Agholor & Bourne combined at their combined salary are a solid value as of today. If 2021 was the anomaly for Agholor, and he comes up slightly from that, those two signings together are definitely below market as it stands today. I'd say adding a high end WR is a luxury at this point.

We have real problems at CB. I was for drafting/signing 2 higher end CBs assuming we signed Jackson. I expect the team to dig and find 2-3 CB2/3 types, and/or 1-2 of them plus a high draft pick. I'm baffled at not franchising Jackson - we offered him roughly what he'd make on the tag anyway, and we would have a backup plan and a buffer for having to rely on draftees.

The other big issues are LB (probably - depending to some extent on how they view McGrone, Perkins, and Jennings) and OL (OG and/or OT depending on how they view Onwenu and whether they can sign Brown).
 
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