New England Patriots vs. AFC East: Free Agency (so far)
by Richard Hill on Mar 15, 2010 11:01 PM EDT
in Opinion/Analysis
54 comments
There has been a lot of activity in the AFC East so far this off-season. Some teams try and retain their talent, others have a fire sale. Tom Curran does a good job of reviewing this current off-season and all of its moves. How do the New England Patriots stack up against the rest of the AFC East?
New England Patriots:
Pick-Ups: ST Marques Murrell (New York Jets), WR David Patten
Re-Signed: OLB Tully Banta-Cain, G Stephen Neal, NT Vince Wilfork, CB Leigh Bodden, RB Kevin Faulk
Lost: DE Jarvis Green (Denver Broncos), TE Benjamin Watson (Cleveland Browns), TE Chris Baker (Seattle Seahawks)
More after the jump!
New York Jets:
Pick-Ups: S Brodney Pool, CB Antonio Cromartie, RB LaDainian Tomlinson
Re-Signed: TE Ben Hartsock
Lost: RB Thomas Jones, CB Lito Sheppard, S Kerry Rhodes, CB Donald Strickland
Pick-Ups: LB Karlos Dansby
Re-Signed: NT Jason Ferguson, QB Chad Pennington
Lost: CB Nathan Jones, LB Joey Porter, S Gibril Wilson, LB Akin Ayodele
Pick-Ups: OT Cornell Green
Re-Signed: OLB Bryan Scott, TE Joe Klopfenstein
Lost: OT Jonathan Scott, OT Brad Butler, TE Derek Fine, WR Justin Jenkins, S John Wendling, DT Marcus Smith, LB Ashlee Palmer, C Marvin Philip
Team Betterment in Respect to Last Season:
1. New York Jets - I have the Jets first. Why? I think Poole and Tomlinson are downgrades under Rhodes and Jones, respectively. However, Cromartie is an upgrade over Sheppard and if there's a small chance that he retains his 2007 form, it would be hell for QBs everywhere. So while the Jets lost some quality players, they adequately replaced them, while improving the CB position.
2. New England Patriots - We're second in team betterment due to us only retaining players and not signing new players. We are left with a gaping hole at TE after this Free Agency, which is why I gave the edge to New York on team betterment. We're left with a team in the same position as last season- not better, not (really) worse.
3. Miami Dolphins - Dansby is a good pick-up, but the fact that they lost their other players drops their team betterment rank. Porter can still play and Dansby is just a marginal improvement over Ayodele. Their safety position got worse, as did their OLB position.
4. Buffalo Bills - They sold the house and got a 34 year old OT, who played on the Raiders, in return. Terrible, in my opinion. Then again, they didn't lose much in terms of quality since they're already starting from the bottom of the barrel.
Player Quality:
1. New England Patriots - Wilfork, Bodden and TBC were all in the top 2 of their respect Free Agency position. Neal is still excellent as a starter, although he's a health concern, and Faulk is still the best 3rd down back in the league. Watson and Baker had limited utility on our offense, while Green will be replaced by Mike Wright and Myron Pryor. No brainer.
2. New York Jets - Cromartie is a good pick-up, but I can't overlook the downgrade from Thomas Jones (quality locker room player who is coming off his best season ever) to LT (me-first player, coming off his worst season ever). I'd say that their player quality retention is neutral in respect to last season.
3. Miami Dolphins - They got Dansby, who is good, but lost Porter, Ayodele and Wilson. While Phans may not mourn the loss of these players, they provide depth and experience on a young team that can use everything it can get.
4. Buffalo Bills - Once again, they sold their house and got nothing in return so far.
What are your thoughts?
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Maybe the Patriots should draft Garrett Graham out of Wisconsin in the 4th or 5th round...
His hands are unreal, and given how there are NO established TEs on the roster with Graham and Watson taking big deals for weaker teams, the Patriots could definitely use someone with Graham’s combination of blocking and catching skills.
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 15, 2010 11:09 PM EDT reply actions
Besides, what was Chris Baker's most meaningful contribution this last year?
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 15, 2010 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Being the best blocking TE on the team
by Richard Hill on Mar 15, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Being the BETTER blocking TE on the team
I think the patriott cutten baker because of off-field issues, not on. Anyway, I am sure the Patriots front office will get somebody to fill the job thisb year.
Alge would be a good pickup.
He has been completely squandered in Tennessee. Or maybe they just have a surplus of talent at TE. Go figure…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 16, 2010 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I think all the players the Jesters got
were downgrades 2 to 1. So, my math has them worse than last season. ANd, only time will tell if Cromartie is actually an upgrade or not. 2007, he was a top DB. Last two years, not.
If the Pats can get Gronkowski and Pitta, or whomever as the second TE, we should see improvement in that aspect.
Maybe one of the practice squad guys, the 6’6 260 guy, might show something in spring training.
Cromartie's a good special teams contributor, when necessary
So even if he’s not a complete shut-down corner, he adds some value that way.
I still have to wonder about the Jones-for-LT downgrade. Choosing a guy who’s coming off a good season to pick up a guy who isn’t? Dumb. It’s not like you’d need to give Jones a million carries, either – you have Shonn Green to take up an increasing number of snaps as a starting back, and Leon Washington to take up some third-down back duties. And it’s not like LT is known for sharing his snaps, unlike Jones, who seemed to be a pretty good trooper last season. Good for the Pats, though…
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 6:04 AM EDT up reply actions
LOL
Buffalo Bills – They sold the house and got a 34 year old OT, who played on the Raiders, in return. Terrible, in my opinion.
So wait…. the Bills were supposed to go out and sign a bunch of high priced free agents who all have six years experience in the league? Throw the bank at a guy like Julius Peppers? For what? It’s not like they have one or two holes they need to plug. This kind of absurd commentary has leaked into Buffalo Rumblings, too. Fans are so agitated the Bills haven’t done anything when doing nothing makes tons of sense. You build through the draft. You plug holes in free agency. The Patriots proved it. Steelers, Colts, and pretty much every other successful team was built through the draft. I’m not sitting here whining that the Bills didn’t go sign a bunch of overpriced and aging vets but I understand why you say that it was “terrible”. Yeah it’s terrible if you think the Bills are one player away from the Super Bowl in 2010.
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I thought they could've looked a little harder at the players on offer sheets around the league, particularly O-linemen
I’m not bagging them for not signing Peppers – that deal was ridiculous for all involved – but I do think the Bills could’ve looked long and hard about improving their trenches via offer-sheet guys. The Saints could’ve been approached to give up a guy like Jahri Evans or Jermon Bushrod, especially when you factor in the fact they have to lose free agents in order to sign any. Otherwise, there are guys like Jared Gaither around for first-round tenders. He’s 24 and he’s a stud Left Tackle; are you sure your front office is going to use their first-rounder on a guy who will help as much as Jared Gaither will for the next 10 years?
It’s not so much the lack of signing as the lack of any appearance of movement, perhaps. If I were to clean out the house, the first thing I’d want to do is nab some very good players, and guys like Jared Gaither are guys you build franchises around. Since that’s what the Bills are doing, if I were a Bills fan, the fact they don’t appear to be even trying to do it would annoy me.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 6:52 AM EDT up reply actions
There’s no way i’d be happy as a Bills fan if they gave the #9 pick (and whatever else) for Jared Gaither. They would never have gotten a 9 pick for Jason Peters, whom many would argue is leagues better than Gaiher.
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by TheAfghanTwilight on Mar 16, 2010 7:05 AM EDT up reply actions
They don't necessarily need to give up the 9th.
Firstly, those tenders are negotiable – the Pats got Welker when he was first tendered at a second-round level, but the Pats negotiated with the ‘Phins for a second-and-seventh deal instead. So it’s only ballpark in the first place.
Secondly, they don’t necessarily need to give up the 9th. They can trade down into the 20s if they wish and then make the trade – Jared Gaither and an extra third-rounder for the 9th overall pick being worth it, perhaps? It’s never cut-and-dry, of course, but it makes more sense to get a sure-fire useful guy with NFL experience who is still young than, say, selecting another Aaron Maybin with the 11th overall.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 7:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Da Bills
Green wasn’t the best signing but he will at least add depth and a veteran presence. I’m perplexed at the comment they sold the house—-it seems like 3 million a year is the going rate for a lot of the FA signings around the league.
As a Bills fan I must admit I was hoping for more during FA but Nix plan is to build around the draft and he has worked with some of the best talent evaluators in the NFL. Needless to say with the 10 year playoff drought this could arguably be the most important draft in Bills history——-they can’t afford to make a mistake with the no#9 pick!
"Whether or not you write well, write bravely"
If I were the Bills Head Office...
I’d trade down and try to turn that top-10 into two high seconds or a first and a second, and use those to upgrade places of need. This draft is the deepest in a while due to all the underclassmen who declared eligible, so if you picked up two low-first rounders, you’d be getting far more value than you otherwise would, because those are probably guys who would’ve been in the top 10, 15 had it not been for the draft being a double-dose of talent.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Not true
They can trade down into the 20s if they wish and then make the trade
The team needs their own 1st round pick to make that happen, as in signing him to an offer sheet. Otherwise, you’d see teams trading down in the first round a month or two before the draft, in order to go after 1st round tendered RFA’s for cheaper….
They could trade down, and use that pick to trade for Gaither’s rights, though, I believe.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I should've been more specific when I said 'trade'
I didn’t mean via the offer sheet route, I just meant as a negotiated trade. If they’re only attaching a first-round tender on the guy, it suggests that they’d be open to offers – otherwise they’d have just slapped him with the first-and-third and be done with it, like the Pats have done with G Logan Mankins, who they don’t want to give up.
I meant that they can trade down and get his rights, yes. (A) was if they negotiated with the 9th to get Gaither + additional compensation, and (B) was that they traded the 9th with someone else, and then went after Gaither in a trade. I should’ve been clearer.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 17, 2010 6:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree that trading the 9th wouldn't be a good idea...
…and I would argue that only end-of-the-round 1st round picks would be worth giving up for certain types of players.
However, there are some mid-level football players available for the O-Line that could be immediate upgrades and, at the ages of 30ish, they’re great transition/bridge players while young players learn for a year. There are other players in other positions where the Bills could use an upgrade who are also transition players.
I understand the need to work the draft and run through, but the fact is that it is impossible for the Bills to address every issue they have via the draft. If you want to wait until after the draft and see what needs to be addressed, that’s fine. It’s just that there is so much help needed in every position (except safety, punter, running back and, arguably, MLB) that it wouldn’t hurt- and in fact it would help build a team atmosphere- to sign free agents early on.
The Bills are in a position where they can grab the BPA with every pick. Picking up depth players early on wouldn’t change that.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought they could’ve looked a little harder at the players on offer sheets around the league, particularly O-linemen
Is there a time limit on trades that I don’t know about? :-)
Bills fans have speculated that the Bills should sign Gaither to the offer they would give their first round pick and go from there. I wouldn’t be opposed to that.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
While they were still on offer sheets, and not outright contracts
Like, for instance, Vince Wilfork. Not that I’d expect the Bills to take him, of course, but the window was there. And every passing day gets guys like Logan Mankins closer to a long-term deal, if they’re negotiating one.
I also had in mind guys like Jermon Bushrod. He’s young at 26 years old, he’s a quality left tackle, he’s coming out of a Superbowl winning program and he kept Drew Brees’ back clean all season when filling in for Pro Bowler Jammal Brown. There was a window when the Bills (or someone else) could have either traded for Brown or for Bushrod, because neither was on contract and Bushrod had a RFA tenders sitting on the table. Instead, nobody moved on them, and the Saints re-signed both, meaning they have two high quality LTs on the roster. I’m not saying the Saints would’ve let Bushrod walk, but if the Bills had offered a second-rounder and pointed out that the Saints can only sign free agents if they let some walk, they might’ve got a deal – the Saints have to draft deeply to restock due to that top-8-teams rule.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
To be fair, I haven’t seen a Bills playoff game this decade. I’ve been pretty darn patient.
That having been said, I’ve been impressed by how patient I’ve been with the team this offseason. I do, however, hope the still pick up a little O-line and WR depth before the draft. They can only get so many warm bodies in the draft.
by bluecollarbuffalo on Mar 20, 2010 7:14 AM EDT up reply actions
this should have been a reply to the comment below….not sure how that happened…..
by bluecollarbuffalo on Mar 20, 2010 7:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Since that’s what the Bills are doing, if I were a Bills fan, the fact they don’t appear to be even trying to do it would annoy me.
And it annoys a lot of impatient Bills fans. I know that free agent signings rarely live up to the hype. I don’t have to throw Adalius Thomas out there do I? :-) Yeah the Patriots have used trades and offer sheets to build a great roster but it wouldn’t meant a whole lot without solid drafting of guys like your DL, Tom Brady, and a bunch of guys in the secondary.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
We've hit on more than we've missed in FA.
I hate to throw out cliches, but you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Well I’d rather they not take 30-year-old shots on players that aren’t likely to be here when the Bills are (hopefully) approaching contention.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I was thinking of the 26 and 27 year olds
Donald Penn, Jermon Bushrod, Jared Gaither, Jahri Evans on the O-line; Johnny Jolly and Marcus Spears on the D-line.
Not saying the Bills should have sold the house to get them, but inquiries about what it would take to trade for some of them couldn’t have hurt.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 16, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone has to play the position until you get the players, right?
You can’t possibly fill all your holes in one draft.
Might as well take able veterans who can play the position who also fill up positions of need until next year, when you can draft an entire arsenal of new players. The Bills are at LEAST a 3 year project. Not utilizing FA makes the project time much longer than 3 years.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Any team is no further than three years from contention once you fix the problem.
In Oakland, it’s Al Davis. Once he dies, they could be a contender in 3 years.
In Buffalo, though, it may also be the owner. I hope not. I hope he doesn’t stand in the way of progress. But with good leadership, the target is always three years.
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by SlotMachinePlayer on Mar 16, 2010 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions
It seems like Ralph is finally listening to the advice of his football guys (something he hasn’t been willing to do since Donahue). I like what they are doing even if it means suffering through a season where the team gets a top 5 pick next year.
by bluecollarbuffalo on Mar 20, 2010 7:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Adalius Thomas? Chris Baker? Galloway? Fred Taylor? In the last few year, FA hasn’t been particularly kind. Before that I’m not sure tha Pats were ever particularly active in FA. Moss and Welker were trades so we’re talking Dillon, Harrison and Seau, right?
And yes, this Bills fan is not Pats FA expert, so I know I’m probably missing a big one.
by bluecollarbuffalo on Mar 20, 2010 7:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Dillon was a tradee, too
The Pats never went after a marquee player like Peppers; the most they’ve dished out was for a guy like Adalius Thomas (who did give two and a bit seasons of pretty decent play). He just messed up his reputation with last year’s tantrums and public airing of laundry.
Looking slightly further back, Mike Vrabel, Roosevelt Colvin, Roman Phifer were all free agents; Phifer was even singed at the base minimum veteran pay scale of about half a million dollars, at the time. Free agency is always a lottery, the early years the Pats got lucky on some of them, and in later years they didn’t.
If you do want a decent free agent name from 2009, look no further than Tully Banta-Cain – he was picked up (like Phifer) for a one-year deal of minimum pay, and performed way above expectations (10 sacks). He might not feel like a free agent because he was originally a Pat, but he’s a free agent pickup all the same.
In the same breath you might want to mention Leigh Bodden, who more than filled the hole left by Ellis Hobbs and became the best CB on the team, again after signing a one-year “show me what you’ve got” deal.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Mar 20, 2010 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions
So what do YOU expect the Bills to do?
I knew the Bills weren’t going to sign Peppers. I wouldn’t recommend spending everything on a couple players because that hurts the team in the long run. However, they are clearly the team with the biggest quantity of needs- why haven’t they picked up even some mid-level players that are available in this market?
The Bills could be looking to rebuild through the draft- that’s fine. That’s the best course of action if it’s done correctly.
The Bills could be waiting until other teams start cutting players- that’s fine too. While it gives the team more of a “scavenger” feel, as opposed to a Football team, it would work.
That still doesn’t change the fact that there are mid-, and even low-, end players that would make this Bills team better, who have potential to be signed up before training camp. The draft can’t solve all of the Bills issues. Grabbing up players cast away during training camp is no way to build a locker room. The Bills, in my opinion, should have started earlier and picked up players who can contribute as link players- players who can play now and who can set up other players to do even better in the future.
As of now, you guys (unnecessarily, in my opinion), released some of your depth players and coaching staff and have picked up a 34 year old OT who was on the Raiders. The Raiders. That’s not the type of positive direction activity the Bills need.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
With these year’s restrictions on guys with less than 6 years of experience, I expected the Bills to do what they’ve been doing. Bringing in a few depth players and signing a couple cheap hole pluggers. Dwan Edwards and Andra Davis are in town today and while I don’t expect both to be signed one of those two would go a long way towards establishing the 3-4 defense.
If I’m the Bills, I don’t bring in midlevel guys as you suggest. Those guys are people making more money than some of my starters and I’m not getting a great return on that. I’d rather draft guys that have a shot of being great, pay them less money, and get the same return.
You mention low and mid-end players… those guys are just starting to get signed now so what’s the beef with the Bills waiting?
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
So they can get the best available players?
I understand what the Bills are doing- they’re going to draft a core and pick up players to complete the roster holes. I just don’t agree with how they’re going about doing it.
They opened the off-season by creating holes on their roster by cutting players. They gave themselves more to deal with than they needed to have dealt with. So far, in this off-season, the Bills have taken leaps backwards in terms of talent on their team. They’ve shaken up their coaching tree and roster and Bills fans are left with the hopes that the Bills can draft well and sign quality FAs.
As a fan, and someone who watches football, one just has to look to the Dolphins and Bill Parcells to see what quick turnaround needs. There’s no way that the Bills can fix their team in the draft alone and waiting until later allows the best players to sign elsewhere. As I’ve said- the Bills are in a position where they can draft BPA in every round. Picking up quality FAs won’t effect that strategy and can actually help those drafted players by lessening the pressure on those players. Adding players early can solidify the team in the long run.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
In addition...
…here’s a link of Dolphin transactions. That sort of activity shows a team designed to start winning- it didn’t prevent them from thinking of the long term. It just allowed them to start winning early.
Building through the draft is a great thing, but losing kills careers and, without able veterans, teams without proven players will lose.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
The Dolphins signed their 2008 starting QB in August. You talk about Parcells like he made all these great moves that offseason but if Pennington doesn’t land in his lap in August he’s screwed.
One of our authors penned this little diddy when the Bills fans started screaming about not signing anybody.
Parcells released, waived or cut over twenty players prior to the draft, including Zach Thomas, Trent Green, Marty Booker and L.J. Shelton.
He created more holes like you say the Bills did. He also traded Jason Taylor.
Free agency added two long-term starters and two depth players for the Dolphins.
So if the Bills sign Dwan Edwards they may have two starters from free agency (Cornell Green being a possible short term answer at RT)
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
BTW – love this convo.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, he created holes...
…but then he also FILLED them. He took a chance on all of those players in order to find a couple of players who contribute- that’s worth it, in my opinion. If you need to take 20 players in order to find a Starks, Torbor, and Smiley, I’d go for it. The majority of the players were signed for 1 year rentals- which is what the Bills need to do. They have holes and they need temporary band-aids until the positions can be filled by future players.
As a Pats fan looking in, I think I can point to, and correct me if I’m wrong, your O-Line, your D-Line, your OLBs, your WRs, your TEs and, possibly, your CBs as positions of need. You have 7, or a couple more with compensatory. Let’s say that you get a starter with every single pick (highly unlikely, I’d say 2-3 starters is the more likely number). That means you’re still left with NUMEROUS holes.
So yes. Parcells created holes. He also tried fixing some of the leaks prior to the draft in order to frame the needs of a 1-15 team for the draft. He patched up the big holes via the draft. He tried to take care of what remained post draft. The point I’m making is that he made an attempt to better the team at every point of the way during the off-season. I have yet to see that commitment from Buffalo.
Oh, and yes, I’d agree that signing Edwards would be a great move for the Bills.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I'd also like to point out, though I'm perhaps a little biased...
…the Kansas City Chiefs as a team, led by Scott Pioli, as one who’s committed to getting a winning team. He’s been making moves, he’s been able to take the BPA in the draft and he’s been utilizing FA to patch up holes. Will they be a contender next year? Maybe not. But it appears like they’ll be on their way sometime soon.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Here's an update in the right direction:
Bills get Andra Davis. Is he an LB of the future? No. Is he an able bodied veteran who can get the job done in the present and keep the spot warm for the player the Bills draft/get for the future? Yes.
He’s a type of tweener I’m talking about.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Bills also get Dwan Edwards...
…apparently he had some neck issues, but the combination of Davis and Edwards are great moves in my opinion and catapult them past the Dolphins in terms of team betterment and player quality.
In fact, these two signings may push them past the Patriots and Jets in terms of team betterment over the previous year. The Jets downgrade two positions in Poole and Tomlinson and get 1 upgrade in Cromartie. The Patriots stay neutral. The Bills have improved on 3 positions by gaining 3 starters.
Funny how quickly things change.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Haha
That’s the point many of us Bills fans try to make. The moves being made don’t have to be done within a week or two of the start of free agency.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I know...
…that’s why I put the “(so far)” in the title. I know things change over the off-season- it’s just helpful to check in and see how all the competition is doing to better itself.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Not sure any of the players cut by the Bills adds up to creating holes. Maybe you’d say Owens, but who actually thought he’d see year 2 in Buffalo?
by bluecollarbuffalo on Mar 20, 2010 7:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Pretty good take on it all so far. Good read.
Couple of comments for ya though.
Their safety position got worse, as did their OLB position
Ok, I’ll give you the OLB position, but it’s looking like we will be addressing that one in the draft. As for free safety, I think losing Wilson actually improved the team more than keeping him. I mean, he might as well have not been on the field at all for all the help he contributed overall. As for an upgrade there, we’re having a bunch of debates right now of how we’re going to fill the FS hole. Most think we’re gonna fill it in the draft with Earl Thomas or Berry if he miraculously falls, although some of us think that we may make a push for a FA, either Sharper or Atogwe.
Oh yeah, and rec’d.
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Chillin easy on the Draft CJ Spiller SpillWagon skybus. Got the window seat, the minibar, just waiting for the stewardess to bring me a pillow.
I know that most of you guys are happy Wilson is gone...
…but as of now, your safety position is in the same place as our tight end- barren of talent. He at least had some experience and now you have nothing there. While you absolutely should pursue additional talent, Wilson would have provided, at the very least, some veteran assurance.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, I definitely agree with you on that we need to find someone.
But Wilson’s play looked so horrible I wonder if putting a tackling dummy out there could have been any worse. But Wilson bashing aside, I wanted us to pick up a FS in free agency since it started. My personal favorite course of action would be to sign OJ Atogwe from the Rams, and then we would have a good FS for a while. We could also sign someone like Sharper and then draft someone like Earl Thomas and have Sharper mentor him. We could also do this with the Atogwe route, which like I said, would be my preferred way to go.
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I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
28 "Phinsider Feud" Points
Chillin easy on the Draft CJ Spiller SpillWagon skybus. Got the window seat, the minibar, just waiting for the stewardess to bring me a pillow.
by Chupathingy on Mar 16, 2010 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
FS is a headache to guess
at least we know an OLB is coming 1st or 2nd round in the draft
"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die."
Jerry Hughes in the 1st
Nate Allen in the 2nd (Cant have enough Allens on the secondary)
Jimmy Graham in the 3rd
Miami's NT
Didn’t Miami lose their NT Jason Ferguson for 8 weeks coz of suspension. That’s is going to be a huge loss for them.
Yeah...
…but I would factor that more into “needs for next season” as opposed to “transactions from this off-season”.
by Richard Hill on Mar 16, 2010 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
True, but we do have Paul Soliai who can fill the spot until then
and we have a backup in Tony McDaniels. Neither are great NTs, but they are serviceable until Ferguson comes back. This actually may work out well for us, as he will have an extra 8 weeks to recover from his injury and we will have a fresh good NT for the second half of the season. At least, that’s how we are hoping it works.
"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue
I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
28 "Phinsider Feud" Points
Chillin easy on the Draft CJ Spiller SpillWagon skybus. Got the window seat, the minibar, just waiting for the stewardess to bring me a pillow.
by Chupathingy on Mar 16, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
So D is no longer the strength of the Dolphins?
I really wish Ronnie Brown could stay healthy for a whole season…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 16, 2010 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
you and I both...
We do need a SOLB and FS above all else
"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die."
Jerry Hughes in the 1st
Nate Allen in the 2nd (Cant have enough Allens on the secondary)
Jimmy Graham in the 3rd
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