Possible Patriots Free Agency Targets: RB

but there’s no way Dallas keeps him on the payroll at around $6-7m /yr when he’s lost his starting job, and who’s going to trade for him at that price?

He’s 27, has never been the sole workhorse, and when motivated is a beast.

I think he is the perfect compliment for BJGE (and is better if he gets back to his old form).

Does mean that we don’t have that hybrid can run can catch effectively guy, but how many of those are there really?

I’d grab Ingram at the bottom of the first round. I know there are other needs, but you can’t pass on that type of value. I didn’t like any of last year’s crop of RBs – when the top of the class (Spiller) is projected to be a change of pace back alone, you have a weak draft class. But Ingram is a pretty sure thing from what I gather – he’s succeeded as the main RB before and his yards after contact in his Heisman year were hugely impressive. The offensive line prospects in this draft are weak and rush linebackers are notoriously hard to predict when drafting (Vernon Gholston). Thus, if Ingram is available at 28, I say we get him.

If Ingram falls to Patriots, I wouldn’t be surprised BB took him if they thought he was top
of RB class. He would have to be a first year starter. BB may figure the people they want will still be there in deeper rounds. I don’t think they would take OL first round unless they needed an immediate starter. Why pay an OL player a couple million a year to sit as back up. If enough OL and QB get targeted in first round, there will be a lot of quality worthy of second round pick.

I could never imagine BB choosing an hyped elite player. He’ll pick real boring players that will make us yawn when we hear their name.

2008- 273 rushes 1515 yds 94.7ypg 5.5ypc 18tds
2009- 216 rushes 1117 yds 85.9ypg 5.2ypc 7tds

need i say more? n to do that without a qb? r u serious? id luv to have the firm back, but def not at 4million per yr as uve speculated, im pretty sure that with dwills’ off yr we can get him around 3 yrs 21mil, barely more than what u think the firm would command and hes a much better player. plus it would give us leverage to bring the firm back at the price he deserves. DWILLS needs to be game planned for, and even when he is, if his line is up to snuff he still dominates. imaine when u have no choice but not to gameplan for him since they are to busy studying Brady? it would really be unfair. to top this all off he is only 27 and has very little mileage on him due to always being in a timeshare be it with stewart or davis. hes the one we need, and hes definitely the one i want. n honestly forget money, were always under the cap, this year we were wayyy under, we can definitely afford him.

I’d say keep who we have at running back and draft defense like crazy

Get one of those proven 30+ year old NFL RB that other teams discard.

Also sign Faulk for one more year or use Clayton. They plucked him back from cleveland waivers even after waiving him. Clayton must have something they like.

I honestly do not see a need to go after an elite back in free agency or a back in the first 2 or 3 rounds in the draft. The Pats really are not a team that does too much on the ground, mostly short passes to compensate, as they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Benny and Woodhead have a nice niche in the Pats offense.

Brady will have a short career. I have said this before. If you look at game films for A. Smith and Dillon you see what one of the “missing” elements was for the Patriots of the last few years. Those two backs "ripped"major yardage runs in the 4th quarter of many of their games. Opposing defenses get tired, Corey Dillon made them pay. The shotgun is,in fact, defensible. A “Tunreresque” back punching the D in the mouth makes a tremendous difference.

If Brady has a bad day, as he has had in the last two playoff games, a legitimate power runner will help. Look at how Big Ben, who threw a sucky game against the jets, was bailed out by his BIG back.

Regrettably I don’t see any FA’s that fill this bill….maybe a pick can be found.

Absolutley right tstory;
Neal is good for maybe like 5 or 6 games and retired by the end of the new year. Mankins….. well seem’s…….more than gone already, it’s just not specifically inked yet.
Guard’s x2…NOW.
Kazur, out all this year w/ a back injury (& the type that just doesn’t go away either), so as soon as he injures it slightly again, he’s unreliable if not out the rest of the year again… Matt Light on the decline already, still good-but loosing it, he’s good for two year’s maybe, but not as the Matt light we know that’s for sure.
*OTackle x2 …NOW.
*Still missing that OLB we “desperately” need. OLBx1…NOW.
*still missing that DE we “desperately” need, DEx1…NOW.
That’s four pick’s and assumed that we move up to get all four GOOD ONES, that’s 5 pick’s used off the top……
The rest are lower level pick’s where the talent level really begin’s to drop off in general, not mentioning of course the “possable luck” that can be had finding a star in the 6th round……………..
Getting a Free Agent RB so we are not as predictable as we clearly have been is without qeustion!!!!!
I’d not use a pick for a running back for sure. We could just suck it up & Pay in Free Agency for a “Power” RB like DeAngelo William’s or Amad Bradshaw give either one a two year initial deal and make sure that with that addition to the Law-Firm and Woody Tandum, both we know, as well as the rest of the leage team’s know’s, that we again have a real run game again. That “we can take it to the house”, and pound through your D………..ala’ Antwon Smith/Corry Dillon.
Cedric Benson would also be a great addition for us adding to the Tandum of Woddy and BJ-GE, he also has and bring’s great secial team’s play at the same time that we can use, and BB likes…….if not the even bigger Power RB.
Without question, I would get a free agent RB. Leon Washington out of seatle is also another with special team’s capabilities to look at, but not before Cedric Benson in that regard.
A two year deal for any of them, gives us the space to use our pick’s on the O-line, and the D-line as well considering that Ron Brace went out on a strecher in a neck “brace” in the Chicago game. Players like Wright and a few other are conditional/cituational player’s only, one Warren is back but the other Warren maybe leaving and didn’t live up too all his hype……
The D-line need’s new steady help as well.
Save the pick’s for the O & D lines and a B.A. OLB.
Getting a vereran power RB and a veteran power DE will give us the time to get a rookie Rb next year, groom him and continue running.
I’d suck it up and walk up to DE Jason Babin House with a pre-named Patriot jersey and a check in my hand if I’m BB or Kraft ……..

Then i’d start a.s.ap. on my Free Agent RB list…….

The reason the Pat’s plucked back alot more than just clayton, is that everybody was 1/2 and or 3/4 injured. With all the initial injuries mounting, and the uncertainty of ppl like Woodhead yet…..What if the
Jet’s tossed Woody for a reson and he just didn’t heppen to work out with us???? Hence The tandum of BJ-GE and Clayton VS The tandum of BJ-GE and Woody.
 They Plucked back so many players off the pratice squad, waivers and the like because even though they did what they did all year, it was done with cituational players, and sub-par players filling in for injured and conditional and sub-par players……..
They had to pluck him back just in case.
get a Free Agent power back ala’ Antwon Smith/ Cory Dillon, and wait for a rookie stud next year to groom.

Brown and Williams FA’s are more in the Dillon mode 230 lbs. BB knows more about them than I do. My sense is no.

I don;t think there is a defensive coordinator in the league who spends a great deal of time worrying about how to stop BJGE or Danny for that matter.

This has been an issue for the Pats for a number of years now. Brady needs help and I don’t mean head case wide receivers. Smith and Dillon had an “effect” on opposing defenses and this is the help the QB and the team needs as a whole. I think that Mendenhall’s game against the Jets is a good example of a big back carrying an offense for a couple of quarters,Ben sucked, but, his big back saved his bacon.

Brady needs this kind if help.