My Unlikely but Hopeful Offseason Plan

[hornetfb85]

I know it is very unlikely, but I am assuming no outside free agent acquisitions. But if we focus on our own and the NFL Draft here is what I got.

I have also done some work with the financials...which will be close. I'm not sure if the following would work perfectly, but I think it would be close.

Offensive Roster:

QB: Brady - - Garoppolo
RB: Blount - - Gray/Ridley - - White - - Bolden - - Draft Pick / Dion Lewis
WR: Edelman - - LaFell - - Amendola (Restructure) - - Dobson - - Tyms / Draft Pick - - Slater
TE/FB: Gronkowski - - Wright - - Draft Pick - - Develin
OT: Solder - - Vollmer - - Cannon - - Fleming
C/OG: Stork - - Wendell - - Connolly / Draft Pick - - Kline - - Draft Pick


Defensive Roster:

DE: Jones - - Ninkovich - - Moore
DT: Wilfork (Restructure) - - Siliga - - Jones - - Branch / Draft Pick
DE/DT: Easley
DE/OLB: Ayers (Re-Sign) / Draft Pick
LB: Mayo (Restructure) - - Hightower - - Collins - - Casillas (Re-Sign) - - Fleming / Draft Pick
CB: Revis (Extend) - - Browner - - Ryan - - Arrington - - Butler / Draft Pick
S: McCourty (Re-Sign) - - Chung - - Harmon - - Wilson / Draft Pick - - Ebner


K: Gostkowski (Re-Sign)
P: Ryan Allen
LS: Aiken (Re-Sign) / Replacement


So if all of the Re-signings / Restructurings work out here would be my plan (Although very, very unlikely )

RB: Stick with Gray and let Ridley walk
Draft Pick (3rd)

WR: Stick with Tyms

TE: Draft Pick (4th)

OG: Draft Pick (4th)
Re-Sign Connolly

DT: Draft Pick (1st)

DE/OLB: Draft Pick (2nd)

LB: Stick with Fleming

CB: Stick with Butler

S: Draft Pick (3rd)

 

[hornetfb85]

Draft Picks:

1 - DT: Carl Davis
2- OLB/DE: Owamagbe Odighizuwa
3 - SS: Jaquiski Tartt
3- RB: David Johnson
4- OG: Jarvis Harrison (Weight Control)
4- TE: Nick Boyle (I'm higher on him than most )

Just my opinion, which isn't worth much

 

[manxman2601]

Good job.

I really like your first four picks. There' nothing I have a serious quibble with except maybe your omission of Vereen. Do you think they'll try to re-sign him or do you think he'll work out too expensive?

 

[hornetfb85]

I really, really like the fit of Vereen on offense, and truly hope we can re-sign him. Just think he is going to price out of our range.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I don't see VW re-working his contract for the 2nd straight year. He was in a poor bargaining position last year if he hit the open market. Now, he's finishing the season healthy. He knows he can get more than we can afford elsewhere. I also think Ayers reduced snaps are an indicator he's not going to play a big role for us. Particularly with Mayo coming back next year. That allows you to use Hightower or Collins off the edge at times. Can't see Ridley coming back either. Agree with you. Vereen is the better given we have Blount and Gray coming back too.

 

[hornetfb85]

I don't see VW re-working his contract for the 2nd straight year. He was in a poor bargaining position last year if he hit the open market. Now, he's finishing the season healthy. He knows he can get more than we can afford elsewhere. I also think Ayers reduced snaps are an indicator he's not going to play a big role for us. Particularly with Mayo coming back next year. That allows you to use Hightower or Collins off the edge at times. Can't see Ridley coming back either. Agree with you. Vereen is the better given we have Blount and Gray coming back too.

I agree that VW may not re-work his contract, but if that's the case there is going to be a real tough decision to be made. I hope we can, but I can't see us being able to keep VW at his current number and still re-sign McCourty and others. It may just be time to let VW go (although that pains me to say, really want him to retire a Pat) and let the others including draft picks take over.

Also agree with Ayers. Think we can save some money and draft a replacement and achieve pretty much the same output, maybe more.

 

[hornetfb85]

Defense (If Wilfork does Restructure somehow):

DE: Chandler Jones / Owamagbe Odighizuwa
DT: Vince Wilfork / Sealver Siliga / Carl Davis
DT: Chris Jones / Dominique Easley
DE: Rob Ninkovich / Zach Moore

OLB: Jerod Mayo / Jonathan Casillas
MLB: Dont'a Hightower / A.J. Johnson
OLB: Jamie Collins

CB: Darelle Revis / Kyle Arrington / Malcolm Butler
FS: Devin McCourty / Duron Harmon
SS: Pat Chung / Jacquiski Tartt / Nate Ebner
CB: Brandon Browner / Logan Ryan


That is a good combination of Talent and Depth.

 

[manxman2601]

Defense (If Wilfork does Restructure somehow):

DE: Chandler Jones / Owamagbe Odighizuwa
DT: Vince Wilfork / Sealver Siliga / Carl Davis
DT: Chris Jones / Dominique Easley
DE: Rob Ninkovich / Zach Moore

OLB: Jerod Mayo / Jonathan Casillas
MLB: Dont'a Hightower / A.J. Johnson
OLB: Jamie Collins

CB: Darelle Revis / Kyle Arrington / Malcolm Butler
FS: Devin McCourty / Duron Harmon
SS: Pat Chung / Jacquiski Tartt / Nate Ebner
CB: Brandon Browner / Logan Ryan


That is a good combination of Talent and Depth.

Michael Buchanan has become a bit of a forgotten man in these parts. I like that he can project at both a sub DE and an OLB in both bases. And Exner over Tavon Wilson is something I'm not sure I could get fully behind. Wilson has been a positive for me this year, Exner doesn't offer that much save potential and some special teams.

But that's nit-picking. There's a very strong defence there.

 

[hornetfb85]

Kind of liking Tavon as the fifth safety. Always had ebner because he cost less, but looking at the cap page, it's not as much of a difference as I thought.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

At this point it is almost more interesting which free agents we keep than who we pick in the draft.

 

[manxman2601]

At this point it is almost more interesting which free agents we keep than who we pick in the draft.

It will be a fascinating off-season.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think the Pats will restructure Revis, if not they might even just pay him. I highly doubt he goes anywhere.

I think that re-signing Vereen is a must! He is the next Kevin Faulk and just keeps getting better. He had a monster SB last night. If I had to pick between re-signing Ridley or Vereen, I don't even think its close.

I've never been that high on McCourty, I'm apathetic at best towards his re-signing. I just hope they don't break the bank re-signing him.

The other tough calls will be Mayo and Vince. Hopefully Vince restructures and stays. Mayo has basically lost the last two years. That's a lot of cash on the sidelines. Although, losing both of these veteran voices at once, might adversely effect the teams chemistry.

Now for the Free Agents I would like to see:

Charles Clay- TE Miami I liked him coming out of college another one of those multi-position players. He can play TE or FB, has great hands, can block, and has a knack for getting open.

Not a big FA class this year, a few really big names, Impati, Suh, Bryant, who could all of course help the Pats, But just not BB style to spend big in FA. Could you imagine Dez Braynt with Gronk, Edleman and Lafell with Vereen coming out of the backfield?

BTW I'm "all in" on using #32 on Todd Gurley!

 

[Sciz]

I also think Ayers reduced snaps are an indicator he's not going to play a big role for us.

This was what I was thinking, and I had pretty much accepted that he was gone. Last night, though, he played off-the-line LB, something he did with the Titans but not really this season with the Pats.

Obviously a lot depends on what happens with Mayo, but I don't think it's ever a bad idea to have a guy like Ayers who can contribute at LB, DE, and STs.

 

[State]

You neglected Tyler Gaffney, the very productive Stanford RB whom we nabbed from Carolina after he sustained season-ending surgery. A sixth-round pick, he looks to compete next year and is an excellent guy to come in a spell the starter some relieve. He can pick up blocks well and is a good receiver out of the backfield. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...patriots-latest-details-comments-and-reaction

 

[manxman2601]

Charles Clay- TE Miami I liked him coming out of college another one of those multi-position players. He can play TE or FB, has great hands, can block, and has a knack for getting open.


BTW I'm "all in" on using #32 on Todd Gurley!

As regards Clay, you might want to check the RB from Northern Iowa, David Johnson. Who has some Clay to his game.

Apart from five names ( three OL and two DE) who might be gone anyway, I wholeheartedly agree on Gurley. I've compared drafting Gurley to getting Gronk.

 

[Big-T]

Was just going to post I'd go Gurley at #32 so glad to see other people think the same.

Getting a RB with that kind of talent with Brady still under Center? Talk about unfair.

 

[hornetfb85]

Guess I can take the "/Draft Pick" off from behind M. Butler

 

[meatface]

I really, really like the fit of Vereen on offense, and truly hope we can re-sign him. Just think he is going to price out of our range.

I'd, rb's haven't gotten paid much lately

 

[meatface]

Was just going to post I'd go Gurley at #32 so glad to see other people think the same.

Getting a RB with that kind of talent with Brady still under Center? Talk about unfair.

I do really like the idea of getting Gurley,