Patriots Sign WR Brandon LaFell to 3-year contract

[Deus Irae]

Wait....

Did someone just try to equate the reasoning behind signing the best cover corner the league's seen since at least Champ Bailey in his prime, and another Pro Bowl corner, with the reasoning behind the signing of Brandon LaFell?

 

[Snake Eyes]

Yeah, typical. The last 14 years have sucked since those two got together.

How many games would we have won last season if not for TFB pulling a bunch of magic dust out of his behind late in the game?

Having a QB that good makes up for a lot, it could easily be argued that we've been this good in large part because of Brady, not BB/Kraft.

 

[Kdo5]

I can't pretend to know much about Lafell but from some of what I've heard he wasn't correctly used by the Panthers...that he played a lot of slot when he was built to stretch the field. May be a good pickup.

 

[JMC00]

Pats make it official

Patriots sign WR Brandon LaFell

 

[VJCPatriot]

Seriously?

Ocho was always a #1 receiver in Cinci. Seven 1,000 yard seasons, 6 time pro bowler, 2 time 1st team all pro selection. He was coming off a better season than Steve Smith, and he came into New England and flat out failed.

Who's to say Smith wouldn't have flopped here similarly especially since his numbers were on the decline. A 5'9 WR who has lost a step is a bigger gamble than a 6'1 WR who has lost a step. Not to mention that he wanted to goto Baltimore from the onset of his release. That was his first visit and that's who he signed with.

You're not convincing me to label this as some kind of failure on BB's part. Some players simply want to go to a certain team. It's quite possible that Steve Smith hates the Pats because of the time we beat him in the Super Bowl and would rather goto a team that has shown they can beat us in the playoffs. For a guy who plays with a chip, this could have been a huge factor in his decision. Ever thought of that?

Boy that is some spinning there to try to justify being glad we got LaFell instead...

Smith in his career was a #1 now a #2 option but still with all the skills and tricks of an old vet #1. The other guy was and ever was a #2 and now is more likely a #3 or #4.

It is what it is, and what that is...is that LaFell is not an alternative to missing out Smith.

 

[shmessy]

How many games would we have won last season if not for TFB pulling a bunch of magic dust out of his behind late in the game?

Having a QB that good makes up for a lot, it could easily be argued that we've been this good in large part because of Brady, not BB/Kraft.

You and that Texxx character are right. Let's get a new owner and new coach who are more deserving of Brady.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Why did Carolina not want lafell? Did he la fall down their depth chart? I think I smell a rat.

Their cap situation is not good, considering how many holes they still need to fill. It's also possible that they've accepted that LaFell just isn't a very good fit in that offense with Newton at QB.

 

[JMC00]

Their cap situation is not good, considering how many holes they still need to fill. It's also possible that they've accepted that LaFell just isn't a very good fit in that offense with Newton at QB.

They let their top 3 WR go, passed on Hakeem Nicks and had Jericho Cotchery in today.

I'd imagine they're looking at double dipping at the WR in the draft and will sign a solid veteran at cheap money. $1m-$2m

 

[Wheelman]

This signing is so legendary it has given us 408 posts in less than 2 days!

 

[VJCPatriot]

If you think "Jump Ball Joe" was bad LAST year without having Boldin winning the leaps, wait to you see his INT rate this year trying to lob to 35.5 yr old 5'9" Stevie.

I'd rather face an aging Steve Smith than Anquan Boldin. This is a straight up downgrade for Baltimore.

If Smith is Baltimore's #1 WR he's going to get swallowed up on Revis Island. And I don't think their #2 WR will fare much better against Browner.

 

[JMC00]

If Smith is Baltimore's #1 WR he's going to get swallowed up on Revis Island. And I don't think their #2 WR will fare much better against Browner.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'd rather face an aging Steve Smith than Anquan Boldin. This is a straight up downgrade for Baltimore.

If Smith is Baltimore's #1 WR he's going to get swallowed up on Revis Island. And I don't think their #2 WR will fare much better against Browner.

Boldin wasn't on the Ravens last season.

 

[JMC00]

If Smith is Baltimore's #1 WR he's going to get swallowed up on Revis Island. And I don't think their #2 WR will fare much better against Browner.

Although if the Pats and Ravens were to play next year it would be in the playoffs.

But my guess would be Revis on S.Smith, Browner on T.Smith, Arrington/Ryan/Dennard on Jones.

 

[MTM558]

I'm happy with this signing - it gives the team a veteran WR in his prime who has size, versatility, and has produced despite coming from an offense that limited him.

I know everyone these days wants the big time #1 WR in the mold of Megatron, A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas.... but Tom Brady's strengths are precision throws to the flats and over the middle of the field - and that is how the Patriots design their offense. While many teams build it from the outside in, the Patriots build from the inside out. That's why they value Tight Ends, Slot Receivers, and shifty Running Backs like Vereen more than most other teams.

 

[shmessy]

Boldin wasn't on the Ravens last season.

.......and Jump Ball Joe couldn't get them even to the playoffs.

 

[supafly]

Boldin wasn't on the Ravens last season.

.......and Jump Ball Joe couldn't get them even to the playoffs.

I think these 2 had a major relationship to each other.

Baltimore's problems weren't on defense, as their defense was better than their SB winning one. Their problem was losing Boldin and having Ray Rice underperform in a major way.

I expect them in their usual 9-7 or 10-6 range next year myself.

 

[ATippett56]

I think these 2 had a major relationship to each other.

Baltimore's problems weren't on defense, as their defense was better than their SB winning one. Their problem was losing Boldin and having Ray Rice underperform in a major way.

I expect them in their usual 9-7 or 10-6 range next year myself.

The Ravens lost offensive center Matt Birk to retirement and offensive guard/tackle Michael Oher regressed (Oher was overhyped anyways).

 

[strngplyr]

The Ravens lost offensive center Matt Birk to retirement and offensive guard/tackle Michael Oher regressed (Oher was overhyped anyways).

Didn't Oher also sign elsewhere?

 

[ATippett56]

Didn't Oher also sign elsewhere?

2014 NFL Free Agent Grades: WalterFootball.com

Titans sign OT Michael Oher (4 years, $20M; $9.5M guaranteed): C Grade

I just bashed Ozzie Newsome's decision to sign Steve Smith, but Newsome, as I said, is one of the top general managers in football. He was willing to let Michael Oher walk without any resistance despite his team having issues on the offensive line. That should have alerted the Titans that signing Oher to a big deal would be a bad move, but apparently not.

Considering the Jets just signed Breno Giacomini, a right tackle who has performed pretty equally to Oher over the past couple of years, to a contract with $2.5 million less guaranteed, Tennessee obviously overpaid. Oher simply never improved in Baltimore, so why would he suddenly grow as a player in Tennessee?

With that said, I'm not giving the Titans an awful grade for this. Oher is an upgrade at right tackle and has untapped potential, so there's a chance this could work out. I wouldn't bet on it though.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Not sure Browner will be a big factor. Every year someone underperforms and someone over performs. Like the DB group and I think he brings something different. Even if it's just that aggressive attitude we lost with Spikes.