2020 Patriots News

[NWPATSFAN]

As many of us suspected Hoyer back in NE. Good for the Pats if Camp and OTAs are disrupted by COVID19.

Copeland is a typical BB type late FA signing. Another versatile player who plays STs. Not going to be a weekly highlight film just a guy who can hopefully do his job.

Just over $1M if I recall? Good signing.

Looking forward to the rest of FA and the draft. In BB we still trust.

 

[BigKen]

The signing of Hoyer tells us two things.

1. BB told the Bengals to go to hell. They were trying to get a second or third for Dalton and supposedly Bill wouldn't do better than a 6th.

2. Belichick will draft a QB in April. If he's exceptional, Hoyer will be cut. If he needs grooming, he'll be on the Practice Squad for 2020.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

The signing of Hoyer tells us two things.

1. BB told the Bengals to go to hell. They were trying to get a second or third for Dalton and supposedly Bill wouldn't do better than a 6th.

2. Belichick will draft a QB in April. If he's exceptional, Hoyer will be cut. If he needs grooming, he'll be on the Practice Squad for 2020.

Vegas odds makers put Deshaun Watson as the number one bet to be the Pats QB in 2021.
Number two is even bet between Stidham and Trevor Lawrence.

Patriots Odds: What Do Vegas Oddsmakers Know About Projected 2021 QB?

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Ebner replacement

 

[cheerupcharlie]

Here’s a little something I saw today. Jarrett Stidham and Damien Harris played on the same football team for 7/8 year olds. That’s kinda cool.

 

[nefansince75]

Vegas odds makers put Deshaun Watson as the number one bet to be the Pats QB in 2021.
Number two is even bet between Stidham and Trevor Lawrence.

Patriots Odds: What Do Vegas Oddsmakers Know About Projected 2021 QB?

in an alternate projection Vegas odds maker have the chances of hell freezing over just above the Pats being in any position to draft Lawrence. Most teams would rather throw the pick away entirely than to trade it to the Pats for anything.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Trading Edelman would cost over $1m in cap space.

Getting rid of Chung saves less than $2m

Sanu is a definite possibility. Burkhead, Harmon, Gostkowski, Cannon may be more likely. Reworking Gillmore and Hightower are musts. Probably Shaq, too.

And there goes Gostkowski

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

@DougKyed

Matthew Slater is now the longest tenured Patriots player.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

And there goes Gostkowski

Hello Rodrigo Blankenship!

 

[BigKen]

Vegas odds makers put Deshaun Watson as the number one bet to be the Pats QB in 2021.
Number two is even bet between Stidham and Trevor Lawrence.

Patriots Odds: What Do Vegas Oddsmakers Know About Projected 2021 QB?

The Patriots will be rolling in money next year.

If the cap is $196M, the will $122M under, If the cap crosses $205M they will be at $132+M

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Texans aren’t letting Watson get away any more than the Chiefs are Mahomes, regardless of how much cap space Pats have next year.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Hello Rodrigo Blankenship!

View attachment 236187

I’m cool with him or Eberle or Bass. I’d also like to see Folk brought back to compete with a rookie.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

I’m cool with him or Eberle or Bass. I’d also like to see Folk brought back to compete with a rookie.

Agreed. All 3 are pretty good kickers. And Folk actually did a serviceable job last year.

 

[cdumler7]

Hello Rodrigo Blankenship!

View attachment 236187

My editor looks exactly like him. We make fun of him all the time but yeah he would be a nice kicker to get.

 

[BigKen]

Texans aren’t letting Watson get away any more than the Chiefs are Mahomes, regardless of how much cap space Pats have next year.

Everybody keeps saying that the fifth year option will be executed and that the teams will franchise them if they don't get them extended. If those guys don't get what they want, they have an option too. It's called "sitting home". Teams may have those options, but the fifth year option is being investigated and could be illegal under the law because it's only for certain players and not all. If it gets to court, anyone with a fifth year option could be declared a free agent.

The other thing is that quarterbacks command more money and attention than any other player or position. Playing in KC may be okay as far as football is concerned, but it's not the greatest place to build a brand or get huge media exposure. Both of the Chiefs and Texans are going to have to deal with money shortages and not being able to keep those teams intact. They haven't had to deal with it yet, but franchising the best young quarterbacks isn't the best way to keep a team together.

 

[nefansince75]

Teams may have those options, but the fifth year option is being investigated and could be illegal under the law because it's only for certain players and not all. If it gets to court, anyone with a fifth year option could be declared a free agent.

Everything I've ever heard about legal vs illegal when a union is involved is almost anything is legal. Most employment law is there to protect workers, but unions are given great discretion since they are an advocate for the entire group.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

We’ve seen repeatedly that teams adjust their team building based on their QB’s contract. Recent SB winners like the Seahawks and Eagles pushed all-in on veteran FA’s while their QB’s were on their rookie deals, and then down-shifted to emphasizing draft picks after the QB’s got paid. The Chiefs and Texans loaded up last year (worked for the Chiefs) and will similarly adjust when Mahomes and Watson get paid.

The fifth year option is legal because it was collectively bargained.

The new CBA has harsher penalties for holding out.

So yes, franchise QB’s get paid. Historically by the team that drafted them. Don’t see that changing any time soon.

 

[cdumler7]

Everybody keeps saying that the fifth year option will be executed and that the teams will franchise them if they don't get them extended. If those guys don't get what they want, they have an option too. It's called "sitting home". Teams may have those options, but the fifth year option is being investigated and could be illegal under the law because it's only for certain players and not all. If it gets to court, anyone with a fifth year option could be declared a free agent.

The other thing is that quarterbacks command more money and attention than any other player or position. Playing in KC may be okay as far as football is concerned, but it's not the greatest place to build a brand or get huge media exposure. Both of the Chiefs and Texans are going to have to deal with money shortages and not being able to keep those teams intact. They haven't had to deal with it yet, but franchising the best young quarterbacks isn't the best way to keep a team together.

Sitting home does not do anything for them. The new CBA has very harsh penalties for any player that chooses to hold out and even sitting for a season they are still right back in the same boat the next season as they cannot have it count as a season.

Also the NFL is much different than other major sports. Players cannot walk away as easy as say Lebron and how many different teams he has played for. That Franchise Tag is a huge weapon of keeping a player on 1-year deals for at least 2 seasons (you can tag more but just never seen it before) so puts a lot of risk on that player to go 7 years into their career before getting that 2nd big contract with another team.

Also I would say both teams have been preparing for big contracts. It is why the Chiefs are struggling to pay Chris Jones long-term right now and figuring out how to get rid of some other big contracts. They will get something done. Watson just saw his best target traded away because they want money available to sign Watson long-term. Beyond all of that trying to build your brand in big cities is not as important in the NFL. Peyton did plenty building his brand in Indianapolis of all places. Patrick Mahomes and Watson will have no problem building their brand. And if they go anywhere I doubt Boston is at the top of the list of places to go build your brand. New York, Miami, LA, Vegas, Dallas, Washington D.C., and heck Houston are all bigger tv markets for these players to go to.

And if they try to take the team to court well good luck. The NFLPA wouldn't even back them on that decision. They agreed to the CBA. The Franchise Tag is more than legal to use.

 

[cdumler7]

Oh forgot Chicago and San Francisco are also bigger markets to go to if they really want to build their brand.

 

[BigKen]

I've been reading too much recently because there's little else to do. A few of the articles I've been reading were talking specifically about the automatic 5th year option for first round picks in the NFL and that some players have questioned the legality of it because it doesn't apply equally across the board.

Some legal scholars have looked at it very closely and more than a few believe it is discriminatory and it is in direct violation of constitutional law. the NFL directly discriminates against players that are not first round picks.

The league would have a very hard time as would the NFLPA defending it in court because not every first round pick has the 5th year option accepted by every team. Yet throw many players taken in round 2 through 7 have had the franchise tag slapped on them in year four or five??

Every one you can state what you think. I'm just repeating what I've read. I'm not a lawyer or legal expert. But I can see these arguments and I can see them getting before the Supreme Court regardless of a CBA or a handshake and a wink.