NE Patriots & 2025 Free Agency

[BigKen]

Conklin? I could be wrong

Here are the top twenty tackles who will be available (My choices are starred)

Offensive Tackle​

Tristan Wirfs and Penei Sewell reset the NFL’s offensive tackle market with $28+ million extensions in 2024. Which OTs will hit the market in 2025?

Morgan Moses will certainly draw plenty of interest this offseason, and Alaric Jackson could be in line for a significant payday as well.

Ronnie Stanley has turned back the clock this season and, perhaps most importantly, stayed healthy. After dropping in and out of the Baltimore Ravens’ lineup due to injuries over the past few seasons, Stanley started 17 games and he’s an elite left tackle when he’s fully healthy.

Tyron Smith is aging and has injury concerns, but he’s still a talented blocker. Smith’s one-year deal with the New York Jets contained $13.5 million in incentives, signaling his questionable health.

1) Morgan Moses, New York Jets*
2) Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams*
3) Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens*
4) Dan Moore Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
5) Tyron Smith, New York Jets
6) Kelvin Beachum, Arizona Cardinals*
7) Cornelius Lucas, Washington Commanders
8) Cam Robinson, Minnesota Vikings*
9) Jedrick Wills Jr., Cleveland Browns
10) Kendall Lamm, Miami Dolphins
11) Trent Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
12) Jackson Barton, Arizona Cardinals
13) Joseph Noteboom, Los Angeles Rams
14) Chuma Edoga, Dallas Cowboys
15) Larry Borom, Chicago Bears
16) James Hudson, Cleveland Browns
17) Dan Skipper, Detroit Lions*
18) Matt Peart, Denver Broncos
19) Justin Skule, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20) Storm Norton, Atlanta Falcons

 

[Southieinnc]

Not me. Don't even recognize the name.

Conklin???????

 

[BigKen]

They think that they will be able to sign him long term. Having the franchise tag stuck on h8im for the second year in a row isn't going to make him a happy player. He may not play for the tag salary.

Sources: Bengals Plan to Use Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag on Tee Higgins for Second-Straight Year

The 26-year-old played on the tag last year. This time feels different.

www.si.com

 

[YankeeRebel]

They think that they will be able to sign him long term. Having the franchise tag stuck on h8im for the second year in a row isn't going to make him a happy player. He may not play for the tag salary.

Sources: Bengals Plan to Use Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag on Tee Higgins for Second-Straight Year

The 26-year-old played on the tag last year. This time feels different.

www.si.com

That's part of what's messed up about the NFL. They are preventing him from getting paid on a long term deal. Never did care much for the NFL business side of the game. Sucks for him. Me, I'm mehh about it anyway. I doubt he wanted to come here anyway

 

[nefansince75]

That's part of what's messed up about the NFL. They are preventing him from getting paid on a long term deal. Never did care much for the NFL business side of the game. Sucks for him. Me, I'm mehh about it anyway. I doubt he wanted to come here anyway

Are you down with all unions or just the NFL?

 

[YankeeRebel]

Are you down with all unions or just the NFL?

I am by no means a union person, was asked to join the state union when I started 32 years ago, not my cup of meat. I just don't like the way the NFL does things. Doesn't really affect me so I guess in the end I don't have a dog in that fight,

 

[BigKen]

The Bengals have been and still are one of the worst organizations in the NFL. Mike Brown has never been one to spend on anything and he's always been a 'me first' billionaire. He has three problems in front of him right now. 1. Higgins 2. Chase 3. Hendricks but the fourth is QB Burrows, who's publicly telling the Bengals that they have to sign all three or he'll be their biggest problem. AND he started dropping those bread crumbs back last October.

A second problem that's starting to bubble is LT Ronnie Stanley. Baltimore has a history of keeping negotiations very quiet with their players and they have never allowed a starter in their prime to walk away. Albert Breer said that he expects them to try to sign Stanley and announce that they've resigned him just before free agency opens. For a hell of a lot less than the Patriots would have.

All of this creates problems for every team trying to get a free agent. The price just went up on anyone available on March 11th.

So where does this leave the Patriots? Chris Godwin? Amari Cooper? Keenan Allen? Most of the guys available are in their 30s and the question becomes, "Would you pay a 32 year WR $25M a year for three years and guarantee $50M of it? That's what every team may be looking at if they jump into this free agency pool.

 

[YankeeRebel]

The Bengals have been and still are one of the worst organizations in the NFL. Mike Brown has never been one to spend on anything and he's always been a 'me first' billionaire. He has three problems in front of him right now. 1. Higgins 2. Chase 3. Hendricks but the fourth is QB Burrows, who's publicly telling the Bengals that they have to sign all three or he'll be their biggest problem. AND he started dropping those bread crumbs back last October.

A second problem that's starting to bubble is LT Ronnie Stanley. Baltimore has a history of keeping negotiations very quiet with their players and they have never allowed a starter in their prime to walk away. Albert Breer said that he expects them to try to sign Stanley and announce that they've resigned him just before free agency opens. For a hell of a lot less than the Patriots would have.

All of this creates problems for every team trying to get a free agent. The price just went up on anyone available on March 11th.

So where does this leave the Patriots? Chris Godwin? Amari Cooper? Keenan Allen? Most of the guys available are in their 30s and the question becomes, "Would you pay a 32 year WR $25M a year for three years and guarantee $50M of it? That's what every team may be looking at if they jump into this free agency pool.

They can attempt to sign Stanley does not mean they will. His agent may tell him 'Yes you can be loyal for less, but there is more money to be made elsewhere, a lot more" Stanley may choose to test the market at that point players have short careers and making money is their primary goal. We got luck withy Brady but he was making money with Uggs. and Cars etc. LTs don't usually commercial/sponsor ship deals.

 

[BigKen]

Are you down with all unions or just the NFL?

I was a shop steward and local contract negotiator for the IAM back in the 1970s. After one go round I graduated from college and was promoted to management at GE Heat Transfer. We built the steam reheaters for nuclear power plants................until Three Mile Island.

I was a strong union supporter until I got to see how they work from the other side of the fence. Unions are worse at fiscal management than the U.S. Government. Outside of the locals, you have District, State, Regional and National reps. The local unions handle everything until it "might" become a newspaper issue. Then it very slowly moves up the food chain. 98% of the time, it never gets beyond the District and half of the time, the member is the one who gets screwed because neither the company or the National want to make either side look bad.

Unions on a national scale have pretty much become dinosaurs. They've pretty much destroyed themselves. Thousands of reps that collect a salary for attending local meetings and handing out buttons and hand shakes and back pats. Especially around Presidential Elections. Then it's back into the cave for hibernation until the next one. Ask the UAW members how well the unions did for them when the auto industry started moving out of Detroit. Ask the Teamsters how much of the seven million that Hoffa loaned the Mafia to build casinos in Las Vegas has been returned.

It just goes on and on. The guys at the top make millions and the workers get fifteen cents a year raises.

 

[BigKen]

LTs don't usually commercial/sponsor ship deals.

Kelce's doing pretty good eating Campbell's Chunky Soup.

 

[BigKen]

Jets appear to be getting ready to release Devante Adams. Talk about divas. Then again, he can catch a football.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Kelce's doing pretty good eating Campbell's Chunky Soup.

LOL

1. A Center
2. He probably doens't land that gig if not for little Brother and Swift.
3. There are always exceptions if you're willing to dig deep enough

 

[Southieinnc]

Are you down with all unions or just the NFL?

I have belonged to 3 unions. They once served a purpose.
Now their only function is to destroy business and protect lazy workers.
What has the Teachers union done for our country? Only 30% can read and write at grade level......

 

[Southieinnc]

So where does this leave the Patriots? Chris Godwin? Amari Cooper? Keenan Allen? Most of the guys available are in their 30s and the question becomes, "Would you pay a 32 year WR $25M a year for three years and guarantee $50M of it? That's what every team may be looking at if they jump into this free agency pool.

too old! damn Ken, look a little younger!

 

[YankeeRebel]

I have belonged to 3 unions. They once served a purpose.
Now their only function is to destroy business and protect lazy workers.
What has the Teachers union done for our country? Only 30% can read and write at grade level......

This sort of touched on my beliefs. I always felt that if I come to work, do what I am asked to do to the best of my ability remained open and flexible I should be okay.

 

[BigKen]

too old! damn Ken, look a little younger!

Botox?? Oh, sorry, you mean younger WRs? Like Polk or Harry??

Here are the top ten of the seventeen WRs available in free agency. Slayton is 28 and that's why I always mention him.

10. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers​

2024 stats: 39 receptions, 584 yards, one TD

Palmer is not a No. 1 wideout by any means, but he could be a solid No. 3 and give the Patriots what they should have gotten in terms of production from K.J. Osborn last season. The 2021 third-round pick has tallied 581 or more receiving yards in three straight seasons. He also has averaged 15-plus yards per catch over the last two years.

9. Mike Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers​

2024 stats: 21 receptions, 298 yards, one TD

Williams is no longer a 1,000-yard wideout, but he can still be productive in the right system. And at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, the 30-year-old veteran is still a formidable target in the red zone. After missing 14 games in 2023, Williams played in a career-high 18 games this past season between the Jets and Steelers.

8. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears​

2024 stats: 70 receptions, 744 yards, seven TD

Allen is past his prime at 32 years old, but he was still able to make a solid impact for the Bears in 2024. He has found the end zone six or more times in seven of the last eight seasons. Allen also has tallied 750-plus receiving yards in seven of the previous eight seasons.

7. Darius Slayton, New York Giants​

2024 stats: 39 receptions, 573 yards, two TD

Slayton has four seasons of 700-plus receiving yards since 2019, which is impressive when you consider the lackluster quarterback play the Giants have had during that span, particularly the last two years. Slayton really showed his value in a Week 6 matchup versus the Seahawks when he tallied eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown, which included three third-down catches and a couple huge plays downfield (career average of 15 yards per reception).

Slayton isn't the fastest player in the league, but he's a good runner after the catch.

SLAYYY

1 repost = 1 vote! #WPMOYChallenge + Slayton

: FOX pic.twitter.com/EoaeVbFDr7
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 29, 2024

6. Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs​

2024 stats: Nine receptions, 91 yards, zero TD (two games played)

Brown missed all but two regular season games due to a clavicle injury suffered in the preseason. Durability has been an issue for Brown the last couple seasons -- five games missed in 2021, three in 2023 and 15 in 2024 -- but when healthy, he is a playmaker on deep passes with his impressive speed. Signing Brown could end up being a home run for a WR-needy team, but given his injury history, it could just as easily turn into a nightmare decision. A classic boom-or-bust situation.

5. Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills​

2024 stats: 44 receptions, 547 yards, four TD

Cooper came into 2024 with 1,100-plus receiving yards in four of the previous five seasons. This season has largely been a struggle for him, though.

He was traded from the Browns to a much better situation with the Bills in October but tallied just 20 receptions for 297 yards and two touchdowns in eight games with his new team. In 14 total games between the Browns and Bills, Cooper tallied zero 100-yard games and exceeded 66 receiving yards only twice. His 12 drops were one fewer than the league leader. And in two playoff games (so far) with the Bills, Cooper has two receptions for eight yards and zero touchdowns -- a complete non-factor.

Cooper is 30 years old and next season will be his 11th as a pro. He probably still has the potential to be a No. 2 wideout, but it'll be interesting to see if his drop-off this season makes teams a little hesitant about giving him a huge contract.

4. DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs​

2024 stats: 56 receptions, 610 yards and five TD

Hopkins is no longer one of the top 10 wide receivers in the sport, but he is still productive enough to make a genuine impact, especially outside the numbers. The 32-year-old veteran was traded to the Chiefs in October and tallied 41 receptions for 437 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games.

DeAndre Hopkins

Just watching a master of their craft at work. pic.twitter.com/YdvbgbQ1aD
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 21, 2024

In a perfect world, the Patriots would target a younger wideout than Hopkins, but he would be a pretty good short-term solution if they strike out on other options.

3. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans​

2024 stats: 47 receptions, 496 yards, three TD (in eight games)

Diggs had been a model of consistency for a long time with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2018 through 2023. He tallied 100-plus receptions in five of those six seasons.

He was on pace to get close to those levels with the Texans in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 8. Diggs should be ready for next season, but signing him at 31 years old after major knee surgery carries some risk. But if healthy, there aren't many wideouts who are more dependable on a week-to-week basis.

The Texans would be wise to bring back Diggs, and it sounds like their quarterback would definitely be on board with that:

#Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud made it abundantly clear: He wants Stefon Diggs back @stefondiggs @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/L8R6cXJZQ2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 20, 2025

2. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers​

2024 stats: 50 receptions, 575 yards, five TD (in seven games)

A healthy Godwin is pretty much a lock to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He was well on his way to getting there in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in October, which required surgery. Godwin had 50 receptions for 575 yards and five touchdowns at the time of the injury. He was on pace for the best campaign of his career.

Injuries have been a setback for Godwin throughout his career. In addition to this ankle injury, he also tore his ACL in 2022 and has played a full season just three times in eight years with the Buccaneers.

But there's no denying Godwin's production when he's on the field. He averaged 87 receptions for 1,065 yards and five touchdowns over a five-season span from 2019 through 2023.

The only concern with Godwin is whether he can play enough games going forward to make a lucrative contract make sense for a WR-needy team.

1. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals​