The 2018 free agents: Extend? Let walk? Franchise?

[Elky]

Why swap out Ghost and Cooks? Ghost is still one of the best kickers and moving Cooks right after trading a first rounder for him wouldn't make much sense.

[DoleINGout]

Those are my ideal moves to save cap room and also find more dependable options. Gostkowski is a top kicker but ideally I would have a comparable kicker for less money. Cooks is a poor investment but I will be surprised if he is not picked up. Hopsfully he can continue to improve his all around game.

[Elky]

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Gostkowski is a top kicker but ideally I would have a comparable kicker for less money. 

Vinatieri is a decade older and had a worse percentage in 2017 (which has steadily declined since 2014), whereas Ghost has been a 90%+ kicker in 4 of the past 5 seasons; Vinatieri has 5 90+% seasons in his entire career.

Sure, cutting him saves $3.5m, but he's worth it. We can easily create ~$50m in cap space; cutting one of the best kickers in the league just to get a tiny bit more space is asinine.
 

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Cooks is a poor investment but I will be surprised if he is not picked up. Hopsfully he can continue to improve his all around game.

Cooks is going to get extended which will help save space. While he didn't set the world on fire (some of the offseason expectations were unreasonable), he put up similar numbers to when he was in NO, which is impressive considering it was his first year in an offense that's notoriously difficult for receivers. He can only get better and will only be 25 when the season starts. Cooks gives us a deep threat to go with Hogan and generated a ton of DPI yardage.  Everyone would call Belichick a cheapo if he replaced Cooks with a guy I had to look up.

[DoleINGout]

I wouldn't call Belichick cheap after trading a first round pick last year for Cooks. And Vinatieri is better in the clutch than Gostkowski. The five kicks he missed last year were in the snowstorm in Buffalo game and torrential downpouring rain game in Baltimore. Made every other kick than that including miltiple from past 50 and almost made one within inches of 60.

[ashnathan]

When I asked Giardi and especially Breer, they both (moreso Breer) said Marty B definitely won;'t be brought back, thoughts?

[goldfishwars]

On 2/15/2018 at 2:18 AM, Elky said:

Way too premature and idealistic final 53:

*Special Teams
Free agent pick up

QB (3)
Tom Brady
Brian Hoyer
Draft Pick

RB (4)
C.J. Anderson: We have shown interest in him in the past. At the right price he makes sense for us.
Brandon Bolden*
Rex Burkhead
James White

FB (1)
James Develin

WR (6)
Danny Amendola
Brandin Cooks
Julian Edelman
Chris Hogan
Malcolm Mitchell
Matt Slater*

TE (3)
Jacob Hollister
Rob Gronkowski
Ben Watson: Still productive despite his age and has played for us in the past. Also provides leadership.

OT (4)
Marcus Cannon
Cameron Fleming
Antonio Garcia
LaAdrian Waddle

C (1)
David Andrews

OG (4)
Ted Karras
Shaq Mason
Joe Thuney
Draft Pick

DT (5)
Malcolm Brown
Lawrence Guy
Clinton McDonald: Only free agent DT that I know that provides a pass rush that won't cost a fortune.
Vincent Valentine
Draft Pick

DE (4)
Trey Flowers
Derek Rivers
Deatrich Wise, Jr.
Draft pick

LB (5)
Demario Davis: Has a better PFF rating than Bradham and his market value is a little lower.
Marquis Flowers
Donta Hightower
Kyle Van Noy
Draft Pick

CB (6)
Johnson Bademosi*
Stephon Gilmore
Cyrus Jones*
Eric Rowe
Aqib Talib
Draft Pick

S (4)
Patrick Chung
Nate Ebner*
Duron Harmon
Devin McCourty

K (1)
Stephen Gostowski

P (1)
Ryan Allen

LS (1)
Joe Cardona

The last 2 slots can be filled via draft picks and/or a cheap FAs.

Under no circumstances can you go into the NFL season with those as your NFL tackles. 

[dhunt2402]

9 hours ago, ashnathan said:

When I asked Giardi and especially Breer, they both (moreso Breer) said Marty B definitely won;'t be brought back, thoughts?

He definitely won't be brought back at his current salary.

[The Third Rider]

I honestly don’t see how the Patriots let Nate Solder walk. 

[goldfishwars]

9 minutes ago, The Third Rider said:

I honestly don’t see how the Patriots let Nate Solder walk. 

Me either, you don’t walk into franchise left tackles picking at 31 in the draft. It’s not a position you can get away with below average talent at.

[1ForTheThumb]

Have to bring back Solder, IMO. I'd be happy if they brought back Waddle has a swing tackle/insurance option as well. I think he's the only pending FA that we have to bring back. I'd like to see some of the other guys back (Dola, Lewis, Burkhead), but Solder is a must.

Can't afford to lose Solder and be stuck with Cannon and Garcia who basically red shirted.

[Bobby816]

Checking in on here to wonder what your guys thoughts are on Malcolm Butler.

1st off.. Do you guys let him go in FA?

2nd.. if you do let him walk.. is he even that good to get the contract that many say he will get? Watching him in games he's always seemed slow for a CB to me. But I figured you guys who know best. The Jets will for sure be looking at adding a CB or 2 in FA and we have a ton of money to spend. Was wondering what you guys thought of Butlers situation.

Thanks in advance.

[DoleINGout]

57 minutes ago, Bobby816 said:

Checking in on here to wonder what your guys thoughts are on Malcolm Butler.

1st off.. Do you guys let him go in FA?

2nd.. if you do let him walk.. is he even that good to get the contract that many say he will get? Watching him in games he's always seemed slow for a CB to me. But I figured you guys who know best. The Jets will for sure be looking at adding a CB or 2 in FA and we have a ton of money to spend. Was wondering what you guys thought of Butlers situation.

Thanks in advance.

1. he gone

2. good but not great besides run support. Considering needs and cap room, worth it for team like Cleveland or San Francisco in my opinion 

[Soko]

5 hours ago, Bobby816 said:

1st off.. Do you guys let him go in FA?

I’d be floored if he somehow stayed here. He’s confidently on his way out.

5 hours ago, Bobby816 said:

2nd.. if you do let him walk.. is he even that good to get the contract that many say he will get? Watching him in games he's always seemed slow for a CB to me. But I figured you guys who know best. The Jets will for sure be looking at adding a CB or 2 in FA and we have a ton of money to spend. Was wondering what you guys thought of Butlers situation.

I like Butler. I thought he was a top 10ish guy in 2016. This passed year, he had a down year. Athletically he’s alright but not great - he might be 4.40 fast but his quickness in and out of breaks won’t make you stop and think you’re watching Darrell Revis. He’s a solid tackler IMO but gets washed out of the run game if he’s blocked. 

What he brings to the table is competitiveness. He’s a feisty player when the ball is in the air and has a knack for getting his hand in the way of the receiver’s hands. Julio’s TD catch is an example of that - he’ll contest just about everything well as long as he’s close when the ball arrives. He won’t have Kyle Arrington syndrome and stare down the receiver without any idea where the ball is. 

He’s shown that he he plays better against receivers like Jarvis Landry, OBJ, and Antonio Brown, and less so against receivers like Julio Jones, Alshon Jeffery, and Mike Evans. He’s probably an ideal #2 CB (which he was in the latter half of this season), especially if he comes back to 2016 form. 

I’m not sure what his market value is, but I’d say he pulls in at least 12M - probably more.

[Deadpulse]

10 hours ago, Bobby816 said:

Watching him in games he's always seemed slow for a CB to me.

Well thats because he is slow. He ran a 4.62 coming out of college. What makes Butler a good player is his football IQ, his sheer determination and effort every play, and his physicality. He is one of the stronger tacklers at the CB position in the NFL (which isnt saying a whole whole lot but its true). He is able to stick with receivers not because he is fast or quick but because he studies and anticipates routes and never gives up on a play. Its why he gives guys like AB some trouble, because those types of WRs rely on crafty route running and technique. It's also why he is near useless against guys like Julio Jones whose freak athleticism carries them. Butler can not compete with guys like that. 

[DoleINGout]

Brandon Bolden re-signed to a one year, $800,000 deal. Great value for a special teams guy with some ability and leadership in the position group. Not an unexpected move.