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EPISODE 75 - PATRIOTS FREE AGENCY PREVIEW!
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Transcript
Introduction & NFL Offseason Overview
00:00:00
Savage Boston
Alright guys, welcome back to Savage Boston Podcast. Here today, I'm with the the normal crew. It's me, Scott, with Savage Boston Sports. Here with Brett and Snooty today. ah The OG crew. And yeah, it's what, Tuesday, March third And we are six days before the legal tampering period of free agency.
00:00:24
Savage Boston
So, this is like, again, it's off-season mode.
00:00:26
Bret
legal
00:00:28
Savage Boston
it's it's it's People are... You got to really be not sicko mode necessarily, but you got be into it to be you know tracking everything. And I think obviously the fan base, you have a lot of people that are every day and and some that that don't put in the you know put in the offseason work, so to speak. But we love it and obviously want to talk about it. There's a lot going on.
Colts' QB Strategy: Daniel Jones Transition Tag
00:00:51
Savage Boston
um I'd say the biggest news that came out today. by far for the Patriots concern is that the Indianapolis Colts who I don't know, I personally like don't know what they're doing. I don't know how they're managing their team. I don't know how this was the conclusion they came to, but they decided to transition tag Daniel Jones and they're going to let Alec Pierce test free agency or I should say that not so much let him they're trying to sign him long term but he has you know six days and it would seems like a really silly decision for him to not wait those six days and to see what kind of offers he'd get in free agency so what I kick at you first Snooty what are your thoughts in the Alec Pierce situation
00:01:34
Snooty
mean, I think I agree with you. I think the only way, the only reason he would sign before testing free agency at all is, and and, you know, with the caveat that his agent is obviously working,
00:01:45
Snooty
you know, the phones to try to get an idea of what teams would offer, what his market would be, is if he really wanted to be in Indianapolis. That's the only reason he would sign something before hitting the market. It's similar to Ronnie Stanley in Baltimore last year.
00:01:59
Snooty
um he was a little bit older. he had been in Baltimore for a while. It was his, I think, third contract. So it was, you know, he had a little bit more of an established base at that point. But that's the only reason you would want to, you know, sign before hitting free agency. um I also don't know what the fuck the Colts are doing. I think they're an incredibly stupid team. I think they hitched their wagon to Daniel Jones, which I thought was stupid at the time. And they doubled down on that when they traded two f fresh first round picks for Sauce Gardner. Now they're stuck in a position where they go, well, shit, now we have to overpay Daniel Jones because we don't have another option because we're stupid and couldn't find another option. And we could mostly because we traded up to take Anthony Richardson a few years ago in the top five or six, whatever he he was.
00:02:43
Snooty
um So now they've basically backed themselves into a corner where they have to retain Daniel Jones to justify every other move they've done. And it could very well cost them Alec Pierce in the long run, which is like between the two, he's a more valuable commodity to me.
00:02:59
Snooty
It's a 26 year old, you know, could develop into number one, but like, he's a very legitimate receiver and I ah do not have a high, opinion of Daniel Jones as a quarterback in the NFL.
00:03:08
Savage Boston
Quick before Brett goes, um but didn't Ronnie Stanley, who didn't, was like pretty well reported that like he just wanted to stay in Baltimore too.
00:03:15
Snooty
Yes.
00:03:15
Savage Boston
Like that was like reported versus in this situation, Alec Pierce has only come out and said, i
00:03:15
Bret
Yeah.
00:03:15
Snooty
Yeah.
Patriots' Strategy: Alec Pierce & Receiver Corps
00:03:21
Savage Boston
want stability.
00:03:21
Savage Boston
He likes Daniel Jones, but he's like, I want stability at the quarterback position and giving a transition tag is technically like anything but stability. Like it's not, that's not a long-term deal. Like I know they could work that out in the future, but. It just seems like the Colts really just completely bungled it. So, um I don't know. Brett, what were are your thoughts on it?
00:03:42
Bret
No, I mean, this is why it's vital to have the quarterback before you start building all the other pieces because essentially the Colts are in a situation where they have a lot of good pieces around on the offense. They just have Daniel Jones as their quarterback, and they're never going to be able to get anywhere with Daniel Jones as their quarterback. So I think he he did well enough to carry them to being a competitive team, which I'd imagine that next year they'll probably be – competitive, but at the end of the day, he's not going to be a game changer.
00:04:16
Bret
And unfortunately they have to franchise tag him to make it work to keep them.
00:04:20
Savage Boston
Okay.
00:04:20
Bret
Cause they're not going to extend a guy like that. um And that's obviously a hefty franchise tag. And they're already in kind of cap jail situation with their other contracts that they have to make some moves. And when you look at the wide receiver room, you know, they had Pittman,
00:04:37
Bret
And they have Pearson as their top 1-1A type guys. And I think they're probably looking and saying, we could try to keep this guy, but if he walks, won't be as detrimental to our overall team. Whereas if they lose Jones,
00:04:51
Bret
you know, what are they going to do? They already have talked about trading our Richardson's. I mean, they basically, you know, put that guy off the pasture, which makes sense. So yeah, it frees up a guy like Alec Pierce, who we've talked about on previous podcasts would be a dynamic fit for the Patriots, you know, really could help open things up. Just deep ball guy going to the best deep ball throw in the league last year. So he could really be dynamic for ah asset to join May in the team. And I think, you know, we'll see what the contract looks like on what he could get for the market. Obviously, in the open market, it's going to go more than if he was going just with the team. But I think he's going to hit the open market. So my estimation is going to be north of 25. I don't know if he'll quite reach 30, but he's going to be in that 25 to 30 range per.
00:05:43
Bret
And I would look at a guy like that and say, yeah, let's jump on it. He could really help make our team look great. And I'm glad he shook loose from the Colts situation. i think we all predicted it may have happened, but obviously the Daniel Jones know daniel jones news makes that like really apparent
00:06:02
Savage Boston
Daniel Jones goes.
00:06:03
Snooty
The other part of Daniel Jones is he tore his Achilles in week 14.
00:06:07
Savage Boston
Yeah, it's like, yeah.
00:06:07
Snooty
So it's not like he's not going to be back in training camp. You know what I He's probably going to miss the first half of the season.
00:06:13
Bret
yeah
00:06:14
Snooty
So, I mean...
00:06:14
Savage Boston
Alec Pearson, I think Alec Pearson is agents might have just pulled a masterclass on the c Colts where they somehow wiggled their way into free agency. I just don't like it. Like, i don't know.
00:06:28
Savage Boston
and and how Daniel Jones is just often Achilles, a you know, convinced telling the Colts, like I need 50 mil a year and they want to pay him whatever, 30 something. Like it's, I guess they're far apart.
00:06:38
Bret
thirty seven point eight
00:06:39
Savage Boston
It's like, it's, it's wild to me. So, um but no, I think, I think the Patriots truly, cause this was reported. I forget who his article, maybe Kide and Callahan, but it was reported that like, they're basically like, yeah, Alec Pierce, isn't going to be a free agent.
00:06:54
Savage Boston
That's what all these articles say. Like didn't Patriots don't think Alec Pierce will be available and he actually might hit the true free market, which, and that's, likely what's going to happen now. So I find it kind of incredible.
00:07:05
Savage Boston
And I wonder, like the Patriots had a plan. I think genuinely they should, and and I think will pivot to try to sign Alec Pierce. um The only indication we have of that Schefter said something on part of my take, like the Patriots were like the first team he mentioned involving Alec Pierce. I think the bills would be like right there.
00:07:25
Savage Boston
Like you're like getting Pierce with Josh Allen. Like I think that would be a team that like, there's more teams.
00:07:29
Bret
They don't have the cap space.
00:07:31
Savage Boston
But here's the problem is there's not that many like amazing wide receivers on the free agent free agency market. So the problem is his price is going to go crazy.
00:07:43
Savage Boston
He was supposed to be before the year at 20. I think he's going get around like 28 or maybe like you said, 30, which is is really high. um But yeah, and i think to me, this is ah a home run hit for the Patriots. I don't i don't think there's a better scenario, you have an ascending, ascending player, ascending asset, who's young dynamic to pair with Drake may like to me, like, is there a better combination? You, you know, a better new player you could give Drake may than Alec Pierce right now in offense. Like, I think that's a, it would be a home run hit for the Patriots.
00:08:16
Snooty
I think the only other, you could make the argument a tight end just because of the relative talent at that position. um But that, again, they're right.
00:08:23
Savage Boston
Really got to do that anyway.
00:08:24
Snooty
But again, that's just relative to the remaining talent that you have existing on the roster at the moment. I mean, to the cap space thing, like the Bills can make cap space in a heartbeat with Allen if they wanted to.
00:08:36
Snooty
And he would do it too. You know, it's really just moving forward. moving salary into a bonus to kick the knock the cap space down so they can sign someone like Pierce. Um, cause they need, they need people. So that's, that would be the only piece. Like I really hope they don't, but if they are interested in him, then I would really hope that they don't get cheap.
00:08:55
Snooty
Like, like I saw someone like, ah I'd pay him 28, but like if it gets to like 30, I don't want to pay him. It's like, dude, it's fucking $2 million. dollars Over $2 million dollars per year, four-year deal, that's $8 million. dollars like in the And the cap goes up like 10% every fucking year. It's like that's nothing. It's going to look so – they were talking about this, Felgen Mazz, we're talking about this with the Calvin Ridley deal.
00:09:16
Snooty
you They were willing to go to 22 but not to 24. It's like both are a fucking bargain at the moment for a number one receiver.
00:09:21
Savage Boston
so They've gotten so lucky. They've gotten so lucky on their wide receiver misses, by the way, like missing out on whether it's like DK who didn't want to come here, Brandon Ayuk, especially like what a tremendously great miss. I mean, imagine if they signed Ayuk who's out of his mind, basically like it they've had a couple of really good wins by accident, like digs how motivated he was and how good of a leader he was like, they, they,
00:09:47
Savage Boston
they, they hit it rich last year. You know, they made the right moves all around. um, ah
00:09:52
Bret
I mean, they they have to hit again, though, because there's still so many gaps. I mean, we talked about all year how they didn't like make a mistake. Looking at the draft, looking at the free agency, looking how they managed through the season, it was just really perfect across the board, which got them to the Super Bowl and far exceeded anyone's expectations.
00:10:16
Bret
I don't think they have to be perfect, but they still need at least another two productive off seasons where they hit on draft picks. They make the right signings for like longevity. And that puts us in a position where we get back to contention.
00:10:32
Bret
Right. I mean, we were definitely had a schedule last year. We know we still have a ton of holes. Wide receiver is still ah a huge glaring issue because our wide receivers couldn't get open during those tight games in the playoffs. So we need to make sure that we get some more weapons in those positions.
Analyzing Patriots' Past Offseasons & Future Needs
00:10:52
Bret
And, you know, you talk about a guy like Diggs, like we'll see if he's still on the roster next year or what that looks like because he's got a high cap hit and he's an older guy. ah You know, so we need to make moves there. We already touched upon it. We got to get a tight end. We got to get better on the offensive line. Like there's just needs across the board. So, you know, Snooty, to your point, what's another two mil? It's really not much at this point in the game.
00:11:15
Bret
Like make it happen to get the guy. You still have plenty of salary and cap to make it work, but we still have to hit on the draft.
00:11:24
Savage Boston
it feels It feels simple if you bring it down to this. this like We know they're interested in A.J. Brown, right? like We know that. We've had numerous reports. We've all heard it. like they They have interest in A.J. Brown, they're like 100%.
00:11:37
Savage Boston
But they didn't expect Alec Pierce to come free. So if you have, like, are are you you take this example. Would you rather trade your 31st overall pick to get A.J. Brown, who's A.J. Brown, but a descending player, or do you Get free agent Alec Pierce that costs you no assets, just money, who's an ascending player.
00:12:00
Savage Boston
Feels like to me, that feels like a really simple decision. Does it not?
00:12:03
Snooty
It's the same type of signing as a Milton Williams, where it's like, it's a younger, ascending type player.
00:12:06
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:12:09
Snooty
Like, those... That's why I'm willing to spend that money. Yes, like, there's still questions on some things, and I think there's a lot of overlap between his game and Booty's game, but... Like, he's and he's still a younger player. He fits the timeline perfectly. Like, there's no reason to believe that if you sign him for four-year deal, he could actually play out that four-year deal.
00:12:29
Savage Boston
think is...
00:12:29
Snooty
You know what i mean? Like, because he'll be 30 by the end of that deal. Like, you could – and he's a tall receiver. And, like, those guys have a tendency to stick around a little bit. Look at, you know, Mike Evans, right? Like, just because – They don't rely, i mean, yes, he's fast, but they don't rely on their speed as their weapon.
00:12:44
Snooty
It's their size as much as anything. So I don't see why you wouldn't try to target someone like that. Again, I just hope they don't, I hope i just hope they don't get sticker shock from, i just, I would hate that.
00:12:56
Snooty
I hate when, when teams use money as a, as a, as an excuse.
00:12:56
Savage Boston
think data is
00:13:01
Snooty
It's like you guys make billions of dollars a year. Shut the fuck up and go spend it on people that we want to watch.
00:13:05
Savage Boston
Thank you.
00:13:07
Bret
Yeah, it'd be interesting to see how that plays out because, and this is going to fall back on Kraft, right? The narrative for years was how the Patriots were able to be tight on cash, tight on their spend, but still produce. And that was largely due to having Belichick and Brady, but they were stillable still able to produce. And then We've had some knee-jerk reactionary off-seasons. Like we had that first knee-jerk off-season when we had Mac Jones and we spent a ton of money and
00:13:40
Bret
You know, we got into playoffs, but we barely made it in. And then the next year it all went to shit. ah This past year, we opened it up again following the Mayo and it worked out really well.
00:13:54
Bret
I think what helped us is we did much better in the draft than we did when we did the first time around with Mac Jones. So that's going to make a huge difference there. but it's going to go into year two and is craft willing to continue to open it up for rabel to make the spend on what he needs to spend it on to get the guys he wants to get and yeah i mean to your point about aj brown i think rabel would love to get a guy like aj brown but i think rabel is also smart enough to know that training a 31st pick is not what the team needs to do right now uh you need more
00:14:29
Savage Boston
And i know' I don't think they're going to do that. like That was just like a comp because Howie Roseman basically said, i want you know a one or a two, which obviously isn't real.
00:14:40
Savage Boston
But like I think he genuinely would trade A.J. Brown if the Patriots came off the 31st overall pick. I think like he doesn't want the Patriots too. And I was about to kind of like give up on it, so to speak, because unless it becomes June after June 1st and The problem with trading someone then is your roster is established at that point. Like, it's harder than build a new room. Like, it's you know what i mean? Like, you you've had your whole plan. That's why Howie knows he's got to try to trade him now. What's Howie getting for him in August?
00:15:11
Savage Boston
A three?
00:15:11
Bret
Yeah, I mean, the reality, so if he gets a third in August, he's fine with it.
00:15:12
Savage Boston
Just a three, you know?
00:15:16
Bret
I think he looks at it from the situation, obviously sell high now while the demand's hot. ah But I don't think anyone's going to bite at that asking price.
00:15:27
Bret
But that's what the asking price is. And he's doing it based on like the hit and how that looks. Obviously, it becomes a little bit more. easier after you get past June 1st but to your point no one's going to really bite at that point either or maybe get them in for a third I just look at it and say i just don't think AJ Brown's a possibility I don't think Max Crosby's a possibility like I just think none none of these guys are going to be there because they're just asking too much and we just have too many needs it's not worth the excess draft picks
00:16:01
Snooty
And I think to the Eagles, it's like if they were to trade him before June 1st, I think the cap hit balloons to like 50 million this year. And they would have like 100 million in dead cap in this year alone.
00:16:11
Bret
Yeah.
00:16:12
Snooty
And I know for all the cap is crap people and all that, like a hundred fucking million dead cap is a hundred fucking million in dead cap. You can't negotiate that away. You just have to kick some of that down the road by renegotiating other guys.
00:16:25
Snooty
It's still a shitload of dead money. So you're going to have to pay him and in in draft capital this year to make it worthwhile for him to take on that cap hit. Right now, the other part of it is, and this is like, you want to talk 2026 draft, 2027 draft is supposed to be substantially better than the 2026 draft.
00:16:42
Snooty
This is not considered a very deep draft overall. It's just not.
Evaluating the Upcoming NFL Draft Depth
00:16:46
Snooty
Like, it's...
00:16:47
Savage Boston
Only had a couple positions.
00:16:47
Snooty
It's it's it's not... it's Yeah, outside of a couple of positions, it's not considered a very good draft. And some of that's because it's not superstar heavy up top, but... Like just in general, it's not considered a very good draft.
00:16:58
Snooty
So I'd rather trade 2026 picks than 2027 picks, which I wouldn't even mind moving back from 31 and picking up future picks in the process. Like if you get to 31, you move back to like the late 30s, that type of thing, and pick up like a second next year or something to move back.
00:17:16
Snooty
I wouldn't mind doing that. so you can still get an impact player at that you know high second round, but you also pick up some draft capital for next year.
00:17:25
Savage Boston
Yeah, I think, yeah, I mean, the draft, luckily the draft is deep, as we talked about. It's deep where the Patriots needed to be deep, which is actually really good. like just I love the edges. There's like a bunch them I'd be into, especially after watching the combine stuff. Like, lot of really athletic, pretty good edges that might go second, third round.
00:17:45
Savage Boston
Like that Malachi Lawrence that's not at the top, but it's really talented. Like that Dennis, whatever, Denny, like another edge from Penn State who, had awesome measurables and they were like, whoa, like, you know, and I know on tape, they're not quite as good, but like just the measurables are there and can you, can you coach them up?
00:18:04
Savage Boston
And you know, the combine is, is flawed. You know what i mean? It doesn't, you're just looking at athleticism. There's no, there's not instinct. That's not football reading skills. There's not processing.
00:18:13
Snooty
Mm-hmm.
00:18:14
Savage Boston
Like That's the hard part, but it does give you a general feel for, ah you know, like what these guys can do. And especially if you bring up players like Sonny Stiles and Arvel Reese, Sonny Stiles had one of the craziest comma.
00:18:29
Savage Boston
I mean, he's like legit going to come out like Brian or lacquer. They're saying it was only like what, two large linebackers that were that athletic at that size. it was Brian or lacquer and Luke Keeley.
00:18:41
Savage Boston
So pretty good fucking comp when your comp are like two hall of famers. Pretty good. So I'm not promising he'll be a Hall of Famer, but I think that that to me is like a can't miss. It just depends how high someone wants to take a middle linebacker versus like Arvel Reese is going to project to be an edge and probably going to go to the Jets at two.
00:19:01
Bret
So outside, i think we all agree Alec Pierce is like number one target when free agency opens and expect him to hit the market next week. Who's let's start with this. Let's say what would be your next number one position that they target on free agency and who's the name that you think would be the best signing that could be a possibility?
00:19:24
Savage Boston
Also, you're
00:19:24
Snooty
I would say D-end because there's like a handful of even older D-ends, someone like Khalil Mack you could bring in for a short you know short deal.
00:19:25
Savage Boston
gar
00:19:32
Snooty
Or it Mafé from Seattle or Olway from sandy up the Chargers, excuse me, not San Diego.
00:19:39
Bret
charges.
00:19:41
Snooty
um there's ah There's a very, very deep class. I'd like to draft someone and then also bring in a veteran as well because I think you need depth on depth on depth at D-end. Your pass rush was miserable last year.
00:19:53
Savage Boston
Let me read a list of edge rushers that could be available or basically are available via trade, only a couple of them, and free agency. And this is all edge rushers, okay?
00:20:06
Savage Boston
Max Crosby, Jonathan Grenard, who's really good, Trey Hendrickson, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Caleb Onchason, Jalen Phillips, Quidipe, Odafi Owe, Boye Mafé, Draymond Jones, Joseph Asai.
00:20:23
Savage Boston
Like that's a list of guys that are available. To me, like you're they're going to get one of those players. I don't know if it's going to be like, I know they love apparently Jalen Phillips, but like to me, someone's going to overpay a lot for Jalen Phillips.
00:20:41
Savage Boston
Probably too much. Like, would you rather go sign Boye Mafe or Owe? And Owe might get over $20 million. That's going to a little rich for Owe. Someone really likes him. So, like, how about Boye Mafe for $14 million? Do you know i mean? Like, but I think they're going to do – think they're going to pay an edge, bar none.
00:20:58
Savage Boston
But it depends who you want and how much you want to pay. And, like, how is Wolfe structuring – how is Wolfe structuring the roster? Like, does Wolfe want – You know what mean? Like does does does Wolf want top of the market edge? Like I don't think so right now. I don't think he wants to pay that. I think he wants a value middle of the market edge. That's kind of my my opinion.
00:21:21
Savage Boston
I could be wrong he closed the doors off.
00:21:21
Snooty
to that end And to that end, I think like the fact that Pierce is available and maybe they didn't truly didn't think he would be, like that might change the math.
00:21:22
Savage Boston
But –
00:21:31
Snooty
Because maybe now you look and go, hey, you lock up this guy, but that's going to soak up a lot of cap like actual capital right to pay for a free agent. So maybe you don't go after OA at $20 million.
00:21:43
Snooty
You go after someone like Bosa at $11 or $10, something like that.
00:21:47
Savage Boston
Like my, I like my.
00:21:47
Snooty
know what I mean? Yeah, but maybe he gets 20. You know what I mean? Like I'm saying, it it changes what it is. So if they strike out on Pierce, I'd like to see him go get a premier rusher if they can. But I think they should still come away with at least a solid edge piece, if nothing else, to replace Chase on.
00:22:03
Snooty
But they would still need to draft someone as well to pair him with, pair with them.
00:22:06
Savage Boston
But they're going Brett, they're going to have their like order like last year, right? They're going their order of operations where they're like, all right, plan a plan B plan C. Like we knew that, um, Robert Spillane, who we all think had a pretty good year.
00:22:18
Savage Boston
He was not plan A. Like ah Sherwood from the Jets was like their linebacker plan A. The guy flies around like he's a hyper-athletic linebacker who's really good.
00:22:25
Bret
me
00:22:29
Savage Boston
That's who they wanted. Signed back with the Jets. We're like, shit. Boom. Pivot to Robert Spillane. Right? Like you got to have all these plan A's, plan B's. And i think I think now that Alec Pierce is going to come free,
00:22:40
Savage Boston
I think he turns into plan a, like, I think he just, you have a new planet in my opinion. If you don't get out Pierce, absolutely pivot. That money goes right to Jalen Phillips.
00:22:52
Savage Boston
I think Trey Hendrickson isn't going to magically want to come here. unless there's some reports I've never read. i just, I don't say he's like a, think ah maybe a Texas guy he lives in Florida. Like he's, I don't think he necessarily wants to be here unless again, he's someone who just loves Vrabel.
00:23:08
Savage Boston
Like, let's see how much Vrabel carries weight. Maybe guys want to come now and and they want to play for Vrabel. Like, they want to play with May. want to play Like, Al Pierce might come because he sees Drake May.
00:23:18
Snooty
you You might also try to wait it out. if you like Let's say you get Pierce. You might try to wait it out to see if someone is looking for a big deal but doesn't get it. And you can get them on like a one-year prove-it deal like you got Chase on.
00:23:28
Snooty
Maybe a little bit more rich than what Chase on was, but you know something like that.
00:23:34
Bret
Yeah, I mean, the benefit we have this year than what we've had in years past as of late is what you just touched upon, where they want to come play for Drake May. They want to come play for Mike Vrabel. I mean, we already had Diana Rossini was talking about how that's why Max Crosby even got to the fold around Super Bowl week was Crosby wanted to come play for Vrabel.
00:23:54
Bret
Right. And on top of it, we were just in the freaking Super Bowl. So people look at it and say they're a Super Bowl contending level team because of the talent and the pieces they have around them. Maybe they just need a few more pieces and and that'll help them.
00:24:07
Bret
Now, we know we need a lot. And the players obviously see that, but they also look at it and say they figured out how to get there. Culture looks dynamic. Their quarterback looks elite. and they look like they have an awesome coach. So, yeah, I mean, I would take a couple mil shavings, few mil shavings off just to go there and be in that sort of environment, especially on situations we have prove-it deal. I think we probably would end up getting kind of a veteran-style edge like a Joey Bosa than going hard to get a guy like
Patriots' Free Agency & Drafting Focus
00:24:38
Bret
Phillips. But, yeah, I mean, if if we're not able to hit on a guy like Pierce or some of the other guys,
00:24:44
Bret
the head out early, i could see a swing and higher at the other guys. I just, I think ultimately we're going to sign at least two big signings this off season. They're going to be pretty high caliber name guys, um, that are going you know, help make waves for us. And then after that, we just got to address in the draft, you know, see what, what pops. I'd still love to see if they get,
00:25:10
Bret
Another offensive lineman in this offseason, whether it's get another guard or get a swing tackle, whatever we can get, um you know, just get a veteran style guy to give a little bit of a support there. That would probably be like the third area that I would like to see them address.
00:25:27
Savage Boston
love for them to sign a left guard, especially a veteran. I would like just Joel, Joel Batonio. right? He played with Vrabel, like just plug and play. Here you go. v you ah Super vet, good guy. you know what i mean? Like that to me would be a great one year, two year, like get Petonio in as a stop gap. I don't think he'll even cost you that much.
00:25:48
Savage Boston
Like that to me be, I would love a stop gap veteran left guard, a middle of the road. I would love that. I think they might just be comfortable drafting one. That's like what it's kind of felt like and reporting.
00:25:58
Savage Boston
Um, this is the thing, like, and they're not giving away their whole plan by any regard, but like, they're not spending a crazy amount this year. It's not going to be like last year, probably half what they spent last year or a quarter even like, it's going to lot less.
00:26:13
Savage Boston
Um, cause they spent the most in football and like cash spending last year. So like, it's going to obviously be a lot less, but like, you gotta, you have to plug somehow. You got plug left guard. You got find, figure that out. You need a veteran. That would be a home run.
00:26:25
Savage Boston
Um, And then, yeah, I mean, that to me is like a pretty good off season. If you lock down, if, ah if you get Alec Pierce and then get a mid range edge rusher and then a stop gap left guard and then draft, like, I think you're, you're doing all right. I mean, they could do worse, you know?
00:26:43
Snooty
Yeah, I mean, I imagine what they're...
00:26:43
Bret
I mean, the first thing
00:26:44
Snooty
I was going say, probably a lot of it's probably going be similar to last year where they like they plug it a lot of that mid-tier free agent type stuff. um you know Maybe they get a guy like Pierce just because he fits the mold of what they want from an age and all that, but like a lot of it was just...
00:26:59
Snooty
like Spillane wasn't big money. like Hawkins wasn't big money. like All those guys were... you know Moses wasn't big money. They just were veteran guys that just plugged the gap. Fill the hole so you didn't have to draft for that position.
00:27:12
Bret
Yeah, it was it was on the aggregate because basically Vrabel came in and said, we got a clean house.
00:27:12
Snooty
And that's...
00:27:17
Bret
yeah know We got to get rid of every single person that we have in these positions and like essentially clean slate.
00:27:18
Snooty
Yeah.
00:27:24
Bret
You know, I think the first domino that I'm looking forward to hearing about hopefully soon is the Christian Gonzalez extension, because that's going to be the first chip to kind of help set us up for what we have for spend and what that looks like.
00:27:40
Bret
But I mean, he's our number one priority for internal. He's not a free agent, but he's eligible and he's been pretty vocal about it. And every beat writer saying it's, you know, only a matter of time. So I'd like to see that one.
00:27:54
Bret
Short up so that can kind of set the stage for where we go elsewhere. then I think a few other guys are going to drop off. Like, you know, we mentioned chase on as an available edge. I don't think we've resigned chase on. I think he gets paid and good for him, but I don't think chase on the guy that's worth like going out and paying, know, I don't know, 12, 14 per.
00:28:16
Bret
I just don't think he's worth it.
00:28:17
Savage Boston
What do you think about um Christian Barmore? A little bit of rumblings around Barmore and apparently how his value is pretty low. um They're thinking, like, trade him, get out from under the contract.
00:28:30
Savage Boston
like I think you just ride with him, in my opinion.
00:28:31
Bret
no
00:28:33
Savage Boston
But, like, this is probably going the last year that he's on the team, potentially.
00:28:38
Snooty
I think the only way you get rid of him rid of him if if his this if is if his legal problems are bad. Like, if it gets really bad, I know the arraignments pretty soon or whatever, but, like, to me, that would be the only way. I think Vrabel even, you know, referenced him in terms of, like, him and Williams in terms of getting better and and things like that. Like, he's really fucking good, and he doesn't make that much money relative to what he provides. um I know he makes a lot of money, but he's...
00:29:08
Snooty
he's a very good player and you're not in the business of getting rid of talent at the moment to me.
Christian Barmore's Future with the Patriots
00:29:14
Snooty
Like you.
00:29:14
Savage Boston
Well, apparently we think he's better than the league thinks. And part of it is like the, is the, the, the legal shit and his maturity and he had blood clots. Like there's just, the league is not valuing him versus like Tonga. They're saying his Tonga is going to get paid. Probably not a ton, but more than the Patriots want to pay him.
00:29:34
Snooty
So then if he's undervalued, why would we trade him? That's the definition of selling low.
00:29:38
Savage Boston
I know. they I don't think they will. I don't think they can. Like, i think I've heard like, it's like a pick swap. Like, you know what mean? Like the value is not there. um Although I like, you know, what Corey Durden did and stuff like that. but like, that's what you need. You need guys behind them ready to go. Like if you were the Eagles, talk about how good the Eagles team building has been. Other than like their offense completely falling apart. We all agree. They've had a really outstanding roster. Yeah.
00:30:04
Savage Boston
Um, you know, they had like, yeah, they got rid of Milton Williams, we like they had dudes ready to go. Like they had so many good dudes that they couldn't pay Milton Williams or Josh Sweat.
00:30:14
Snooty
They let Milton Williams go and it was probably the right decision. Like, that's fucked up.
00:30:18
Savage Boston
They couldn't pay him.
00:30:19
Snooty
That's fucked up, but it's probably right.
00:30:21
Savage Boston
Well, i mean, they, I mean, it was good kind of all around, right. It helps us, like they couldn't, you can't pay everybody and you can't pay everybody $30 million.
00:30:24
Snooty
Yeah.
00:30:30
Savage Boston
dollars You know what I mean? Like,
00:30:32
Bret
No, you can't. But Barmore is a guy i just don't see leaving the roster. I think he was impactful when he was on the field for us. So ah why people are undervaluing him, not sure.
00:30:45
Bret
It shouldn't be based on what he did on the field. And I think he fits with Milton Williams. I think that works overall. And i mean, yeah, it's going to be.
00:30:52
Snooty
Mm-hmm.
00:30:55
Bret
that off the field what happens with his legal case, that's probably the one that's the biggest concern. But on the field, no. The guy produces, he's young, he's on a good contract at a premium position, and he fits the system that we're asking him to fit. So I see no reason why we would possibly try to trade him out.
00:31:16
Bret
um So I think he's here for, I mean, what does he got, like three years left on his contract or something like that? Yeah, so I mean, I think he's here for the two.
00:31:24
Savage Boston
I think, I think what's his, I don't know what his contract is at at the, after this year, but um potentially like if he's not, i don't know, this could be, this could be his last season here.
00:31:37
Savage Boston
Because unless he has a character change and has a crazy season and then you extend him after next year. But like, ah I don't know.
00:31:45
Bret
It's through 2028.
00:31:46
Savage Boston
Doesn't it kind of feel like this is maybe it?
00:31:47
Bret
go
00:31:48
Snooty
Yeah, so he's got three years left. So he would save, they would save... Roughly 4 million or 4.3 million if they cut them this year.
00:31:57
Savage Boston
Next year or this year. Yeah, they're not cutting him this year. But yeah.
00:32:01
Bret
I mean, they're not they're not cutting him. Like, it's just not going to happen. um
00:32:05
Savage Boston
but they would save a bunch in 2027. If they cut them, you'd say like 16 million against the cat.
00:32:09
Snooty
Yeah. Sure. But that's...
00:32:13
Bret
Again, at a premium position, and he's still young, as long as he's still producing, I think you keep him. So, yeah, like I said, three years left. I don't see this even on the radar at this point.
00:32:25
Savage Boston
you You have a Matt. I mean, again, this he he'll be here this season, but after next season, if he's designated with a post six, one release, you straight up save 20 million on the cap and it's only 3 million in dead hit.
00:32:35
Snooty
16. 16.
00:32:36
Savage Boston
So there's a no that's after post post post.
00:32:39
Snooty
No, no. that's that's That's after next season.
00:32:39
Savage Boston
postation
00:32:42
Snooty
2027 season.
00:32:42
Savage Boston
Yeah. After next season.
00:32:43
Snooty
Yes. So...
00:32:43
Savage Boston
That's what talking
00:32:44
Snooty
that's after yeah that's the twenty twenty eight cap that's so that's after the twenty twenty seven season
00:32:47
Savage Boston
about. Yeah. Yes.
00:32:50
Snooty
yes
00:32:51
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:32:51
Snooty
so
00:32:51
Savage Boston
It says I'm reading Ron's boat track right now. Post six one release. This is 2027. Savings is $20 million. dollars So it's after next season. I'm saying there's an out basically after next year.
00:33:02
Savage Boston
Unless again, you feel like you want to resign the guy because he's, I don't know, he improves his game or whatever, you know, or, or again, like gets out of his, gets out of his legal trouble stuff like that.
00:33:16
Bret
I mean, he's producing on the contract that he has.
00:33:16
Savage Boston
But
00:33:18
Bret
I don't understand even the consideration, to be honest with you, other than the legal issue.
00:33:22
Snooty
they'd They'd say... Yeah.
00:33:24
Savage Boston
I think it says Lee, I think it's like, cause he's out like a strangling people. like
00:33:29
Bret
Yeah, it's his legal issues.
00:33:30
Savage Boston
flesh
00:33:30
Bret
Again, if if if you're talking...
00:33:31
Savage Boston
He missed the whole season with blood clots. He's out strangling people.
00:33:35
Bret
Well, I mean, the blunt clots, you know, shit happens, I guess, but I think... Obviously, he's passed it. He's produced. So, no, the way I look at is it's anything to do with on the field, there's zero reason in my mind why you would possibly move on from a guy like Christian Barmore.
00:33:53
Bret
If it's off the field and you're trying to get ahead of it, okay. But the reality is most teams will probably pick up on that when you basically say, hey, Christian Barmore is available.
00:34:04
Bret
They're like, how's his legal trial going? It's fine.
00:34:07
Savage Boston
Not bad. Not bad. Beating beatating and people up. Yeah, no I mean, the team certainly didn't sound so confident defending him versus with Diggs. They were like, we stand by Stefan Diggs. Like the language was so much different.
00:34:21
Bret
Mm-hmm.
00:34:21
Savage Boston
um And the Diggs thing, dude, that's kind of coming to a head on what? Is it the 13th? Where it's like 6 million becomes guaranteed.
00:34:27
Snooty
This month.
00:34:29
Savage Boston
And so they probably want to make a choice by then. um to restructure or don't know at this point it kind of feels like he's going to come back unless you just sign Alec Pierce and then you can kind of I don't know maybe a better leverage but at this point I think I think just I think he's coming back probably in the same deal I don't know
00:34:47
Snooty
I think the fact that Pierce, I mean, I'm not sure anybody would put Pierce up there in the top. echelon of wide receivers, right? In the league. He's up there, but he's not in the upper sphere.
00:35:00
Bret
No, he's not a premium one.
00:35:00
Snooty
The fact that he...
00:35:01
Savage Boston
Is he 20? Is he top 20? So Alec Pierce had 1,003 yards receiving.
00:35:02
Snooty
Correct. I mean, maybe. Towards the bottom half of that 20, if he is. Right? So, like, but think about that, and he's probably going to get a $30 million dollars contract.
00:35:13
Snooty
You have to fucking draft a receiver. You can't sit around and wait for free agency. It's not going to happen. Or you're going to pay through the nose the one in a million years that it actually happens.
00:35:25
Savage Boston
so ale pierce had a thousand three yards receiving
00:35:25
Bret
Yeah.
00:35:28
Savage Boston
only on 47 catches in 15 games, which is crazy. Diggs had 1,013 yards receiving in full 17 games on 85 catches.
00:35:38
Savage Boston
So, I mean, it's crazy that Pierce averaged 21.3 yards a catch, which is goofy.
00:35:43
Snooty
They're completely different receivers. I told you, he's more like booty than he is anybody else.
00:35:45
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:35:47
Snooty
It would impact booty more than anybody. It's that same role of that field stretcher.
00:35:50
Bret
Yeah.
00:35:51
Savage Boston
Well, unless you can just have Pierce play the X and then Booty can be on like the Z on the other side off the ball and then Diggs will just be in the slot. Like, I don't think it's that that crazy. And then like Matt Collins and Forad. I don't know where you fit Kyle Williams at that point. Like, unless you, you know, honestly, I think they just want Kyle Williams to become Diggs.
00:36:12
Savage Boston
Like, they're just like, yeah, we want to grow him.
00:36:12
Bret
yeah
00:36:12
Snooty
Yeah.
00:36:14
Savage Boston
But the problem is not too hard of a start, man. Like hard to just magically be like,
00:36:18
Snooty
Thank you.
00:36:20
Savage Boston
you know, most really amazing wide receivers had pretty good first years. It doesn't have to be amazing. Guys do develop, but like you had pretty good first years.
00:36:29
Bret
No, he had blatant whiffs where he didn't run the right route, didn't make the right execution.
00:36:29
Savage Boston
So. Yeah.
00:36:33
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:36:37
Bret
So, no, not a not a stellar first year. And we all were pretty high on him. Thought it was a really good pick where we got him.
00:36:47
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:36:47
Bret
I agree. I think he probably plays behind digs. He's got to earn his spot. Like, I'm sorry. like I'm not going to just pave the way and say we got to play him because we made the pick.
00:36:58
Bret
And we picked them up high, like, no, he's got to earn it. And if you get a guy like Pierce coming in then obviously that's going to slot some guys a little bit differently, but.
00:37:07
Savage Boston
but for instance digs in his first season had 52 catches 720 yards and four tds pretty darn good rookie campaign and he basically just got better until he was just at but on buffalo where digs was just really like top tier wide receiver on buffalo he was fantastic with josh allen
00:37:13
Bret
Yeah.
00:37:25
Savage Boston
Um, so yeah, I mean, again, it's like, i don't know for Kyle Williams. Yeah. People would kind of, people just say shit all the time online. Like, Oh, this person needs to do this. And we have Kyle and I want to say like, I'm not like, i don't want to fall in love with a receiver and and have them like, like we try to do with everybody. Like, Oh, Jalen Polk. Oh, Javon Baker.
00:37:47
Savage Boston
Like you're like, these dudes are going to be amazing. And then they just can't even play. Like they couldn't even play. Like though that was like the terrible experience. You draft two wide receivers, neither of which can play at all.
00:38:00
Savage Boston
Like that's hard. It sets you back so far, man. Whiffing on second round picks and on wide, like it just keeps setting you back. Like you got to find your strength, man. Like, and even this past draft this year, like jury's still out um on the draft, you jury's
Patriots' Roster Evaluation & Player Development
00:38:16
Savage Boston
jury's still out. Like you got a bunch of decent players, but,
00:38:19
Savage Boston
You can't tell me they're all hits right now. Like Will Campbell had a pretty darn good season before his injury. we've Been over the Campbell shit. You know, like Trevion Henderson had a lot of cool home run hits. That was great.
00:38:31
Savage Boston
Still has a lot of trouble just finding the hole, running it like a premier runner. That's not – maybe not who he is.
00:38:39
Bret
for for For a first-year running back, though, he produced pretty well overall.
00:38:39
Savage Boston
Okay.
00:38:45
Savage Boston
It did, but we, what but don't just, but I know when you watch the games, like, don't just do the stats. Like when you watch him try to run between the tackles, what do you see?
00:38:50
Bret
Yeah, I get it. I get it. No, he's not. He's not reading it correctly enough. Right. He's he's rushing it.
00:38:59
Snooty
Thank
00:39:00
Bret
Right. He's rushing into the gap and he's struggling with pass protection, which was funny because coming out of college, we were like, oh, this guy's great pass protection.
00:39:10
Bret
And he's just not.
00:39:10
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:39:12
Bret
So I just again, I just look at it Same thing we talked about Campbell, like they are still rookies. Like, let's remind ourselves that they're rookies. There's a learning curve.
00:39:21
Savage Boston
It was great.
00:39:21
Bret
I'd also throw in a guy like Woodson in consideration there that looks like he was a solid pick and someone that's going to be able to produce.
00:39:25
Savage Boston
was great yeah
00:39:28
Bret
We'll see what happens with Swenson and see where that goes. And then, obviously, we just touched upon Williams. Not a great first year, but we'll see.
00:39:39
Bret
Year two is going to kind of make or break this guy, right? If he doesn't produce in year two, that's probably it for him.
00:39:45
Snooty
The history's on the side of Henderson, though, because specifically for the Patriots, they've never had rookie running backs do particularly well with McDaniels. They've never had. They've usually just straight-up redshirted a year.
00:39:58
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:39:58
Snooty
Marine redshirted. Ridley redshirted. Fucking everybody red shirts that first year. And then if they can play, you know, they have a much better, you know, second season kind of coming out. So there's reason for optimism. I think Williams is going to have a good year. I think they need and want Williams to have a good year. i think they're going to give him every opportunity. I don't think signing someone like Pierce inherently hurts him as much as somebody else.
00:40:23
Snooty
He's not that same type of player. I think they do want him to be a digs. Like more of the, you know, because Tampa Bay was a perfect example of that. He took a crosser and just fucking smoked the DB that was that was in the trail position.
00:40:35
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:40:36
Snooty
Like he just smoked him.
00:40:38
Savage Boston
He's got great speed, but yeah, I just, yeah, they, they wanted him at X. He wasn't X. You don't just have to just line them up at X. Like he can do other shit.
00:40:46
Snooty
Mm-hmm.
00:40:47
Savage Boston
You can put them in the slot. And I mean, i don't know. There's a lot they have to work on. Obviously there's a lot that needs to change and improve. It's I like the roster construction stuff is fun, but you know, the super bowl,
00:41:00
Savage Boston
you know, you want to keep remembered, had a bad taste in your mouth. Like the offense was that bad. And we've got to remember what it's like to have an offense that they, they didn't function well through the whole postseason.
00:41:11
Savage Boston
Really? i mean, we got to the Superbowl because the defense was unconscious, but like stuff has to change. I don't want people to forget that. Like you need to improve your offense. Drake may carry that team all year.
00:41:22
Savage Boston
Like you still, you have to and find ways to keep improving. So, um,
00:41:26
Snooty
And if you get a second year bump from the two guys that played up front, a receiver and a running back, you're inherently, you have some improvement built in.
00:41:35
Savage Boston
Hopefully and just so and just build, as they say, build the program.
00:41:36
Snooty
Theoretically.
00:41:38
Savage Boston
But Alec Pierce would be a nice acquisition. That's all I'll say. All right. Well, we'll end it here. And um I think next time we chat will be right after or slash during free agency.
00:41:53
Savage Boston
So that'll be nuts, man. That'll be lots ah lots of shenanigans. So will we'll see you guys next week. Peace.
00:42:00
Snooty
Yep. yep
00:42:01
Bret
Peace.