OFFICIAL: 2011-2012 New England Patriots thread

[Sporin]

So we are off with a bang!

Patriots trade for Albert Haynesworth
Greg A. Bedard July 28, 2011 06:42 AM

The Patriots made their bold move.

The team acquired defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth from the Washington Redskins, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Patriots sent a 2013 fifth-round pick to the Redskins. The trade is contingent on Haynesworth passing his physical, which has been a bit of an issue in the past.

Well, this will certainly liven up camp....

Low risk, High Reward move, much like Dillon and Moss were. We'll see if Albert still wants to play football. If he doesn't, it didn't cost us much. If he does, the Pat's pass rush woes are (hopefully) corrected.

[ed rooney]

Yeah if he is motivated to play and he is in game shape. those are 2 BIG questions. If he is then great if not and we cut him where do we go from there?

I'd still like to see them sign a proven LB who can get to the passer. Banta _ Cain i shurt and I think they cut him yesterday?????

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

First Haynesworth, now Chad Ochocinco for draft picks? Again, I hope BB is ready for the circus that's coming to town. If both can get aboard the BB way then they made 2 good moves.

[Sporin]

Chad is outlandish but he's not locker room cancer or police trouble. He and BB are BIG fans of each other, and I think Chad will be excited to be here playing for BB. He should thrive in our schemes

[pofe333]

Chad is outlandish but he's not locker room cancer or police trouble. He and BB are BIG fans of each other, and I think Chad will be excited to be here playing for BB. He should thrive in our schemes

I definitely agree with this. Ochocinco may be obnoxious at times, but he's far from causing team damage like T.O. I think he'll have a solid year with Brady.

Haynesworth is a little more questionable in my opinion, but I think the Pats are finally desperate for some sort of pass rush. Hopefully he's still got gas in that out of shape tank.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

It should be interesting and Haynesworth's deal/ trade is still pending IF he passes his physical. I hope the guy is in game shape/ It should be interesting to see Branch, Welker and Ochocinco there for Brady to throw to - not to mention to two young TE's in Hernancez and Gronkowski.....

[pappas64]

I'm not a fan, but the moves that the Pats are making are (imo) great. They will be the team to beat (not like this is different then normal).

Congrats.

[g60rabbit]

Chad should be ok if he can play with his hands tied. he wont be allowed to twitter like a mad man, he wont be allowed any onfield antics. If he can play football without being "himself" then he can be a good player for the Pats.

As for Albert. Yea there is upside but he is a very very very low quality person and I am surprised a team like the Pats would sign up this guy even if its low risk when he is such a bad person.

Seems like a move their rivals would make and then get ripped for doing so.

[20thAna3282]

I can see the trades working out. Chad has always said great things about BB so now that they are on the same team i see it clicking. Seems like all good moves to me

Oh and last night the bar i went to was having a fund raiser for a town softball team that made nationals, and i ended up winning Pats tickets for the Monday night game against the chiefs. It's the week of thanksgiving and good seats too section 117, 22 rows back i'm pumped.

[JettaGT8V80]

Mr. Haynesworth FAILED his conditioning tests today so thats off to a great start

[Sporin]

“@RapSheet: Breaking: Albert Haynesworth will be on the practice field for the #Patriots, I'm told. He has passed his conditioning test.”

“@RapSheet: Here is my blog entry on Albert Haynesworth passing his conditioning test and being ready to go: http://bit.ly/oW1Q7x”

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

Am I the only one hoping the Pats try to go after Usi Umenyiora? I know they are asking for a 1st round pick but with Usi in there with Fat Albert and Big Wilfork in the middle and Mayo and Merriweather, that would be crazy! Their O line is ok and I hope Chad can be their long rane guy. So far, I think the Eagles will be the team to beat in the NFC.....

[Sporin]

Am I the only one hoping the Pats try to go after Usi Umenyiora? I know they are asking for a 1st round pick but with Usi in there with Fat Albert and Big Wilfork in the middle and Mayo and Merriweather, that would be crazy! Their O line is ok and I hope Chad can be their long rane guy. So far, I think the Eagles will be the team to beat in the NFC.....

I'm sure they are exploring it, he would be fantastic in there, but his cost is quite high.

[Sporin]

“@MikeReiss: RT: @jamisonhensley: Source tells Mike Preston: #Ravens, #Patriots among 5 teams interested in Umenyiora. All refused to give 1st-round pick”

I'd give a 2nd for him without hesitation. Instant impact starter.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

Push comes to shove, The Giants will take anything they can for him. There's not that much impact players out there and I think if they can get him, he will be the missing piece that they need on that weak D line.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

They dropped their demand from a 1st round pick to a 2nd round pick and apparently, they are down to 2 teams - the Pats and the Ravens.

[pofe333]

“@MikeReiss: RT: @jamisonhensley: Source tells Mike Preston: #Ravens, #Patriots among 5 teams interested in Umenyiora. All refused to give 1st-round pick”

I'd give a 2nd for him without hesitation. Instant impact starter.

What do the Pats ever do with a 1st rd. pick anyway? I'd rather see them use that on a proven starter than trade it for a 2nd and 3rd gamble.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

Did you hear that Osi is made at the Giants organization that he is missing practice cause he claims he is experiencing some pain on his knee? funny stuff!

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

They signed Shaun Ellis and Rex is pissed, he was quoted that since Shaun picked the Pats, he does not wish him well. Any chance of the Pats getting Asante back? I know he is old but he should still be effective.

[GeoffD]

They signed Shaun Ellis and Rex is pissed, he was quoted that since Shaun picked the Pats, he does not wish him well. Any chance of the Pats getting Asante back? I know he is old but he should still be effective.

Good signing. New England had to do something after losing Ty Warren and Shaun Ellis probably went for cheap money after turning down the Jets veterans minimum contract. Warren got $10 million out of Denver. No way the Patriots were going to pay that much for somebody who spent last year on IR.

[GeoffD]

What do the Pats ever do with a 1st rd. pick anyway? I'd rather see them use that on a proven starter than trade it for a 2nd and 3rd gamble.

The Patriots drafted a monster offensive tackle with their Oakland/Richard Seymour pick. They traded theirs to the Saints for the Saints #2 and next year's #1. They picked Shane Vereen with the #2. No telling how that will work out but you can never have too much depth at running back.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

I would have rather kept Ingram to work with Woodhead and BJEG. On a different note, they just signed Andre Carter. Wow, that defensive line has a lot of new (old players) faces. I hope they can gel together. I still hope they get a pass rusher in there

[Sporin]

Reports out of camp say Stevan Ridley is a beast.

[Sporin]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/f...es_right_here/

Best rookie: This one might be a toss-up. The easy answer is running back Stevan Ridley, a third-round pick who was an on-time arrival. There’s no doubt the LSU product runs hard. He also catches the ball pretty well out of the backfield. The more you see, the more you like.

But the same can be said of tight end Lee Smith. The word on the fifth-round pick was he was a blocker extraordinaire. That part is true. What’s been just as impressive is his ability to catch the ball. So the heir to Alge Crumpler has got game.
......
Player making the biggest Year 2 leap (offense): Gronkowski was one of the best rookies in the league last season, so seeing him excel in camp with an added level of confidence isn’t exactly a surprise.

Now, if we’re talking about the player who has come out of nowhere, it’s wide receiver Taylor Price. Inactive for all but one game last year, Price finally is showcasing all the skills that made him a third-round pick in 2010. He’s flashed the speed that could make him a deep threat and has displayed some impressive ball skills. He’s pretty much caught everything thrown his way. Most importantly, it looks like he’s moved up a few rungs on quarterback Tom Brady [stats]’s ladder.

[pofe333]

Haynesworth on 4th day of missed practice, Ellis on PUP. It's still early, but I'm hoping these aren't signs of things to come. Ochocinco to room with fan for a few weeks

[Sporin]

Haynesworth on 4th day of missed practice, Ellis on PUP. It's still early, but I'm hoping these aren't signs of things to come. Ochocinco to room with fan for a few weeks

At this point, I think they are right to ease Albert in slowly, they don't need him blowing something up in the preseason. As for Ellis, I thought I read that was as much a roster number move as anything else (could be wrong).

PUP list can be used to "hide" guys that are sure to make it while keeping guys you want to get a look at (but probably will cut) on the active roster early on.

Either way, I don't worry about that stuff too much until we get to the regular season, way too much leeway early to monkey around with everyone's status's for the roster before that.

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

Haynesworth, who had a turbulent second season with the Washington Redskins last year, was due to earn $5.4 million in base salary in 2011. Instead, he reduced his base salary to $1.5 million. He can earn all the money and more back in incentives. He will earn $1 million if he plays in 20 percent of the plays and an additional $590,000 when he hits 45 percent, 50 percent, 55 percent, 60 percent and then 65 percent.
Haynesworth, who signed a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Redskins in 2009, can also earn $400,000 if he makes the Pro Bowl. That’s a total of $5.85 million if Haynesworth hits all of his incentives.
Last week, New England owner Robert Kraft said he was impressed that Haynesworth “came here to win, not for the money,” but declined to elaborate on any deal. Kraft said that was Haynesworth’s business to discuss.
The deal saves the Patriots $3.9 million on the salary cap for now. New England was hoping to use much of that money on a long-term contract for Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins(notes), who has reportedly agreed to a six-year deal.


Did you hear that Heath Evans wants to come back and play for New England. He said there are only 2 teams he wants to play for - The Pats and Saints.....

[20thAna3282]

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/...-six-year-deal

Great news signing Mankins, the O-line improved dramatically when he came back last year

First preseason game tonight, not expecting much but it will be fun to watch some football again.

[GeoffD]

It's just preseason but Ridley looks like a running back of the future.

[Sporin]

It's just preseason but Ridley looks like a running back of the future.

Yeah, and both our Backup QB's played extremely well also. Looks like Taylor Price is ready for primetime. Typically the linemen get no dap but Nate Solder has played extremely well also.

Just preseason.
Just preseason.
Just preseason.
Just preseason.
Just preseason.
Just preseason.

[Sporin]

“@MikeReiss: Rapid reaction from the Patriots' 47-12 win over the Jaguars in the preseason opener. http://tinyurl.com/3q8fjgm"

[Bor-ah 1.8!]

Here's some good stuff:

The New England Patriots and Bill Belichick know that they have some time left in the pre-season to sign additional players to the roster. Luckily, the squad still has the open cap space in order to acquire the players they desire. According to Pro Football Talk and NFL.com's Jason La Canfora the Patriots have around $9.5 million left in cap space. The two sources have extremely different ranges for the other teams, but their Patriots number is consistent. Players, like Chad Ochocinco and Albert Hanynesworth, modified their contracts in order to make their cap hits more team friendly, which helps the Patriots when looking at current free agents. Add in the additional $3 million allocated to veterans, and the Patriots have some space.
Of course, the Patriots could be using the $9.5m in space to leave open as a self-imposed cap in order to ensure cap space during the season for new contracts of current players, or new players picked up as a result of injuries. Still, there are still some underdogs in free agency that all fit under the cap space, so let's take a look!
Offense
QB - Set
RB - Set
WR - Set
TE - Set
OT - Set
OG - Open
OC - Open

Defense
NT - Set
DE/DT - Open, but clustered
OLB/DE - Open
ILB - Set
CB - Set
S - Open
That's my current view of the roster, so let's look at the interior linemen, elephants, and safeties that are still available after the jump!

Interior Linemen: The Patriots have an established Left Guard in Logan Mankins and no one will replace Center Dan Koppen this season. However, Right Guard is open and there are a lot of players fighting for that spot on the roster. Dan Connolly is the front runner, with Ryan Wendell and Rich Ohrnberger as the top back-ups and even Mark LeVoir putting in some time at right guard. The ultimate goal, in my opinion, is to put Marcus Cannon at right guard, but there is still room for improvement at right guard this season. Wendell and Ohrnberger are undersized for guard and are better fit for playing center. LeVoir shows promise with his versatility, but additional camp competition is never a bad thing.


Top Free Agents:
Brian Waters, G, Kansas City Chiefs - Waters is old, there's no doubt, but he's a great citizen and can still play well enough. He's one of the best guards of the past decade and he seems like a typical Patriots' pick-up. He can be squeezed for a year of service as he mentors the younger guards like Cannon and he can still play at a starter level.
Leonard Davis, G, Dallas Cowboys - Davis is another older player, but he was cut by the Cowboys as a cap casualty. He's two years removed from a Pro Bowl season and he remains an above average blocker in all facets of the game.
Vince Manuwai, G, Jacksonville Jaguars - Manuwai is similar to Davis in that he's solid in most facets of the game. He's extremely serviceable as a guard and has helped block for Maurice Jones-Drew.
All three players are over the age of 30, which means that they all fit in the category of "elder mentor", while they can still manage to help out for another season.
---
Elephants: The Patriots' picked up Mark Anderson, who seems like a player who can help with the 3rd down pass rush. Other pick-up Andre Carter joins rookies Markell Carter, Clay Nurse, and Alex Silvestro as newcomers beside returners Eric Moore and Jermaine Cunningham. These players are required to be versatile to help with both the 3-4 and 4-3 defense. There is plenty of room for improvement in this group with respect to starting quality players as well as depth, especially due to the potential injury to Jermaine Cunningham.
T
op Free Agents:
Antwan Odom, DE, Cincinnati Bengals - Odom can't stay healthy, but he's a force when healthy. He's a monster pass rusher who can also stop the run. He's had a habit of getting injured before the mid-way point of the season, though. Perhaps he'd be better off in the Patriots' rotation?
Stylez G. White, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - White is coming off a relatively successful season, although his old age might make it difficult for him to find a job. He notched 4.5 sacks, but he definitely trailed off towards the end of the year. The Patriots' rotation would definitely keep him energized for a longer portion of the season.
Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Buffalo Bills - Maybin is a former first round pick, taken by the Bills 11th overall. He was a complete bust, but that means the Patriots could get him with little risk. He was a first round pick for a reason, so maybe he can find his role on the Patriots.
The Elephants only have to help with the rotation since the complex defense narrows down the number of potentially ideal candidates to near zero.
---
Safeties: The Patriots seem pretty happy at the safety position with Pat Chung, Sergio Brown, James Sanders, and Brandon Meriweather holding down the fort. However, that hasn't prevented the team from looking at Darren Sharper and Renaldo Hill. The team could be looking for a veteran to help guide all the youth in the secondary, or they could be looking at a one year stop-gap as Belichick looks to see what value he can get from trading Meriweather or to replace a cut Sanders. Belichick can't be happy that James Sanders has missed so much time with a "Non Football Injury", and, while referring to why Sergio Brown played with the First Team defense during practice, said:
Sergio’s in good condition, he’s worked hard, he hasn’t missed any time, he’s been out there on a consistent basis, and he’s gotten better like everybody who has been out there on a consistent basis.
Sanders has missed the entire pre-season due to his injury and his large salary cap number makes him a perfect target to be cut- and bringing in the team player to replace Sanders seems to make a lot of sense.

Top Free Agents:
Renaldo Hill, S, Denver Broncos - Hill was actually one of the best safeties against the run in the league and if the Patriots' signed him, I would totally be all over that jersey. He would be an excellent veteran addition.
Darren Sharper, S, New Orleans Saints - Sharper is a great veteran who would add a lot to the locker room. He is serviceable, but that's all that's needed.
Eugene Wilson, S, Houston Texans - Wilson was rated by PFF as one of the worst safeties in the league (182/185), but that's fine since Meriweather was 179th and Sharper was 164th. Wilson knows the Patriots' system and he knows what will be asked of him. He could be a solid pick-up.
None of these players would be asked to start and would mostly fill-in as insurance and as a locker room leader. Sharper is the best leader of the group, Hill has the best name and is the best player, and Wilson knows the Patriots' system. All three would be solid acquisitions should the Patriots release Sanders (which wouldn't surprise me) or make another move.

[20thAna3282]

So nice seeing the d put a rush on the qb.

Preseason but still nice.

[Sporin]

Ridley is awesome. been a long time dice the Pats have had a RB like him.

[20thAna3282]

Woodhead was destroyed on that punt, he probably is fourth string punt team() but having him play that late in a preseason game just doesn't make sense.