Welp, that offseason was fun while it lasted.
You get a big buildup to the end of the year.
Everyone gets a few days off.
Then it’s back to the grind for the next 51 straight weeks.
No sooner hasBrittany Mahomes' IV-drip of hangover-curing electrolytes worn offthan tomorrow unofficially kicks off NFL free agency period.
We’re still about three weeks away from team’s being able to talk to available players.
Whom they took in 2013.
The rookie classes from 2013-19 included 22 such players, including five 1st rounders.
And one charming, attractive silver fox’s priority list of who needs to be kept.
In descending order of importance:
1.
Michael Onwenu
Onwenu was the absolute steal of that 2020 draft in New England.
Another example of the franchise’s genius for finding talent among the late round picks it’s traditionally stockpiled.
[Pause for ironic effect.Annndresume.]
And now he’s going to get paid.
With Trent Brown now predictably off the roster, this is the one legitimate NFL OT on the roster.
It’s not about saying we can’t afford him.
It’s about acknowledging we can’t afford to lose him.
Kyle Dugger
Schefter makes a fair point about Franchising Dugger.
He’s as important to Jerod Mayo’s defense as Onwenu is to his offense.
But Franchised safeties are much more cost effective than OTs.
He’s been making everybody’s Top Free Agents Available list (he’s No.
20 on Pro Football Focus), and has unquestionably emerged as one of their most dependable defenders.
Dugger led the unit in total snaps with over 1,100 and solo tackles, with 79.
He was also one of three Patriots to have over 100 combined tackles.
Hunter Henry
Let’s not put to fine a point on this.
But he has been capable.
That to me makes him sort of a depreciated asset who can be had for reasonable money.
At least one would think.
The counter-factual on that is this is a trash year for free agent tight ends.
It’s more or less Henry and Dalton Schultz and a bunch of droids.
Anfernee Jennings
Putting Jennings here at No.
4 might be controversial.
And even a month into this season I wouldn’t have dreamed I was rating him this high.
But when Matt Judon was lost for the season, Jennings got his shot and proved himself worthy.
In fact, he established himself as a versatile, 3-down edge player in the mold of Judon.
I can easily see him bookending Judon for years to come.
He’s been a good soldier here throughout his 3-year Pats career.
And last year before he got hurt, he’d emerged as the best wideout on the roster.
But that’s one of those World’s Tallest Hobbits debates.
Which maybe goes to explain why he had spent so much time checked into Matt Patricia’sMaison Chien.
Which he sounds interested in.
You know who led the Patriots in receptions in 2023?
He also led the team in rushing yards.
And was third among all offensive skill position guys in total snaps, behind only Henry and DeVante Parker.
Hell, they didn’t even add him until July.
Productive though he may have been.
I wouldn’t mind at all seeing him come back.
Mike Gesicki
Remember when Gesicki did this?
Yeah, that was great.
Now name something else he did.
He took as many passing snaps as practically skill position guy on the offense.
And finished with 5 more receiving yards than Stevenson.
Josh Uche
It says everything that this highlight is from his breakout season on 2022.
Because in 2023 he broke right back in again.
(I know that sentence didn’t exactly stick the landing, but I’m leaving it.)
Uche has established my worst fear for him when he was drafted.
And guys like him get paid way out of proportion to their actual value.
Myles Bryant
The Pats primary slot corner saw a ton of reps last season.
And gave up receptions at a rate of 79.7%.
Which is not even the worst mark of his career (82.9% in 2021).
I’ve never understood the coaches' affinity for him.
