Much has been made of New England’s defensive back signings thus far in the free agent period; the Patriots re-signed slot cornerback Kyle Arrington to a four-year, $16 million contract, left cornerback Aqib Talib to a one-year, $5 million deal, and added former Arizona Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson on a three-year pact to solidify the defensive backfield. However, although these three signings do provide the team with a measure of certainty relative to their pre-free agency defensive backfield, their long-term stability at cornerback and safety is still a concern.
Does Leon Washington signing with the Patriots mean Danny Woodhead won’t be back?
NEPD Editor: Mike Loyko
Free agency is in full swing. The first wave is in the books and the second wave is winding down. We are entering the point of free agency where the good teams like to operate and find bargains that will complement a contending team. The Patriots have been relatively quiet, outside of the Wes Welker/Danny Amendola swap, but there is plenty of movement throughout the league. One thing is certain, the market is softening and there are a lot of veteran players out there sweating it out, trying to find any deal that pays them.
Allowing Aqib Talib (left) to walk could potentially result in a compensatory pick next season. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
At this point, there’s an argument to be made that New England should attempt to re-sign all three of their major free agents: wide receiver Wes Welker, offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, and cornerback Aqib Talib. The aforementioned players were all major contributors in New England’s successful 2012 season, and it’s possible that releasing any of the players could create holes on the roster which New England may find themselves unable to fill immediately, especially as they attempt to upgrade their roster in other areas with a limited number of draft picks. However, it may be even wiser for the Patriots to let some or all of those free agents depart this offseason.
Should the Patriots re-sign cornerback Kyle Arrington this offseason? (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
One of the most interesting situations facing New England’s front office this offseason is how they choose to handle the expiring contracts of cornerbacks Kyle Arrington and Aqib Talib, who are likely looking for lucrative multi-year deals. Here, we’ll examine the case for re-signing both players, just one, or neither. Be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Will the salary cap allow Wes Welker to don a Patriots uniform in 2013?
NEPD Editor: James Christensen
It seems that few teams have been able to master the NFL salary cap like the New England Patriots. Sustaining success over a decade without having to blow things up.
Other teams haven’t been so lucky. The New York Jets for example, are currently looking at a $19+ million deficit after a 6-10 season.
We haven’t reached Wild Card weekend in the playoffs yet, but it’s that time of year where we begin to look forward to the offseason. The Patriots aren’t a team that generally spends a lot of money in the offseason outside of signings like Adalius Thomas.
The Patriots do have notable players entering free agency, wide receivers Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, cornerback Aqib Talib, running back Danny Woodhead and safety Patrick Chung. Should they be re-signed?
