McDaniels Raids the Patriots

Former Patriots offensive coordinator and current Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels appears to be going with what he knows best.

First, he convinced the Broncos to splurge for long snapper Lonie Paxton. Paxton, who has spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Patriots, signed with Denver earlier this morning. Some have argued that Paxton is the best long snapper in the league, as it was his crisp, effective snaps that helped set up Adam Vinatieri's numerous clutch kicks during the Patriots run of Super Bowl championships earlier in the decade.

Next, McDaniels, who has been the offensive coordinator since Eric Mangini flew south to coach the New York Jets in 2006, acquired Jabar Gaffney, a Patriot since '06. Gaffney has made a name for himself in New England as a slot receiver. Last season, he finished with 44 receptions for 468 yards and two touchdowns. He had a sterling playoff run in 2006, with eighteen catches and over 200 yards receiving in the Wild Card Round against the Jets and Divisional Playoff versus the San Diego Chargers.

The loss of Gaffney, combined with the recent release of Kelley Washington, now opens up the need for reliable third or fourth receiving options. The Patriots already have the best 1-2 receiving option in the league, with Randy Moss as the deep threat and Wes Welker as the catch-and-run option. However, they now sorely lack an experienced weapon aside from Moss and Welker. The Pats only have two receivers on their roster aside from Moss and Welker, and those two targets are Sam Aiken and Matthew Slater, who combined for eight catches in 2008.

With the need for receivers now near the top of the Patriots' off-season list, could we be not too far away from seeing Laveraneus Coles, Bobby Engram, or even Marvin Harrison wearing Patriots uniforms in 2009? Also, don't rule out the Draft, as the Patriots hold the 23rd pick. They very well could look to select Florida's Percy Harvin or Maryland's Derrius Heyward-Bey, whose amazing Combine numbers have him vaulting up Mock Draft boards nationwide.

Mike Vrabel Traded to Kansas City

NFL.com's Adam Schefter is reporting that Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel is in Kansas City undergoing a physical. Pending the results of that physical, Vrabel will be traded to the Chiefs. No word yet on what the Patriots will receive in exchange for the former Pro Bowler.

The 2007 Defensive All-Pro will turn 34 prior to the start of the 2009 season. Vrabel, who has spent the last eight seasons with the Patriots, was acquired in 2001 via free agency after Vrabel spent four unsuccessful seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Once the terms of the trade are announced, I'll state my opinion. But for now, allow me to say that Mike Vrabel had a very successful eight years in Foxboro, and I'll miss the tenacity and dedication that he played every snap with.

In other news, long snapper Lonie Paxton has signed with the Denver Broncos. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Patriots Sign Taylor, Baker; Courting Bodden

The Patriots weren’t expected to make much of a splash when free agency started at midnight, but they were very quick and efficient in the moves they needed to make.

According to multiple sources, the Patriots have signed former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor to a one-year contract worth around $6 million, once incentives kick in. The 33 year-old Taylor, who has spent his entire career in Jacksonville, visited Foxboro earlier this week, and apparently liked what he saw. In his eleven seasons with the Jags, Taylor rushed for 11,271 yards and 62 touchdowns. He was oft-injured and lost his role as the Jaguars’ primary running threat to Maurice Jones-Drew, but you cannot deny how proficient and effective he was in over a decade in Jacksonville.

In his final season with the Jaguars, Taylor started all thirteen games he played in, rushing for 556 yards and one touchdown. Taylor is also a solid option as a receiver with 286 receptions and 2,361 receiving yards. While he is no Kevin Faulk, he is still a fine choice to throw a quick screen or swing pass to out of the backfield.

In other free agent news, NFL.com is reporting that the Patriots have made a deal with former Jets tight end Chris Baker. Baker, who was released by the Jets in a salary dump, had 21 receptions for 194 yards and no touchdowns in 2008. Baker, who held out through much of last summer, lost his role as the Jets’ primary tight end to rookie Dustin Keller, who became a favorite target of Brett Favre as the season progressed.

Baker had career-highs in receptions and receiving yards in 2007, when he caught 41 balls for 409 yards. Baker, a seven-year veteran, is a big target, standing 6’3” and weighing 258 lbs. He is most effective in the red zone, and he is also a stout run-blocker, as he paved the way for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington for most of the 2008 season.

Baker’s arrival would likely mean the departure of Benjamin Watson, whose contract expires following the 2008 season. Watson, who has struggled throughout his career with dropped balls, had only 22 catches for 209 yards, his lowest totals since his rookie season.

Last but not least, the Patriots are hosting free agent corner back Leigh Bodden today. Bodden, who played for the 0-16 Detroit Lions last season, was arguably Detroit’s most proficient defensive back, with 73 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception. Bodden, 27, has six years of service under his belt, five of which came with the Cleveland Browns. Bodden’s best season came in 2007, when he recorded 88 tackles and six interceptions. Bodden played for former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel in Cleveland, and Crennel reportedly gave rave reviews about Bodden to the Patriots Brain Trust earlier this week.

More on free agency and developing news later in the day.

On The Patriots Radar

First and foremost, don't get yourselves too exicted about the start of free agency. This won't be like the 2003 off-season when the Patriots acquired Rosevelt Colvin and Rodney Harrison on consecutive days, or 2007 off-season, when the Patriots landed Adalius Thomas, Wes Welker and Randy Moss. According to NFL.com's Adam Schefter, the Patriots have only $3.2 million in cap space, ahead of only Carolina and their $1.9 million in cap room.

So don't get your hopes up too high for the Patriots to land a big name. However, the Pats could still manage to work around the league and land some role players. If there is one thing that the Patriots have been incredibly successful at since Bill Belichick arrived in Foxboro in 2000, it's been turning other people's trash into treasures. The Patriots took Mike Vrabel, a floundering defensive end with the Steelers and turned him into a Pro Bowler. They squeezed the last solid years out of veterans like Roman Phifer, Antowain Smith, Bobby Hamilton, Tyrone Poole, Ted Washington and Corey Dillon, just to name a handful. Most notably, however, was landing an unheralded quarterback out of Michigan with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Three Super Bowl championships later, Tom Brady is a Hall of Famer.

So while the Patriots might not swoop in and land T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Albert Haynesworth or Ray Lewis, they just as easily could take a no-name scrub from someone else's trash and turn them into a star. They've done it before. However, this is the first off-season that Belichick will be working without Scott Pioli, who took a high-profile general manager's gig with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here are some of the names to expect to be attached to the Patriots:

- DeAngelo Hall (Washington): barring the unforeseen, that Hall will re-sign with the Redskins, DeAngelo will be a quality corner back on the open market. After landing with the Raiders last March, Hall signed an eight-year, $70 million contract, and after floundering in Oakland's system, the Raiders released the struggling corner back. Hall landed with the Redskins and had a subpar season. Hall, who still can play at an All-Pro level, could command good money, but not nearly at the price tag of Nnamdi Asomugha or Cortland Finnegan.
- Chris McAlister (Baltimore): The Ravens cut McAlister, saving $8 million. McAlister, 31, is a career Raven looking for a fresh start. He seems to fit the Patriots system, and at a decent price tag could be the second coming of Tyrone Poole.
- Lawyer Milloy (Atlanta): his best years are clearly behind him, but he can still play the hybrid linebacker/safety position that Rodney Harrison controlled for the better part of the last three years. If Harrison does in fact call it a career, Milloy could be an effective replacement, which would be ironic, as Harrison was the reason that the Patriots showed Milloy the door back in 2003.
- Mike Brown (Chicago): the Bears announced that they have no intentions of reaching out to their former safety and defensive captain. Brown, 31, is another player on the downside of his career and is an injury risk. Brown hasn't played a full season in four years, and it was a calf injury that ended his season last December. The question with Brown is; is the risk worth the potential reward?
- Fakhir Brown (St. Louis): Brown was released by the Rams on September 24, but was re-signed less than a month later after Ricky Manning was placed on injured reserve. Brown struggled with an ankle injury throughout most of December 2008, and like the rest in this pack, his best years are definitely behind him.
- Gerald Sensabaugh (Jacksonville): the 25 year-old safety is a hard-hitting force, who would be a perfect compliment to Brandon Meriweather in the secondary. The Jaguars have already made it clear that they do not intend to court Sensabaugh, so that opens the door for the Patriots. However, expect multiple teams to bid for the four-year veteran and eventually drive the price too high for the Patriots.
- Fred Taylor (Jacksonville): the ten-year Jaguar recently was released, and has already made it public that he intends to at least enter discussions with the Patriots. The Pats will be losing LaMont Jordan in free agency, opening up the need for an effective third-down back who can make spot starts if, and when, Laurence Maroney is injured in 2009. The Patriots haven't had a sure thing at running back since Corey Dillon's 2004 season, so Taylor would add much-needed depth and possibly a tremendous season at a great value.
- Chris Baker (New York Jets): the Jets released the 29 year-old tight end last week after a contentious 2008 season that included Baker holding out through Training Camp after he said the Jets lied to him about landing a new contract after a career year in 2007. The Patriots don't need a tight end, but they could sure use a reliable option. Benjamin Watson has yet to find his hands, and David Thomas still hasn't matured into a full-bore red zone threat. Baker would be a prime target inside the 20 for Brady. Also, imagine the emotion he'd want to play with twice a year against the Jets.

Needless to say, the Patriots won't have a sparkling off-season, and we'll have to wait until the Draft (or when Matt Cassel is traded) for the Pats to land a big name target. But for the time being, the names listed above would be more than quality for a team that is 31st in the year in overall salary.

Handicapping Free Agency

With the National Football League's free agency period set to start at midnight tonight, the New England Patriots find themselves not only courting their own players, but investigating their needs and deciphering who they would like to sign from other franchises.

Within their own roster, the Patriots will need to decide how to approach free agents such as wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, offensive linemen Russ Hochstein, Wesley Britt, Lonie Paxton and Mark LeVoir, defensive backs Rodney Harrison, James Sanders, Deltha O'Neal, Lewis Sanders and Raymond Ventrone, linebackers Larry Izzo, Pierre Woods, Junior Seau and Rosevelt Colvin and punter Chris Hanson.

Here are my educated guesses on what will happen with those fifteen impending free agents:

- Jabar Gaffney: wants to stay, took a discount to stay last season.
- Russ Hochstein: a valuable commodity as a back-up hybrid lineman and can occasionally be a spot-starter.
- Wesley Britt: a young, inexperienced lineman. His departure would not drive many to abandon the franchise.
- Lonie Paxton: arguably the best long snapper in the league. And while you laugh now, a long snapper is a position that you only notice when the person playing the role is struggling. New York Giants fans are holding back tears still thinking about Trey Junkin and the 2003 NFC Wild Card Game against the 49ers.
- Mark LeVoir: a mid-season acquisition to help an ailing offensive line. Like Britt, he could stay or could go, and few would even bat an eyelash.
- Rodney Harrison: he has been the anchor for the Patriots' secondary since arriving in 2003. He helped to nurture young talent like Eugene Wilson, James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather into solid professionals. He is oft-injured, and his quad injury against Denver last year might have been the one that ended his career. He'll most likely retire.
- James Sanders: he is developing into a formidable young safety. He's a ball-hawking, hard-hitting defensive back who will fetch a big contract from someone else. The Patriots won't want to match the big contract that he'll inevitably be offered.
- Deltha O'Neal: arriving prior to Week One, O'Neal made Patriots fans long for the glory days of Duane Starks. In summation: he is terrible and there is no chance he returns to Foxboro wearing a Patriots uniform.
- Lewis Sanders: an unheralded veteran talent who helped to guide Jonathan Wilhite and Terence Wheatley in their rookie seasons. He's a journeyman, and I expect him to find a new home in 2009.
- Raymond Ventrone: an option at safety, corner back, wide receiver and a valuable special teams commodity. His proficiency on special teams reminded me of Chris Akins, and aside from Kelley Washington, Ventrone was the second-best tackler on the kickoff/punt units.
- Larry Izzo: a three-time Pro Bowler as a special teamer, Izzo currently finds himself embroiled in the Greg Anderson-Barry Bonds steroids scandal. He'll probably retire, although his career is ending on a sour note.
- Pierre Woods: a solid option at linebacker, he can play outside or middle linebacker as a starter or backup. He had some key tackles in Super Bowl XLII and made a few solid hits in 2008. He'll stay, but only if the accompanying price tag is reasonable.
- Junior Seau: bound for retirement. Again. For the third consecutive season.
- Rosevelt Colvin: cut last April in a salary dump, Colvin landed in Houston during training camp, then was released prior to the start of the regular season. Following season-ending injuries to Tedy Bruschi and Adalius Thomas, Colvin got the call and played in the last four games of the season. If he can get a decent deal, he might stay, but he's got his rings, so he'll probably look for one last solid pay day.
- Chris Hanson: Why don't you have a seat? No, not that Chris Hanson. The Patriots' punter had some boomers in 2008, including a monster in the season opener against the Chiefs. The market for punters is awfully slim this off-season, so Hanson will probably just hang around for another year or two, unless the Patriots' Brain Trust decides that Southern Methodist's Thomas Morstead is worth a fifth or sixth-round draft pick in April.

Well that's it for the Patriots side of the fence. Later tonight, I'll dive into who I think the Pats might have their eyes on in free agency.

The Curious Case of Matt Cassel

The story of Matt Cassel is the biggest story for the New England Patriots this off-season. Outside of changes in the front office and coaching staff, Matt Cassel's destination, whether it be Kansas City, Minnesota, or back in Foxboro, has become the most intriguing plot for the 2009 New England Patriots.

There seem to be two very established, yet very divided camps, on what to do with Cassel.

KEEP HIM: The camp that says to keep him believes that Cassel, while quite possibly just a product of the Patriots' system, is the best possible insurance policy for Tom Brady. Remember, Tom Brady hasn't taken a snap since Week One. He hasn't thrown a football in live game action since September. When Brady returns to the field, it will be very possible that almost a full year will have passed between snaps for the former Super Bowl MVP.

Cassel had a productive 2008, after a very rough start. He finished with 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns. He proved to be a more mobile quarterback than Brady, rushing for 270 yards and two touchdowns. And he closed out the season on a very strong note, throwing eight touchdowns to one interception in his final four games, all of which came in bad weather.

- In a chilly, wet afternoon in Seattle, he threw for 268 yards and a touchdown.
- In a driving rainstorm in Oakland, a mere five days after the death of his father, Cassel threw for 218 yards and four touchdowns.
- In a snowstorm that turned into freezing rain with a blistering wind in Foxboro, Cassel eviscerated the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. He threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns in less than a full game of play.
- And in the final week of the season, with wind gusting over 50 miles per hour in Buffalo, Cassel completed 75 percent of his passes.

TRADE HIM: The camp that suggests trading Cassel stand behind the argument that his trade value will never be higher than it is now. If the Patriots keep him as a back-up through 2009, they will have lost $14.75 million to a man who never stepped foot on a field. Also, Cassel will be a free agent in 2010 and allowed to go wherever he wants to sign, with no compensation for the Patriots.

Cassel, if traded, could fetch the Patriots a first-round pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has suggested that Cassel is the best option for the Detroit Lions, who hold the first overall pick and are mulling drafting Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick.

However the Patriots would not look to trade for a top-five pick in the draft. The guaranteed money that comes with a top-five pick is magnanimous, too much for the thrifty Patriots. If they do trade Cassel to the Lions, it will most likely be for the Lions' 20th overall pick and possibly some late-round selections.

The salary cap could prove to be another issue. Next season, the Patriots stand to lose Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, Mike Vrabel, Kevin Faulk, Stephen Neal, Vince Wilfork, Ellis Hobbs, Logan Mankins, Nick Kaczur, Benjamin Watson and Stephen Gostkowski to free agency. They are looking to lock up at least half of those players in long-term contracts, and to do so, they cannot afford to have over $30 million in cap space locked up in two quarterbacks.

Ultimately, the debate will rage until Nick Caserio, Floyd Reese and Bill Belichick decide to make a move. They could swing a trade tomorrow, or wait until April 24 on the day of the Draft, or they could wait all the way through Training Camp. The waiting game is a game that Patriots players, coaches and fans are familiar with. Patience is a virtue, and there is no franchise more virtuous in the NFL than the Pats.