PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

All Aboard the Matt Forte-to-the-Patriots Train?

by

Each year free agency for the Patriots is usually pretty anticlimactic. There are certainly exceptions, 2oo7’s acquisition of Adalius Thomas (which was way exciting at the time) and 2014’s signing of Darrelle Revis both stand out as times the Pats did the unexpected and added a big name player. Usually the Patriots’ foray’s into free agency are about building depth, signing underperforming/injured veterans for minimum contracts and seeing if they can revive their careers in New England.

Still, that doesn’t stop the free agency frenzy every offseason in Patriots nation, where every big name free agent is imagine in the Flying Elvis. The thing about the Pats is that you can never say never, so that always keeps the door open for this kind of speculation.

This year’s first object of affection is former Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, who was informed by the team that he would not be back next year. There’s no question, running back is a position for the Patriots to attack this offseason, but is Forte the kind of veteran free agent the Pats could jump on?

Let’s take a closer look.

2004’s addition via trade of Corey Dillon is the ideal outcome, and even though Dillon really only gave the Pats one great season, it was enough to bring home the Super Bowl championship. Forte is coming off 218 carries for 898 yards (4.1 YPC) and four touchdowns, and 44 catches for 389 yards and four receiving touchdowns. 2015 wasn’t Forte’s best season, but it wasn’t too far off from his usual performance. At 31 he should still have some gas in the tank.

The advantage the Patriots have is their belief in backfield-by-committee. While Forte has the ability to run and catch, he wouldn’t have to be an every-down back. Dion Lewis (returning from an ACL tear) and James White both can play in the passing situations. No, Forte’s best use is on first down, where his size and speed would be a welcome addition running between the tackles. Forte’s catching ability also will keep the defense honest in respecting the pass, unlike LeGarrette Blount in 2015, who was thrust into the early-down back role and often had trouble getting his engine going before being lost for the season with a hip injury.

First though, the Patriots must open some cap space, something that is easy to do with the simple decline of Jerod Mayo’s option. There are plenty of other ways the Patriots can and will open cap space before free agency opens, and with no major internal free agents to worry about, they have flexibility.

Even if the Pats sign Matt Forte, it’s a short term fix and one that must be insured against via the draft. They cannot afford to have their power running game be completely destroyed by injuries again in 2016. Tom Brady’s health depends on it.

The real question is how cheaply the Pats can get him. That’s really what it comes down to. Forte says he wants to play for a contender, but with plenty of extensions looming for the Patriots this offseason, they’ll have a price and will stick to it. If that price is amenable to Forte, chances are good he’ll be a Patriot, it just makes too much sense.

The New PatsPropaganda!

by

It’s been a long time coming and there’s still a ways to go but we’re finally on our own server and have dumped the Tumblr platform so say hello to the new PatsPropaganda. There will still be plenty of tweaks coming (and feedback is welcome) but the hope is that while the content and Pats perspective will stay the same, things will run a little more smoothly with these new digs.

In a way, taking the the time to migrate the site and then rebuild it was a good chance to step back from Patriots football for a bit. We get so wrapped up in the narratives during the season that we often lose sight of the fundamental truth — that the Pats are still pretty frickin’ awesome despite the worst injury season of the Belichick regime.

So the offseason content will start rolling once again and slowly but surely the site will iron out all the kinks until we’re back to a place where everything up and down the site feels right.

Assuming that Butler and Ryan are the starters next year, do you feel good with Coleman, Roberts as the primary backups?

by

You know I really do, and throw in Leonard Johnson too who came in mid-season and played with a good physical edge. I’d bring back Tarrell Brown as well just for some depth but overall I think you have to be impressed with the job Butler/Ryan/Coleman did this year.

You mentioned Darrell Roberts who’s a rookie a lot of people forget about. He showed a lot of promise last summer and could be a big X-factor. We just can’t assume we have the kind of injury luck again next year, especially when corners are often one of the more injury-prone positions.

Look back at the corners over the years and it’s hard to find a better group than this one. But if we’re being honest it wasn’t exactly a murderer’s row of QB/WRs this year. 2014 had a far higher degree of difficulty and 2016 will be more in line with that tough schedule.

HOME:BUF, MIA., NYJ, BAL, CIN, STL, SEA, HOU

AWAY:BUF, MIA., NYJ, CLE, PIT, ARI, SF, DEN

Re-Living Super Bowl 49

by

Hard to believe it’s been a year. (via Patriots win Super Bowl on Butler’s interception – YouTube)

This moment will never be topped because I can’t imagine ever being so assured of defeat only to steal a victory at the last possible moment. It also just goes to show how much has to go right to win a Super Bowl. You not only have to play your best game, but you have to make all the clutch plays, something only one team will do.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Do you think the offensive line is capable of playing at a higher level next year without any big upgrades?

by

Yeah I just don’t know the actual mechanics of blowing up the offensive line. There’s plenty to feel good about, but obviously everyone has a bad taste in their mouth based on how things ended and understandably so.

For me I think the answer is to draft an athletic swing tackle and really that’s about it. You can go out and spend at right tackle when you’ve got Vollmer and Cannon there. Now you could cut one of them for some cap savings, but what’s that going to solve? I mean right tackle is probably the least valued position on the offense, so I don’t really see making a splash free agent signing there being good value.

I don’t know how much gas Vollmer has left in the tank, but I think he’s got another year left. The thing you just want to make sure is that you’ve got a little more athleticism in the tackle group. Hopefully get a rookie that can at least backup Vollmer out of the gate, maybe push him a bit. Best case scenario is someone who can swing to the left side like Vollmer did as a rookie when his feet were a little better.

So yeah, a lot of good young depth on the interior and the improvement of Mason/Jackson/Andrews/Stork and even Kline should help matters. Solder is still one of the best left tackles in the game, they just need a little more youth and athleticism.