PatsPropaganda

a) 8, but that they’ll release him.

b) 10, I’m bumping the Edelman return chances from 40% to 60%.

c) 3, never going to happen but fun to imagine.

d) 10, Moss AND Welker are coming back.

Probably not as long as Talib stays. With Ryan/Arrington/Dennard/McCourty/Harmon and hopefully Talib (or Revis, even though that’s a pipe dream) the Pats have other places where they should spend their cap space. 

I expect them to be active on the offensive and defensive lines, including at defensive end, where a “splash” acquisition could happen.

Shields should land a solid deal, but if they pay Talib, there’s not much need to add him.

Yeah, in today’s NFL it’s about balance. The traditional free/strong safety dynamic is becoming less and less common. Both safeties need to be able to have some range in coverage AND come up into the box to tackle a running back.

Is Harmon that enforcer everyone is clamoring for? No. But I really liked what I saw out him in his rookie year. He has long arms, good range and comes downhill aggressively. 

We’ll see how free agency and the draft play out but the job won’t simply be handed to Harmon regardless. There will be additions at the position and maybe even Adrian Wilson sticks around now. It will be competitive.

But if it’s McCourty and Harmon as the starters I think they’ll be pretty good together.

They have to continue to build on their press man defense and not be quite so reliant on Talib (assuming he returns). That means staying healthy mostly. Ryan should make some strides. Dennard and Arrington are scrappy and good pieces.

They also can’t remain so reliant on Ninkovich and Chandler or they’ll run them into the ground like they did to Wilfork.

A third defensive end, healthy/versatile defensive tackle rotation and Mayo back will do wonders.

I’m excited to see what Jamie Collins might blossom into. It’s possible Hightower could see a lot less playing time next year if he’s reduced to Mike-only snaps. That actually might not be a bad thing, it would allow the Pats to play more base because they have a middle linebacker in Hightower who’s got more quickness than Spikes had.

I actually had him in the only mock draft I did that season – only I had him 33rd overall, not at 17. I really liked him, they must’ve loved him.

Here’s what I wrote about him in that:

33. Nate Solder (T): Solder would greatly benefit from a year with Dante Scarnecchia, and if he could have the kind of rookie year Sebastian Vollmer did where he’s eased in a bit, he’d be well prepared to be an eventual starter on whichever side he’s more comfortable. With him and Vollmer as the bookends of the future the Patriots offensive line would be intimidatingly huge. As a former tight end he has the foot skills necessary to get out and block the slip screens that the Patriots love to run. There might be greater needs but being able to take a talented player like Solder before the true need for a tackle has arrived is a huge luxury.