The Circle of Pigskin Life

Okay, 2012 is in the rear view. It’s time to start talking about 2013 and another roller coaster scary trip to the playoffs. It’s time for wishes and fishes.

 

Let me start with what has become my annual plea for Larry Fitzgerald.

What’s it going to take to put Larry Fitzgerald in a Patriots uniform? Aside from Brady, Gronkowski and um yeah that’s probably my deal breaker list, who do you want, Arizona? Put everybody else plus a draft pick on the table and see what Arizona says. (Bill? Call me.) Mallett and a 1^st? I’d say yes to that. Admittedly looks like déjà vu all over again from the Cardinals’ point of view. (Ooh! Let’s sign another backup QB from a highly respected organization despite the fact he has no real track record or really any indication of success and hand him the starting QB position! What could go wrong?) So, forget Mallett. Hernandez? (Break up the Boston TE Party? Yeah, I said it.) You’ve got to understand the market; if you want Larry Fitzgerald like I do then you’ve got to know it’s going to cost you. Arizona will not give him away for cheap. If I’m running the Patriots I’ve got to know what it would take. Mallett and Hernandez? Mallett and Welker (sign and trade)? Maybe you don’t say yes but don’t you want to know what it would take?

By the way, I’d say yes to Mallett, Hernandez and 2015 1^st round pick. In my mind, Brady + Fitzgerald = Super Bowl.

Fitzgerald would be that home run hitter the Patriots have lacked since Randy Moss fell down and went crazy. Obviously, the Patriots were close to winning the Lombardi Trophy the last two years so it stands to reason they’re just a playmaker away from winning another ring, right?

Yeah, I’m totally down with that theory.

I don’t care if it comes on offense (Oh please let it be Larry Fitzgerald!) or defense, I think the Patriots are just one player away from winning it all. A player who will generate sacks, interceptions, touchdowns (choose one). A speed merchant. A sack master. A shutdown corner.

Perhaps Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower make the second year leap. Maybe Will Demps gives them a return game. Could Shane Vereen become an even more lethal version of Danny Woodhead? Maybe Ras-I Dowling avoids another stint on IR and makes everyone forget Aqib Talib. Perhaps Armond Armstead is this year’s Cameron Wake. Maybe this will be the year Gronk is healthy for the playoffs. All possibilities. (Well, except for that Ras-I Dowling thing.) Despite the fact that it has never, ever happened before, maybe everything will go right for the Patriots in 2013.

Yeah.

Let’s get one more playmaker. You know, just in case.

Who do we like? / Who do we hate?

We’d like to re-sign our own, of course; Wes Welker, Sebastian Vollmer, Danny Woodhead, Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib. Seems unlikely all of them will be back. Each of them has some sticky notes on their curriculum vitae making the decisions on who to keep and who to let go that much harder.

Welker is a year older. He continues to amaze but for how much longer? Are the Patriots contemplating changes in the offense that would devalue the slot receiver? Are they going after Larry Fitzgerald? So many question marks attached to Wes Welker in this paragraph. His production is undeniable, though. And when he does make that clutch catch in the Super Bowl, don’t we want it to be with the Patriots?

Vollmer has the history of back injuries. When he’s healthy he very good but he’s missed quite a few games over the last two seasons. He’s not a playmaker and I’m not sure there was a noticeable drop off when Marcus Cannon was holding down the fort. I’m not sure I’d break the bank for Vollmer. He might get a better offer. The history of back problems frightens me. I wouldn’t be unhappy if Vollmer comes back. I’m definitely conflicted.

As noted above, the coming out party for Shane Vereen in 2012 has led some to speculate that he can/should take Danny Woodhead’s snaps. If the Patriots can afford to keep them both, I think they should. Woodhead is a great situational back. Vereen isn’t famous for his durability. Always remember this about Danny Woodhead. You cannot tackle what you cannot see.

Clearly the Gronkowski injury hurt the Patriots but I would argue the Julian Edelman injury was underestimated in terms of its impact. Edelman’s loss took a playmaker away on offense and special teams (though thankfully not on defense in 2012). Edelman is one of those Swiss army knife players that Belichick values so highly (roster flexibility). Jules has returned a punt for a TD in each of the last three seasons despite spending a fair amount of time injured the last two years.

For Welker, Woodhead and Edelman, there’s always the “system” thing working in the Patriots’ favor. Are these three players successful because of New England’s system (not to mention Tom Brady)? It tends to keep other teams from overbidding and lets the Patriots put more cap-friendly offers on the table. Would these players produce the same numbers playing in Arizona or Cleveland? Probably not but that’s stacking the deck. How would any one of those three players do in New Orleans with Drew Brees or Denver with Manning or Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers? I think they’d probably be pretty successful.  

As for Talib, I think he’s crazy to go anywhere else. He can rehabilitate his career completely and give himself a chance to play for a championship in the bargain. Is Cleveland ever getting out of the AFC North basement? They’re not only stuck in the basement, the batteries in their flashlights are dying and the zombie hoard is about to break through the locked door at the top of the stairway. Aqib, stay with the Patriots, intercept Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub in the playoffs and take one from Aaron Rodgers to the house in Super Bowl XLVIII. That’s not happening in Cleveland.

Sorry, Cleveland.

As for possible additions, Dwayne Bowe would look good with the Flying Elvis Head on his helmet. It seems highly unlikely the Pats will be the highest bidder. Certainly it would mean letting Wes Welker go to free up the cap space needed to sign Bowe. It would largely be perceived that Bowe got Welker’s money. It’s a high risk move, spending big on Bowe and cutting loose the much beloved Wes fackin’ Welkah. There’s no guarantee Bowe would click with Brady and deliver the big plays downfield. It also means having a guy named Dwayne on the roster. Still, I’d do this. Unless I could get Larry Fitzgerald, of course.

Can we have too many tight ends? If not, Jared Cook would make for an intriguing Matt Damon to Gronk’s and Hernandez’s George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Can we afford Matt Damon, too? More importantly, does the athletic Cook have untapped playmaking ability or is he simply overrated? I’m guessing the Patriots would be far more likely to sign a Leonard Pope than a Jared Cook, anyway.

I don’t even want to talk about Danny Amendola. That guy is always hurt. He’s more like Julian Edelman than Wes Welker. So please, please, please stop with all the “Danny Amendola is the next Wes Welker” chatter.

I’m not sure Mike Wallace is worth the price tag. Was he pouting his way through 2012 to make sure he wasn’t franchise tagged? If you think so then you’d certainly be counting on him bouncing back with a big year in 2013 but do you want a me guy like this on your roster after he’s been paid? As with Bowe, Wallace would be getting Welker’s money, so, there’s that potential fallout, too. His stats have trended down since his breakout 2010 season (have defensive coordinators caught up with him?) but he still managed 8 TD catches in a down year last season.

I think Ed Reed either retires or re-signs with Baltimore but let’s say he comes to Foxborough to play for Belichick. I’m on the fence when it comes to Reed. I’d hope for the best if he signed with the Patriots, of course, and he did just start on a Super Bowl winning defense but I just wonder if he isn’t finally slowing down. Still, Reed has always been a playmaker. Like I said, I’d hope for the best if he did sign. I think the Pats need Talib more than Reed.

As for the draft, I’m already convinced Belichick will go defensive line with his first round pick (unless – fingers crossed – he trades it for Larry Fitzgerald). I’m not sure the Armond Armstead signing changes that (his CFL highlights are impressive, but still, CFL). I’d go with the tallest, fastest wide receiver available when they pick or the tallest, most physical cornerback available if they can’t sign Talib but I’ll be keeping my eye on a defensive tackle to pair with Vince Wilfork.

Unless Belichick decides to trade down, of course.