ICEMAN's plan to right the Patriots ship in 2025

[ICEMAN 41]

Let's call it the ICEPLAN for the Pats. There is so little time and so many players to be replaced. In my humble opinion (humble?), here is how I would handle Free Agency and the draft.

Let's start with Free Agency.

#1 - Sign Staley. or Robinson to be the LT next season.

#2 - Sign Chris Godwin, or Davante Adams (which he would never agree to!). Beyond them, I don't really see any solutions to the Pats absence of a #1 WR in Free Agency.

#3 - Sign Mekhi Becton to start at Left Guard. He might actually be able to fill-in at LT in a pinch.

#4 - Sign a top flight CB to pair with Gonzales. Preferably someone under 28 years old.

#5 - Sign one of the top Edge Rushers in FA. I would prefer Chase Young.

#6 - Get a couple of DL that have some sand in their pants.

The Draft.

#1 - Trade down at all costs, unless Hunter, or Carter are there at 4.Then use your first pick on McMillan, or Tyler Warren.

#2 - Trade back into the backend of the first round and select Josh Simmons. It will probably take the Pats 2nd plus one of their 3rd round pick.

#3 - For the rest of the draft, I would stock up on DL and CB's.

ICEMAN

[listen2me 23 1,825]

Lol

[DocNiner 67]

Yeah they have so many needs to fill but I think they can accomplish a good bit giving the cap space they and pucks in the draft. Drake Maye is going to be good but he needs weapons. I love the idea of Chris Godwin going to the PATS to be WR1 and no longer be in Mike Evans shadow. Not sure of his injury history but if he can go into camp healthy and with the Patriots he could produce good numbers. Surely they need to address the O-line either through free agency or the draft. As you said if Carter or Hunter are there at pick #4 they have to take which is available. If they're not there then dropping back to get more picks is the way to go IMO. If they can get Godwin they should look to get a WR I n the draft and Godwin can help mentor whoever they take.

   Vrable has been a decent head coach in the past and he'll help change the culture in New England. He should have a lot of influence in what the brass will do in free agency and the draft. Vrable will want to play solid defense and a have a good running game. Rhamondre Stevenson should benefit from Vrable's philosophy but he'll need to fix his fumble issues. Overall I think the PATS future is looking up with Vrable running the show but there should be an emphasis on Drake Maye's development. Give him the help he'll need to be successful  but if they don't then Maye's progress will flounder. They still have a lot of work to be done on both sides of the ball if they want to compete with the Bills 

[Maximum Overkill 1,738]

They've got the money to make some noise but they better be right if spending that kind of money. Otherwise they'll be The Giants 2.0. 

[JagFan 149]

16 hours ago, ICEMAN said:

Let's call it the ICEPLAN for the Pats. There is so little time and so many players to be replaced. In my humble opinion (humble?), here is how I would handle Free Agency and the draft.

Let's start with Free Agency.

#1 - Sign Staley. or Robinson to be the LT next season.

#2 - Sign Chris Godwin, or Davante Adams (which he would never agree to!). Beyond them, I don't really see any solutions to the Pats absence of a #1 WR in Free Agency.

#3 - Sign Mekhi Becton to start at Left Guard. He might actually be able to fill-in at LT in a pinch.

#4 - Sign a top flight CB to pair with Gonzales. Preferably someone under 28 years old.

#5 - Sign one of the top Edge Rushers in FA. I would prefer Chase Young.

#6 - Get a couple of DL that have some sand in their pants.

The Draft.

#1 - Trade down at all costs, unless Hunter, or Carter are there at 4.Then use your first pick on McMillan, or Tyler Warren.

#2 - Trade back into the backend of the first round and select Josh Simmons. It will probably take the Pats 2nd plus one of their 3rd round pick.

#3 - For the rest of the draft, I would stock up on DL and CB's.

ICEMAN

So basically a whole new team?

[Ray_T 739]

18 hours ago, ICEMAN said:

Let's call it the ICEPLAN for the Pats. There is so little time and so many players to be replaced. In my humble opinion (humble?), here is how I would handle Free Agency and the draft.

Let's start with Free Agency.

#1 - Sign Staley. or Robinson to be the LT next season.

#2 - Sign Chris Godwin, or Davante Adams (which he would never agree to!). Beyond them, I don't really see any solutions to the Pats absence of a #1 WR in Free Agency.

#3 - Sign Mekhi Becton to start at Left Guard. He might actually be able to fill-in at LT in a pinch.

#4 - Sign a top flight CB to pair with Gonzales. Preferably someone under 28 years old.

#5 - Sign one of the top Edge Rushers in FA. I would prefer Chase Young.

#6 - Get a couple of DL that have some sand in their pants.

The Draft.

#1 - Trade down at all costs, unless Hunter, or Carter are there at 4.Then use your first pick on McMillan, or Tyler Warren.

#2 - Trade back into the backend of the first round and select Josh Simmons. It will probably take the Pats 2nd plus one of their 3rd round pick.

#3 - For the rest of the draft, I would stock up on DL and CB's.

ICEMAN

interesting plan. 

 

I especially like the trading back to acquire extra assets part.   my opinion is this team has way too many holes in the lineup to fill.   So trading back to get extra picks (especially if those extra picks are in the top 3 rounds) is key.   I think the team Still has a minimum of 2 years of rebuilding but this will stockpile some players.  With Belichek gone I dont know how the player development would have changed but that needs to be the focus with such a young team overall.    There is a cap on salaries but not a cap on coaches/player development type people, so if running a budget team this is where you spend and dont be cheap about it.   Develop those young players and make them pros.

[Maximum Overkill 1,738]

18 hours ago, ICEMAN said:

Let's call it the ICEPLAN for the Pats

They should just buy the Eagles  

[weepaws 3,148]

Silly thread. 

[JagFan 149]

They really need a QB and Coach that know how to cheat and get away with it.  That’s what they’re  missing from those glory days.

[ICEMAN 41]

On 3/4/2025 at 5:44 PM, ICEMAN said:

Let's call it the ICEPLAN for the Pats. There is so little time and so many players to be replaced. In my humble opinion (humble?), here is how I would handle Free Agency and the draft.

Let's start with Free Agency.

#1 - Sign Staley. or Robinson to be the LT next season.

#2 - Sign Chris Godwin, or Davante Adams (which he would never agree to!). Beyond them, I don't really see any solutions to the Pats absence of a #1 WR in Free Agency.

#3 - Sign Mekhi Becton to start at Left Guard. He might actually be able to fill-in at LT in a pinch.

#4 - Sign a top flight CB to pair with Gonzales. Preferably someone under 28 years old.

#5 - Sign one of the top Edge Rushers in FA. I would prefer Chase Young.

#6 - Get a couple of DL that have some sand in their pants.

The Draft.

#1 - Trade down at all costs, unless Hunter, or Carter are there at 4.Then use your first pick on McMillan, or Tyler Warren.

#2 - Trade back into the backend of the first round and select Josh Simmons. It will probably take the Pats 2nd plus one of their 3rd round pick.

#3 - For the rest of the draft, I would stock up on DL and CB's.

ICEMAN

Well, it's not going well for the Patriots regarding getting a decent tackle in Free Agency. Staley is gone. That only really leaves Robinson, who I have not heard anything about a connection to the Pats. They just signed an aging, below average Tackle in Morgan Moses. I am (as usual!) not excited about the Pat's efforts here regarding the most important position of need. 

As far as the WR's go, everyone that is decent that was available are now gone with Godwin deciding to resign with the Bucs and Adams going to the Raiders. I do not think that I would have given up a 2nd PLUS that contract for Metcalf. He's a great player and in his prime, but I worry about that 10 cent head of his at times. He not the most stable of personalities. Hell, I'd give the Bengals that for Higgins, but that may never pass.

The Pats have also filled in the Edge need with Harold Landry, the Defensive line with Milton Williams and the secondary with Carlton Davis III.

The Pats are well on their way to having one of the first solid free agency periods in 20 years.

 

[Showboat 252]

Mack Hollins to the rescue!!!

[ICEMAN 41]

14 hours ago, Showboat said:

Mack Hollins to the rescue!!!

Good Lord! We're good now! 

[Nomad99 698]

Patriots should go after Kupp AND Amari Cooper

[weepaws 3,148]

Yes, they should.  

[TBayXXXVII 2,480]

1 hour ago, Nomad99 said:

Patriots should go after Kupp AND Amari Cooper

Kupp isn't a bad option, but I'd target Keenan Allen before Cooper.  Could probably sign either Kupp and Allen for $10M AAV.  Probably not bad if they plan on addressing the position early on in the draft.  I'm reading that solid WR's could fall to the late first round (possible trade up), or down to the second.

[Ray_T 739]

19 hours ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Kupp isn't a bad option, but I'd target Keenan Allen before Cooper.  Could probably sign either Kupp and Allen for $10M AAV.  Probably not bad if they plan on addressing the position early on in the draft.  I'm reading that solid WR's could fall to the late first round (possible trade up), or down to the second.

yeah they need to get WR for this young QB.   Though I wouldnt mind seeing a good plug and play O lineman either.   

if they sign the WR then they could focus on the lineman in one of the first 2 rounds of the draft.

[ICEMAN 41]

Holy Crap. Stefon Diggs was in town yesterday for a visit with the Pats. God help us. He's going to drive Maye NUTS!

ICEMAN

[nobody 2,555]

Don't screw around with me Iceman. You're a hell of an instinctive FF player. Maybe too good. I'd like to bust your butt but I can't.