Words with Frenz: AFC East Mailbag, 3/7 Edition

The AFC East could potentially get turned on its head with a Peyton Manning move to either the New York Jets or the Miami Dolphins, but is he a fit, and is it even likely to occur?

Of course, those two teams aren't the only ones in the AFC East with needs. The New England Patriots need a safety pretty badly after how things turned out in 2011, and there are some options in that respect.

And finally, could the Buffalo Bills bring in an old enemy to fortify their pass rushing front four?

All this and more in today's "Words with Frenz" AFC East mailbag, so let's dig right in.

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@ErikFrenz As of now, the Pats have no picks after the 4th round. Do you see them taking a pick in the later rounds, and if so how?

— Glenn Trost (@GT327) March 6, 2012"

Good point, Glenn. For this reason, I see it as an even bigger lock that the Patriots trade their 31st-overall pick. It gives them an opportunity to move down and still get a guy they like with a high pick in the second round while also collecting picks for later on.

As few picks as the Patriots have in 2012 (six according to NEPatriotsDraft.com), they have even fewer in the cupboard for 2013 (five). As we all know, the Patriots like to use the draft to set themselves up with a few extra picks the following year.

For those reasons, the Patriots will be wheeling and dealing in the draft, as they usually do, and will probably try to grab a few late-round picks this year while also adding to their picks for next year.

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@ErikFrenz what r the chances Anderson resigns with patriots? Would love to see him come to buffalo

— Pat Waters (@FTTWaters) March 7, 2012"

The Patriots would love to keep their pass-rushing duo of Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, both of whom were brought in during the post-lockout offseason scramble in July 2011. Fortunately for the 2011 Patriots and unfortunately for the 2012 Patriots, Anderson played a bit above himself this past season and will get plenty of offers.

Whether the Patriots will match those offers remains to be seen (my money's on no), and if it comes to that, the Bills should definitely look into bringing him in. They have a lot of holes, but one of the biggest and most obvious is at defensive end. They'll be searching for answers this offseason, as they currently lack a true defensive end.

Anderson proved he can rush the passer quite effectively in 2012, logging 15 sacks in just 640 snaps, according to stat analysis site Pro Football Focus. The only question with Anderson, as it's been throughout his career, is whether or not he can play all three downs. He had a similar breakout as a rookie with 12 sacks, but struggled when asked to play a bigger role the next year. 

If the Bills are going to take shots on defensive ends, they'll need to do their best to get guys that can contribute on all three downs.

"

@ErikFrenz Hi Erik, If the Patriots sign somebody like Mario Williams, is it reveling their plans going forward in terms of 4-3 alignment?

— SamA (@InfoDrain) March 6, 2012"

I'm not really sure why anyone thinks the Patriots will make a play for Mario Williams.

Even with the injury and a shortened 2011 season for Williams, he'll still command a heavy price on the free agent market for what he's proven throughout his career. The Patriots aren't the type of team that would invest over 25 percent of their salary cap in two players—Williams and Tom Brady.

If they were to make a big splash on a defensive end, though, I think it would say a lot about their plans going forward. You simply don't put that kind of money down on someone who you're projecting to a different position.

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@ErikFrenz Serious question(s).....Randy Moss landing anywhere in AFC EAST? Mark Sanchez nervous today?

— Dumpsterfire Jones (@shanky3putt) March 7, 2012"

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports indicated that multiple sources told him Moss' workout went spectacularly, and if that's the case, he could land anywhere. 

The possibilities are endless, especially since Moss isn't asking for any guaranteed money. Rex Ryan showered Moss in praise when speaking about him last year, and the Jets definitely need (cheap) help at wide receiver. 

The same can be said for the Bills, who just signed Stevie Johnson to a five-year, $36.5 million contract. They need a wide receiver, but also can't be investing top dollar in whoever it is they target.

The Patriots have been there and done that, and I've been there and done that explaining why they won't go back there to do that again.

Call me a skeptic, but I want to see it before I buy into it. Most players can't take a year off without losing something, but Moss isn't most players.

On Mark Sanchez, I assume you're referring to the chance he lands with the Jets. It's an outside chance, to say the least. There are a lot of teams with a lot of money to spend, and the Jets would have to make some serious salary cap moves to make enough space for Manning.

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@ErikFrenz With Peyton Manning released, and mumblings already happening in Miami, do the Dolphins have the cap space to make a deal happen?

— Alex Hall (@AlexKHall) March 7, 2012"

Thanks for the built-in segue, Alex.

Currently, no, but they could get there if they really want to. As pointed out by Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post, they have a lot of money tied up in a handful of players, and restructuring those deals would be tough. If they were able to take care of just one or two, though, they could potentially add to their decent amount of cap space, around $16 million, according to Brian McIntyre of Football Outsiders.

There are some teams that have a great deal of space, though, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (and Seattle Seahawks ($35 million) among others.

Of course, it won't all come down to which team has the most money. It will also be about which team gives Manning the best chance to win, because let's face it: He's not going to play forever, even if his reconstructive surgery eventually has him looking more like Michael Jackson every year.

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@ErikFrenz Gimme your ideal safety scenario at this point. Also, how would you feel about Michael Bush? (That's assuming BJGE leaves)

— Akshay Anand (@PFF_Akshay) March 6, 2012"

Good one to close us out, Akshay.

Ideally, it's not James Ihedigbo and Matt Slater.

In all seriousness, there are some prospects worth looking at in mid to late rounds in the draft, and a name that has caught my eye is Alabama cornerback Dequan Menzie. Bleacher Report's NFL Draft scout, Matt Miller, even told me he's had a few SEC scouts tell him they like Menzie more than Dre Kirkpatrick, who's considered to be a top pick in the draft.

Since it's more of a clear and present need than a developmental one, the team could look to free agency. A lot of names recently came off the list, including Titans safety Michael Griffin, Raiders safety Tyvon Branch and 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, who were all franchise tagged on Friday by their respective teams.

Redskins safety LaRon Landry could be seen as a fit for the team, but will he bounce back after an Achilles injury kept him limited in 2011? His contract will probably be reflective of the uncertainty, so the Patriots may be able to get him on the cheap. 

Alright, guys. That's all I have this week. Thanks for your questions, and as always, you can reach me on Twitter anytime at the link below.

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