6 Bargain-Bin Free Agents Who Could Fill Big Holes for New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have always prided themselves on building one of the league's deepest and most well-rounded rosters every year. Stars like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski will always grab the headlines, but the Pats' championship campaign featured plenty of unheralded contributors propping up the All-Pros.
Facing tight salary-cap management this offseason, the Patriots won't be swimming in the deep waters of free agency. It's a luxury New England can afford to sidestep, as simply retaining their own will lock the Pats into serious contention to defend their title in 2015. No one really disputes the talent at the top of the roster.
But that does not mean the Patriots roster is impermeable, as they'll need to hit on several values to fill out areas of potential concern. Whether through free agency (Brandon LaFell, Brandon Browner) or in-season acquisitions (LeGarrette Blount, Akeem Ayers), the 2014 Pats addressed every looming problem with an effective and cost-efficient solution.
In examining how New England might repeat that feat next season, let's hone in on the few areas on the roster where depth could present an issue. Bypassing the big fish that the Patriots won't be able to afford, here's a look at a few names who might last into the second wave of free agency but still hold significant potential for 2015 contributions.
Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans
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Down the stretch, the Patriots transformed their offensive personnel by switching from a two-tight end-centric offense to one that ran out three receivers on most plays. The move helped revive Danny Amendola's value, as the embattled slot receiver became a surprisingly critical cog in the passing game. Over the last five games (playoffs included), Amendola accrued 23 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns.
Still, Amendola's $5.7 million cap figure is probably too rich for someone who will be no better than the fourth option in the passing game. Given his productivity and clear chemistry with Tom Brady, the Pats will likely try to negotiate down Amendola's contract. If the two sides can't reach an agreement, New England would save $2.1 million by shedding Amendola's contract.
Unless the Patriots are inclined to give disappointing youngsters Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce another shot, those savings will likely go toward Amendola's replacement. In terms of cheap, dependable receivers, Nate Washington looks like a player who could fit well because of his size and veteran leadership.
Washington wouldn't necessarily be a direct replacement for Amendola. According to Pro Football Focus, the 31-year-old played just 16.9 percent of his snaps from the slot, in contrast to Amendola's 79.9 percent figure. This would likely mean Julian Edelman seeing more slot snaps, a role he held earlier in his career.
But even in an uninspiring Tennessee Titans offense, Washington notched at least 40 catches, 500 yards and 12.0 yards per reception in each of his six seasons in Nashville. With the Titans likely to move on from the 10-year vet to give more snaps to young receivers Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter, Washington could represent a nice bargain who provides both a perimeter threat and positive locker room presence.
Joe Berger, G, Minnesota Vikings
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Guard is one of the few areas on the roster where a starting spot could be up for grabs, but there aren't many free-agent options for New England. Mike Iupati is out of the Pats' price range, while promising under-30s like Clint Boling and Orlando Franklin probably aren't getting away from their current employers.
However, an underrated option could be 32-year-old Joe Berger, who started the final nine games of the year for the Minnesota Vikings and finished with a plus-3.3 overall grade. Berger had not started more than two games in a season since 2011, but when right guard Brandon Fusco went out for the year with a torn pectoral, the veteran backup proved worthy of a bigger role in 2015.
Berger has versatility at all three interior positions, a trait that makes him immediately desirable. He probably won't receive a big contract, as he has been a regular starter just once in his nine-year career, so he'd also be a highly affordable option who could come with a cap hit under $1 million.
Obviously, it would be foolish to immediately pencil Berger in as the starting left guard. Still, incumbent starter and pending free agent Dan Connolly has had an extensive concussion history, and at 32 years old, his minus-22.4 overall grade from last season ranked 72nd out of 78 guards.
At the very least, Berger would provide a stable depth option along the interior, an asset the Pats lacked in 2014. Josh Kline and Jordan Devey possess the measurables to start someday, but both were painfully overmatched when given snaps last season. If Berger was able to replicate his 2014 form, that would be an upgrade over everything else the Pats ran out at left guard last season.
Daniel Thomas, RB, Miami Dolphins
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In the well-documented devaluation of NFL running backs, the Patriots have been among the leaders on that front. New England has not splurged on a running back since investing a first-rounder in Laurence Maroney, and its free-agent signings have mostly consisted of bargains like LeGarrette Blount's two-year, $1.7 million pact.
After letting Blount and Danny Woodhead leave the past two offseasons, Shane Vereen appears likely to follow in those footsteps. Vereen has established himself as one of the league's most versatile receiving backs over the past three seasons, so expect him to land something between Darren Sproles' three-year, $10.5 million deal and Rashad Jennings' four-year, $10 million contract.
The Pats drafted James White in the fourth round of the 2014 draft as a potential Vereen replacement, but the Wisconsin product played just 31 snaps his rookie season. Rather than throwing a virtual rookie into the fire, the Pats might be wise to ensure a critical part of their offense with a signing like Miami's Daniel Thomas.
Thomas' playing time has been erratic over four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, and on the surface, his 2014 campaign hardly looks impressive. The former second-rounder set career lows in carries and yards, as Lamar Miller proved a much better fit in Bill Lazor's spread system.
But in a limited sample size, Thomas was an effective third-down back, with a 97.6 pass-blocking efficiency percentage that ranked ninth among running backs. Thomas has never exceeded 15 catches in a season, but with 9.3 yards per reception last year, there are signs of promise in that department as well.
To clarify, Vereen will be New England's primary target, and Thomas is certainly a downgrade in a vacuum. However, he'll come much cheaper than the incumbent third-down back, and he would provide insurance in the event that White cannot handle a much bigger workload.
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Tom Johnson, DT, Minnesota Vikings
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Staying in the Vikings' trenches, Tom Johnson offers an underrated option as a pass-rushing 3-technique. After three unremarkable seasons in the Bayou, Johnson broke out during his first Minnesota campaign, notching a career-high 6.5 sacks and ranking ninth among defensive tackles in pass-rushing productivity.
The Pats have been yearning for a viable interior pass-rusher since Richard Seymour's departure. First-rounder Dominique Easley was supposed to infuse the defense with that specific element, but his season ended prematurely after right knee soreness forced him to injured reserve.
It helps that Easley will have a full offseason to recuperate, since he didn't actually aggravate anything, but given his knee history (two torn ACLs in college), it's hardly worth betting on a big second-year jump for the ex-Florida Gator.
Consequently, someone like Johnson could offer low-risk insurance. He wouldn't work his way into the starting lineup, for at 6'3" and 285 pounds, Johnson doesn't have the build to be anything but a sub-package option.
Last season, 323 of his 444 snaps came on passing downs. But with Vince Wilfork and Sealver Siliga returning as run-stuffing nose tackles (and perhaps free agent Alan Branch as well), the Pats are well-stocked with beef on the interior.
Moreover, the Pats typically employ one-gapping concepts in nickel and dime packages, so the transition from Mike Zimmer's traditional 4-3 scheme wouldn't be an untenable adjustment for Johnson.
The defensive tackle market is rich with top-tier pass-rushing options, such as Ndamukong Suh and Stephen Paea. But while Johnson might slip through the cracks initially, it wouldn't be hard to envision him carving out an important situational role in 2015.
Arthur Moats, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Moats might be a familiar name to Patriots Nation from his time in Buffalo. But after a breakout season in Pittsburgh, Moats is poised to become known as more than just the player who ended Brett Favre's streak.
As a 3-4 outside linebacker, Moats was a highly effective rotational player for the Steelers after Jarvis Jones went on short-term injured reserve. With 22 pressures in just 195 pass-rushing snaps, Moats ranked seventh at the position in pass-rushing productivity. He also chipped in a plus-2.5 run defense grade, effectively setting the edge as the weak-side linebacker.
The Pats may not run a traditional 3-4 like the Steelers have, but there are enough similar concepts where Moats could be one of the league's better substitute edge-rushers.
Although Akeem Ayers was surprisingly effective as a midseason acquisition, he was phased out by the end of the season, playing just 24 defensive snaps through the Patriots' postseason run. Thus, it wouldn't be shocking to see Ayers leave for a starting opportunity.
Additionally, Moats possesses experience as a strong-side linebacker in a 4-3 system from his Bills days. In the event that the Pats are unable to work out a pay cut for Jerod Mayo, Moats could represent a base-package replacement. At the very least, he could serve as the fourth linebacker the Pats lacked last season.
Among these part-time free agents, Moats would have the chance to provide the most bang for New England's buck. However, there's at least one more potential bargain who could play an even bigger role for the 2015 squad.
Mike Adams, SS, Indianapolis Colts
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New England skated by at strong safety last year behind an unexpected revival from Patrick Chung. Coupled with niche contributions from Duron Harmon and Tavon Wilson, the Pats boasted surprisingly strong safety depth behind All-Pro Devin McCourty.
But Chung has been up-and-down his entire career, while neither Harmon nor Wilson has ever seized a meaningfully large role. The Pats certainly don't need to overhaul this cost-controlled unit, but even with a big raise coming for McCourty, they could use some competition for the other safety job next season.
Enter Mike Adams, who hits free agency after an impressive season in Indianapolis. Adams finished with a plus-11.7 cumulative grade in the regular season, seventh-best among safeties, as opposing quarterbacks compiled a mediocre 73.4 passer rating when targeting the Colts safety. With the versatility to play either free or strong safety, Adams should challenge for a starting spot wherever he signs.
But entering his age-34 season, the 11-year veteran won't get the type of deal that breaks the bank, even after his first Pro Bowl campaign. More likely, some team will latch onto Adams for one year, much like Indy did last season. For sake of comparison, expect something a little less than the one-year, $3.2 million deal Charles Woodson just signed with the Oakland Raiders.
The Colts will surely want to keep Adams' services, especially given the woeful play they received from their other safeties last season. Still, it's hard to imagine the bidding getting too high, so the Pats would be wise to take a look at someone who could be a bedrock in the starting lineup next season.
*All stats via Pro Football Focus. Contract information via Spotrac.com.
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