New England Patriots: 5 Guys the Pats Could Sign after Week 1

The New England Patriots are the bargain shoppers of the NFL.

If a player is spoiled or has a few dents they will pick them up at a discount. That can't be any truer than once contracts are non-guaranteed. Once the money is good from a day-to-day standpoint, what is there stopping Bill Belichick from bringing in a player for a week or two to fill a hole?

There are still plenty of players out there who might be "about to turn" or are a little dinged up. They might not be worth it today but come Tuesday, September 13th, those become the best buys to fill the Patriots' pantry with.

Here are a look at the players the Patriots could be looking to sign after Week 1.

Lofa Tatupu, LB

Lofa Tatupu had an off year last year but he is still young. With six years of experience, he is right in what should be his peak production.

Coming off an injury is likely what caused Tatupu to have that off year. There must be some other reason that Pete Carroll chose to let his former USC player go after giving him a low offer.

That reason in itself should be reason for caution. Carroll has known Tatupu for quite some time. For him to give up on him caught some eyes and is driving down his value. With Belichick having switched the defense to a 4-3, Tatupu would fit right in.

Darren Sharper, S

The New England Patriots brought in Sharper for a workout—likely due to the fact that Bill Belichick is not impressed with the development of Patrick Chung and Brandon Merriweather continues to be a buffoon despite being selected to the Pro Bowl.

Sharper was a valuable part of the New Orleans Saints in 2009 but didn’t follow that up well in 2010. This mean Shaper’s value will be low. That means Belichick will kick the tires.

Sharper has ball skills, meaning he will find the ball in the secondary, and has hands that will allow for him to be a playmaker.

Kirk Morrison, LB

It amazes me that he is still available. Kirk Morrison makes plays; although they are not truly impact plays they are plays no less. Morrison was much more valuable in the Oakland Raiders system than he was down in Jacksonville and in New England, he could truly thrive.

Morrison would be afforded the ability to be a support player rather than playmaker, which would suit him better.

Morrison looks like a tackling machine because he played in bad defenses. He was the guy getting all the leftovers. In New England, he would be a piece of the puzzle. His athleticism would be a welcome addition to the team and he would support the pass rush.

Mark Clayton, WR

Mark Clayton is young enough where he still has some productive years ahead of him. While Clayton never truly found a home in Baltimore, he began last year with some great production and was building a great rapport with Sam Bradford before being injured.

If all it took for Clayton to become productive was getting together with a solid rookie quarterback, (no offense Joe Flacco fans, but Bradford looks to already be better), imagine what he could do with an All-Pro like Tom Brady.

The Patriots are always moving receivers in and out of their lineup. Even with Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco and Wes Welker, the Patriots could use some depth since the rest of the receivers are fairly unproven. Clayton would be a nice security blanket

Terrell Owens, WR

“Get your popcorn ready!”

No way this happens, but it would definitely be fun. Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco together again and trying to do it the Patriot way. Just imagine these two trying to keep it together while Bill Belichick talked in his monotone.

Owens can still make a difference and I imagine he is looking to play with a contender. New England definitely fits the bill and the Patriots could always cut him without feeling the pain.

The Patriots have looked good so far, so why bother with the headaches that this might cause? One part of the T. Ocho Show is enough.