You know whats funny? You say he is no “Gronkowski, Hernandez, Mayo, Wilfork, Chung, or McCourty”, yet, even with the above mentioned, you still lost the SuperBowl.

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If anything, it’s Welker that pads Brady’s statistics in New England’s small ball offense!

Welker’s the one big key for them, and I think they’ll do what it takes to bring back Branch, as Brady trusts him. It wouldn’t stun me if BGE and Faulk were both let go – they did draft Ridley and Vereen last year. That said, Ridley did fumble a bit when he was in there, so if BGE comes at a reasonable price, I think they’d bring him back. Connolly’s important, but I think they’ll look to draft a young interior lineman this year, so how important may depend on what they do with Koppen and Waters.

Actually, it wouldn’t surprise me if Slater or Ihedigbo were valued quite highly by them. They seem to like Slater a fair amount, and Ihedigbo was the leader of a shaky defense, particularly with Chung out for part of the year.

Really, for all the talk about the guys that are impending FA’s, we need to keep in mind that the Pats are willing to move on from vets (Warren was cut after camp iirc), so if guys want too much, I think they cut bait. Only Welker seems like the one must have. Furthermore, they have 2 firsts and 2 2nds, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they dealt down from the Raiders spot in the first to pick up more picks/future picks. Also wouldn’t surprise me if they dealt Brian Hoyer this offseason if a team offered a solid enough return, and gave Mallett the number 2 spot next year (and it wouldn’t surprise me if they took a “future” for Hoyer).

I look for them to add another CB to the group, probably through the draft. Wouldn’t surprise me if McCourty moved full-time to safety next year, giving them a rangy guy to go with Chung. I think they might look for an edge guy, and a guy who looks, on paper, as a great fit is Cam Johnson of UVA (former DB, rush backer under Groh, learned to play as a DE under London). DL depth may be sought. Interior OL and a deep threat at WR look like the other focus areas.

Branch may come back on the cheap, but they should be in the market for another WR regardless. Also, losing Green Ellis isn’t a big deal. He’s not that great, just runs in a straight line and gets short yardage TD’s. Someone will overpay him because he played for the Pats and he’ll go the way of many others who became irrelevant after leaving.

I’m sure you wouldn’t want any players from the team that has won more games over the past 5, 7, 8, 10 years (take your pick) than any other.

all4patriots,

I’m okay if they trade down and pick up more players. I know it doesn’t look great now, but they got Vereen for trading down with New Orleans last year and essentially have the same pick (#28 becomes #27 a year later I think). That’s one less pick we have to use this year for another RB.

I say sign Branch as a 4th-5th WR (replacing Underwood, Ochocinco – he’s good depth), get Lloyd (as you mentioned), franchise Welker (if necessary), draft a center and pass rusher in the first or 2nd (they have four picks and I’m assuming they trade out on 1).

Then I’d look to fill in another TE… if basing your offense on TEs, you need to have a backup plan for injuries (as we found out tonight). Also, I’d look for a young WR (they could use some new blood there) and DB (they went through a lot of people at safety and CB this year).

I hope they can sign Anderson and Carter. I think they can considering how they really helped their careers and showed how they can be productive in the system.

add Lloyd for Branch, keep Welker, develop Ridley and Vareen, draft a pass rusher on day 1, keep Anderson or Carter, replace or re-sign Connelly

Welker will be back (via franchise tag or contract)

Anderson and/or Carter could be back – they haven’t had as much success in other systems and Anderson especially could use another year or two in the Patriots’ system to prove this year wasn’t a fluke.

BJGE and Faulk are replaced by Vereen and Ridley, which are probably upgrades. With Woodhead, they probably just to get a cheap veteran journeyman.

Branch has lost a step and isn’t going to another team in FA. He’s either going to take a cheap contract to be a 4th WR or retire.

Guyton, Nathan Jones, Koutouvides, Warren, Ellis got minimal snaps.

Ihedigbo, Molden were on the scrap heap able to claimed by anyone this year.

Slater isn’t a returner (as you listed) and he’s not really a receiver he’s their best gunner, but he won’t get big bucks on the market.

I guess that leaves Connolly, and the expectation is that they draft a center. He still wouldn’t be that expensive. They did well when Connolly was injured this year, so while he’s helpful, he’s not exactly Gronkowski, Hernandez, Mayo, Wilfork, Chung, or McCourty.

He’ll be released and no one will pick him up…just like his best friend, T.O.