Could Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots sign Houston Texans defensive end/outside linebacker Mario Williams?
The New England Patriots are coming off of a 21-17 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants and a 13-3 regular season which means they aren’t far from being the best team in the league. They do need to fill some holes if they want to dominate come playoff time in 2013. There are three areas I see as true weak spots from the past few seasons. First of all the wide receiver spot has not been properly replaced since Randy Moss was traded away. While Wes Welker is clearly the best slot receiver alive and Rob Gronkowski is an all-pro at tight end, there remains no downfield threat in Deion Branch or Chad Ochocinco.
Defensively, the team needs a playmaker because Vince Wilfork is constantly double-teamed by blockers and not enough of the other defenders seem to step up their game on a consistent basis. Jerod Mayo is a tackling machine, but has not made enough game changing plays the way Tedy Bruschi did during the Patriots Super Bowl run. There is one particular defensive player the Patriots have lacked recently, top-talent pass rusher. Lastly, the secondary can use some reinforcements considering there is not a proven veteran in the group.
Here are the four free agents I believe the Patriots should and will target this offseason:
1.) WR – Reggie Wayne has been one of the most consistent receivers over the past decade. From 2004-2010 Wayne had at least 1,000 yards received in each of those seasons. He missed the 1,000 yard mark last year due to the lack of talent at quarterback with Peyton Manning out for the season. Wayne is a constant thorn in the Patriots’ side having earned the respect and praise of Bill Belichick: “I mean, I can’t say enough about Reggie Wayne,’’ Belichick said. “That guy is the best receiver we cover every year and it seems like he just keeps getting better.” (Boston.com)
2.) LB/DE – Mario Williams is the perfect player to step in and fill Belichick’s swiss-army-knife role. The role that was envisioned for Adalius Thomas until it was realized that he had no desire to listen or play hard after his initial season with the Pats was over. Thomas was a colossal bust and the Pats surely will be wise when dishing out money to free agents because of Thomas, but Williams is flat out different. Williams is 27 years old and has the body of a defensive tackle, yet the speed of a linebacker. He is a former #1 overall pick because of that freakish talent. He is often compared to defensive end Julius Peppers and some think he could be better given the right system. The Patriots will need to overpay to get him, but this time around it might be worth it.
3.) WR – Vincent Jackson is the closest thing the Patriots could find in terms of a Randy Moss type threat unless Moss himself returns. Jackson is 6 feet 5 inches and a solid 230lbs. He is big, fast, and has great hands, which are all dynamic traits of a top receiver. All things considered, Jackson would seem to be a top overall free agent, but he can be inconsistent at times. Also he was arrested numerous times for drunk driving and served a 3 game suspension for these infractions. His upside is undeniable, but the Patriots need to be sure of his character before giving him millions of dollars guaranteed.
4.) CB – Cortland Finnegan would be a great fit to a Patriots’ team in need of a top corner after Devin McCourty’s sophomore slump and an inexperienced secondary overall. Finnegan has played at an elite level over the past few seasons and is only 28 years old. He is a great tackler and physical, which are two things the Pats’ defense would welcome. He has a nasty edge to him in the same way Rodney Harrison did. He is known for not backing down and sometimes initiating fights on the field (Steve Smith, Andre Johnson). Finnegan is similar to Jackson in the character of this player might be the only question whether the Patriots go full throttle to sign him.