New England Patriots: How to handle Big 3 in free agency
Pending New England Patriots free agents Dion Lewis, Nate Solder and Malcolm Butler were selected as the three most important free agents on the team by ESPN.
The New England Patriots are set to have a busy offseason. Their coaching staff will experience some overhauling, as defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is leaving to become head coach of the Detroit Lions. The roster will see even more movement.
New England has a number of players set to hit free agency. There will be some tough decisions to make, as they cannot retain everyone. Some players will be moved on from, while others they will look to re-sign.
Three of the biggest names to keep an eye on are running back Dion Lewis, offensive tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Malcolm Butler. Those three were the focus of a recently written ESPN piece.
ESPN’s Field Yates played general manager for each team in the NFL. He used a piece recently put together by ESPN’s NFL Nation picking the biggest free agents for each team. Yates played general manager of every team, making decisions for those players.
For the Patriots, they had the trio of Lewis, Solder and Butler selected. Here is what Yates said about those three pending free agents.
"The surprise benching in the Super Bowl was the writing on the wall for Butler, who is unlikely to be back in 2018. The Patriots have an exceptional track record of identifying value in running backs, something Lewis himself — who joined the team on a reserve/future deal in 2015 — is an example of. Meanwhile, Solder will be expensive to keep around (his current deal prohibits the use of a franchise tag), but he also would be the most difficult to replace, especially with two other tackles, Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle, set to become free agents.Verdict: Prioritize Solder; offer Lewis a deal with comparable value to James White‘s for three years and $12 million; let Butler walk."
Earlier in the week, there were some rumblings about Lewis. He has reportedly made his contract demands known, as he is looking for a three-year deal with $10 million guaranteed, worth about $15-18 million.
That is more than what the Patriots usually sign running backs for. As a result, early rumblings have Lewis leaving the organization in free agency. That doesn’t mean they will let Lewis walk without at least making an offer.
Yates’ verdict is a good place to start. Lewis has shown an ability to be a lead back, but his durability is a concern. That would play a factor in how much money he earns in free agency.
As for Solder, he should be prioritized. The offensive line is important, especially when you have a 40-year old quarterback like the Patriots have in Tom Brady. Protecting him is imperative to the Patriots success.
Given the other free agents at the position, he is someone the Patriots have to be aggressive in pursuing. If he hits the open market, he could land a lucrative contract that is outside the Patriots comfort level. They cannot let that happen given the uncertainty surrounding the other players at the position.
Butler’s fate was sealed during the Super Bowl. The odd situation that resulted in him not playing a defensive snap is probably all you need to know about his future with the organization.Letting Butler walk would be the right move, as Yates also suggests.
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Butler shouldn’t have a problem finding work in free agency. While 2017 was a down season, he had been a top corner the previous two seasons. Plenty of teams would like to have the former Super Bowl hero on their roster.