Free Agency Fun Begins at Midnight Tonight

By the time we all wake up tomorrow morning a significant number of NFL players will have new teams. The New England Patriots' Asante Samuel is one of them. Last year the Pats made some major splashes right off the bat and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them do the same thing this year. That's what is so fun about being a Patriots fan, you never have a clue what they are going to do. They could sign Lance Briggs tomorrow, a move that no one has once mentioned as a possibility, and it wouldn't surprise me. They could not sign a single free agent, watch Randy Moss and Donte' Stallworth sign elsewhere and again, I wouldn't be surprised.

The one thing that will most likely get done is the signing of Randy Moss. Despite rumors earlier in the week that the Pats and Moss were still far apart in negotiations, new information has been leaked that the Pats might already have a 3-year deal in place for Moss. I think it's pretty unlikely that Moss ends up anywhere other than New England. It's also likely that Jabar Gaffney signs on for another couple years.

That will leave the Pats with really only some holes on their defense. Specifically Linebacker and Cornerback being the most pressing needs that will have to be addressed in free agency and the draft. The Pats would ideally be able to pick up someone like linebacker Calvin Pace. They need an under-30 linebacker who has NFL experience. Belichick is well-known for preferring vets at the most important position in his defense and there are some other names like Victor Hobson who could come in and contribute immediately.

Belichick will not assume that they'll be able to snag a starter with the 7th overall pick. He will cover his butt by filling the empty spots with veterans and allow any rookies the Pats might draft to compete for playing time. This is much like he did with rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski. The Ghost was draft in the 3rd round (too high many said) but the Hoodied One also brought Martin Gramatica into camp to compete with him.

Look for the Pats to be active early tomorrow. They are going to need to be if they have any hope of signing a veteran like Pace who will be in demand. Most of all be prepared for anything. That's how it goes with Belichick, Pioli and the braintrust...