Restricted Signings

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement has not created a big market for restricted free agents. In fact, of the 42 players with a second round tender, none have been offered a contract by another team.

Back-up QB Brian Hoyer recently signed his second round tender offer with the Pats. A team could have signed him and given up a second round draft pick if the Pats declined to match the offer.

I don't understand why teams didn't sign players from other rosters. Back in 2007, the Pats signed Wes Welker as a restricted free agent. They gave up a second round pick, but that looks like a great deal in retrospect.

So many teams fail with their draft choices. A team should sign an established player if they feel he can help their team. I don't think a second round pick is too much to pay. The Pats have two first and two second round picks in this year's draft. I don't expect them to use all of them. They will probably trade down or into next year.

Just because a team has a lot of draft choices, it doesn't mean that they will be used in a prudent manner. Every team makes mistakes.