The big news is starting to drop as Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss report that the Patriots have released Brandon LaFell and Scott Chandler. There was plenty of speculation that both players could be let go as both were disappointing in 2015 and effectively removed from the gameplan by the AFC Championship.
Patriots released WR Brandon LaFell and TE Scott Chandler, per @MikeReiss and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 2, 2016
Analysis
I was okay keeping Brandon LaFell and thought he was worth the $3.675 million cap hit after a down year that saw him start the season on the PUP list with a nagging foot injury. He just never found any consistency and ended up with just 37 catches on 74 targets. He was impressive in 2014 and a vital part of the Super Bowl run. Belichick always praised his blocking work as well.
I thought it would enough to buy him one more year with the hope that being healthy and playing for a new contract would help him get back to his 2014. But his absence from the gameplan against the Broncos after getting a bunch of targets against the Chiefs was pretty meaningful. Here we thought LaFell was finally a free agent wide receiver who clicked with Tom Brady. Not anymore.
As for Chandler, everyone had high hopes that he would join with Rob Gronkowski and form a lethal pair of Twin Towers, but Chandler just never seemed to click with Brady. He ended up with 23 catches on 42 targets and four touchdowns. It was worth a try with Chandler, but for all the clutch plays he made against the Patriots when he was with the Bills, he never came through in those big spots with the Patriots.
This will open up around $3.675 million in cap space, and likely makes Danny Amendola safe, at least from release. He still could be extended to reduce his cap hit.
More importantly it opens up two significant roles on the offense — the starting X receiver spot and the second tight end, of “F”. There are no obvious in-house candidates to fill those roles. Aaron Dobson and Keshawn Martin would be pencilled into the X spot for now. AJ Derby, who spent his rookie year on IR, is the only possible fill in at the F spot.
Mohamed Sanu and Dwayne Allen would be my favorite two candidates to add into these holes.
But the more space the Pats open up the more ability they’ll have to add some impactful players in free agency. Both of these positions will have to be addressed in some fashion in the next couple weeks.