Although they have not made big splashes in the veteran free agent market in recent years, the Patriots have flirted with the possibility. Their aggressive courting in 2005 of wide receiver Derrick Mason, who ultimately signed a lucrative contract with the Ravens, is a prime example.
With free agency set to begin tomorrow at 12:01 a.m., the question is whether the Patriots have a quick-strike, Mason-like plan up their sleeve.
And if they do, will they land their target this time around?
While answers to those questions aren't known, one thing is certain: Those who sign top players early in free agency are going to have to pay a hefty price.
"That first two, three days, it could probably happen where some players could probably exceed their value in the market," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said at the NFL combine last week. "But as I was talking to a lot of other GMs, you say, 'Oh my goodness, where is this market going?'
"Then after two or three days, the market settled down."
This year might be a bit different, and one reason for the expected bloated market is the significant increase of the salary cap, which was $85 million in 2005 and will be $109 million this year.
More teams now have more cap space and that's part of the reason a player such as outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain -- a borderline starter who has played for the Patriots since being drafted in the seventh round in 2003 -- has not yet re-signed.
Banta-Cain's agent, James Sims, is interested in what offers are out there, and he's not hiding what he's seeking. "If the price is right and the team is right, everybody is happy -- and you could probably put price ahead of the team," Sims said.
"One of the things about free agency is that it's so exciting to get there -- you fight for so many years to get there -- that it's a tough thing to pass up."
Banta-Cain is one of 12 Patriots scheduled for unrestricted free agency, a group headlined by tight end Daniel Graham, special teams captain Larry Izzo, punter Todd Sauerbrun, and receiver Troy Brown. Graham is expected to draw considerable interest once the market opens.
Quarterback Vinny Testaverde, linebackers Junior Seau, Barry Gardner, and Don Davis, cornerback Ray Mickens, punter Ken Walter, and running back Patrick Pass are the other Patriots set for free agency.
The Patriots already have a head start of sorts, having signed center Dan Koppen to a contract extension in October and placing the franchise tag on cornerback Asante Samuel. The team also has reached a two-year agreement with fullback Heath Evans, who would have been a free agent, although Evans's deal cannot be finalized until tomorrow at the earliest, when the new league year starts.
