Patriots close with TE Chris Baker

why are we not hearing about an extension for wilfork?

the money should be going to that... not an old tight end

Then hopefully they won't need to waste their 1st rounder on a TE

is it a good deal? his numbers are pretty Ben watson -ish.. It doesnt seem to be a good upgrade to me...

Fed Taylor. Now Chris Baker. The Pats offense looks stacked again. But what about defense? Please sign some defensive help! Defense wins championships!

Excellent signing--solid, hard nosed, Tight End---now if we could only find a safety and a corner...

Wow. This was a big need I thought the pats might fill in the draft. I don't know Baker -- but this really starts to give the Pats more flexibility to focus on defense in the draft.

I wonder where the money is coming from? This suggests to me that the Patriots are confident that a Cassel trade is imminent. Any thoughts on that Mike?

From Rotoworld:

Patriots agreed to terms with TE Chris Baker on an undisclosed contract.

Wow. That's another good signing. I thought we weren't supposed to be active in this free agency.

If he's truly a tight end that can block AND catch the ball, this will be a great addition.

Baker's a good Patriots type player. He'd be a good addition to the team.

When will Bill's fascination with ex-Jets stop?

This is a great pickup if it happens. Watson is terrible. He drops more passes than any TE I have ever seen. We would have been better off with a 40-year-old Ben Coates the last few years...

Great pickup! He will supplant Watson as the starter. Great hands and good blocker.

Between Taylor and Baker, Brady should be happy today.

Sweet. A pass-catching tight end to go with Moss, Welker and Faulk. How can they find the money for this if we are only 3 million under the cap?

Love this guy. Tough. Can block. Is the money too rich?

Is this the guy who killed us in the second Jets game this year?

This would be a great pick up for the Pats, and save us from having to draft another TE.

Solid signing.

Strange move by Rex over there. -- Sure, we'll take your best players. No problem.

i guess bob kraft and billy b. saw mazz's headline a few weeks ago....
" move over patriots steelers now the one" i didntlike it either. GO PATS!!!!

his skills has declined... not sure if it is really worth it. We need a young tight end from the draft.

The facination is was in a situation very similar to the Pats should pick up system quickly

I am going to have side with most posts and wonder where is the defensive help???
We did not really lose games because of our offense, I still have nightmares of Deltha getting smoked. Of all the positions, we are again wasting money on another TE. Do we really need another TE when most of our success is coming from shotgun formations? I hope this is not a sign of what is to come with Piolli missing.

Think Kyle Brady, two years ago. That is how Baker will mostly be used. And, you can't count on Watson. Either he will drop more than half the passes thrown his way or he will fumble half of what he catches. Thank god, the Pats offense does not revolve around the Tight End position. I do like this pick up though. Next we need corners, maybe a young safety(hopefully Harrison comes back for one more year too) and another young linebacker!! And please sign Wilfork long term!!

@scaredpatsfan

I think the rationale is we dont have the big money to spend on any good defense guys in FA plus there are that many in the first place. We will have quite a few draft picks and since we are aiming to "go young" i think BB will pick mostly D guys in the draft with maybe 1 RB/WR - i am hoping so he can develop once Moss/maroney leaves. Also, i think that's why we are "dumping" some D guys like woods, sanders etc. because we will try to get more in FA or through a possible trade later? Plus i think now it is a perfect time to go young on defense through the draft- when brady comes back we can (hopefully) post similar numbers as before then that takes some stress out of the D and we can afford the errors from them.

Are you all really questioning BB? That aside, this is a good pick-up. Watson is a good athlete but can't catch. Thomas catches everything, but can't stay on the field and can't block. Put them together and you have a better Chris Baker. Since you can't do that, you then sign Baker. This a perfect Patriot signing as is Fred Taylor. Defense will addressed in the draft since they need to get younger. You are not going to young in Free Agency.

Baker: good hands, can block, doesn't get decent separation, can be covered by a safety, average speed. I'd be surprised if he makes the team coming out of camp.

Taylor: career over, no speed/elusiveness or power, can catch OK in the flat coming out of backfield and (hopefully) make it back to the line of scrimmage, only makes the team if other guys go down in camp.

the tight end position was really lacking last year. wonder if we've heard the last of david thomas.... his stupid personal foul penalty against the colts last year might have cost us the playoffs. Baker can block and catch the ball. Great move.. assuming it's at cheap money and given the Pats, that's a reasonable exception.
Hey Sam.. there's 53 guys on a game-day roster.. need to take care of all positions and weaknesses. Vince will get his money in due time. No need to wrap him up on first day on free agency, just to make headlines. If you want that, go root for the Redskins.

WHAT BOOOOOOOOOOO

Real good pick up, Watson's days may be numbered...too many drops and now there is no need to spend a high draft pick on TE! They must feel the defensive players in the draft are graded better and will focus on defense in the draft!

Guys - I live in New York and Baker is considered a very, very good run blocker. Combined with signing Fred Taylor the offense looks playoff ready. Now if they can just get some secondary help and a little younger at LB the Pats will be the team to beat next year!

David thomas' penalty DID cost us the playoffs last year considering we needed tie breakers to get in and couldnt. We probably wouldnt have gone too far but at least we wouldve been in it and fans could watch more pats games.

I just hope baker isnt asking for too much money because he was owed 6(?) million from jets so hopefully if it doesnt work out we wont lose too much. i still think we should draft a te like pettigrew.

VRABEL IS IN KANSAS CITY TAKING A PHYSICAL SO HE CAN BE TRADED TO THE CHIEFS

umm i just read on nf.com that we might ship out Vrable to Kansas... i guess it is OK since he is old and we need picks or whatever Kansas is giving us? A

Pioli is already unraveling, Belichik is in his head.

I'm a Jets fan and Baker has always been one of my favorite players on the team...to clear up some confusion:
-He's not the guy that killed you at the foxborough game this year, that was Dustin Keller. He's not as fast as Keller, but he's better in every other category. Blocks like a guard, runs like a LB, unbelievably soft hands, good route runner. He's a humble but confident vet who will fit in with the Pats perfectly. Not only will he make the team, he'll be your consensus #1 TE by opening weekend.

I'll miss him being on the team, but I wish him the best with you guys because we didn't treat him too well when he was with us. I hope Bellichick gives him the respect and cash the guy deserves...

Chris Baker is a lot like Watson but most importantly he won't drop as many passes or get hurt as much as watson did

Baker is a STEAL for the Patriots. Totally fills the mold of an added multi-dimensional weapon that BB likes.

Kind of like the Welker strategy approach. He was under-utlized in Miami, and so many folks could see what he was capable of. And now it's Miami's loss.

Look for Baker to fit in HUGE into the offensive schemes, especially with butterfingers Ben Watson in that position, too.

Nice- get ready for the new Baker's dozen: 2 catches for 13 yards

I think Sam is onto something...this is setup for the Wilfork extension.

Kudos for firing Mangini, Go Pats this coming season, congrats to the Steelers, yes, congrats...your not on New Englands Schedule.....count your self lucky, who knows though, you may see us the playoffs...course the Pats will playoff beat ya like bitches (again). Thanks MIke for your Stellar Play at Linebacker, good luck in KC.
Is anyone else out there very optomistic about the QB position in New England?
O'Connel in about 5 years is gonna be awsome!!

Corner, Corner, Corner, Corner or Safety, Safety, Safety, Safety or LB, LB, LB, LB

when will the pats spend the money on a shut down corner instead of no names can any one say cris mccallister!!!!!!!!

everyone just ease up, the best is about to happen! BB and company already know who they want, if they get 70% of those players we are golden.Don't worry just sit back and watch things happen, an be amazed! Bye the way, best wishes to Mr.and Mrs.Thomas Brady in there commitment to one another.

When are the Pats going to realise that along with Mike Vrabel losing a step or two, Matt Light can not and will not hold the left side or the line all day, the way they expect him to? Two or three years ago, both of these guys were like stones.
Now, it's more like 80 - 85%. Get some help for Matt. Boy, ... but the memories !

When are the Pats going to realise that along with Mike Vrabel losing a step or two, Matt Light can not and will not hold the left side of the line all day, the way they expect him to? Two or three years ago, both of these guys were like stones.
Now, it's more like 80 - 85%. Get some help for Matt. Boy, ... but the memories !

When are the Pats going to realise that along with Mike Vrabel losing a step or two, Matt Light can not and will not hold the left side of the line all day, the way they expect him to? Two or three years ago, both of these guys were like stones.
Now, it's more like 80 - 85%. Get some help for Matt. Boy, ... but the memories !

Chros baker was the most under used receiving threat with the jets in his entire tenure with them. Maybe if they had made him an option for the quarterback instead of just having him run dummy routs he'd be in the probowl talks every year. Also I would like to see a more consistent blocking tight end in the entire nfl