Following up this morning's post where I mentioned a report in Sunday's notes piece by Dan Pompei, I came accross this piece on ProFootballTalk.com.
 Cutting Ochocinco wouldn't make a lot of sense for New England. (FILE:Icon/SMI) |
It looks like if it came down to parting ways with newly acquired Chad Ochocinco for Bill Belichick to "send a message" to the Patriots locker room, as an NFL Executive apparently recently suggested, it would be an expensive message.
According to ProFootballTalk.com, Ochocinco's recently restructured deal is a bit more lucrative than the reports said it was. The website reports that his new deal has a non-guaranteed base salary of $1 million for 2011, and reported that he received a signing bonus in the amount of $4.75 million and a workout bonus worth $250,000.
As a result, if the Patriots decided to cut him, they'll sacrifice the two late round draft picks that they gave to Cincinnati to consummate the deal, along with $5 million for the veteran receiver to take with him as a parting gift.
As for Haynesworth, according to the website he's much less risky. New England would lose only their fifth-round pick in 2013 by cutting him because Haynesworth received no bonus money, and his base salary of $1.7 million isn't guaranteed if he's not on the roster in week one.
Haynesworth has basically shown nothing but excitement about being here and has said all the right things, although he's missed the last week of practice. Belichick recently alluded to the fact that the veteran is dealing with some sort of injury, but sounded like it wasn't serious. He seems to have the respect of his coaches, with Pepper Johnson also saying some good things about him to the media Sunday afternoon.
"I think he's excited about being here, playing football," said Johnson. "He is...very unlike a lot of what you read about him. I coach whoever comes in here, it don't matter to me, but Albert is a great person. You need to know both sides of the story. ...He's trying to work his way onto the field; he has been tremendous in the classroom."
Needless to say it certainly makes you wonder what that NFL Executive was thinking when he made those comments about either player. There will obviously be some cuts made in the coming weeks but - barring disaster - it's tough to imagine either one of those guys being sent packing when they cut down to their final regular season roster.
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