stinkypete

KFFL reports that Sanders signed to a 3 year, $9 million contract. Seems high for backup money, especially given all the guys they need to re-sign. Reading into this, I do not expect the Pats to make a run at a Dawan Landry or a Sean Jones.

AllabouttheVinces

Wow. We needed to clear out Vrabel to throw money at Sanders? Ouch.

VJCPatriot

If those numbers are right then your assumption is correct. The Pats won't put 8M into the Safety position. Going after a better safety would cost about 5M per year. They've already given Sanders 3M per year. If the Pats add another safety, it's going to be a draft pick or a minimum salary jag.

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JSn

That money is savings to be spent elsewhere. And a proven LB is a big need, imo. But who's out there?

Right now, we're talking about a lot of fresh meet playing LB, a little too much, imo.

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Bertil

In the Patriots Defensive philosophy, the Front Seven are the most important, and consequently the most highly coveted and paid. They'll go after pass rushers with the cap dollars as this was the undoing of their Defense last year, along with a mountain of injuries. The DBs were actually beginning to jell as a group as the year went on, but they can't cover all day with Pierre Woods and Vince Redd as your edge rushers.

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mayoclinic

I'm actually very happy with this, for a couple of reasons.

First, we now have our two starting safeties for most of 2008 together again for the next 3 years. Meriweather will only get better. Sanders is an adequate starter, and an excellent backup.

Second, we haven't put a lot of money into the safety position and have a decent pair to build around, and we will be in position to draft a stud S to round out the rotation. Add Sean Smith, Louis Delmas, Patrick Chung or William Moore to the mix and we have a really strong 3-safety core rotation. Resign Lewis Sanders or use Spann as the 4th safety, and we are basically set at the position, without putting a huge amount of money into it.

Third, not having to invest a ton of money in the safety position leaves us free to put it elsewhere. Sure, Sean Jones would have been an upgrade over Sanders, but if the long-term plan is to draft a future starting safety and have Sanders as the prime backup at both FS and SS, then Jones would probably have not added very much and would have cost much more. Now we are free to use the money saved on a quality CB (Bodden/Greer) instead of a JAG, to resign Mankins, or to go after a FA acquisition (dare I say Peppers again?).

The bottom line is this move gives us continuity and quality at the DB position for a reasonable cost while allowing us to spend elsewhere. Not a bad deal. I'd rather have Meriweather/Sanders/rookie at S and Hobbs/Bodden/Wheatley at CB than Meriweather/Jones/Rookie and Hobbs/JAG CB/Wheatley.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi

Mack Herron

Right. So our stellar third down pass defense lost its OLB Captain and, possibly our best safety (if Sanders is a starter, is Rodney done?), but we will retain our 2nd and 3rd safeties. No additions to date.

Warren94

Ouch is correct Sir.

DaBruinz

Dawan Landry is an RFA. So he'd have required a draft pick as well.

They Pats could also look at Abran Elam as a back-up. He played very well as a CB/S for the Jets last year.

mayoclinic

I don't buy it. Meriweather is our best safety. Harrison is way too slow to be effective, and hasn't been able to play a full season in several years. He was one of our greatest signings ever, but his reign is done. Bruschi, Vrabel, Seau and Colvin are done too. Move on.

I'll take Meriweather/Sanders/rookie over Meriweather/Harrison/Sanders at this point as long as the rookie is one of Sean Smith, Delmas, Chung or William Moore. Harrison can be under consideration with Spann and Lewis Sanders as a 4th safety in a rotation, but we just can't count on him to stay on the field, or to produce much when he's on it at this point.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi