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The Patriots are in a precarious situation with Thomas
The New England Patriots may have put Adalius Thomas(notes) back in the starting lineup the past two weeks, but there are those who would still be shocked if he was back next season. Thomas has been diplomatic of late, but a former Baltimore Ravens teammate says the onetime star free-agent signee feels like he has been made a scapegoat for some of the Patriots’ defensive struggles this season.
Clearly, if Thomas is cut, it will be because he hasn’t meshed well – both within the framework of the defense, and the expectation that he would toe the line through his own struggles. Thomas hasn’t shown the ability to be a natural pass rusher and has flirted with criticizing head coach Bill Belichick more than once. And word around the campfire was that when the Belichick sent four players home for showing up late to a meeting three weeks ago, his No. 1 target was Thomas.
“They’re not used to that type of guy and they’re not going to put up with that type of guy,” said Thomas’ former Ravens teammate. “They want you to be quiet and be a good little soldier. Then Bill [Belichick] can play his mind games and you can’t chime in on it or say anything about it. [Adalius is] frustrated. … They never should have moved him to inside linebacker when he got there. That messed everything up. Why try to make him that? He never played that, and you try to make him that because that’s what [Bill] saw for him.”
The former teammate said that, despite Thomas’ solid numbers, he believes the initial juggling at middle linebacker – combined with last year’s season-ending injury – took Thomas out of his groove as a pass rusher and contributed to problems this season. More troubling to the Patriots, he believes that if Thomas is released this offseason, he will sign with the New York Jets and reunite with Rex Ryan, whom Thomas thrived under when Ryan was the defensive coordinator with the Ravens.
“He’ll be a great fit [with the Jets],” Thomas’ former teammate said. “He’s still got a lot of juice in that body. He’ll be great. If anybody knows how to use him – who got 20 sacks from him in two years – it’s Rex. That’s the man who really created him. The Patriots have the ultimate weapon but they don’t know how to use him.”
One thing is clear: Whatever happens with Thomas won’t be strictly about money. The Patriots already paid out almost $24 million in Thomas’ first three seasons. And while his $4.9 million base salary in 2010 isn’t peanuts, it’s not so astronomical that he would be cut if he were playing at a high level this season.
Last edited by pats1; 12-31-2009 at 10:58 AM..
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Ugh. I remember one article from when Thomas was signed calling him "Bill Belichick's Ultimate Utility Knife" because of his versatility. Now the move to ILB in 07 is the reason he's not playing well in 09? Child, Please! Whomever gets him next year is going to get a quickly aging LB that couldn't thrive in a system where Tully Banta-Cain looks like a world beater. Besides, would the Jeats really be able to afford him and Bart Scott?
Oh, and this line is pretty ridiculous: “They’re not used to that type of guy and they’re not going to put up with that type of guy,” said Thomas’ former Ravens teammate. “They want you to be quiet and be a good little soldier. Then Bill [Belichick] can play his mind games and you can’t chime in on it or say anything about it.
Good God, what a whiny little crybaby. See that front door? You should have checked your ego at it, Adalius. Maybe you wouldn't have had your "toes up" at home or spent alot of games these days being the first person a RB runs past/over.
Location: Central MA by way of the great state of New Hampshire
Posts: 7,378
Re: Interesting tidbits on Thomas
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackglass3
Ugh. I remember one article from when Thomas was signed calling him "Bill Belichick's Ultimate Utility Knife" because of his versatility. Now the move to ILB in 07 is the reason he's not playing well in 09? Child, Please! Whomever gets him next year is going to get a quickly aging LB that couldn't thrive in a system where Tully Banta-Cain looks like a world beater.
And besides, would the Jeats really be able to afford him and Bart Scott?
Yea that article is laughable. Perhaps the greatest DC is NFL history and one of the most successful HCs every who coached the greatest pass-rushing LB off all-time doesn't know how to use AD.
__________________
“I'm not really concerned about the other 31 teams,” - Bill Belichick
"If a player has talent and doesn't succeed, that means that they either don't want to be successful or I have failed as a coach." - Bill Belichick
I think unfortunately what Ray Lewis had to say about AD - coupled with Ozzy's reluctance to extend him for big $$$ - was closer to the mark than anyone including AD wanted to admit. He could still fulfill a role here, but to do so he would have to commit to being all in on and off the field (including in the off season and practice). Otherwise he's of little use to Bill and sunk cost is what it is so I wouldn't expect Bill to have any qualms about moving on. What he might do though is flip him on the cheap (like in a deal for a pick or someone else's problem manchild) just to insure he doesn't land in Rex Cryin's ample lap again...
Cut his ass and let him go to the Jests. Then he might appreciate the value of keeping your mouth shut and doing what you're paid to do. This BS of publicly *****ing through ex teammates is very lame.
__________________ New England Patriots Roadie
"You don't win a war by digging a foxhole and sitting in it," Belichick said this week. "You have to go out there and attack.
The team needs to decide whether Thomas is worth $5M of new money to play in 2010. His contract calls for $6M in 2011.
There is no particular point in cutting Thomas before camp, unless 2010 is a capped year.
In any case, I'm suspect that Thomas and Seymour would certainly like to add their erroding skills and lack of positive leadership skills to the top jets defense that never seems to be sufficient to overcome it's longstanding lack of effective QB'ing and HC'ing.
Interesting tidbits on Thomas
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