The Dynasty

Many people have suggested that the Patriots switch to a 4-3, but I just cannot see them doing that. BB never has coached a team other than a team that plays the 4-3 and dont you think if the 4-3 was in BB's mind he would have switched to that last season when the team was in a rebuilding year especially on defense.

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"It is what it is" -Bill Belichick

"...as the head coach I can kind of do whatever I want. If I want to coach the punters, I can go coach the punters. If I want to watch the offensive guards, I can watch the offensive guards." - Bill Belichick

tanked_as_usual

I'm not even saying I agree with it, but there's got to be some logical reason for the wilfork situation

The Dynasty

There could be many reasons as to why the Pats arent willing to give him the big deal he is looking for:

- they dont want to invest that kind of money on one player who is 28 years old and a DT

- his weight could be an issue to them

- they could possibly want to change their whole look on defense

I disagree with all of those reasons, but I am just trying to think what is going through the Patriots front office minds.

__________________
"It is what it is" -Bill Belichick

"...as the head coach I can kind of do whatever I want. If I want to coach the punters, I can go coach the punters. If I want to watch the offensive guards, I can watch the offensive guards." - Bill Belichick

tanked_as_usual

I don't know about weight being an issue........isn't that part of the job description?

curley culp ain't walkin' in through that door

Franchise12

I dont think that is the Issue. I think Belichick and Ernie Adams think economically it doesnt make sense to unload the Brinks truck on a 2 down player.

I think sometimes you have to put the philosophy aside for whats obvious, and the obvious thing to point out is that wilfork is simply worth a handsome contract.

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The Dynasty

I am not saying it is an issue either but I have heard people speculating that his weight could possibly be an issue with the team. He has gained a considerable amount of weight over the past few years, but it hasnt effected his play on the field

__________________
"It is what it is" -Bill Belichick

"...as the head coach I can kind of do whatever I want. If I want to coach the punters, I can go coach the punters. If I want to watch the offensive guards, I can watch the offensive guards." - Bill Belichick

tanked_as_usual

actually, I heard the contrary, the wilfork's wife has him on a strict diet to reduce the chances of diabetes when he gets old

as long as wilfork is active I don't believe his weight is an issue....he moves the way he always has........he will need to drop 80-100 when he retires, though

mcsully

I really like the out of the box thinking some people have but this one is crazy.. I'm 50/50 on bringing back Wilfork but to let Wilfork go and bring in Peppers would stir the hornets nest.. Players would see the Pats giving up on a loyal player and bringing in a selfish one.. Never mind the fact peppers has NEVEr played in a 3-4..

Plus do you really want Pickett and Brace at NT? Brace looked pretty bad out there and we witnessed what Wright really is, a backup/rotational guy.. He's good in spots..

I can't see the pats overall goal of of letting Wilfork go after Trading seymour.. If their plan was to wait and see and possibily let wilfork go, then they should have kept Seymour and trade wilfork.. Or kept Seymour and resigned him and traded wilfork this offseason.. We wuldn't have dealt with the blow at RDE

tanked_as_usual

what hornets nest? if wilfork is gone, warren would be the only one left from the good ole days........so who on the defense would be so stirred? they're all mostly rookies and 2nd year guys anyway?

if the pats have plans on contending in 2010, the changes to the defense will indeed be drastic.....

my solution would probably be the most efficient one anyway....the defense would be stacked with youth plus a couple of vets. big, physical, fast.

my plan would only have one real big ticket item in peppers......don't forget that you get to save a bundle by dumping thomas in the process. whereas if you extend wilfork to big dollars, you will still have to go out and spend a bunch more in order to get the OLB's to make this defense competitive

mind you that this is all in theory...........as such plans are rarely successful even if attempted

pickett would get most of the reps on defense, and I am still hopeful that a season in OTA's for brace will produce a more effective backup....gotta burn off some of that baby fat to see if there's really anything there

MoLewisrocks

Vince's situation is somewhat unique on a couple of levels. Paying him what he potentially wants precludes paying those who surround him. Vince and Bianca have acknowledged their own concerns related to the untimely death of BOTH of his parents when he was just 21 and they were barely 40. Dad died of kidney failure related to diabetes. Mother suffered a stroke. Perillo yesterday touched on this relating how every year Vince predicts he will arrive in camp in better condition carrying less weight. So far he hasn't. Paul thinks the team shares the concern about his ability to carry his weight long range. As well as a concern about paying top tier money for a DL who is essentially a 2 down lineman. And one who might really struggle to maintain weight and conditioning if there is a lockout in 2011.

I like Vince. As a player and a person. I sense the team and ownership feels the same way. Unfortunately it also sounds like Vince made up his mind some time ago that every last cent his career was worth was his ultimate goal. If that's the case he likely wouldn't have ever been extendable here, let alone facing a potential lockout. If he wants a 6 year deal with $30-40M in guarantees, he's not going to get it here and he may not get it anywhere because of the timing of an expiring CBA. I know players will point to some other guys getting big deals, but most of them were QB's. Franchise QB's are the single most difficult piece of the puzzle for any team to land or retain. Which is why if anyone gets the long term deal here before the CBA is settled, it will be Brady. He is the most irreplaceable piece of the puzzle here and the guy they are most inclined to count on making it to his late 30's while remaining highly productive.

And again, facing a potential lockout season in 2011, Vince has less leverage than any of the Fa in recent history - none of whom has held out on a season. If he holds out on camp it will only further damage his chances of landing somewhere with a big deal after the CBA finally gets hashed out, sometime in 2011 or perhaps not even until 2012 when he is 31.

The team has likely offered him the same kind of deal they have always offered their big ticket extensions or FA signings - one with split signing/option bonus language that protects them from drowning in guaranteed money in the event of a work stoppage impacting a players career, because to not do so now would be foolish. Brady's last deal, on the heels of Manning's $34.5M signing bonus deal, offered $14M in signing bonus and $12.5M in option bonus plus some minimal salary guarantees against loss of skill in the middle years of the deal and some small roster bonuses in the outlying years. Even AD took a split signing/option bonus.

Brady took substantially less on the heels of his first Superbowl on a rookie deal that was paying him $360K to sign an incremental deal for $30M going forward to secure his immediate future. He then again took substantially less 4 years later to sign his second big deal (6-$60M) two years early even after winning back to back superbowls to insure his family's future. Next deal he signs will cover the great, great grandchildren.

Vince's future was secure when he was signed in the first round. His family's future could be secured by signing a long term deal of almost any size and duration now. He apparently wants the deal for the generations. He may end up with a one year deal in the alternative. Given the labor landscape, that's not a smart money move. Ty Warren and Dan Koppen and Matt Light are guys who took early incremental deals to secure their family's future. Vince has had that option on the table since 2008. He opted not to. Asante had that option on the table in 2006 and he opted not to. Worked out for him because there were at least 3 years left to play before a lockout so his guaranteed money was something Philly could live with even though his AAV was something they now likely wish they had opted not to since it turns out he's not the difference maker they believed he would be, any more than he would have been here. More often than not teams find out that difference makers aren't the highest paid players on the field. Unless of course they're the QB.