PATRIOTS-80

Maybe the problem is that we are not thinking on BB's wavelength.

Perhaps BB is thinking about switching to running mostly a 4-3.

Sey, Warren, Vince, and Green

Bruschi in the middle

Colvin and Vrabel pass-rushing from the outside.

The few times we run a 3-4 (to confuse the offense) we pull Green out and put Monty in (who did OK in the Jag game) Or maybe we draft a LB.

Hobbs, Samuel and Gay are the CB, with Poteat in reserve

Harrison and Wilson the safeties (with Hawk as the 3rd safety playing until Rodney gets back)

On offense we'll be primarily a 2 TE offense, with a FA pickup (Josh Reed) or a trade (J. Walker) playing and some rookies in the 3rd and 4th hole.

NOBODY should really worry about signing Branch and Sey, it looks like we got the $$$ to do it. Which means our "real" salary cap after the deals are done would be about 5 mill

SeanBruschi54

And you come to 5 million how?

I think you mean we'll have Hawkins and Wilson playing safety until Harrison gets back.

Bruschi cant handle being a dominate MLB right now. 3-4 is much better fitted scheme for him.

Pull walker and Reed outta the but huh?

Box_O_Rocks

It's a thought, but I'd see it as putting too much pressue on an aging Bruschi to cover that much territory. BB has Willie's replacement lined up, so I don't see the 3-4 going away. As PatsNutme would say, 'nice job thinking outside the box.'

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Feep_FLA

Good post, Pats80, food for thought. I am thinking maybe we are in a mini -overhaul mode. We're cutting costs and older players and not, as yet, signing any free agents. The theory of securing core players long-term, Seymour, Branch, etc and then targeting a few key spots with free agents seems to be the order of the day. With 9+ drafts picks I feel this will be a draft we all remember for a long, long time. They won't use all their picks on players but having extra picks allows movement easy to get the player you really want. I think your post makes a ton of sense, Pats80

PATRIOTS-80

With about 20 mill to spend, my guestimate would be Sey would want to be paid the among highest DL, probably 8 or 9 mill. He's worth it.
Branch is going to want more than Randel-El. Probably 6 million. That's 14 million right there. That leaves 6 million, maybe 5 million left.

And even if we don't phase out relying on 3-4, we might need to do a mix of 4-3 and 3-4 if we draft a LB at 21.

Josh Reed is the only FA I see in the pool that could work. Is there anyone else? (Besides Moulds who isn't there yet, and I doubt Keyshawn or TO)


Freep, I agree on the draft. We need a good one! LB and WR would go a long way, even if we have to find a replacement Dillon in '07. (BTW, this is Dillon last contract year right, because we didn't exercise the option, right?)

AndyJohnson

Those numbers are incorrect on Seymour and Branch. First, you are using an average salary over the contract, and the first year is always much, much lower than that. And secondly, you are not counting what they count against the cap already.
I believe Miguel has estimated that a Seymour extension would SAVE cap money. With Branch you could figure a yr 1 salary of about 1 mill, and no way the signing bonus would be more than (probably muck less) 2mil per season, equalling less than a 3mill first yr cap #.

We have A LOT of money to spend on FAs.