Sean Pa Patriot

It really starting to look like, it is while not a huge rebuild mode, the retool mode is more likley... Graham, Samual, Branch, Koppen, and of course Seymoer all free agents in 2007... I think the plan is lock up our own guys, and retool thru the draft... Maybee the feeling is not tying up 3 million for a kicker, we may or may not need in 2006, because we could be 8-8, and retooling for 2007 is nin the best interest of the team ,not making a kicker the highest paid player.. Belichick and Pioli have a lifelong honeymoon in Foxboro, and probably could afford to take a yr off, while focusing on signing our own players...

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We going to take it one game at a time

DaBruinz

Sean -
Have you looked at the Pats schedule for this year? For the Pats to go 8-8, one of two things will have happened. Either a season ending injury to Brady or BB ended up in the hospital with a coronary.

Yes, its been mentioned by myself and others that the Pats seem to be re-tooling. They have freed up a LOT of money and I honestly believe that they will be using that money to extend Seymour, Graham, Branch and Koppen. They will use the draft and free agency to replace the roster slots that have opened up and the pressure will be on the other players to step up. Players like Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Colvin, Vrabel, Wilson, Hobbs. There are 11 players on the field at any one time. They have to play as a team, focusing on their responsibilites. That is what didn't happen last year. After Harrison went down, Wilson was trying to do too much and it really hurt the secondary. It also hurt them that 6 of their DBs (4 of their 6 CBs) were on the IR by week 9. Hopefully, that was just a fluke.

This team survived in 2001 by bringing in free agents David Patten, Charles Johnson, Torrance Small, Bert Emanuel and Fred Coleman at WR. They also had only 1 legitimate receiving threat at TE in Wiggins. The Pats have Branch, Caldwell, Childress, and Johnson at WR (as well as McGrew, Stone, and Musinski) and Graham and Watson at WR. To me, that puts them already better than the 2001 team and the 2002 team for receiving options. Adding a WR and a TE or H-back via the draft would be nice. But not absolutely necessary.

Its only the 2nd week of free agency. The Patriots season doesn't start until September 10th. There is plenty of time for this team to bring in the pieces it needs to succeed.

stinkypete

I think that, if healthy, this team is still good enough to win the division. Miami brings alot of hype with Culpepper, but their defense is old and in decline. 10-11 wins will do it, and I still see a team capable of 10-11 wins.

Sean Pa Patriot

You might be right but Im just sucked into all of the doom and gloom..

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We going to take it one game at a time

AndyJohnson

Let me understand something.

We have 3 excellent OLBs. One of which is the oldest in the NFL. We have a LUXURY of having 3. The one who is the oldest LB in the NFL is released because he would cost an arm and a leg on the cap. We end up with 2 excellent OLBs.

We decide we do not want to have THE highest paid K in the NFL , but instead will accept a slight step down to dedicate more money elsewehere, gee, maybe to younger depth so we dont go through another year plucking DBs out of the stands?

We make a reasonable offer to our #2 WR and someone severely outbids us. We have already signed a potential replacement and will sign more.

How do these things add up to giving up on winning this year?

Sean Pa Patriot

Not giving up on winning, just getting younger while giving up on vet experience is hard some times to take...

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We going to take it one game at a time

AndyJohnson

How are we giving up on vet experience?

Colvin and Vrabel are veterans.

Givens has only been in the league 4 years. We may replace him with a MORE experienced guy.

You cannot tell me that winning or losing often hinges on having a veteran K????? And we will probably have one.

How about we wait until we see how the 20 mill is spent before deciding how it wasnt spend means we are a worse team.

What happens if the money saved on these 3 ends up with us getting a stud corner, and a stud OL? We improve 2 critical areas by accepting decline in DEPTH at OLB, possible decline at KICKER, and less ceratinty at WR.

Doesnt that make us a better team, net of all of it?

PatsChick87

If you're talking about Willie's vet experience, I think we're covered with Tedy,
Colvin and Vrabes.

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Enjoying this Championship era!!

Garbanza

Yes, it's March! The F.O. will address their needs to the best of their abilities - of that there is no doubt. But, I must amend something in your post - you say the Pats "survived" 2001 with unheralded FA's - Patten, Coleman, etc. Honestly, the Pats "survived" because of Brady and Vinatieri.

jct

Sure we lost a couple pieces.
But we will come back younger stronger and healthier.