Making sense of the Patriot player losses - New England Patriots Forums

***Bobs My Uncle*** · 03-22-2006, 08:18 AM

Yeah, it stings me too to see Willie, Adam and Givens leave for greener pastures. But such is life in the NFL, and especially so, if you are a member of the New England Patriot.

Why this is coming as a shock to anyone has me befuddled! As fans of this team have we not got this figured out yet? Here's a reminder ...... the Pats will not overpay for anyone. Especially not for aging veterans who are entering the twilight of their career! Not Lawyer Milloy, not Ty Law, not Ted Johnson, not Willie and not Adam. Heck, they didn't even overpay for Brady, arguably the best player in the league.

Make no mistake about it. With a reported $20M in cap room at their disposal, had the Pats wished to keep Willie, Adam and Givens they easily could have. But, for whatever reason, they chose not too. With the track record the Patriots top brass has of making the proper call when it comes to allowing their own guys to leave for greener pastures, who the heck in their right mind, would disagree? BB and Pioli always have a strategy to keep the stable loaded with talent that is very worthy of replacing the players that they allow to leave. Such a strategy has allowed BB and Pioli to prove, time and time again, that the decisions that they make when it comes to keeping their own players or not, are for the better, not for the worse.

Why would this situation be any different?

Garbanza · 03-22-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobs My Uncle

Yeah, it stings me too to see Willie, Adam and Givens leave for greener pastures. But such is life in the NFL, and especially so, if you are a member of the New England Patriot.

Why this is coming as a shock to anyone has me befuddled! As fans of this team have we not got this figured out yet? Here's a reminder ...... the Pats will not overpay for anyone. Especially not for aging veterans who are entering the twilight of their career! Not Lawyer Milloy, not Ty Law, not Ted Johnson, not Willie and not Adam. Heck, they didn't even overpay for Brady, arguably the best player in the league.

Make no mistake about it. With a reported $20M in cap room at their disposal, had the Pats wished to keep Willie, Adam and Givens they easily could have. But, for whatever reason, they chose not too. With the track record the Patriots top brass has of making the proper call when it comes to allowing their own guys to leave for greener pastures, who the heck in their right mind, would disagree? BB and Pioli always have a strategy to keep the stable loaded with talent that is very worthy of replacing the players that they allow to leave. Such a strategy has allowed BB and Pioli to prove, time and time again, that the decisions that they make when it comes to keeping their own players or not, are for the better, not for the worse.

Why would this situation be any different?

I agree with you to a point. Last years FA acquisitions did plant a small seed of doubt; in my mind anyway.

***Bobs My Uncle*** · 03-22-2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garbanza

I agree with you to a point. Last years FA acquisitions did plant a small seed of doubt; in my mind anyway.

Except that the Patriots replacement players don't come exclusively from free agency. For that matter, sometimes it's not even about replacing one player with another, it's about scheming differently.

In any case, when it comes to replacing jettisoned players this management team has earned the benefit of the doubt with flying colours. And then some.

Call me not worried.

***mgteich*** · 03-22-2006, 11:35 AM

I'm not worried either.

Last year, we needed corners, receivers, linebackers, and offensive linemen. The successes were the draftees: Mankins, Kaycur and Hobbs. This year we have the same needs.

The major difference is that this year we have $15 to spend on free agents. and a solid set of linebackers in Day One of the Draft.

And just by the way, ALL the cap money available for free agents was made available by choosing not to pay roster bonuses to McGinist, C. Brown, Starks and Poole. The roster bonus clause works! It forces the team to make a decision on these players each in March.