Spiral

With no cap this year, and a strike looming in 2011, there may be a lot of good veterans available on the cheap before the final cut-down date. Think of MLB or the NBA before their trading deadlines. It would be pretty easy for an owner to look at his roster and the upcoming season, and figure out that he could replace 2-3 good veterans with mid to late-round draft picks and reduce his payroll by $10M or so, which would flow right to his bottom line. By telling the team's fans that the draft picks were out-performing the veterans (even if they aren't) he may be able to cover his arse with his fanbase. It would certainly be less obvious than it would be to cut a proven starter in March or April. I don't know such a scenario will happen, but it's certainly plausible, and you could probably name a few team owners who would be likely to entertain such a strategy. For an owner who's willing to take on some payroll, there may be a good opportunity to upgrade a roster.

satz

We have 89 or 88 players with non of the draft picks signed.

so we are now in the process of cutting 20 to 21 players before the camps to make the 80 .

__________________
NFL - A perfect american business model .
HarleyDavidson-Turning gas into noise for more than 100 yrs without the side effects of power and still making a tonne of money a great american business model.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

ctpatsfan77

That number includes the unsigned draft picks; there's a hard cap of 80 players under contract.

__________________
"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

satz

Makes sense !! doh

so we have to cut 9 players before camp.

__________________
NFL - A perfect american business model .
HarleyDavidson-Turning gas into noise for more than 100 yrs without the side effects of power and still making a tonne of money a great american business model.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Spiral

...and the Patriots will have to cut another 27 players before the start of the season. That's no reason not to look for better players on other rosters. The Patriots are value-seekers. There may be some good values out there come late August.

Iceman778

. It would certainly be less obvious than it would be to cut a proven starter in March or April.

Reckedtrek

Absolutely! If we can land a couple of good quality players, especially any combination of DE, OLB and/or RB, things start looking pretty good. It's going to be an interesting August/early September.

__________________
Full Tilt, Full Time! Thanks Tedy!!


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



... I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it, That's technical talk. ~ Stevie Ray Vaughan
.

crowell33

Which OLB or DE do you think will be released?

Spiral

First, I'd follow the money. Look for team owners who are likely to be in the position of wanting to unload payroll. My guesses are: Carolina, Jax, TB, Tenn, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Oakland, Arizona. Maybe some others, depending on stadium debt service and some other factors. Then start looking down these rosters for any veteran player with a salary of $3M or more, and/or significant LTBE incentives, contract escalators or roster bonuses. You could probably take the rosters of those teams and make some educated guesses as to who could be availalble.

crowell33

Sounds good. Any guesses of which OLB and DE's might get cut, thus making them available to the Pats?