Getting Draft picks signed and in camp......Pats success depends on it. - New England Patriots Forums

scott99 · 06-28-2006, 03:32 PM

I was thinking about this today, 30 days until camp, and not one pick signed. I think the Pats success will depend on the benefit of having full uninterrupted camps for certain draft picks.

Oviously Chad Jackson is probably the most important one. Being so thin at WR, it would probably hurt us if we don't get him into camp on time, especially with the Branch situation being so sensitive.

Laurence Maroney is probably second most important. In my opinion, Corey Dillon is a question mark at 32 years old. Best case scenerio is that Dillon stays healthy, runs for 1000 yards, and Maroney gets 500. Worst case, Dillon is nicked like last year, and Maroney misses games due to getting to camp late, not looking forward to the worst case.

David Thomas is in a similar situation as Jackson, I think he will be counted on as a weapon. Mills to a lesser extent.

Obviously it's with the utmost importance that we get Gostkowsi signed also, since most likely he will be our kicker.

All the others would most likely sign before camp.

***mgcolby*** · 06-28-2006, 03:34 PM

Isn't there something going on with the CBA? I thought the reasons we haven't seen the windfall rookie signings was due to the agents not recieving the full terms of the CBA. I think PFT talked about this I will try and find the article.

***BelichickFan*** · 06-28-2006, 03:38 PM

Until they miss a day of camp it means nothing and the top 2 round picks usually don't sign until a week beforehand anyway. It's way to early for this to be an issue yet.

***mgcolby*** · 06-28-2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

When the NFL and the NFLPA negotiated the new CBA in March, they didn't actually hammer out a "new" agreement. Instead, they generated a six-page "Term Sheet" reflecting the revisions to the existing contract, a 300-plus page document that yours truly also uses for bicep curls.

It's now been nearly three-and-a-half months, and there's still no sign of the new CBA.

It really shouldn't be a difficult process. Most lawyers of reasonable competence should be able to figure out within a couple of business days where and how the text of the Term Sheet should be dropped into the existing collection of Articles and Section and whys and wherefores.

Although (as we reported last week) the league and the union are still dickering over the extent to which the restrictions on bonus forfeitures apply retroactively, the arguments being raised by league insiders are: (1) that this is an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago; and (2) that it's not the kind of thing that should take weeks of ongoing discourse to resolve.

The problem is that teams and agents are in the process of working out new contracts, and everyone prefers to be using a single document that incorporates final language effecting the changes set forth in the Term Sheet.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Scroll about 3/4 of the way down.

This may affect when the rookies get signed.

spacecrime · 06-28-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott99

I was thinking about this today, 30 days until camp, and not one pick signed. I think the Pats success will depend on the benefit of having full uninterrupted camps for certain draft picks..

I agree about the success part, but only if the rooks are signed for training camp. I don't care if they are signed in July or not.

Don't panic. Picks are almost always signed at the last minute.

Pats726 · 06-28-2006, 04:52 PM

I agree...it happens like dominos...one is signed then many and??? NOT a problem until late July.....and PFT will have more on that..

Flying Fungi · 06-28-2006, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacecrime

Don't panic. Picks are almost always signed at the last minute.

And the Kraft regime has been singled out in past years for their success in signing all of their picks promptly and without vitriol (with due note of the Guss Scott contract and Ben Watson negotiations).