patchick

It strikes me that one of the biggest differences between last season and this is the productivity of the team's vet signings. Take a look at the major acquisitions (I'm leaving off mid-season street FA signings, players who hit the IR before cuts could be made, multiple Hank Poteat sightings, etc.):

2005 Free agent signings
QB Doug Flutie
WR David Terrell
CB Chad Scott
LB Monty Beisel
WR Tim Dwight
LB Chad Brown

2006 Trade acquisitions
CB Duane Starks
WR Andre Davis


Let's face, that is a HORRIBLE group of transactions overall. Out of eight players, only one is still with the team. If you ever wanted proof that BB & SP are fallible, you've got it.

Now this year:

2006 Free agent signings
WR Reche Caldwell
LB Junior Seau

2006 Trade acquisitions
WR Doug Gabriel
DL Johnathan Sullivan

Three of those four look like solid moves, with Gabriel potentially a good deal more than that.

Now if just one of Terrell, Dwight and Davis, one of Beisel and Brown, and one of Scott and Starks had lived up to billing last year, things could have been mighty different. You pay your money and take your chances.

Mike the Brit

The defensive lineman was Johnathan SULLIVAN. Jonathan Smith was the WR/KR from Buffalo.

__________________
My prized possessions: Our family pictures; my dad and me getting doused by Bruschi in Super Bowl XXXIX [Shalize Manza Young Up Close with ... Bill Belichick]


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They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Well, Pats fans should be invincible by now. [Fitzy, 16 November 2009]

Still here to learn

patchick

Right-o, slopping cutting-and-pasting. Corrected now, thanks!

TomBrady'sGoat

you want the difference between this year and last?

Injuries

cstjohn17

Nice breakdown, boy it hurts to see Beisel, Brown and Starks listed...

The Pats preference is to build the "middle tier" with young players and unsigned veteran free agents. I think it will always be hit and miss with low end veteran signings. If Harrison, Bruschi and Seymour go down again then I would expect a significant drop-off irregardless of how good Seau plays. In 05 we were hamstrung by the cap but in 06 we had money to add a starting caliber player at LB or at a minimum a very competent backup. BB and SP are always good at combing the waiver wires and resurrecting the dead (<-- alert, corny Halloween reference) but IMO they could reduce the risk of a Beisel / Brown flop by signing higher quality players earlier in free agency.

njpatsfan

PC,

I agree with your point - but you have to add the IR ST'rs to that equation as well.

R

patsgo

look at it this way bb and pioli run this like a college team, the free agents are seniors and the only keep what they want,the ones they dont want or dont want to overpay they let them go and get comp. picks ,then they build the team via the draft like incomong freshman, they only sign bit role players or vets who want a chance to win as free agents , you cant argue with their record