LloydBraun

I am tired of hearing from the John Clayton's and Peter King's of the world about how the Pats are cheap.

This team paid Brady and Seymour big money, which they deserved. The O-linemen got fair money, as did the LB'ers. But, they did not get "crazy" money thatthey could get on the market.

This team chooses not to OVERPAY, there is a difference. Givens, Branch and Vinatieri for example did not deserve elite money. Vinatieri is still an elite kicker, but his weaknesses are hid in the dome.

These so called sports writers should realize that the Pats are built to compete year in and year out. They do this buy spending wisely and building depth.

We have plenty of cap room and draft picks this year. The team has quality depth on both lines, in the backfield and at the TE position. Now is the time to load up at LB, WR and the secondary.

I am excited to see what this team looks like during training camp.

wdkantro2

Never listen to anything Clayton says. He is a know it all who actually doesn't know much. He thinks just because the Pats don't go out and sign multiple free agents to huge deals every year it means they are cheap. He doesn't realize they were close to, if not over the cap in 2006.

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psychoPat

vyrago

He did make the point in his last column that the smart teams wait till the hubbub of free agency is over and pick up what they need at reasonable prices and he listed the Pats as one of those teams, so though I don't hink he's any genius, he does seem to be paying attention.

Yankees/Colts

Yeah, right.

Anyway, he's making less with the Colts than he was with the Pats and less than Vanderjagt was making. Right?

BTW, did you see his new Reebok commercial with the Da Bears crew? Has he ever had a national commercial before? I don't remember one. Many Patriot fans noted the numerous local sponsorship opportunities he might be losing by going to Indianapolis. I think he might probably gladly trade the local car dealership for a national Reebok spot.

bradmahn

I'm almost positive Vinatieri's contract is the highest for a kicker in the history of the NFL. And read the rest of what the post said, particularly the part about a dome. I seem to remember him shanking a fairly easy kick in the rain against the Bears.

And considering that the Pats brought in a kicker who was more than competent as Vinatieri's replacement, and for a much, much smaller salary, they didn't have to pay him "elite money."

Fixit

You're right, except for the part where you're completely wrong. 5-yr/$12.5M + a $3.5M bonus = the largest contract ever for a kicker.

Nice try, though.

LloydBraun

Yankees/Colts, wow, a person that roots for BOTH of those teams. Man, you are the bizarro Lloyd Braun. Just kidding, lol.

But, Vinatieri did not deserve elite money from the Pats. His leg was getting shorter on kickoffs and they were continually bypassing long FG's due to his leg strength. It was a good business move for NE.

That being said, it was also a good business move for Vinatieri and Indy. Everybody seems to have won in this situation. The IDEAL transaction.

In regards to endorsements, I think Reebok should have signed him sooner. He made some unforgettable kicks with the Pats.

A Yankee and Colts fan.......... SERENITY NOW !!!!!!

MrBigglesWorth

Peter King thought Ben Watson was a Pro Bowler this year. Well he wasn't, maybe next year he will be.

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"There are two categories of superbowl participants that nobody remembers:

The team that lost the game and the team that only won one." Dwight White- Steelers

Yankees/Colts

Vinatieri 2005 Pats salary: 2.759 million
Vinatieri 2007 Colts salary: 2.070 million

I couldn't locate the 2006 salary, perhaps Miguel has it, but I'm pretty sure it was less than the 2.759 million he made the year before with the Pats. He signed for far less with the Colts than most people were predicting and came as a relative bargain for the Colts. I believe he either made less in 2006 than Vanderjagt did in 2005 or he made less than Vanderjagt was scheduled to make in 2006.(The guy who had the Colt salary page shut it down, I believe, so I'm not exactly sure.) To clarify again: I believe he made less in 2006 and is making less in 2007 than he did in his final year with the Pats and made less in 2006 than Vanderjagt did in 2005 or was scheduled to make in 2006 with the Colts.

He missed one kick in the playoffs, and that was in a driving rain... and was still 3 for 4 in that game. He had his best postseason ever, 14 for 15, and may have had his best season ever overall.

He set an NFL record for points in a postseason with 49.

Also, you guys keep talking about the dome. This is his last season playing in a dome.