Cap cuts?

[Rob0729]

Creating a need at RT, one which will be filled for a player who will be paid...a little over $1 million.

And Bruschi's cap savings would be less if he retires, since the Pats aren't going to ask for his signing bonus money back.

A RT can be replaced in the draft pretty easily. Look at the calvacade of RTs the Pats had during their Super Bowl run. They had a different starting RT in all four Super Bowl seasons. The Pats won Super Bowls with Greg Randall, Tom Ashworth, and Brandon Gorin as their starting RT. You can replace the RT position without tying up over $1 million. They could plug in a fourth or fifth round pick from this season and potentially get more production than Kazcur. It will cost far less than $1 million to sign a fourth rounder.

 

[Miguel]

According to Tom Marino

Who is Tom Marino???

 

[billdog3484]

Who is Tom Marino???

dan's mentally challenged younger brother....no idea actually

 

[VJCPatriot]

A RT can be replaced in the draft pretty easily. Look at the calvacade of RTs the Pats had during their Super Bowl run. They had a different starting RT in all four Super Bowl seasons. The Pats won Super Bowls with Greg Randall, Tom Ashworth, and Brandon Gorin as their starting RT. You can replace the RT position without tying up over $1 million. They could plug in a fourth or fifth round pick from this season and potentially get more production than Kazcur. It will cost far less than $1 million to sign a fourth rounder.

I'm far from confident that the Pats could "coach up" a rookie 4th round tackle to be Superbowl quality ready in 1 season. That's being way too optimistic.

 

[JSn]

Nick Kuzcur could be another cut. He is basically a JAG RT and could free up a little over $1 million.

If you believe this you must also be ok with the idea of dumping Light's sorry a$s for an upgrade this year as well.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm far from confident that the Pats could "coach up" a rookie 4th round tackle to be Superbowl quality ready in 1 season. That's being way too optimistic.

Matt Light was a rookie LT in the 2001 Super Bowl. In 2006, Kazcur was a rookie starting RT on a team that was 1 minute from the Super Bowl and he was a very low third round pick. Dan Koppen was a 5th rounder rookie starter on the 2003 Super Bowl team and center is arguably a tougher position for a rookie because he calls the line assignments.

O-line, especially RT, is one of the easiest area for a rookie to come in and contribute immediately and have a lower round pick be an impact player. It is definitely not being way too optimistic to think the Pats can get a middle round rookie or a journeyman veteran minimum young player off of someone's practice squad or undrafted free agent (see Brandon Gorin and Tom Ashworth) to plug into that position. Gorin was a seventh round pick by the Chargers. Ashworth was an undrafted free agent.

 

[Rob0729]

If you believe this you must also be ok with the idea of dumping Light's sorry a$s for an upgrade this year as well.

Light is one of the most underrated players on this team. He is an above average LT. He is not elite, but he is better than at least half of the LT out there, probably 2/3.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Light is one of the most underrated players on this team. He is an above average LT. He is not elite, but he is better than at least half of the LT out there, probably 2/3.

Odd, I'd have said the same thing about Kaczur.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Matt Light was a first day pick. The Pats expect their early picks to be able to contribute early so he's a bad example. The Pats RTs have not been very impressive over the years either, I'd call them serviceable rather than good. But how much money are we saving by cutting Kaczur? It better be a sizeable savings or it's just not worth it. I"m not saying that the Pats won't draft developmental OL on the second day but to expect them to be starters their first year is overoptimistic. Our goal is to keep Tom Brady upright, not have him protected on one side by a FOTB rookie.

 

[Rob0729]

Matt Light was a first day pick. The Pats expect their early picks to be able to contribute early so he's a bad example. The Pats RTs have not been very impressive over the years either, I'd call them serviceable rather than good. But how much money are we saving by cutting Kaczur? It better be a sizeable savings or it's just not worth it. I"m not saying that the Pats won't draft developmental OL on the second day but to expect them to be starters their first year is overoptimistic. Our goal is to keep Tom Brady upright, not have him protected on one side by a FOTB rookie.

If our goal is to keep Brady upright, improving the RT position should be a top priority. Kazcur is the weak link on the o-line and got Cassel killed plenty of times last year. Personally, I think he is easily upgraded for cheap money. If Ryan O'Callahan didn't fall apart himself, Kazcur might not have even made it out of training camp last year.

The Pats might use a third rounder for a RT upgrade or even a second. Who knows. But the Pats went into the 2003 season with a fifth round draft pick rookie starting at the second most important position on the o-line. Why is it so hard to believe they wouldn't go into the season with a rookie at RT.

Besides, with the money saved, the Pats can sign 2-3 veteran minimum guys to one year contracts. The Pats can find a journeyman who can be an upgrade over Kazcur (again, see Ashworth and I will see you Joe Andruzzi and Mike Compton although they were guards). The Pats have been plugging and playing the o-line for years especially at RT.

 

[JSn]

If our goal is to keep Brady upright, improving the RT position should be a top priority. Kazcur is the weak link on the o-line and got Cassel killed plenty of times last year. Personally, I think he is easily upgraded for cheap money. If Ryan O'Callahan didn't fall apart himself, Kazcur might not have even made it out of training camp last year.

Bro, the sacks allowed stats and tackle analysts would say you're wrong.

I remember talking to Mike Reiss (via email) about this and he also agreed that there was a lot of unfair Kaczur hate. RG and Centre were the door to sacktown early on. That's your weak link... and the days Light doesn't play (Steelers).

 

[Rob0729]

Odd, I'd have said the same thing about Kaczur.

I'd wholeheartedly disagree. Kazcur was a bubble starter guy in camp who was in a position battle with Ryan O'Callahan all preseason. The only reason why he kept his job was because no one was good enough to replace him although journeyman Mark LeVoir came close. If Kazcur was that good, there wouldn't have been a position battle.

 

[Lampshade]

Odd, I'd have said the same thing about Kaczur.

I'd have said the same thing about just about every player mentioned in this thread.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I'd wholeheartedly disagree. Kazcur was a bubble starter guy in camp who was in a position battle with Ryan O'Callahan all preseason. The only reason why he kept his job was because no one was good enough to replace him although journeyman Mark LeVoir came close. If Kazcur was that good, there wouldn't have been a position battle.

Neighbor, you've got blood colored beer goggles on when you watch Kaczur. Since you haven't noticed it, O'Callaghan's starts came while Kaczur was injured. The other thing you may not have noticed, Kaczur is a four year starter, at both tackle spots. Rant all you want, but Scarnecchia and Belichick find him to be a good fit.

 

[Rob0729]

Neighbor, you've got blood colored beer goggles on when you watch Kaczur. Since you haven't noticed it, O'Callaghan's starts came while Kaczur was injured. The other thing you may not have noticed, Kaczur is a four year starter, at both tackle spots. Rant all you want, but Scarnecchia and Belichick find him to be a good fit.

I am not talking about his starts. I am talking about camp battles. O'Callaghan didn't win the job because he sucks worse than Kazcur. Mark LeVoir was better than O'Callaghan last year. It doesn't change the fact that the Pats were giving him the chance to take the job away from Kzcur in camp.

We don't know what Belichick and Scarnecchia really think at this point. What if they take a tackle in the third or fourth round? Then what does that say about how they think about the guy? Clearly they didn't think all that high of him coming into camp this past year because the starting RT battle was one of the positions to watch all summer by all the media people. Go back and look at Reis' blog back then, it was talked about quite a bit.

This argument is pretty moot anyway since the Pats don't seem to be cutting anyone at this point. I think Kazcur is a potential cut if they find a replacement for him, but they are not cutting any of the higher priced players unless they need the money or they find a replacement at this point. Personally, I think Jarvis Green is the player with the worst value to his cap hit and the Pats haven't done anything to get rid of him or reduce his cap charge.

 

[JSn]

Yeah, and in camp it's reasonably assumed Kaczur was overcoming a drug addiction as well.

What if they DO take a tackle, and he's an LOT?

 

[Rob0729]

Yeah, and in camp it's reasonably assumed Kaczur was overcoming a drug addiction as well.

What if they DO take a tackle, and he's an LOT?

I doubt they will, but then it means that they are looking to replace Matt Light at some point (maybe sooner than later) or move him to RT to replace Kazcur. Just because they draft a LT doesn't mean he will play LT in the pros. If they take him in the first or second round, he will at least get the opportunity a year or two from now if not sooner. Even if they do, they could move Light to RT and Kazcur could still be the odd man out.

I said Light is above average. Never said he is irreplacable. He is going to be 31 in June and will be an UFA after the 2010 season. This might be the time they would start to look to replace him. Belichick has been known to replace players before they decline. I doubt he will be replaced this year though.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I am not talking about his starts. I am talking about camp battles. O'Callaghan didn't win the job because he sucks worse than Kazcur. Mark LeVoir was better than O'Callaghan last year. It doesn't change the fact that the Pats were giving him the chance to take the job away from Kzcur in camp.

We don't know what Belichick and Scarnecchia really think at this point. What if they take a tackle in the third or fourth round? Then what does that say about how they think about the guy? Clearly they didn't think all that high of him coming into camp this past year because the starting RT battle was one of the positions to watch all summer by all the media people. Go back and look at Reis' blog back then, it was talked about quite a bit.

This argument is pretty moot anyway since the Pats don't seem to be cutting anyone at this point. I think Kazcur is a potential cut if they find a replacement for him, but they are not cutting any of the higher priced players unless they need the money or they find a replacement at this point. Personally, I think Jarvis Green is the player with the worst value to his cap hit and the Pats haven't done anything to get rid of him or reduce his cap charge.

O'Callaghan was playing behind Kaczur in Training Camp, and behind Britt too, before he was injured and later placed on IR. LeVoir was claimed off waivers two days after O'Callaghan was IR'd, but you are correct, he 'was' better than O'C because he immediately put Britt on the bench for the season and Britt beat out O'Callaghan the year before.

EDIT: As far as drafting a mid-round OT, I want them to draft one. If they could find someone who is better than Kaczur he could be Neal's eventual replacement, but I don't see anyone outside the first round who is going to beat Nick - keep saying your prayers though.

 

[DW Toys]

Who is Tom Marino???

Patriots Insider.com=Scout.
NFL Analyst
DW Toys

 

[Rob0729]

O'Callaghan was playing behind Kaczur in Training Camp, and behind Britt too, before he was injured and later placed on IR. LeVoir was claimed off waivers two days after O'Callaghan was IR'd, but you are correct, he 'was' better than O'C because he immediately put Britt on the bench for the season and Britt beat out O'Callaghan the year before.

EDIT: As far as drafting a mid-round OT, I want them to draft one. If they could find someone who is better than Kaczur he could be Neal's eventual replacement, but I don't see anyone outside the first round who is going to beat Nick - keep saying your prayers though.

You are right. It was Britt who was competiting for the spot, not O'Callaghan.

I will pray that the Pats improve the team. It is stupid not to and the right side of the o-line is an area of need to improve. Why wouldn't anyone want an improvement there? It is definitely a potential area where Belichick may look to improve in the later rounds.

As for no one outside the first round being able to replace Kazcur, you are joking right? You really think there will be not one OT tackle taken from the 32nd spot on who will be a better tackle than Kazcur. Let's not got overboard here. Even if Kazcur is an above average RT as you claim, that is a silly statement.