Seymour in The Driver's Seat

[PatsFans.com Article]

Ian's Daily Blog - Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour is heading into the final year of his contract, and should New England fail to reach a deal on an extension, the five-time Pro Bowler could cash in*big in an uncapped year in 2010.Tom Curran of NBC Sports spoke to Seymour on Tuesday, and when*asked if he wanted to remain*with [...]

Click Here To Read This Blog Entry​

 

[eom]

and wilfork wants seymour money.
uh oh.....

 

[slash83]

Seymours gone after this year my bet is Denver pickin him up. Let's resign wilfork I don't wanna lose both.

 

[captain stone]

If someone pays $eymour what he's been paid here during his last contract, then they're idiots. He's worth half that - maybe.

If the choice is btwn. Wilfork & $eymour, then I'll take Wilfork - and twice on Sundays. The solution is simple: move $eymour's cap hit after he leaves, and give it to Wilfork. Easy, Peasy, Japanesey.

"Driver's seat" my azz. What a joke.

 

[signbabybrady]

If someone pays $eymour what he's been paid here during his last contract, then they're idiots. He's worth half that - maybe.

If the choice is btwn. Wilfork & $eymour, then I'll take Wilfork - and twice on Sundays. The solution is simple: move $eymour's cap hit after he leaves, and give it to Wilfork. Easy, Peasy, Japanesey.

"Driver's seat" my azz. What a joke.

What #93 have you been watching??

 

[Pats726]

I agree...if there is a choice between the two, I would take Wilfork, but I do not think it's as easy as some believe. I think losing both would be the worst and that needs to be avoided. I also do not see at this time how both are kept..plain simple, even with an uncapped year. I just think Wilfork at this time is more important than Seymour to the D. I would try and keep both, but I think that is impossible.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

What #93 have you been watching??

He's been watching the one thats made of glass, and ONLY had 8 sacks last year

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I wouldn't say Seymour is in the drivers seat. He's in something like temporary front row seating which was all the Patriots were willing to give him as a compromise 4 years ago for a couple of reasons. He was hurt a lot, he doesn't play well hurt, and despite his acknowledged talent he's never developed into the all in team leader they hoped he would. I think whether or not he stays is truly more their decision than his. And I think they may be somewhat ambivalent heading into his contract year depending on what he wants.

They won't pay top tier money for talent alone, it has to be part of a value added package that includes a more expansive team first leadership role. As Pioli used to say they gauge how much a guy wants to win championships here as opposed to his desire to simply get paid what he believes he's worth based on talent or past or present performance. Because you can only have so many top tier players earning top tier money within the confines of a salary cap and within the parameters of this system before you have to start cutting corners on the support system that benefits them all.

It will be much the same calculation for Wilfork as well as Mankins. Are they impact players on and off the field or can a similar impact be achieved by replacing them with one or more well coached albeit arguably less purely talented players given the level of their contract demands...

In the case of Brady the answer is pretty clearly no, but then he tempers his demands which make that decision a hell no. I think they hoped that Seymour would become that core player on defense, leading by example on and off the field, but the jury is still out. I also think that part of his 3 year $30M extension was an understanding that they would not revisit the matter until 2010. Hopefully the understanding didn't include any discussion of the franchise tag. Because with it the team truly remains in the drivers seat.

 

[satz]

Seymour led the league in sacks for a 3-4 end this year and came of off his best statisical year in 08. A similar year with 8 sacks and 55 solo tackles will put him back in the top 2-3 3-4 ends in the league. He will only be 30 so i can see him making big bucks.

always wonders if one can line up freeney and seymour on one side with mathis on the other the colts can do some damage.

 

[mgteich]

Wilfork and Seymour are much more important to this team than Mankins. I'm not sure why they are part of the same discussion.

I wouldn't say Seymour is in the drivers seat. He's in something like temporary front row seating which was all the Patriots were willing to give him as a compromise 4 years ago for a couple of reasons. He was hurt a lot, he doesn't play well hurt, and despite his acknowledged talent he's never developed into the all in team leader they hoped he would. I think whether or not he stays is truly more their decision than his. And I think they may be somewhat ambivalent heading into his contract year depending on what he wants.

They won't pay top tier money for talent alone, it has to be part of a value added package that includes a more expansive team first leadership role. As Pioli used to say they gauge how much a guy wants to win championships here as opposed to his desire to simply get paid what he believes he's worth based on talent or past or present performance. Because you can only have so many top tier players earning top tier money within the confines of a salary cap and within the parameters of this system before you have to start cutting corners on the support system that benefits them all.

It will be much the same calculation for Wilfork as well as Mankins. Are they impact players on and off the field or can a similar impact be achieved by replacing them with one or more well coached albeit arguably less purely talented players given the level of their contract demands...

In the case of Brady the answer is pretty clearly no, but then he tempers his demands which make that decision a hell no. I think they hoped that Seymour would become that core player on defense, leading by example on and off the field, but the jury is still out. I also think that part of his 3 year $30M extension was an understanding that they would not revisit the matter until 2010. Hopefully the understanding didn't include any discussion of the franchise tag. Because with it the team truly remains in the drivers seat.

 

[DarrylS]

Every time something is posted on Seymour it should be done twice one for the bashers who believe he is not worth what he gets and the others for the informed believers who understand what he does to and how valuable he is to this defense.

 

[Jimke]

The question may be whether the Patriots are willing to pay

Seymour 15 million per year.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Every time something is posted on Seymour it should be done twice one for the bashers who believe he is not worth what he gets and the others for the informed believers who understand what he does to and how valuable he is to this defense.

And we could also have a third one for the truth that probably lies somewhere in between.

 

[mgteich]

That may be the question. As I recall, Haynsworth got $13M a year guaranteed.

I don't think there is much chance of extending Seymour this year. That is why I think it is so critical to extend Wilfork even at $9M-$10M a year.

The question may be whether the Patriots are willing to pay

Seymour 15 million per year.

 

[Jimke]

That may be the question. As I recall, Haynsworth got $13M a year guaranteed.

I don't think there is much chance of extending Seymour this year. That is why I think it is so critical to extend Wilfork even at $9M-$10M a year.

The Pats may also have to sweeten the last year of Wilfork's

rookie contract like they did for Seymour.

 

[mgteich]

As long as there is an extension, I'm not sure that Wilfork will care how the money is labeled. However, just sweetening his current contract with a no-franchise provision would make him a happy camper for 2009, almost as happy as having a 5-year extension.

I suspect that a sweetner with a large option payable by March 1st would be the easiest way to go.

The Pats may also have to sweeten the last year of Wilfork's

rookie contract like they did for Seymour.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

That may be the question. As I recall, Haynsworth got $13M a year guaranteed.

I don't think there is much chance of extending Seymour this year. That is why I think it is so critical to extend Wilfork even at $9M-$10M a year.

Paying him more than he's supposedly asking for smacks of a level of panic seen only on this board, thankfully...

There is a certain orderliness to the way they do things here. It's part of the underpinning of the system. Nobody gets more in bonus or average than Brady. Only a select few will approach him in average let alone bonus. Only a select few will be willing to work within that aspect of the system. I'm sure there was a safe deal on the table for Vince last season. Something you used to rail against, not forcing them to honor their contract... This year maybe there won't be. That was a risk he accepted. Now he may have to live with it. If it sours him on remaining here, well that's something Bill will have to live with. It's all about risk/reward. If if sours him he probably doesn't have what it takes to remain here. Ditto Seymour. Each can be signed by this team and this team alone up until next March 1 or whenever FA opens in advance of an uncapped year or a new CBA - either of which scenario provides for expanded potential opportunities to retain them or get value for not retaining them that do not exist in the present. Because while we may not need to create cap today, we don't have enough available as it stands to do a deal with either of them and to create it would have it's own set of consequences BB may not find as appealing as some here do.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The Pats may also have to sweeten the last year of Wilfork's

rookie contract like they did for Seymour.

They can't do that because Seymour had two years left when they sweetened his deal in the second to last year and Wilfork only has one. There is nothing from which to draw the sweetener...Seymour got an advance on his 2006 salary in anticipation of a new deal to replace it in bonus a year later.

As long as there is an extension, I'm not sure that Wilfork will care how the money is labeled. However, just sweetening his current contract with a no-franchise provision would make him a happy camper for 2009, almost as happy as having a 5-year extension.

I suspect that a sweetner with a large option payable by March 1st would be the easiest way to go.

Not sure Bill wants to set the precedent of agreeing not to tag a player who isn't yet tagged... And as far as an option bonus it's only as good as the guaranteed language it contains and I'm not sure how that jives with the salary limitations under an expiring CBA... Seymour's $18M option was guaranteed by $19M in year 2 salary in the alternative.

 

[Pats726]

I'm really curious as to how much the uncertainty of next year capped with a new CBA or uncapped and a question mark enters into the negotiations an dof getting a deal done with Wilfork now?? I tend to think it may...but maybe others have different opinions.

 

[patfanken]

THere are 2 issues being discussed on this thread. One is whether Seymour can or will be re-signed, and how valuable or important Seymour is to the team.

Seymour has on several occassioins indicated that he has no real love for living in NE. Or that rather he’d much rather live a lot further south. He is also has had either real of perceived slights from the organizaion that he might not have gotten over. Also, for either financial, or ego reasons, he’s one of those guys for whom the amount of money REALLY matters. So for that reason, I don’t think this is a matter of IF he goes, he’s gone.

My best hope is that he plays to an ALL Pro level, and remains healthy. At the end of this season, they will both dance around the contract issue for a few months, but in the end the inevidably happens and Richard will play for someone else in 2010

As to the issue of whether he's worth the effort to sign, I'd have to say yes. I love Vince Wilfolk. HOWEVER no matter how important he is to the 3-4 he STILL remains a guy who is on the field ONLY for the first 2 downs of every series. Seymour has ALWAYS been on the field for virtually every snap (when healthy). So while I am highly confident that the Pats will not re-sign Richard and WILL re-sign Vince, I think Seymour is still, for the reason given, the more valuable to the defense.