Taking a deep breath

[E Belichick Unum]

I find myself getting more and more concerned with the direction that the Pats are taking in FA this year. The more I look at the division the more concerned I get. My problem isn't that I believe that the Pats will not be a good team, I am concerned that both Miami and the Jets are going to be better.

Miami just signed Carlos Dansby to replace Joey Porter. I would take Dansby over Porter anyday. The Jets just traded for Cromartie, maybe creating the best backfield in the AFC. The Pats, are they playing the game well or are we going to be left with table scraps? Last year was a failure on many levels for the Pats. Their lockerroom was a mess, their players were spouting off to the press, and their play on the field sucked against the teams they had to beat and they had no pass rush. I never thought they would land Peppers, but I thought they might beef up the defense a little, but it doesn't look that way today. Instead they are sitting on their hands, waiting and waiting and waiting some more.

Their coaching staff is a mess! They have no real offensive coordinator and their defensive coordinator left the day after the best available replacement signed on with the Chiefs. Belichick didn't do a bad job last year but this year he will have one of the smallest coaching staffs in the league on one of the richest teams in the league. How does he expect to be a major contributor on offense, defense and ST and still be the head coach of a Super Bowl team? It reminds me of Cleveland where he assured everybody that he knew more than they did because they didn't know anything.

So I ask you all to talk me down from the ledge. As you can see from my name I am a big Belichick guy, but I do not see how this season can end well with what has transpired since Jan. I do not see the logic in what the Pats are doing. Help me Pats Fans, your my only hope!

 

[Frezo]

If it will stop a fellow fan from jumping...The Pats will trade this year's and one of next year's 1st rounders and one of this year's 2nds to the Rams for the #1 and come away with Suh. ...feel better?

 

[Jangles]

this is one of the first offseasons I've followed and I must say I was a much happier camper when I was ignorant to what went on.

The complacency the Pats orginization has is infuriating. They seem to me (remember this is just my opinion as a sports fan) is that they're arrogant enough to think players value being a Patriot more than $$$ from another team. It's like they just want to sit back and let players come to them.

I'm not saying I want to see and All Davis or Snyder move and grossly overpay some undeserving player but when your team has as many holes as the Pats and they seemingly put very little effort into filling those holes I get upet.

For those of you who are going to tell me "we'll fill those holes in the draft"

This team blows at drafting. Not only that but rookies here don't see much time. If the draft is where our talent is coming from then maybe we can expect to be a competitor by the midpoint of this decade

 

[Willie55]

Free agency is old four days old.

 

[Ring 6]

I find myself getting more and more concerned with the direction that the Pats are taking in FA this year. The more I look at the division the more concerned I get. My problem isn't that I believe that the Pats will not be a good team, I am concerned that both Miami and the Jets are going to be better.

Miami just signed Carlos Dansby to replace Joey Porter. I would take Dansby over Porter anyday. The Jets just traded for Cromartie, maybe creating the best backfield in the AFC. The Pats, are they playing the game well or are we going to be left with table scraps? Last year was a failure on many levels for the Pats. Their lockerroom was a mess, their players were spouting off to the press, and their play on the field sucked against the teams they had to beat and they had no pass rush. I never thought they would land Peppers, but I thought they might beef up the defense a little, but it doesn't look that way today. Instead they are sitting on their hands, waiting and waiting and waiting some more.

Their coaching staff is a mess! They have no real offensive coordinator and their defensive coordinator left the day after the best available replacement signed on with the Chiefs. Belichick didn't do a bad job last year but this year he will have one of the smallest coaching staffs in the league on one of the richest teams in the league. How does he expect to be a major contributor on offense, defense and ST and still be the head coach of a Super Bowl team? It reminds me of Cleveland where he assured everybody that he knew more than they did because they didn't know anything.

So I ask you all to talk me down from the ledge. As you can see from my name I am a big Belichick guy, but I do not see how this season can end well with what has transpired since Jan. I do not see the logic in what the Pats are doing. Help me Pats Fans, your my only hope!

Are you happy with the results of the first 10 years of Belichick?
If you are, then there is no ledge to be talked off of, because this offseason is starting out the same as all of the others.
I don't know why every year fans have this idea that we are going to go out and sign these high priced big name FAs, or even why they think that its a good idea. It never works.
Please show me a team that followed the strategy that you are disappointed the Pats haven't that has had more or even some success. It doesnt work. It doesnt work. The teams signing players on the first couple days of FA (the high priced most sought after ones) do not win.....pretty much ever.
If you really want to get yourself off the ledge go back to this date in each of the last 5-10 years, and look at what happened to the teams that signed those players that everyone thinks you have to have, that are great and will turn teams around. Then look at what the real results were.

 

[Feep50]

The sky is falling:film at 11!

I'm taking the Alfred E. Newman approach on this: "What me worry?"

In BB I trust. Big Vince was that biggest piece on the jigsaw puzzle. Done....

 

[mgteich]

The answer to continuing to be division champs is not whether we sign any of the first few free agents signed in the first four days of free agency (the fourth day isn't over yet). That has never been the proper way to judge the offseason.

We have locked in Wilfork. I'd be more than happy if we signed Bodden and Faulk, and extended Mankins. To me, any of these is more important than replacing them with a free agent.

The first steps of free agency are about inding out which of our players are staying; then we can know where we are.

Belichick is defnitely been looking at freea gency to fill holes at WR and DE, even at this early date of freee agency.

I will post a new general thread each week. We are currently in the middle of Week One. After Week SEVEN will come the draft. After Week EIGHT, we will know much more. It is then that belichick will look to trading block and to signing some last pieces of the 2010 roster puzzle. We are a long way from the end of Week EIGHT.

I find myself getting more and more concerned with the direction that the Pats are taking in FA this year. The more I look at the division the more concerned I get. My problem isn't that I believe that the Pats will not be a good team, I am concerned that both Miami and the Jets are going to be better.

Miami just signed Carlos Dansby to replace Joey Porter. I would take Dansby over Porter anyday. The Jets just traded for Cromartie, maybe creating the best backfield in the AFC. The Pats, are they playing the game well or are we going to be left with table scraps? Last year was a failure on many levels for the Pats. Their lockerroom was a mess, their players were spouting off to the press, and their play on the field sucked against the teams they had to beat and they had no pass rush. I never thought they would land Peppers, but I thought they might beef up the defense a little, but it doesn't look that way today. Instead they are sitting on their hands, waiting and waiting and waiting some more.

Their coaching staff is a mess! They have no real offensive coordinator and their defensive coordinator left the day after the best available replacement signed on with the Chiefs. Belichick didn't do a bad job last year but this year he will have one of the smallest coaching staffs in the league on one of the richest teams in the league. How does he expect to be a major contributor on offense, defense and ST and still be the head coach of a Super Bowl team? It reminds me of Cleveland where he assured everybody that he knew more than they did because they didn't know anything.

So I ask you all to talk me down from the ledge. As you can see from my name I am a big Belichick guy, but I do not see how this season can end well with what has transpired since Jan. I do not see the logic in what the Pats are doing. Help me Pats Fans, your my only hope!

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Try not reading anything about the NFL on a daily basis during the offseason.

I am not being sarcastic; during the offseason and draft periods, it is better to get updates more infrequently.

I am very glad that the Pats don't act daily based on the frenzy and emotions of many of us, that are in turn based on what every other team is doing.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

first, they did not sign dansby to replace porter because the 2 play different positions....porter is on the outside and dansby is on the inside.....I believe dansby is replacing ayodele or crowder.

my only problem is that the scheme depends on LB's......and right now, the only full time guy the pats have is mayo

 

[borg]

Hey , only 1/10 of the teams projected salaries for 2010 went to resigning 2 players..Wilfork 8 + TBC 4.5=$12.5 mill. Maybe this year they will be able to stop a good team.

 

[Ring 6]

this is one of the first offseasons I've followed and I must say I was a much happier camper when I was ignorant to what went on.

The complacency the Pats orginization has is infuriating. They seem to me (remember this is just my opinion as a sports fan) is that they're arrogant enough to think players value being a Patriot more than $$$ from another team. It's like they just want to sit back and let players come to them.

I'm not saying I want to see and All Davis or Snyder move and grossly overpay some undeserving player but when your team has as many holes as the Pats and they seemingly put very little effort into filling those holes I get upet.

For those of you who are going to tell me "we'll fill those holes in the draft"

This team blows at drafting. Not only that but rookies here don't see much time. If the draft is where our talent is coming from then maybe we can expect to be a competitor by the midpoint of this decade

So you feel that being aggressive and going after the highly rated players is better than spreading money across the roster? (BTW, what you consider complacency is actually a necessity of not overspending on a few players....you cant sign the middle tier until the top tier sets the market. The type of players we want aren't signing yet. You don't really think that BB has decided that it isnt worth his effort to be invloved in Free Agency and he rather take a nap than bring a player in do you?)
If I am going to take you position seriously you would have to show me examples of teams that have done what you are saying BB is wrong to not be doing and had it work.

Take a look at the most successful franchsies in the NFL in this era.
How many free agents are the Steelers, Colts, Eagels, Chargers and Patriots signing in these first few high priced days? How many do they ever?

Managing a roster in a capped system (and if you think teams don't have to operate knowing the cap will be back next year, you just arent paying attention) is a lot like budgetting your money.
If you get paid once a month on the first of the month, do you cash your check, and bring the family to the mall with a fistful of money? You may get the new big screen, the WII, and all that, but you may not be eating on the 25th. Teams that 'have to have' the 'big name stars' ultimatley consistently end up shorting their roster, and if one thing has been proven in this era of the NFL its that you win by not having liabilities not by aligning superstars to overcome your liabilities in other areas.

Every team that has won a SB this decade has been a well rounded team that lacked flaws more than were dominant in one area. Many of them only won once they sacrificed that one area in order to be well rounded. (Saints, Colts, Steelers, Rams (well that was 1999 but same point) Bucs, to name a few, and of course the 3 by the Pats were based on that concept)
Look at our team itself. As the 'star power' increased, the rings went away. 2 years removed from the greatest offense ever, build around 3 superstars, we are in the worst shape of the decade. Spending big on names wont reverse that.

 

[Kontradiction]

Are you happy with the results of the first 10 years of Belichick?
If you are, then there is no ledge to be talked off of, because this offseason is starting out the same as all of the others.
I don't know why every year fans have this idea that we are going to go out and sign these high priced big name FAs, or even why they think that its a good idea. It never works.
Please show me a team that followed the strategy that you are disappointed the Pats haven't that has had more or even some success. It doesnt work. It doesnt work. The teams signing players on the first couple days of FA (the high priced most sought after ones) do not win.....pretty much ever.
If you really want to get yourself off the ledge go back to this date in each of the last 5-10 years, and look at what happened to the teams that signed those players that everyone thinks you have to have, that are great and will turn teams around. Then look at what the real results were.

Of course, if the team WERE active in free agency so far, I'm sure we'd be hearing from you about how BB is "taking the necessary steps to ensure that this team is competing for a championship in 2010".

 

[JackBauer]

How can the Jets have the best defensive backfield when they have essentially nothing at S?

Of course, that could always change.

The Dolphins have their own issues. They have nothing at WR or OLB; Dansby was signed to replace (IIRC) Ayodele, not Porter.

 

[Ring 6]

first, they did not sign dansby to replace porter because the 2 play different positions....porter is on the outside and dansby is on the inside.....I believe dansby is replacing ayodele or crowder.

my only problem is that the scheme depends on LB's......and right now, the only full time guy the pats have is mayo

Guyton and TBC played essentially full time last season as well. Thomas did too for that matter.
So we have full time LBs.
TBC is one of our OLBs. We need the other.
Guyton is one of our ILBs, but that may be the 3rd, and he may be repalced by or share his job with McKenzie.
We allowed the 2nd fewest points in the NFL last season, and have everyone important back pending Bodden (I understand Burgess and Green are FAs but I dont consider them important or at least hard to replace)
I recognize the D had flaws that got them exposed in critical situations, but we are talking about the 2nd fewest points in the NFL, and you are talking like its the 1981 Patriots.

 

[Ring 6]

Of course, if the team WERE active in free agency so far, I'm sure we'd be hearing from you about how BB is "taking the necessary steps to ensure that this team is competing for a championship in 2010".

I don't know what you would be hearing in an alternate universe.
I am just pointing out that what is happening now is no different than what has happened for 10 years, and I'm happy with the result of that.
You seem to have a problem with that??????

 

[Jangles]

So you feel that being aggressive and going after the highly rated players is better than spreading money across the roster? (BTW, what you consider complacency is actually a necessity of not overspending on a few players....you cant sign the middle tier until the top tier sets the market. The type of players we want aren't signing yet. You don't really think that BB has decided that it isnt worth his effort to be invloved in Free Agency and he rather take a nap than bring a player in do you?)
If I am going to take you position seriously you would have to show me examples of teams that have done what you are saying BB is wrong to not be doing and had it work.

Take a look at the most successful franchsies in the NFL in this era.
How many free agents are the Steelers, Colts, Eagels, Chargers and Patriots signing in these first few high priced days? How many do they ever?

Managing a roster in a capped system (and if you think teams don't have to operate knowing the cap will be back next year, you just arent paying attention) is a lot like budgetting your money.
If you get paid once a month on the first of the month, do you cash your check, and bring the family to the mall with a fi(Please be quiet - edited)l of money? You may get the new big screen, the WII, and all that, but you may not be eating on the 25th. Teams that 'have to have' the 'big name stars' ultimatley consistently end up shorting their roster, and if one thing has been proven in this era of the NFL its that you win by not having liabilities not by aligning superstars to overcome your liabilities in other areas.

Every team that has won a SB this decade has been a well rounded team that lacked flaws more than were dominant in one area. Many of them only won once they sacrificed that one area in order to be well rounded. (Saints, Colts, Steelers, Rams (well that was 1999 but same point) Bucs, to name a few, and of course the 3 by the Pats were based on that concept)
Look at our team itself. As the 'star power' increased, the rings went away. 2 years removed from the greatest offense ever, build around 3 superstars, we are in the worst shape of the decade. Spending big on names wont reverse that.

I suppose

I'll admit I don't know anything about the salary cap. I just wish the Pats were a little more aggressive in going after players they claim they want.

Boldin could have been signed and he didn't get more money than the Pats could afford. I think we got hosed there

Bodden out testing the waters supposedly isn't asking for ridiculous sums of money. Letting him go only creates more holes this team needs to fill

 

[Ring 6]

How can the Jets have the best defensive backfield when they have essentially nothing at S?

Of course, that could always change.

The Dolphins have their own issues. They have nothing at WR or OLB; Dansby was signed to replace (IIRC) Ayodele, not Porter.

And Cromartie is awful. He was run out of SD. They almost gave him away for a bag of footballs.

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't know what you would be hearing in an alternate universe.
I am just pointing out that what is happening now is no different than what has happened for 10 years, and I'm happy with the result of that.
You seem to have a problem with that??????

So basically, if we go out and sign a free agent like, say, Antonio Bryant and pay him $5-$6M per year, you would come into the thread and say that BB is making a huge mistake and that he should have stuck by the Pats business model that has worked for the past decade instead of blowing "big money" on said free agent?

 

[Ring 6]

I suppose

I'll admit I don't know anything about the salary cap. I just wish the Pats were a little more aggressive in going after players they claim they want.

Boldin could have been signed and he didn't get more money than the Pats could afford. I think we got hosed there

Bodden out testing the waters supposedly isn't asking for ridiculous sums of money. Letting him go only creates more holes this team needs to fill

But the Patriots are 'claiming they want' anyone. Its a total rumor that has been called untrue by Lombardi who is the closest to BB of any of the national reporters that the Pats had any interest in Bolden.
Virtually every team has an interest in most players AT A PRICE.
If Peyton Manning were a FA the Patriots would be interested in bringing him in to backup Brady, but it would be foolish to compete with teams who would pay him started money because we have other needs for that money. That analogy holds across the entire roster. A player is worth the cost of what we cant get by signing him.
Somehow fans think that when there are 5 mega-expensive players on the market and 32 teams competing for them that its shameful we didnt sign 3 of them. I just dont get that.

 

[Kontradiction]

The thing that shocks me the most about that is that Nate Washington is on the open market. I wanted him last year before he went to Tennessee and had no idea that he was a free agent this year.