A Return Of The 'Final Eight Rule' Could Dash away Pats Fans FA Hopes

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

The Pats will enter the Final Eight if the 2010 rules go into effect this season and that would severely damage the hopes of us getting anything more than a JAG as an additional OLB or WR this upcoming season.

NFL: A return to 2010 free-agent rules would impact final-eight teams - ESPN

 

[Sicilian]

Didn't the Jets seem to find ways around that pretty easily? I can't remember exactly, it might have been through trades, but it's not like it completely cripples you.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Didn't the Jets seem to find ways around that pretty easily? I can't remember exactly, it might have been through trades, but it's not like it completely cripples you.

Some fans want top caliber players in FA so in that case....yes it will cripple your chances.

Now if you want a JAG,then no big deal

 

[Oswlek]

I don't think the FO is nearly as interested in a big name WR or OLB as the fans are anyway.

I'm not expecting one with or without the rule.

 

[Shelterdog]

Didn't the Jets seem to find ways around that pretty easily? I can't remember exactly, it might have been through trades, but it's not like it completely cripples you.

I doubt the final 8 rules are in place again-once the 8th circuit rules on whether there can be a lockout or not the two sides will come to some kind of an agreement very quickly-but even if the rules are put in place they aren't as onerous as the article suggests. As I understand it the Pats could sign:

* a new unrestricted free agents for every free agent who signs elswhere, as long as the new Patriot player's salary is less than the departed player;

* one player who makes more than about $5 million a year

* as many players as they want with first year salaries of less than about $3.5 million.

They could get one very good free agent, a bunch of decent ones, and if Light signs elsewhere one guy who makes as much as Light which could be a lot.


NFL.com news: 2010: An uncapped year odyssey

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I don't think the FO is nearly as interested in a big name WR or OLB as the fans are anyway.

I'm not expecting one with or without the rule.

There is only ONE really big name player at OLB I would love to have and think that as an addition that would improve this defense immediately and that is Tamba Hali
.... that will never happen

 

[Deus Irae]

There is only ONE really big name player at OLB I would love to have and think that as an addition that would improve this defense immediately and that is Tamba Hali
.... that will never happen

Hali was franchised by the Chiefs.

 

[Sicilian]

There is only ONE really big name player at OLB I would love to have and think that as an addition that would improve this defense immediately and that is Tamba Hali
.... that will never happen

Hali was franchised by the Chiefs.

Which means if the Patriots somehow pulled that off (which is 99% unlikely), it would likely be done through a trade, which isn't part of the final eight rules I believe.

 

[Shelterdog]

Hali was franchised by the Chiefs.

Yup.

It's conceivable that they do away with the franchise tag in the next deal but I doubt it.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Yup.

It's conceivable that they do away with the franchise tag in the next deal but I doubt it.

Even if they do drop the tag, it will cost a team an arm and a leg to have Hali signed in a deal

The Pats don't sign players at substantially high salary and that is what it will take to get a guy like Hali who is coming off a tremendous season.

 

[Oswlek]

Even if they do drop the tag, it will cost a team an arm and a leg to have Hali signed in a deal

The Pats don't sign players at substantially high salary and that is what it will take to get a guy like Hali who is coming off a tremendous season.

They don't?

Brady
Wilfork
Seymour
AD
Colvin
Moss

All beg to differ.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

They don't?

Brady
Wilfork
Seymour
AD
Colvin
Moss

All beg to differ.

Of that list,3 were already within the confines of NE when signed to a lucrative contract (Brady,Wilfork,Seymour)
with the exception of Moss,Colvin and AD.....and those 3 players were reported to have been offered more elsewhere but wanted to be a part of the Pats..especially AD who was the BIG FA in 2007 (we all found out that ADs contract vs. performance was the biggest joke of the decade)

 

[Oswlek]

Of that list,3 were already within the confines of NE when signed to a lucrative contract (Brady,Wilfork,Seymour)
with the exception of Moss,Colvin and AD.....and those 3 players were reported to have been offered more elsewhere but wanted to be a part of the Pats..especially AD who was the BIG FA in 2007 (we all found out that ADs contract vs. performance was the biggest joke of the decade)

I'm not sure how much either of those effect this situatuon. NE is a good team, ergo they have good players ergo some of their big money contracts went to re-signing those players. I'd imagine you'll find the same ratio applies to other good teams like Indy/Pitt/SD/Philly.

As for the 2nd point, Colvin's contract was equivalent to AD's as far as percentage of cap at that time. And who's to say that Hali wouldn't want to be part of the Pats?

Bottom line, if NE really wants the guy and they aren't restricted from going after him, money won't be an issue.

 

[Shelterdog]

I'm not sure how much either of those effect this situatuon. NE is a good team, ergo they have good players ergo some of their big money contracts went to re-signing those players. I'd imagine you'll find the same ratio applies to other good teams like Indy/Pitt/SD/Philly.

As for the 2nd point, Colvin's contract was equivalent to AD's as far as percentage of cap at that time. And who's to say that Hali wouldn't want to be part of the Pats?

Bottom line, if NE really wants the guy and they aren't restricted from going after him, money won't be an issue.

A side benefit of all these draft picks is that New England is also probably in pretty good shape salary wise--they're at about 113 million including Mankins and excluding the draft picks--so they just might be able to put together a pretty big offer for a guy like Hali if the guy they want is a free agent and if they want to.

 

[Urgent]

...and if the Patriots thought this was an issue, maybe they would have addressed those needs in the draft. They clearly chose to use the draft to work on some future needs.

However, as noted if the Rule of Eight is in place, if Matt Light departs they could sign a second-tier OLB like Lawson, Anderson, Edwards, Babin, or Roth.

Could also trade Meriweather for a similar WR.

Pats also love to sign a couple aging vets released by their teams - Shawn Springs, Fred Taylor, Joey Galloway, Chris Baker, Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, Victor Hobson.

 

[Oswlek]

...and if the Patriots thought this was an issue, maybe they would have addressed those needs in the draft. They clearly chose to use the draft to work on some future needs.

However, as noted if the Rule of Eight is in place, if Matt Light departs they could sign a second-tier OLB like Lawson, Anderson, Edwards, Babin, or Roth.

Could also trade Meriweather for a similar WR.

Pats also love to sign a couple aging vets released by their teams - Shawn Springs, Fred Taylor, Joey Galloway, Chris Baker, Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, Victor Hobson.

I don't think they used the draft strictly for the future at all.

OT was the biggest need on the team - much more so than OLB - so a pick there was downright predictible.

I had upgrading the RB position rated higher than OLB as well, so I wasn't surprised by two picks there.

NE clearly has needs in the secondary, with only Chung and Sergio Brown signed for more than a year at S and only two CBs that you want starting on the outside.

Cannon seems like a possible future pick, considering his health. And both Mallett and Carter are clearly developmental projects. But an OLB would have been a developmental project even had he been picked at 17.

 

[brady199]

This rule is rediculous, the Salary Cap (when there was one) is in place to make it a level playing field. The draft order from worst to first also does the same thing. This just punishes success.


Also this hurts the players instead of having 4 possible teams interested in a player there may only be 2, which would drive down the cost. This seems like something the players could have a legitimate gripe about.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm pretty sure the Pats can sign any RFA they want because they have to give up compensation for them which means they are not part of the final 8 rule. That means they can still sign Mathias Kiwanuka and pay him whatever if they want if the 2010 rules are still in place. It will cost them a second rounder, but Kiwanuka is arguably the best pass rusher available in free agency this year. If the 2010 rules apply, the Pats would still be under the same situation with him if that is whom they are targetting.

 

[Rob0729]

Which means if the Patriots somehow pulled that off (which is 99% unlikely), it would likely be done through a trade, which isn't part of the final eight rules I believe.

If the Pats wanted to sign Hali, they could since he is exempt from the Final Eight rule since he was franchised and the Chiefs would receive compensation from the Pats in terms of draft picks. I think the Final Eight only applies to UFA who aren't franchised.

Besides, I think Hali signed his franchise tender which means he is under contract with the Chiefs and no longer a free agent at all.

 

[Rob0729]

...and if the Patriots thought this was an issue, maybe they would have addressed those needs in the draft. They clearly chose to use the draft to work on some future needs.

However, as noted if the Rule of Eight is in place, if Matt Light departs they could sign a second-tier OLB like Lawson, Anderson, Edwards, Babin, or Roth.

Could also trade Meriweather for a similar WR.

Pats also love to sign a couple aging vets released by their teams - Shawn Springs, Fred Taylor, Joey Galloway, Chris Baker, Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, Victor Hobson.

Under the 2010 rules, they can sign one player to a contract with the total compensation in the first year being $4.95 million. The Pats could sign a lot of those guys without Light leaving for that amount. I can't see Roth getting more than $3-4 million a year and I think I may be generous there.