If the new CBA is signed before July 4th...

[AzPatsFan]

My Friend and I were speculating what would happen in July if the new CBA gets signed in the next few weeks.

I know Free Agency and Trades and veteran signings would occur. Does Bill feel he could let other staff handle that, while he and the other Coaches coach? But what about the Team activities?

Would Bill compress all the usual off season OTAs and reschedule them into the three weeks prior to training camp? Consider would the Rookies have their seperate rookie camp in early July? Or is it needed? Was the traditional Rookie camp mostly an introduction and publicity meeting; or is it truly an NFL orientation for the rooks? Would the Passing OTA happen thereafter in the following week? Would the second, (installation) OTA occur the week before Training Camp?

Or would Belichick figure that their is too much to do with signings and trades to have any OTAs at all?

Traditionally, the Teams stand down in July and the coaches try to keep their marriages together with a family time for vacations et cetera prior to the absences and long days of Training Camp and the Season? Would he take that away?

What would you do if you were BB?

 

[DarrylS]

First would get the rookies to Gillette to engage in NFL Socialization Activities to familiarize them with the culture of the NFL and the Patriot way. Introduce them to the play book.

Simultaneously time figure out what to do with free agency, and have Caserio handle it..

Sign Mankins, Light and all else will follow.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

BB loves coaching football. However in this instance that's not what he needs to be doing. His real job is forming a team that can contend. While his coaches do the day to day rookie assimilation into the Patriots hive mind and focus thereafter on early camp fundamentals, BB's contribution should be making decisions first on FAs Light & Mankins, followed by evaluating NFL FAs and finally just overseeing (yes/no final approval) signing UDFAs. Plenty of time for him to then focus on coaching during August in this hypothetical timeline.

 

[Metaphors]

You have to imagine Belichick has a plan and multiple contingency plans.

1) Free agency - This is time-critical and must be addressed first. It will need a lot of attention since UFAs, UDFAs and RFAs (Page may go from RFA to UFA with the new settlement) need to be handled at the same time. This is where Belichick will need to spend most of his time.

2) Tinycamp - Probably not much use to pull together a minicamp, but definitely need to get everyone into the facilities and handle logistics. This will require a good amount of coaching delegation and veteran leadership.

3) Salary cap - This is down on the priority list only because I believe the league will give teams time to get under the new cap. It is a gating factor for free agency though. Lots of fat can be trimmed with minimal pain:

TBC - $2M savings
Kaczur - $3M
Sanders - $2.5M
Crumpler - $2M
Wilhite - $1M

That is $10M off the cap with ready replacements (Moore, Cannon, Page, Smith, Dowling) that would cost a fraction of that. This plan has probably been booked for a while and unless FA is a complete bust, it is just deciding when to pull the trigger. Which leads to...

4) Mankins - Pretty clear that he is a Patriot for 2011. Once the new rules are in place and the uncertainty is gone, I would look for renewed negotiations on a multi-year deal...with both sides in a better mood than last year. Belichick has made nice through the press so others can manage dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

I don't see coaching on the list until camp starts. The draft signaled this in April. The new guys have relatively easy transitions...OT, RB, inline TE, ST. Cannon is likely a PUPy and Dowling is joining an established secondary so he can be brought along slowly. Stroud is new but is a vet with skills that should translate nicely...plus he continues Belichick's plan to eventually acquire every 1st round DT in the 2001 draft (Warren, Seymour, Lewis, Stroud...just have Hampton and Pickett left to get).

 

[Sivy]

You have to imagine Belichick has a plan and multiple contingency plans.

1) Free agency - This is time-critical and must be addressed first. It will need a lot of attention since UFAs, UDFAs and RFAs (Page may go from RFA to UFA with the new settlement) need to be handled at the same time. This is where Belichick will need to spend most of his time.

2) Tinycamp - Probably not much use to pull together a minicamp, but definitely need to get everyone into the facilities and handle logistics. This will require a good amount of coaching delegation and veteran leadership.

3) Salary cap - This is down on the priority list only because I believe the league will give teams time to get under the new cap. It is a gating factor for free agency though. Lots of fat can be trimmed with minimal pain:

TBC - $2M savings
Kaczur - $3M
Sanders - $2.5M
Crumpler - $2M
Wilhite - $1M

That is $10M off the cap with ready replacements (Moore, Cannon, Page, Smith, Dowling) that would cost a fraction of that. This plan has probably been booked for a while and unless FA is a complete bust, it is just deciding when to pull the trigger. Which leads to...

4) Mankins - Pretty clear that he is a Patriot for 2011. Once the new rules are in place and the uncertainty is gone, I would look for renewed negotiations on a multi-year deal...with both sides in a better mood than last year. Belichick has made nice through the press so others can manage dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

I don't see coaching on the list until camp starts. The draft signaled this in April. The new guys have relatively easy transitions...OT, RB, inline TE, ST. Cannon is likely a PUPy and Dowling is joining an established secondary so he can be brought along slowly. Stroud is new but is a vet with skills that should translate nicely...plus he continues Belichick's plan to eventually acquire every 1st round DT in the 2001 draft (Warren, Seymour, Lewis, Stroud...just have Hampton and Pickett left to get).

Tiny camp ha ha

 

[BlueThunder]

Belichick's plan to eventually acquire every 1st round DT in the 2001 draft (Warren, Seymour, Lewis, Stroud...just have Hampton and Pickett left to get

Pretty amazing stat

Glad to see they sat the money grubbing lawyers down....

As tensions rose and anger grew, two sources said NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith instructed his lawyers to "stand down."


With lawyers removed from the direct negotiations, the process was said to be getting back on track and to be in a good spot. The scenario Tuesday is an example of how tenuous the talks can be and how quickly they can be derailed.


But it also is proof that Smith and the players and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners have taken the process out of the hands of the attorneys and demanded control to hammer out a collective bargaining agreement.

 

[Frick]

I'll drink to that.

 

[supafly]

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as though we have to worry about this.

After the past week or two of good news, or 'progress' in the talks, it seems as though we are hearing a lot of negative news lately about the current state, unless you believe in the conspiracy theory that it's all supposed to be put there as part of a big posturing plan.

Here's Fox News' report from Glazer:

NFLPA boss DeMaurice Smith to players: No agreement in near future - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

And Florio's report from PFT:

Is De Smith willing to do a deal? | ProFootballTalk

This is total bullsh!t at this point, and I am losing patience as a fan. It's like a big rollercoaster ride...one week, there's good news, one week there's bad news.

With some teams (Bears and Rams I think) scheduled to be starting training camp in 3 weeks, it doesn't appear too likely at all that they will achieve all of the following to make that happen:

1. Hash out all of the issues and disagreements (Especially with 2 days of talks every week. Even this week they had 4 days, but only ONE was with owners/players, and that is today. Next week is already shortened due to the holiday on Monday.)

2. Take care of the litigation in the courts

3. Agree to, and draw up a meaningful deal, which will take some time in itself

4. Have some sort of free agency period, supplemental draft etc

5. Give enough notice to the teams who hold camp away from home to make arrangements, as hotels, traveling itineraries, vendors, and gasp...yes, even the FANS need to make some sort of plans (don't even know how that's possible, even at this point)

6. Finally...start training camp on time, or at least by the end of the first week of August. Even that will lose the league out on millions, as the NBC stuff and Hall of Fame game will be dramatically affected

I hate to sound so negative, but it appears to be more of a negative situation than it was last week, and the whole rollercoaster ride is becoming incredibly annoying. As of last week, I think we all felt positive about the whole thing, now..not so much, at least on my end. I know there's some conflicting reports, and mis-information, so I'll try my best to take a step back in off the ledge at this point. I'm interested in hearing others' takes on the process, and whether or not I am thinking too negatively?

Thanks, in advance.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think there has been a lot of speculation and a lot of over reacting throughout the process mostly fed by media driven to be perceived as out in front of situations... Negotiations generally slog along through good days and bad days depending on which side of the fence you're source is observing from until they finally come together quickly as a perceived deadline approaches. They have another week or so yet until they are at that point. Probably need to be in court by the 8th and ready to vote by the 11th-12th to meet that potential drop dead date for a full pre season. While it's a nice touch and there are a relative few TV dollars involved, I never watch the HOF game because it's generally barely a scrimmage due to timing anyway...

July 15th is really the date by which they need to be good to go. Many teams have already made the decision to hold camp at their facility rather than off site. A few days earlier would be preferrable if they are contemplating some kind of exclusive period for teams to negotiate with their own FA prior to FA commencing. A few days later won't signal the end of the world as we know it. It will just make it tougher on FO and coaching staff who have to deal with all the ramifications of a new CBA achieved on the eve of TC.

They won't get into screwing up anything substantial until or unless the 15th comes and goes and they aren't even in court yet.

I think De is spinning this period as he has to because he has to sell what comes out of this process as a tough negotiation in which the union didn't cave or blink first. I think what he is saying in private and doing in public when combined with being under court restraint to prevent revealing or misrepresenting any details makes that a harder sell absent some generic rhetoric designed to calm down the troops who are now like fans primed for this thing to be over any day now. As they get down to the last nickle or % point or finer detail he can't afford to lose leverage in the form of players starting to vent or break ranks because they've had enough already... It's also all about managing expectations from here on out because that effects his ability to manage spin once a deal is achieved and it's time to vote.

Most of this doesn't matter to fans and the majority of players who just want it all to be over and the season to be commencing. But it matters to the owners and the hardliners in the union because it will be a reflection on their performance in managing the business of football at a critical juncture. De is up for re-election in March 2012. If he has become the devil you know over the course of this process, smart owners and their commissioner may not want to jeopardize that any more than they want to accept another bad deal. But they also don't want fans to question why they didn't do this last March any more than De can afford to have players who have seem millions of their money spent on a lawsuit and potentially lost millions due to an expiring CBA and lockout ask the same question. It has to appear to have been a worthwhile win-win endeavor probably unachievable under any other circumstances in the end or both sides - neither of whom are lacking for egos - end up looking like f'ed up, incompetent losers to their disgruntled constituencies. Power and influence. I guarantee you everyone at the table has aspirations for achieving more of both. As do their critics who will emerge the instant the dust settles.

 

[BlueThunder]

I'm cautiously optimistic....today is an important day as some owners will be there.....lets hope they can duct tape the lawyer's mouths and get some things ironed out toward the final agreement....

Obviously, the sooner the better, but as long as teams can get into camp by the last week of July, the season won't be too adversley affected...rookies will be behind but Pats won't have to depend on any rookies to be starting and playing a big role...

As far as the HOF Game in early August...meh ..no big deal if it doesn't get played....

 

[BlueThunder]

I think Florio's article really hits the nail on the head.....

The "special treatment" for the Brady class action and the 48% of sales tax revenues to players is just a way for the NFPLA lawyers to delay the signing of any agreement, thus losing the season and getting Smith canned.....

Let's hope the players can see thru this ruse and give Smith a vote of confidence to get a deal done.

 

[patman52]

I think both sides are closer than what they are saying. Smith or the owners cant say they are close as that weakens their position.

I think they do this in two stages, next week they say that have an framework agreement in place. The NFL will end the lockout, Teams can open camps and talk- but not sign their own FA. They can however sign UDFA and their picks.


This will allow teams to prepare, specially the new head coaches. However no preseason games can be played or FA signed. The NFL then gets no TV money, and the Union has 500 out of work members, this will force both sides to continue to talk.

 

[sbpatfan]

3) Salary cap - This is down on the priority list only because I believe the league will give teams time to get under the new cap. It is a gating factor for free agency though. Lots of fat can be trimmed with minimal pain:

TBC - $2M savings
Kaczur - $3M
Sanders - $2.5M
Crumpler - $2M
Wilhite - $1M

I knew it was only a matter of time before people started suggesting cutting Sanders... again.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think both sides are closer than what they are saying. Smith or the owners cant say they are close as that weakens their position.

I think they do this in two stages, next week they say that have an framework agreement in place. The NFL will end the lockout, Teams can open camps and talk- but not sign their own FA. They can however sign UDFA and their picks.


This will allow teams to prepare, specially the new head coaches. However no preseason games can be played or FA signed. The NFL then gets no TV money, and the Union has 500 out of work members, this will force both sides to continue to talk.

Nothing is gonna happen based on a framework. League had been pretty clear on that in the last week or so. Also no camps open before the last week in July (three weeks from tomorrow for the earliest team camp). The only thing teams would be doing in the interim is signing FA, and that isn't going to happen until a new CBA is ratified by both sides which is going to be the final step in the process...

 

[BlueThunder]

Nothing is gonna happen based on a framework. League had been pretty clear on that in the last week or so. Also no camps open before the last week in July (three weeks from tomorrow for the earliest team camp). The only thing teams would be doing in the interim is signing FA, and that isn't going to happen until a new CBA is ratified by both sides which is going to be the final step in the process...

Damn...I hate reality

 

[Metaphors]

I knew it was only a matter of time before people started suggesting cutting Sanders... again.

McCourty, Bodden, Butler, Arrington, Dowling, Meriweather, Chung
Traded for and tendered Page (though he will likely be a UFA, they obviously want him)
Claimed and stashed Barrett for a year so they see him as part of the depth chart
Not to mention Sergio showing some potential last year
There are also a fi(Please be quiet - edited)l of safeties in the UDFA ranks

If everyone develops as expected and stays healthy, that looks to be a pretty solid group without Wilhite or Sanders. Take the millions saved and use them for the rush end that everyone is craving.

If someone flames out or snaps a ligament, Sanders and Wilhite are a solid plan B. I just can't see them fitting in the depth chart (I see Dowling getting safety snaps) where their experience and salary makes sense.

Edit: I understand you can't say S-T-F-U in polite conversation...but censoring f-i-S-T-F-U-l is just unAmerican.

 

[patman52]

Nothing is gonna happen based on a framework. League had been pretty clear on that in the last week or so. Also no camps open before the last week in July (three weeks from tomorrow for the earliest team camp). The only thing teams would be doing in the interim is signing FA, and that isn't going to happen until a new CBA is ratified by both sides which is going to be the final step in the process...

yeah that is what they say now, but I see a change in heart. Teams can do evaluations of personnel, gym work, film study etc. Guys who are under contract are not going to be affected pay wise by what ever is ratified there is no reason to keep them out.

 

[Shelterdog]

I knew it was only a matter of time before people started suggesting cutting Sanders... again.

Dude he had a slow 40 predraft and he sucks on Madden. Of course we should gut him.:deadhorse:

 

[Metaphors]

Guys who are under contract are not going to be affected pay wise by what ever is ratified there is no reason to keep them out.

That may generally be true but there are some considerations. For example, I'm pretty tight against the rumored cap with current contracts. I have a guy with a $7M salary. If the cap is $125M+ I want to keep him. If it is under $120M, he has to go. If I let him in the facility before the cap number is signed and delivered and he blows out his knee jogging out for stretching, I could be hosed.

There are probably lots of other problematic situations if you resume football activities without having all teams get under the cap first. If all parties could get the cap number settled in court in an expedited way, your scenario could play out with the other settlement details being worked out later. That seems like a stretch. Would like to be surprised though.

 

[Deus Irae]

I think Florio's article really hits the nail on the head.....

The "special treatment" for the Brady class action and the 48% of sales tax revenues to players is just a way for the NFPLA lawyers to delay the signing of any agreement, thus losing the season and getting Smith canned.....

Let's hope the players can see thru this ruse and give Smith a vote of confidence to get a deal done.

Named plaintiffs getting special treatment is nothing new in these types of suits.