Contract Extensions

[mgteich]

I expect several minor extensions. The money is there and the money can be put to good use. Of course, there is no time pressure. I expect that team has someone assigned to this important year-long project.

I suspect that GUYTON is next. He still could be upgraded for next year; but, as is the case with Ninkovich, he has worked hard and served us well. He is the only player of the defenive players not signed through 2012, other than new players.

On offense, we need to extend CONNOLLY. We might also extend KOPPEN and WENDELL. Even if we are expecting to sign a center, keeping a veteran is a good idea. Besides, the pats like Koppen a lot.

The big extension possibility is of course WELKER.
======================================
We could go into the offseason with no free agents other than newcomers.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

Please God let Welkah get the fat paycheck he so richly deserves.

 

[Sciz]

I can easily see Guyton being replaced by some combination of Tarpinian, Edds, and Fletcher next season. Him hitting free agency wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Welker does need to get paid, after showing (unlike last season) that he can function in a two TE offense.

Connolly too. He's earned his weight in gold (around $9M, I believe), at least on a 3-year contract or something.

Forget Koppen. Brewster 2012!

 

[mgteich]

Giving up on a player because we might be able to draft a top center is not Belichick's style. OT's are a lot easier to find in the draft than centers, yet Belichick still re-signed Light for big money.

I can easily see Guyton being replaced by some combination of Tarpinian, Edds, and Fletcher next season. Him hitting free agency wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Welker does need to get paid, after showing (unlike last season) that he can function in a two TE offense.

Connolly too. He's earned his weight in gold (around $9M, I believe), at least on a 3-year contract or something.

Forget Koppen. Brewster 2012!

 

[BlitzFritz]

I would like to pile on and say that I have no excitement for Guyton. He looks the part, but I cant for the life of me remember him making any noteworhty plays. (Unlike Ninko who seems to just get better and better)

BB will probably extend him, but my hope is that he disappears to be replaced by someone else with potential upside. We have already found Guytons top level in my opinion and it average.

thoughts?

 

[Vataha]

Extensions by Priority:

1: Mayo
2: Welker
3: Woodhead
4: Chung

Guyton the cover LB can't cover a TE to save his life.
He's heading for special Teams and won't be around next year.

 

[The-Hooded-One]

Giving up on a player because we might be able to draft a top center is not Belichick's style. OT's are a lot easier to find in the draft than centers, yet Belichick still re-signed Light for big money.

Koppen is now 32 years old. If you want to keep him around as a back-up, fine, but center is a position the Patriots should be looking to upgrade next year. Next offseason the three positions the Pats should focus on are WR, C, and S.

 

[signbabybrady]

I can easily see Guyton being replaced by some combination of Tarpinian, Edds, and Fletcher next season. Him hitting free agency wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Welker does need to get paid, after showing (unlike last season) that he can function in a two TE offense.

Connolly too. He's earned his weight in gold (around $9M, I believe), at least on a 3-year contract or something.

Forget Koppen. Brewster 2012!

I dont think the OP is saying that Guyton is irreplaceable and/or I dont think he is saying we have to do anything contractually for him.

But I do think he is saying that he has played a couple years on low salary and it would be a good locker room move to bump him up a bit and maybe add a year on to it as well that way even if we do replace him he would be ours for camp adding to insurance and competition or maybe just a STs role.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Extensions by Priority:

1: Mayo
2: Welker
3: Woodhead
4: Chung

The only one of these likely to be extended this year is Welker, as Mayo, Woodhead, and Chung are all signed through next year.

 

[Vataha]

What is the CAP hit for Mayo for next year? (Rookie Contract)

BB may want to extend to reduce the CAP hit and retain Mayo for the long haul.
I think it gets done sooner rather then later, since they have the cap space.

I think business will be done differently with the new CBA.

With the new rookie wage scale there will be more $$$ for veteran extensions.

 

[mgteich]

There is, and always was, plently of money for contract extensions. The rookie salary cap is only a menaingful difference for the top drafted. The patriots don't worry about those draft spots.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

What is the CAP hit for Mayo for next year? (Rookie Contract)

When looking at extensions, the question is not "What's the cap hit?" so much as "How much can be saved?"—in other words, how much is the player actually getting paid in the remaining years?

In the case of Mayo, nearly all of his money has been turned into paid bonuses already. His new money for 2012 is only about $1 million.

 

[mgteich]

Koppen is 32. Light is 33. What is your point again?

Yes, I agree that we should look to draft a center.

Yes, as of now, it also looks as if we will need to focus on S and WR.

We will also need to focus on DE/OLB since Ellis, Carter and Anderson all were signed only for 2011.

Koppen is now 32 years old. If you want to keep him around as a back-up, fine, but center is a position the Patriots should be looking to upgrade next year. Next offseason the three positions the Pats should focus on are WR, C, and S.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I can easily see Guyton being replaced by some combination of Tarpinian, Edds, and Fletcher next season. Him hitting free agency wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Welker does need to get paid, after showing (unlike last season) that he can function in a two TE offense.

Connolly too. He's earned his weight in gold (around $9M, I believe), at least on a 3-year contract or something.

Forget Koppen. Brewster 2012!

What do you think of Konz and Jones?

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Koppen is 32. Light is 33. What is your point again?

Yes, I agree that we should look to draft a center.

Yes, as of now, it also looks as if we will need to focus on S and WR.

We will also need to focus on DE/OLB since Ellis, Carter and Anderson all were signed only for 2011.

Yeah...

Last year we picked 2 TE. This year we picked 2 RB.

Next year we need to pick 2 DE.


Only problem is that DE have a way higher BUST rate than TE and RB.

 

[The-Hooded-One]

Koppen is 32. Light is 33. What is your point again?

My point is they're aging and declining and we should be looking to replace them, not extend them.

 

[Deus Irae]

My point is they're aging and declining and we should be looking to replace them, not extend them.

Light's eventual replacement is already on the roster. I don't see your point here.

 

[The-Hooded-One]

Light's eventual replacement is already on the roster. I don't see your point here.

I know Light's replacement is here. We're talking about extending Koppen. Koppen's isn't here, unless BB thinks Wendell may be the guy.

Anyways, we didn't extend Light, we signed him as a free agent. The lock-out and rookie Solder not being with the team all summer gave the team a good reason to bring Light back.

 

[Deus Irae]

I know Light's replacement is here. We're talking about extending Koppen. Koppen's isn't here, unless BB thinks Wendell may be the guy.

Anyways, we didn't extend Light, we signed him as a free agent. The lock-out and rookie Solder not being with the team all summer gave the team a good reason to bring Light back.

It seemed to me that you spoke on both, with "them" in response to the quote, which is why I brought up Light. However, Light coming back was a good idea regardless of the lockout, because it's avoided the need for a rookie to step in on day one. The same will be true of Koppen, if he can return to form post-injury and is willing to sign a short enough deal.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Agree with the Welker and Connolly extensions. In fact if Connolly looks ok it could be bad news for Koppen. We could draft a C and bring him along slowly if Connolly is holding his own. No love for Deion Branch? He's a ufa after this year. Would like to bring him back. I expect A. Carter to have a good year and would like to bring him back too. Probably wise to wait and see if he can stay healthy.

As for guys up next year. Vollmer is still on his rookie contract. Very underpaid for what we're getting out of him. 835k. Pro-bowl caliber play. If he ever hit the open market, would probably snag 8-10m per. Let's reward the big fella now. The team knows whether his back injury is minor or not. If not a big deal. Get him signed. Patrick Chung was in that draft class.