Agents' Rebuttal to Kraft's Interview

[ctpatsfan77]

Other than thinking he could be what puts you over the top for a SB there was no reason to do that and if they thought that last year it should still be the same now.

Remember, though, that their best offer prior to applying the franchise tag would have been $8M for 2012 and $8M for 2013. In that light, the "extra" $ for the franchise tag aren't ridiculous.

 

[Tunescribe]

I have had this feeling for a long time that Welker was going to test the market no matter what. Back at Christmas, my son received a Welker jersey as a present from one of our Massachusetts relatives and I remember teasing them that they should have gotten Gronk or someone who we knew would be on the team next year. Everyone was so confident Welker would be a Pat but I couldn't figure out why nothing was getting done. The only time I got optimistic was when Brady restructured but even then it was short-lived as the Welker to test market stories rolled out.

The moment Brady's restructuring was announced I just assumed Welker was a done deal and felt a sense of relief over that.

 

[Patsrock]

Sure there is. The take it or leave non negotiating tactic by NE flies completely in the face of Kraft's statement that if WW had come to NE a day earlier, a deal would have been completed. According to Dunn, he approached NE several times ( aka "days earlier" )to see if NE would negotiate pieces of the Patriot presented deal. And each time NE refused. For Kraft to then stand at at the podium after the fact and make definitive statements that NE would have upped the deal flies in the face of the reality.

For someone who accuses people of being blind homers and never critical. You sure do take the absolute opposite approach

 

[borg]

Agents are a subspecies unlike any creature you will ever encounter. A close friend is a big time money manager for a fleet of top earning pro athletes so he is in constant contact with all the big agents we read about, see movies about, etc. A few weeks ago, I played in a charity tournament in a foursome that included a football agent with a small client list. This guy, who shall not be named, was a piece of work. Two parts Joe Pesci, one part Donald Trump, with a great big dose of TO sprinkled in. To say this guy is a type A personality is a giant understatement. For four hours, he negotiated everything....strokes, who teed off, beer prices. He handed his business card to the beer cart girl, the starter, and the MC of the event. I was either laughing my ass off or shaking my head, there was no in between. But he was endearing and it is easy to understand how college kids and their families get sucked in by the charms of these guys.
But it is also very easy to understand how the BB's of the sports world want nothing to do with these guys and limit contact.....numbers only, the rest is just just filler. The Patriots had "hand" in this negotiation, that is undeniable. It just seems this cold calculating approach missed some signals. That's a shame because the Patriots lost a sure thing. That is undeniable as well.

 

[Jimke]

The plain fact is that most people can only think in black and white and have a hard time with shades of grey.

Feel free to turn in your season tickets. I am sure the thousands on the waiting list will appreciate it. We all recognize how hard its been to be a fan during this Kraft era.

It's too late for me to do what you suggest. Fact is that I am addicted to the Patriots. I didn't get on the bandwagon when they started winning.
My first teams were rag tag with NFL rejects, ex-CFLers, and semi-pro
players. Names like Songin, cowboy Jim Crawford, Jack Davis, Ross
O'Hanley, Chuck Shonta, and Tom Addison. The draft was 29 rounds long
but the Patriots lost two thirds of their choices to the established NFL.
My first ticket was to a Denver Broncos' game at Boston University Field
on a Friday night and was dated 9/9/1960.

 

[DaBruinz]

Sure there is. The take it or leave non negotiating tactic by NE flies completely in the face of Kraft's statement that if WW had come to NE a day earlier, a deal would have been completed. According to Dunn, he approached NE several times ( aka "days earlier" )to see if NE would negotiate pieces of the Patriot presented deal. And each time NE refused. For Kraft to then stand at at the podium after the fact and make definitive statements that NE would have upped the deal flies in the face of the reality.

You must have read a different announcement than everyone else because it doesn't say that at all. It doesn't even remotely come close to saying your idiotic assumption of days earlier. What it does say is that they got the offer,contacted the team, sent a counter, contacted the team, and then moved on. In fact, if you actually READ the article, Dunn even says that the discussions didn't occur before the start of free agency.

What flies in the face of reality is your willingness to believe everything the agent is saying. I bet you believed Alan Eagleson when he said the Bruins never offered Bobby Orr a 7% stake in the Bruins either..

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

This guy lost me at "their offer". Yesterday you said there wasn't one. Period. I know who I believe more and it isn't you.

That's what I was thinking, guy seems to be backtracking which is never a good look

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

That's what I was thinking, guy seems to be backtracking which is never a good look

Since Dunn acted quickly and issued a statement correcting the Curran article I can't help but think he's shooting straight here, oh wait...

 

[BSR]

It's too late for me to do what you suggest. Fact is that I am addicted to the Patriots. I didn't get on the bandwagon when they started winning.
My first teams were rag tag with NFL rejects, ex-CFLers, and semi-pro
players. Names like Songin, cowboy Jim Crawford, Jack Davis, Ross
O'Hanley, Chuck Shonta, and Tom Addison. The draft was 29 rounds long
but the Patriots lost two thirds of their choices to the established NFL.
My first ticket was to a Denver Broncos' game at Boston University Field
on a Friday night and was dated 9/9/1960.

Then you of all people should recognize how good of an owner he has been and cut him some slack every now and again that he doesn't have perfect foresight.

 

[Deus Irae]

Dunn's account is far more consistent with the reports we've been getting on this matter for the past couple of years. I don't know if it's 100% accurate, and it's at least possible that a 180 degree change in how negotiations were being done happened and Kraft is telling the truth, but Dunn's version definite fits the ongoing saga more cleanly than Kraft's version from yesterday.

 

[BSR]

Dunn's account is far more consistent with the reports we've been getting on this matter for the past couple of years. I don't know if it's 100% accurate, and it's at least possible that a 180 degree change in how negotiations were being done happened and Kraft is telling the truth, but Dunn's version definite fits the ongoing saga more cleanly than Kraft's version from yesterday.

Just answer one question...was it consistent with Curran report yesterday where Dunn indicated that there was no offer "ever period"?

 

[DaBruinz]

Dunn's account is far more consistent with the reports we've been getting on this matter for the past couple of years. I don't know if it's 100% accurate, and it's at least possible that a 180 degree change in how negotiations were being done happened and Kraft is telling the truth, but Dunn's version definite fits the ongoing saga more cleanly than Kraft's version from yesterday.

There is only one problem with your statement. We know that Kraft has, in the past, stepped in and said to get a deal done to management and they've done it. It happened with Troy Brown. It happened with Tedy. It happened with Wilfork. It happened with Seymour.

It's rare that Kraft does it. But he has done it. And I believe that he would have done it on this one.

The fact is that Dunn lied and claimed that the Pats never sent an offer. Now, we find out that they actually DID. So, why should we believe him that the Patriots weren't willing to negotiate?

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Welker's Agent: "It was take it or leave it" from Patriots

Wes Welker's agency says New England Patriots made "take it or leave it" offer - ESPN Boston

The statement from Athletes First released to NFL.com contended that the Patriots made just one offer to Welker and that it was a "take it or leave it" proposition that left them no alternative but to go on the free-agent market and shop for a deal elsewhere.

"Specifically, both sides are clear that the Patriots made one offer to Wes Welker since the prior negotiations ended in July 2012," the statement read. "Both sides also agree that this two-year offer came just hours before the start of free agency despite discussions that began at the NFL combine. Moreover, this lone offer was presented as a 'take it or leave it offer.' When we asked if there was room for structural changes, we were told no. We made a counter offer for the same term and same maximum dollar amount as their offer and it was rejected. We inquired if any of the offer's components were negotiable and were told no. This refusal to actually negotiate made it easy to reject the Patriots offer. Nevertheless, when we received the Denver Broncos' offer, Wes personally talked to Mr. Kraft to give the Patriots the opportunity to match it. The Patriots rejected this opportunity and Wes signed with the Denver Broncos."

Welker agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with the Broncos on Wednesday, the second day of free agency. The Patriots' last offer to Welker before free agency was two years for $10 million with incentives that could have increased it to $16 million, according to Kraft.

 

[IllegalContact]

Re: Welker's Agent: "It was take it or leave it" from Patriots

welker is coming across as someone who can't move on......or keep his mouth shut

it got him into trouble here.......and in the end, its sour grapes

at this point, I am glad he is gone

spiteful little prick

 

[BradyFTW!]

The fact that Dunn can't even remain consistent on whether or not an offer was on the table... well, that tells you all that you need to know. He's making **** up, and he's not even doing a very good job of it.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Re: Welker's Agent: "It was take it or leave it" from Patriots

welker is coming across as someone who can't move on......or keep his mouth shut

it got him into trouble here.......and in the end, its sour grapes

at this point, I am glad he is gone

spiteful little prick

More like his agents were clarifying since the Pats put out their side for damage control

Pats offer to Welker was lower and also Amendola was option1. They signed him before FA.

The incentive contract was unachievable given Josh downplaying Welker in his system, only going back due to injuries

The agents did misplay the market. Last year's market was much better for players

 

[Fixit]

The next time I believe anything in a public statement from a sports agent or criminal defense attorney will be the first time.

 

[shmessy]

Re: Welker's Agent: "It was take it or leave it" from Patriots

More like his agents were clarifying since the Pats put out their side for damage control

Pats offer to Welker was lower and also Amendola was option1. They signed him before FA.

The incentive contract was unachievable given Josh downplaying Welker in his system, only going back due to injuries

The agents did misplay the market. Last year's market was much better for players

Could you please first check if there is another thread on the very same subject before starting duplicate threads?

Merged.

That out of the way, your post has two glaring inaccuracies - - they are completely wrong:

1) The Patriots offer to Welker was not lower than what he got in Denver (where he won't see a second year on that contract).

2) Amendola was not "signed before FA". That is not legal.

 

[Nunchucks]

Re: Welker's Agent: "It was take it or leave it" from Patriots

More like his agents were clarifying since the Pats put out their side for damage control

Pats offer to Welker was lower and also Amendola was option1. They signed him before FA.

The incentive contract was unachievable given Josh downplaying Welker in his system, only going back due to injuries

The agents did misplay the market. Last year's market was much better for players

Why would the Patriots run damage control, are they in danger of being damaged by the optics of losing Welker?

I do not think they are.

Furthermore, they did not sign Amendola before FA began.

 

[shmessy]

Can you imagine how many e-mails
he has received complaining about losing Welker? Many probably come
from season ticket holder's like me.

Answer: About the same he received when that mean ol' BB replaced Drew with the untested kid QB........or when they dropped Lawyer Milloy 5 days before the season and he was picked up by the division rival that blasted them in the opener to that disastrous 2003 season, 31-0.

Don't worry, he'll get through it.