New article on Dillon; return to Pats, "is not going to happen"

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

Corey Dillon [stats]’s probably not retiring. He’s just leaving the Patriots [team stats].
Speaking to FSN New England’s Greg ****erson yesterday, Dillon backed off comments he made in the Globe, when he said he was preparing to call it a career. Blaming himself for the “miscommunication,” he said retirement is just one option.
He was far clearer on his Patriots career, saying a return “is not going to happen.” He entered training camp last July knowing this would be his final year in a Patriots uniform. He has already won a Super Bowl and set a franchise record for rushing yards in a season.


“Been there, done that,” he said.
With a salary cap hit of $4.4 million, Dillon will likely be released by the end of next week. Free agency begins March 2 and Dillon will theoretically be a part of it, angling for one last lead running back job.
“Right now it’s too early to be talking about football,” he said. “I’m just enjoying my time off.”

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=184701

 

[patsgo]

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=184701

obviuosly his selfish ways are creeping back, if he doesnt want to be a team player let him go get his touches and start losing again, if my memory serves me he wanted out of the bengals because he wanted to go to a winning organization

 

[JoeSixPat]

obviuosly his selfish ways are creeping back, if he doesnt want to be a team player let him go get his touches and start losing again, if my memory serves me he wanted out of the bengals because he wanted to go to a winning organization

No - actually he had lost his starting role there too

starting = $$$$ and Dillion is smart to think that he can still start, outright, or when a team suffers an injury - he's not top tier anymore, but neither was Antowain Smith and he started on quite a few teams well past his prime

He knows he's not going to be a full time starter here. I don't fault him for wanting to serve in that role elsewhere.

 

[kolbitr]

Still, that is a pretty major miscommunication. If I were Reiss, I'd be miffed--this makes his piece on Corey look pretty mistaken. How could their signals have gotten so crossed? And if he was clear then, what exactly was his purpose? It doesn't really make sense to me--I understand he might have mixed feelings, and that he might want to both move on and move out, but if even one team out there considers him 'retired', it hurts his free agency campaign.

 

[upstater1]

What is going on? I thought the cap hit if cut is $3.8? The cap hit if we keep him is 4.4? Not much of a savings there...

Also, Corey ran the ball almost 13 times a game last year, not 8 times, and he asked out of the game often.

I don't get it, really. Makes no sense.

 

[richpats]

I believe the difference between his release and his retirement is that he wouldn't owe anything back to the Pats if released.

I have a feeling Dillon will be with the Jets in '07. They need that type of bruiser in their offense.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Good luck, Corey... when the Bengals turned up Rudi out of nowhere, there was not a shred of dignity to the national media perception of the whole thing. Your exit from NE looks like it's being done with class and mutuality between player and team. Would loved to have seen you retire a Patriot.

But hey, the Jets' last pro-bowl Pats' running back is about out of gas, so there's an opening.

PS, to anybody who's bored? We can all follow Robert Edwards this summer. He's been leading the CFL in TDs scored for a couple years now... who's with me!!

PFnV

 

[PATSNUTme]

I went from , Ok Corey, thank you. Then being pissed after I heard that he wanted to be released and talk to other teams.

Now, I'm Ok with it.because he said theat it's better that even chance he will just retire.


So, thanks #28. Hope everything goes well. ecept if you sign with the Jets , then I'll be pissed again.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

What is going on? I thought the cap hit if cut is $3.8? The cap hit if we keep him is 4.4? Not much of a savings there...

Also, Corey ran the ball almost 13 times a game last year, not 8 times, and he asked out of the game often.

I don't get it, really. Makes no sense.

Ditto on that. This is all very confusing and no doubt his eye is on the Jetriots.
I got the sense from the beginning he felt underutilized and underappreciated this season. He entered camp with a bit of a chip on his shoulder re the age issue and maybe a bit due to LoMo, but he never let on if that was the case. He handled that situation like the professional he is.
He spent most of last season injured and at times seemed to tire quickly this season.
This we DO know: we abandoned our run game which at times seemed equally as strange.
I guess the question becomes 'was Corey indeed underutilized this year,especially in light of LoMo's injury?' or was his utilization percentage about right,all things considered?

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

I believe the difference between his release and his retirement is that he wouldn't owe anything back to the Pats if released.

I have a feeling Dillon will be with the Jets in '07. They need that type of bruiser in their offense.

Mangina's salivating as we speak and we all know it. :robot: GangGreen is slowly bumping the Ponies out of my #1 Most Hated slot.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

where is Antowain Smith these days? probably too old to be effective, but didn't he enter the league at a late age and how much milage is on him?

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Mangina's salivating as we speak and we all know it. :robot: GangGreen is slowly bumping the Ponies out of my #1 Most Hated slot.

they can have him. Personally I think he's slowed down quite a bit. disappointing he wants to leave like this.

 

[broadwayjoe]

I just wanted to add this without starting another Dillon thread.


According to Corey Dillon's agent, Steve Feldman, the Patriots have agreed to release the running back March 2, the first day of the NFL year. Feldman said yesterday he still plans to explore offers for Dillon, despite Dillon's comments about planning to retire.

In releasing Dillon, the Patriots are expected to use a new part of the collective bargaining agreement that allows teams to release players before June 1, but still declare them a June 1 cut for salary cap purposes.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/02/24/agent_dillon_will_be_released/

 

[BelichickFan]

Mangina's salivating as we speak and we all know it. :robot: GangGreen is slowly bumping the Ponies out of my #1 Most Hated slot.

It's a likely possibility I would think, there's not a lot of teams that need RB. NYG would be a fit too although he's a very different type of RB that Tiki.

 

[stevedogc]

Let him go to the Jets. I really can't see him producing to much against the Pats. He reminds me of Bettis late in his career. Unless the offens\ive line got a hole opened right in front of him, he went nowhere. Dillon looked the same this year. Everytime he was forced to the outside, he got nothing. He is still good on goalline situation though.

The thing I dont understand is why are the Pats so quick to agree with his demands, if the reports are true. Its not like the Pats need the cap room right now, and if Dillon is set on getting more carries, then tell him to explore trade possibilities. That way the Pats can control where he goes and may get something in return. Not to mention if he cant find what he likes, then maybe he will retire. And the Pats wont be accountable for his remaining bonus money.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Ok, this is just my opinion, but I think Reiss had it right. And the Herald has it right, too. If Corey retires, he has to pay back his s.b., but if hs is released he gets to keep it. So he announces his plan to retire, his agent freaks out, and he quickly retracts, with the caveat that he still may end up retiring after all is said and done. He may play this year, if he gets a one year deal for major$$$, other than that he's done. He really wants to be done, but his agent may convince him to come back that last time for the retirement check.

 

[RayClay]

obviuosly his selfish ways are creeping back, if he doesnt want to be a team player let him go get his touches and start losing again, if my memory serves me he wanted out of the bengals because he wanted to go to a winning organization

Maroney is the Patriots running back, they don't really have many carries for Dillon.

If Dillon gains 1,000 yards he goes from 14th to 9th on the all time list. 1,070 and he passes Jim Brown.

I'm sure the Patriots and Dillon discussed what a distraction it would be trying to get Dillon touches when the Patriots need to groom their #1 pick.

What a selfish bastard.

Some of you armchair experts need to get over yourselves.

Have another pork rind and be careful you don't pull a muscle reaching for the bag.

 

[RayClay]

I just wanted to add this without starting another Dillon thread.


According to Corey Dillon's agent, Steve Feldman, the Patriots have agreed to release the running back March 2, the first day of the NFL year. Feldman said yesterday he still plans to explore offers for Dillon, despite Dillon's comments about planning to retire.

In releasing Dillon, the Patriots are expected to use a new part of the collective bargaining agreement that allows teams to release players before June 1, but still declare them a June 1 cut for salary cap purposes.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/02/24/agent_dillon_will_be_released/

The key word is agreed. Maroney needs to run 15-20 times or more to get his stuff together.

The Patriots don't want Dillon back.

Dillon doesn't want to be back.

And there's a damn good reason.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

they can have him. Personally I think he's slowed down quite a bit. disappointing he wants to leave like this.

No doubt he has. I just find the Jets/Mangini's "hovering" attitude( see Hank Poteat et al) annoying lately but that's another topic.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think they both have it right too, only some fans are typically freaking out over reading what they perceive as contradictory comments. So I'll try and sum it all up again:

Corey is done. Said so to his teamates and was overheard off the record by some media. This isn't about retirement vs. being cut and paying back bonus though - the Pat's appreciate what he did too much to ask for $1.8M back - just like they didn't with TJ.

Corey is due a $3M option bonus that he agreed to defer from last March to this March. Not going to get it. That is why we release him - not to save his $2.5M salary or even lower his cap hit - which could easily have been done by converting that salary to bonus once again. We cut him to save $3M in additional cash bonus which if paid would also hit the cap.

Corey might have been talked into returning this season if the Pats were willing to pay him $5.5M in salary and bonus and felt there was anything to be gained by talking him into staying. Obviously that did not happen. It's really not that much different than what happened with Bingo (or Willie) except Corey himself seems a little more resigned to the possibility that he may be done which indicates he doesn't still have that fire to play - particularly for short money as a role player.

His agent knows he says he's probably done, but he figures there is nothing in it for him if Corey doesn't play and figures money talks so a substantial offer might reignite the desire to play in him and in this market he wants him to STFU because he can't shop a player who's talking about probably hanging them up.

Corey knows he's not getting paid $5.5M anywhere. He also feels that at $2.5M it wasn't worth his effort to try and gear up for one more season. But he also knows that if his agent is going to get somebody to pony up something in between those two figures that might be worth his effort, he has to sound like he isn't done so much as done here.

Corey tried to be honest, which is how players usually get in trouble with fans. Especially fans who obcess about enemies like the Colts or JETS. Mangini can't sign all the players we don't choose to re-sign any more than Polian can. And if they did they would likely end up wishing they hadn't, because there is a reason we didn't retain them. Corey gave us the one great year he had left in him, and it vaulted us to a 3rd Superbowl. He hasn't got anything approaching that left in him, so let him go with a little dignity.