We won't do anthing in FA?

[carolinatony]

I am afraid we won't sign anyone of note again in FA. Are we slipping?
thoughts

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Yes, the team has decided to become total mo-rons and not compete.

 

[BradyManny]

BB, Pioli & Kraft have proven they are committed to putting the best team they can out there and spending to the cap. I guarantee we are players in FA, sure, we won't be total jacka**es and toss $$ around, but we will make acquisitions to improve the team.

 

[DefenseRules]

Well it would be nice if we did our shopping on the main floor for a change instead of the bargain basement.

 

[carolinatony]

Look at what Denver just did!
Sorry but we need to more imo....

 

[salty]

Well it would be nice if we did our shopping on the main floor for a change instead of the bargain basement.

:rocker:

Great analogy.

 

[patsacolachick]

Well it would be nice if we did our shopping on the main floor for a change instead of the bargain basement.

Well the Redskins paid full price a bunch last year, how did that work out for them

 

[TealSox]

It would be nice if the Pats pursued a big time free agent rather than always looking for the cheapest player with upside. Its been working for them this long, so why would they change their philosophy now?

Nevertheless, they don't get burnt in free agency and when they do, it doesn't cost them very much. Look at Washington. I don't think Patten has played half a season. Nothing they do results in more wins for that team. I guess you have to find the players that are actually worth the money it costs to bring them in.

 

[JDP111]

According to Len Pasquarelli the Patriots will not contend for any of the top 30 free agents. . . http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2784159

 

[Rob0729]

We have no choice but to be active in free agency. We won't hit the cap minimum otherwise if we don't sign at least a few mid-priced free agents.

I am not all that concerned about the Pats if they don't go after the marquee players. Adalius Thomas or Nate Clements would be great to have, but not if you make them the highest player(s) on the team (at least other than Brady). More times than not, paying marquee free agents never pan out.

I think people look at last year and think that is the norm. I think the Pats misjudged the marketplace after the last minute salary cap jump. I don't think they will go into free agency as blindly.

I don't see the Pats signing a free agent until next week at the earliest, but I expect them to go after some players.

 

[salty]

It would be nice if the Pats pursued a big time free agent rather than always looking for the cheapest player with upside. Its been working for them this long, so why would they change their philosophy now?

Nevertheless, they don't get burnt in free agency and when they do, it doesn't cost them very much. Look at Washington. I don't think Patten has played half a season. Nothing they do results in more wins for that team. I guess you have to find the players that are actually worth the money it costs to bring them in.

True, they don't get burnt in terms of the salary cap when it doesn't work out. They DO get burnt on the field from time to time, though.

They brought in Duane Starks because they thought they were getting a quality veteran on the cheap, only it turned out he had nothing left and consequently we were terrible in the secondary for most of 2005.

They brought in Beisel on the cheap because they thought they were getting a guy who had been overlooked, relied on him to become a starter, and then got burnt when he faltered for the second consecutive year in training camp.

As a result of the Beisel debacle they had to bring in Seau, another aging vet they got on the cheap. He played better than I think almost anyone could've imagined before he got hurt, but its no surprise that he didn't make it through the season, and as a result of relying on him the Pats were left with very few options at LB in the playoffs.

I could list a bunch more. The point is that when you rely on players acquired on the cheap to play important roles on your team, you sometimes find out that there is a REASON why they were so cheap and the team suffers as a result. Not saying they should stop looking for bargains, but they need to get a name brand or two in here this off-season.

 

[RayClay]

I am afraid we won't sign anyone of note again in FA. Are we slipping?
thoughts

We will sign plenty of free agents like we always do. We won't pay any double what they're worth, we leave that to others.

I wouldn't be surprised at a big LB signing, but not double what they're worth.

 

[RayClay]

It would be nice if the Pats pursued a big time free agent rather than always looking for the cheapest player with upside. Its been working for them this long, so why would they change their philosophy now?

Nevertheless, they don't get burnt in free agency and when they do, it doesn't cost them very much. Look at Washington. I don't think Patten has played half a season. Nothing they do results in more wins for that team. I guess you have to find the players that are actually worth the money it costs to bring them in.

What's the difference between Gaffney and Caldwell and Randal El and Givens?

Mostly $$$$$$$$$

 

[Rob0729]

According to Len Pasquarelli the Patriots will not contend for any of the top 30 free agents. . . http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2784159

Pasquarelli every year has about 8-10 being the odds on favorites to take all of the top 30 picks. It never happens that way. Pasquarelli never includes teams like the Pats or Indy or Pittsburgh who only infrequently take the top players in free agency. If you look a large number of the teams he predicts who will get players are teams that historically (at least recent history) spend big money in free agency like Minnesotta, Detriot, Cleveland, Seattle, etc. He hasn't included Washington because they have little cap room. If they had as much as San Fran, Washington's name would be next to all 30 players.

 

[mgcolby]

FA doesn't start until tomorrow and yet we already have people complaining about needing to do more.

Sometimes it seems as if we have the largest quantity of whiney ass fans!

Whaaa we didn't sign the big name FA whaa we only won 3 of the past 6 superbowls and played in 4 of the last six AFCC games. Whaaa those idiots don't know what they are doing!

Seriously can't this wait until...um..I don't know...after FA begins?

 

[Jimke]

I do a lot of *****ing and griping on this forum. My trouble is that I

make the mistake of comparing the personnel on this current team

and our teriffic 2004 team. What I have observed is that a lot of core

players from that team have been replaced with stop gap players.

I feel that the Pats need two or three core players who will be on the

team 4 years rather than a bunch of guys signed to two year contracts

for minimum salaries. Draft choices are nice but take too long to contribute.

My guess for 2007 free agency is more of the same. We'll sign half a

dozen players for two years like we have been doing.









































replaced by stop gap players.

 

[PATSNUTme]

It's going to hit the fan real soon.

They may not be able to get Thomas. But they will bring in some good solid FA's.

 

[RayClay]

True, they don't get burnt in terms of the salary cap when it doesn't work out. They DO get burnt on the field from time to time, though.

They brought in Duane Starks because they thought they were getting a quality veteran on the cheap, only it turned out he had nothing left and consequently we were terrible in the secondary for most of 2005.

They brought in Beisel on the cheap because they thought they were getting a guy who had been overlooked, relied on him to become a starter, and then got burnt when he faltered for the second consecutive year in training camp.

As a result of the Beisel debacle they had to bring in Seau, another aging vet they got on the cheap. He played better than I think almost anyone could've imagined before he got hurt, but its no surprise that he didn't make it through the season, and as a result of relying on him the Pats were left with very few options at LB in the playoffs.

I could list a bunch more. The point is that when you rely on players acquired on the cheap to play important roles on your team, you sometimes find out that there is a REASON why they were so cheap and the team suffers as a result. Not saying they should stop looking for bargains, but they need to get a name brand or two in here this off-season.

Starks isn't a good example. He cost a 3rd rounder and an appropriate contract.

I'd say we did better with Artrell Hawkins and Chad Scott who cost us nothing.

You can't find a huge long term contract screw up on the Patriots because we're smart.

You can sure find plenty on the Redskins and other teams though.

We cut small mistakes like Beisel, so our cap and funds are still available.

The skins eat huge cap hits and collapse.

Which model is better?

By the way, the result is a team a play away from the Super bowl in control of their large contracts with 4 first day picks and a ton of cap funds.

That really sucks, let's change our whole philosophy.

 

[mgcolby]

I do a lot of *****ing and griping on this forum. My trouble is that I

make the mistake of comparing the personnel on this current team

and our teriffic 2004 team. What I have observed is that a lot of core

players from that team have been replaced with stop gap players.

I feel that the Pats need two or three core players who will be on the

team 4 years rather than a bunch of guys signed to two year contracts

for minimum salaries. Draft choices are nice but take too long to contribute.

My guess for 2007 free agency is more of the same. We'll sign half a

dozen players for two years like we have been doing.


replaced by stop gap players.

Name the Core 2004 players that left?

Not sure how the team took a step back from the 2004 team in terms of talent with the exception of WR and LB depth/age.

Of the players that started the SB they are either still on the team or have been upgraded with the exception of Branch and TJ. You will need to be a little more specific.

 

[RayClay]

I do a lot of *****ing and griping on this forum. My trouble is that I

make the mistake of comparing the personnel on this current team

and our teriffic 2004 team. What I have observed is that a lot of core

players from that team have been replaced with stop gap players.

I feel that the Pats need two or three core players who will be on the

team 4 years rather than a bunch of guys signed to two year contracts

for minimum salaries. Draft choices are nice but take too long to contribute.

My guess for 2007 free agency is more of the same. We'll sign half a

dozen players for two years like we have been doing.

replaced by stop gap players.

Maroney, Brady, Jackson, Mankins, Seymour, Warren, Wilfork, Sanders, Dave Thomas, Koppen, O'Callaghan.

Sure they have to have stop gaps somewhere, there's a salary cap. Meanwhile they've replaced stop gaps like Ashworth and Gorin with draft picks instead of FA.