If Al Wison is Released, do we make a run at him?

[Grizzafted]

I read that the Broncos are likely going to release Al Wilson for cap reasons if they can't seal a trade with him.

So, he failed the physical in New York, and I doubt anyone's going to give up the draft picks that Denver would want for him after that. So, the next question is, would we shoot at trying to sign him to a contract with a lot of incentives? Can a neck sprain really end a player's career?

 

[Elway]

It's kind of strange when Denver has one of the best neck specialists in the world (Dr. Robert Watkins) who clears him to play and he flunks a physical in New York.

 

[zippo59]

If Wilson is not healthy enough to pass a physical what makes you think he will be healthy enough to play.

 

[zippo59]

It's kind of strange when Denver has one of the best neck specialists in the world (Dr. Robert Watkins) who clears him to play and he flunks a physical in New York.

Maybe he flunked for another reason.

 

[Pats726]

Maybe he flunked for another reason.

We'll see..if the injury is that serious..maybe NOT..

 

[TealSox]

Lets put it this way....

Do you want to rely on the draft to get the Pats 2007 MLB and hope that he picks up the defense in short time?

OR

Do you think the Pats should stick with what they got at the MLB position with fingers crossed?

OR

Do the Pats need a quality veteran at the MLB position like Seau or Wilson? And would you rather have Seau coming back from a broken arm or Wilson with an injuried neck that he played with most of last season?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sign a vet. Draft a youngster late and mentor him to the position. Done.

 

[mgteich]

With your logic we should sign Ted Johnson. The issue is whether he healthy or not. If not, we shouldn't sign him just because he's a veteran.

And yes, I agree that we should sign a veteran or two. My choices have two of Hartwell, Seau and Gardner. However, it is not clear that any of them are healthy enough to count on in 2007.

Lets put it this way....

Do you want to rely on the draft to get the Pats 2007 MLB and hope that he picks up the defense in short time?

OR

Do you think the Pats should stick with what they got at the MLB position with fingers crossed?

OR

Do the Pats need a quality veteran at the MLB position like Seau or Wilson? And would you rather have Seau coming back from a broken arm or Wilson with an injuried neck that he played with most of last season?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sign a vet. Draft a youngster late and mentor him to the position. Done.

 

[italia44]

nah.......Wison has also lost a connsonent(L)

 

[groundgame]

Broncos would make the Patriots pay the highest price of all, to acquire Wilson, if the Pats were interested.

 

[Grizzafted]

The point is that they're probably going to release him. We could sign him for whatever we wanted at that point and not owe Denver anything.

I just don't know much about the injury itself. Obviously it's severe enough that New York, in all it's hurt-for-linebackers glory, didn't want to take the chance. But for me the question is whether the cost had something to do with it, i.e. the risk of the injury wasn't worth losing the draft picks or paying him his current contract.

If Denver releases him we'd be free to try to sign him on any terms, without owing Denver anything. I think that's right, no?

I would think it's appealing to him to continue playing for a contender, and if there's a chance that he could be back to form by mid-season, why not try to bag him to a one or two year contract, something like we worked out for Stallworth? And you can't compare him to Ted Johnson, Wilson is only 29, and multiple concussions is a different injury issue than a neck sprain. Even if we do pick up a young MLB in the 1st round this year, it would be nice to have a backup, and I think Al Wilson with a neck sprain is better than Junior Seau coming off that arm injury.

 

[DW Toys]

With your logic we should sign Ted Johnson. The issue is whether he healthy or not. If not, we shouldn't sign him just because he's a veteran.

And yes, I agree that we should sign a veteran or two. My choices have two of Hartwell, Seau and Gardner. However, it is not clear that any of them are healthy enough to count on in 2007.

Cousin,
You have something. Hartwell is only 28 and was on the verge of All-Pro but played with Lewis in Balt. He started the last few games in 2006 and was pretty good and on his way back to his best. We know from his agent he wants to play here. AT is a close friend and former teammate. I think Willis has the right stuff but will he be able to transform that into an NFL career? There is no guarantee. There is no guarantee we pick up a Willis where we are either. After the first few obvious LB choices the rest are weak. THE WHOLE DRAFT IS WEAK THIS YEAR. It's awful! Smart call on The Godfather and SP to hit the FA marker rather than bet the whole farm on the draft this year. These draft choices everybody counts on every year, less than a third make good pros and less than 10% top shelf pros. I say a healthy Hartwell is better than a rookie Willis for the next two to three years especially how the Pats train LBs. We need an LB now. Would love to have a Willis or Beason getting ready though. It was 4 years before Teddy started, remember. Slowly work these kids into the rotation.
DW Toys

P.S. Look at all the teams out there thinking that 2007 is the year they pick up the difference makers for their team in the draft. It's time for "agonizing re-appraisal" for you fellas!

 

[spacecrime]

These draft choices everybody counts on every year, less than a third make good pros and less than 10% top shelf pros.

Umm, almost every NFL player was once a draft choice, and just about every top shelf NFL player was also drafted.

Where do you think these FAs came from before they qualified to be FAs?

The draft is where football players come from.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

This thread reminds me of how perlexed I am that accordring to M. Holley, who I trust as much anyone in the media, the Pats don't even have Hartwell on their radar. Is he asking for the sky? Is he more injured than we've been able to discern? If it's true that Hartwell would like to play here, you'd think the team could work out a deal like Stallworth's if they're worried that Hartwell may not have his game anymore.

I mean, how bad could Hartwell be? Worse than Alexander? I doubt it...

Has BB promised the 5th LB spot to Seau? Would that be enough to keep an interested Hartwell away?

 

[Kontradiction]

No. We rely on Pioli and Belichick to draft talent the keep the dynasty rolling for as many years as we can. The younger, the better.

 

[TealSox]

Didn't think my logic would be misconstrued. Al Wilson had 101 tackles last year. Ted Johnson had how many?

First of all, this is another lame thread that jumped on the idea that a veteran could be released or traded and thought the Pats could use another veteran on the cheap. Its all good, but it gets old. Is there a player that we don't need to speculate about or see stars when we hear about them? (Moulds, Mason, Donnie Edwards, K. Mitchell, Hartwell, Moss, etc)

There is a reason why Denver is trying to trade him, a reason Hartwell and Seau haven't signed a contract yet and a reason that the Pats have yet to waste a top pick on an inside linebacker.

Figure them all out and you might get your answer.

 

[DW Toys]

Umm, almost every NFL player was once a draft choice, and just about every top shelf NFL player was also drafted.

Where do you think these FAs came from before they qualified to be FAs?

The draft is where football players come from.

Quite true Cousin....But.
What I am getting at is how frustrating it is that there is so minimal talent in the 2007 draft and our concern is the need of an ILB. My point is that they were smart enough to hit FA with a vengeance this year because they saw the weak talent pool. I hope we aren't hanging our hats on a Willis. We won't get him unless we give away the store to move up, yet this year, its' no big deal, and finally if we do, he'll be ready in three years and Hartwell could be ready now.
Yes FA's who command big dollars are the good ones that developed from the draft. Remember not the poor ones. But the poor ones were someones draft choices too.....i.e. it's all a crap shoot in the draft.
Cousins:THE POINT IS DO YOU THINK WE HAVE A SHOT FOR A WILLIS, OR WOULD A HARTWELL OR A WILSON (IF HEALTHY) MAKE MORE SENSE IN 2007. DO WE WAIT THREE OR FOUR YEARS FOR A WILLIS TO BE READY? OR DO WE SEND A NUMBER ONE AND A NUMBER SIX TO CHICAGO, TAKE 26 YEAR OLD BRIGGS, SIGN ASSANTE CAUSE THE CAP WILL BE MORE FRIENDLY, MATCH THE A.THOMAS MONEY EVEN UP FOR BRIGGS AND CALL IT A DAY WITH A TWO TIME ALL PRO LINEBACKER WHO CAN PLAY IN THE MIDDLE VERY WELL , THANK YOU. WHAT'S MORE OF A GAMBLE?

I know what I would do, but theuy don't pay me the big bucks.
DW Toys

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Since Wilson is apparently heading out the door there, Denver reportedly (Bill Williamson) is pondering Hartwell as a possible replacement.

 

[RayClay]

I've always liked Wilson. don't know if he fits our D, 4-3 experience.

Also, I doubt a "sprained" neck causes you to flunk a physical, maybe a Katzenmoyer situation? Yes, I'm speculating only.

Once the Parcell's draftees and the senior citizens are gone we have Vrabel, Colvin and A.D. for four positions.

Fact is, if we can't draft LBs or tweeners day one and we can't sign inside LB types, we can't get younger and more athletic at the position.

How do we do it? I don't have a clue.

But I'm dying to find out.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Quite true Cousin....

How many friggin relatives do you have here????

 

[pats63]

I sure they will wait until he is cut....Wilson has always killed us when played against us...We should trade down with the #28th pick for for picks in 2nd and 3rd rounds.....Get better value for lbers....