NE interested in Ricky Williams?

[MetalBleachers]

Just heard on WEEI this morning. Any verification?

 

[Oswlek]

Mort just bunched NE in with a group of teams that have a RB need.

Williams will not be a NE Patriot. Period.

 

[SVN]

Just heard on WEEI this morning. Any verification?

speculation by mort on ESPN with the theory that BB and saban are friends and saban liked williams...just a bunch of nonsense IMO but of course pats wont deny or accept the rumor.

 

[BelichickFan]

I doubt it - although Saban may have given Belichick a thumbs up - I suspect it came from a pre game Mortensen report talking about possible re-instatment and how he could be traded if he gets it and Mort mentioned the Patriots as one of about 6-7 teams that could be interested. I wasn't sure it was any inside info, though, sounded more like an off the top of the head thing with Maroney missing last night's game.

 

[Slagathor]

speculation by mort on ESPN with the theory that BB and saban are friends and saban liked williams...just a bunch of nonsense IMO but of course pats wont deny or accept the rumor.

He is DEFINITELY not Pats material. If I start hearing folks lump this guy into the Harrison, Dillon and Moss situations I'll puke.

DO NOT WANT HIM.

 

[ELOrocks17]

If anything, I would rather prefer BB to try and get Tiki Barber out of retirement rather than pothead Ricky.

 

[MetalBleachers]

He is DEFINITELY not Pats material. If I start hearing folks lump this guy into the Harrison, Dillon and Moss situations I'll puke.

DO NOT WANT HIM.

Besides not being Pats material, he kind of stinks now. Seems like the Pats are set at RB for the immediate future. If they need to know about Williams, they can just ask Morris, who benefited from Williams' forced absence.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

I would not mind Ricky Williams here at all.

Im going to be against the majority but i like Ricky but i just dont see how we have a fit or a need for him at the moment.

 

[NE39]

Personally, I always liked Ricky.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I doubt it but I've given up on saying never. However, given the teams in dire need of A RB I would think if reinstated someone else would be a lot more desperate to take a flyer on a guy who is DOA with one more failed test. His inability to forsake his demon weed for the chance to stay on a football field smacks of a player to whom football doesn't really matter comparatively speaking, and that is generally something BB won't mess with.

Read this AM that according to Mort the Bucs have tried to pry Dillon out of retirement in the wake of Cadillac's loss to no avail.

 

[nowayback]

he could be a 3rd 4th rb....what would the pats have to lose..pay him practically nothing.and he gets a chance to prove himself.

 

[37Harrison]

I don't think that we can honestly say what player is or isn't "Patriots material." I think ANY player that comes in, buys into what BB is selling and remains a team player most certainly IS "Patriots material."

I am concerned about Maroney now. They signed Eckle and now there are rumors about interest in Williams. I think there is some writing on the wall with Maroney concerning his injury.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

he could be a 3rd 4th rb....what would the pats have to lose..pay him practically nothing.and he gets a chance to prove himself.

He is still under control of the Miami Dolphins. We would have to trade for him unless he is outright released by Miami from his deal.

 

[Tunescribe]

I'd grab Ricky Williams in a heartbeat. Absolutely nothing to lose: If he's clean, he's a talent, if not, he's gone. And our lockerroom would keep him on the straight and narrow.

 

[PlattsFan]

I'd like it, if he could play. I never understood the extreme anger toward Ricky. Sure, he bailed on his teammates, but he did it to go hang with kangaroos and yoga gurus while he smoked some pot. There are many worse things football players have done. Heck, that sounds like a pretty good time to me. Did I miss some arrest for assault or something?

Of course, he's probably not any good anymore.

 

[thomas144]

I love Ricky Williams. He is my all-time favorite NFL player. One day he will be famous for being a prominent victim of our absurd anti-drug laws.

I was actually going to start a thread asking if there is cap room for him. Would love to see him on the Pats.

 

[patsfan209]

If anything, I would rather prefer BB to try and get Tiki Barber out of retirement rather than pothead Ricky.

I second that. At least Tiki consistently played in the league. And the fact you just don't know when Ricky would go back to using the pot... which means any given time. No way do I see BB having Williams here, knowing that one more violation means being banned from the NFL for life.

 

[RI Pats Fan]

I would not mind Ricky Williams here at all.

Im going to be against the majority but i like Ricky but i just dont see how we have a fit or a need for him at the moment.

I agree. I have nothing against Ricky, I think he's made some mistakes but he doesn't strike me as malicious. As you said though, we don't have the room. He's not a premier back in the league any longer.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I love Ricky Williams. He is my all-time favorite NFL player. One day he will be famous for being a prominent victim of our absurd anti-drug laws.

I was actually going to start a thread asking if there is cap room for him. Would love to see him on the Pats.

It's not a cap issue - he'd be a veteran minimum guy anywhere this season. It's that you would likely have to trade something for him, and his track record screams I never do really learn my lesson. One more failed test and he's out, which means you're out whatever you swapped for him. And desperate teams would probably swap more than a 6th for that shot making it more than a harmless no cost flyer for a team that doesn't really need him.

 

[thomas144]

I agree. I have nothing against Ricky, I think he's made some mistakes but he doesn't strike me as malicious. As you said though, we don't have the room. He's not a premier back in the league any longer.

I think they should get him for his lockerroom presence and as a political statement. I think Kraft would be excited about this as a marketing move, reaching out to stoners everywhere. It could do a lot for the Patriots as a national brand.

As one of my marketing professors at BC used to say "there are no markets, only market segments!"