Washington's Contract

[BelichickFan]

Did you see his numbers from Reiss? Almost nothing. I guess that could mean a lack of interest but with his play on ST last year plus upside as a decent backup WR this is a great deal for us IMO:

WR Kelley Washington signed a two-year deal. He received a $450,000 signing bonus, and has base salaries of $605,000 in 2008 and $800,000 in 2009.

 

[sebman2112]

Good deal for NE. He's on contract for two years, and I doubt they'll be cutting him at those terms. Washington really didn't do anything as a WR in 2007, so that's a good contract for a special teamer.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Yeah, I saw that and my first thought was I don't think Bill necessarily sees him as a potential #2 or #4 but maybe a potential #5 WR replacement heading into camp.

 

[skri65]

Yah i was waiting for someone to comment on his contract. Great great deal, especially if you consider what we paid him last year

 

[BradyManny]

Aiken's signing tells me they consider Washington at least a viable option at #4, and decent CJax insurance. I really think they are basically done at the WR position at this point, I'd considering bringing Troy back as slot backup for Welker. But I think you let Gaffney go at this point and see what Jackson can bring you. If he doesn't get snaps, he won't get better, and the guy's ceiling is a lot higher than Gaffney's.

 

[Boston Boxer]

Washington was a great WR in college...i just do not know why he has not panned out in the NFL

 

[PatsFan2]

Did you see his numbers from Reiss ? Almost nothing. I guess that could mean a lack of interest but with his play on ST last year plus upside as a decent backup WR this is a great deal for us IMO :

"WR Kelley Washington signed a two-year deal. He received a $450,000 signing bonus, and has base salaries of $605,000 in 2008 and $800,000 in 2009."

Don't be surprisd to see him starting opposite Randy Moss next season. Washington will get an opportunity.

 

[Metaphors]

Don't be surprisd to see him starting opposite Randy Moss next season. Washington will get an opportunity.

Which is exactly why I think he wanted to stay in NE. Once a WR starts making less money and bouncing from team to team, it is a hard trend to turn around. Too much competition, too much influx of new talent each year from college.

This is where Belichick impresses me. It didn't matter that Stallworth was making big coin, Gaffney worked his butt off and got his chance. Not because Stallworth disappointed...just cause JAB earned it. I think Washington is convinced he has a chance to work his way back to a contributing receiver. He has already impressed Belichick with his play on ST.

While the money isn't through the roof, it still ain't bad. Washington went from underachieving disappointment in Cincy (on a team full of them) to a valued contributer for a model franchise. That has to be worth something to a player. And if not, they can go to Philly...

 

[skri65]

Don't be surprisd to see him starting opposite Randy Moss next season. Washington will get an opportunity.

I'd be very surprised. He's never been a #2 in his life, and never made it to even #4 last year. We don't know if he has any chemistry going with TB either.

 

[PatsFan2]

I'd be very surprised. He's never been a #2 in his life, and never made it to even #4 last year. We don't know if he has any chemistry going with TB either.

As much as love the Drafting of Chad Jackson...do we know what kind of player he'll be? I will take my chances with Kelley Washington who has very good Speed for a man his size. Washington was pratice player of the week quite a few times last year. I think he could be more than just Special Teamer.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Aiken's signing tells me they consider Washington at least a viable option at #4, and decent CJax insurance. I really think they are basically done at the WR position at this point, I'd considering bringing Troy back as slot backup for Welker. But I think you let Gaffney go at this point and see what Jackson can bring you. If he doesn't get snaps, he won't get better, and the guy's ceiling is a lot higher than Gaffney's.

That doesn't sound even remotely done to me. Caldwell, Washington, Gaffney, CJ are all the same guy to me at this juncture - 2nd rounders who for some reason just didn't make it. Obviously CJ is younger and may yet develop, but once upon a time someone thought they all had upside or they wouldn't have been drafted in the second round. Stallworth had more talent - that's why he went in the first - but even in his case he has never quite achieved his potential. Sometimes they just never do. They all do some things well, they just don't do enough well enough. We had people adamantly penciling in one of the fastest guys ever drafted in the second round here for a couple or three years before Bethel got traded away and eventually just faded away. You can't stretch the field if you can't stay on it and around here you can't get on it unless you can do more than run a go route. You have to be able to run a precise route and make pre and post snap sight adjustments that mesh with what the QB sees and beat jams and get open in time. And you have to do it consistently at NFL game speed.

Drafting NFL players is as much art as science. That is why Bill seldom puts a ton of stock in the combine. It's tough enough to handicap these kids on a football field against nothing that ever approaches NFL pro level competition. Branch made it on brains and football smarts and effort, although he remained a slightly flawed #1 because he lacked physicality and size which is killing him in another system with a different dynamic and cast of characters. Givens made it out of the 7th round, not a speed demon but a big, reliable receiver until his body didn't hold up when he was injected into a less supportive environment as well. Watson has a boatload of talent that got him drafted in the first, yet he remains on the field a conundrum. So we hope the day 2 TE with durability issues will yet replace the other day 1 TE who left because he through he was a receiving rather than blocking TE. Don't be shocked if we draft another TE next month.

One reason Bill relies so much on veteran players is he knows at least they can play some at this level. They don't always fit our system or respond to being coached up, but draftees aren't always able to play at this level at all let alone in this system. And if they can, they often want to get paid so much they end up leaving at the first opportunity. Bill likes guys who have already learned some tough life lessons on someone else's nickle and still think they can make it. He likes smart, effort guys because he can often scheme around their talent deficiencies. It's hard to assess college talent for the IT factor because they haven't yet developed a combine metric for measuring that.

 

[ALP]

owww

for the guys talking contracts.....kelley really gave his services cheaply

 

[blackglass3]

owww

for the guys talking contracts.....kelley really gave his services cheaply

Sorry to nitpick, but we were up 21-3 in the AFCCG, not 21-0.