Wilfork or Mayo - Who isn't a Patriot next year?

MrNathanDrake said:

I don't think both of them will be on the team next year. One is surely going to be cut/traded.

I think it'll be Mayo. Collins/Hightower performed really good this year and showed this defense doesn't need Mayo. In fact it would be hard to have all 3 of them on the field at the same time. It's definitely debatable but Mayo might only be the 3rd best Linebacker if he's still on the team next year.

I'd rather the team re-sign Akeem Ayers for a much lower price than to keep Mayo.

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I think the Pats will restructure both of them and I see it as very unlikely that Mayo is playing for anyone else next season. Ayers' handful of good games with the Pats probably shouldn't makeup for the rest of his incredibly underwhelming career, Hightower is also a free agent after next season and I don't think the pats want to have to potentially completely rebuild their linebacker group.

meatface said:

I think the Pats will restructure both of them and I see it as very unlikely that Mayo is playing for anyone else next season.

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Restructuring both is the ideal solution, however it is going to be tough for bb to get this and revis done before free agency starts.

Mayo will be smart, he'll redo his deal, he has absolutely no leverage after missing 20 games the past 2 seasons.

Wilfork just redid his deal and is known for playing hardball, not matter how loyal he may be. He understands the business and reportedly asked for his release last season before accepting his redone deal.

He then met the standards for a very heavily incentive driven deal to maximize his money.

He actually has leverage. The team will most likely part ways if he doesn't agree (which he probably won't) to a new deal.

We should clean up a lot of cap room by resolving Mayo, Wilfork, and Revis deals. Revis may be the only one we know anything about shortly though unless Wilfork and Mayo have gtd money dates looming. BB doesn't often seem to be in a hurry to clear space for the opening days of FA. Seems he likes to let the market playout unless a player like Revis is available in a marriage with the team.

Talk to Wilfork's wife about the paycut...she wears the pants in the family.....

It's just a thought...with the cap hits from Wilfork and Mayo...combined with age and lack of playing time...how would we fare with both not on the team in 2015?

Mayo: clearly guys like Hightower and Collins stepped up and did their job. Both thrived with the additional responsibilities. I'm wondering if Mayo is on the roster in 2015...how much of that playing time might be diminished for Hightower. Mayo is a beast...when he actually plays...and is giving younger guys his playing time such a bad thing? I think it's good to have continuity and not shuffling players in and out to much....looking over your shoulder to see if Mayo is coming in. I prefer to move on without a slightly older Mayo who is has had some injury difficulties recently

Wilfork: he has been a great team player...and played to a very high level again this year....at age 33. But am I wrong here in thinking that Branch can do (no pun intended) 75% of what Wilfork can if he is given the chance? For me I say that's good enough. Branch is no spring chicken either...being 30 or 31 i think...but he is cheaper and with Siliga...we might be able to make do.

The idea here is to create cap space for the likes of Revis, McCourty, Gostkowski and possibly Vereen.

kennyb said:

Mayo has a huge contract. If he passes a physical there's a 6m dead money hit. Total cap hit of over 10m. Plus if you don't cut him this year you'd probably just cut him the following year.

convert his salary to nltbe incentives and save 4 to 5m on it. If he doesn't agree then cut.

Wilfork restructured last year but his money didn't really go down I don't think. So he should be willing to take a cut. But he probably won't. Not sure what they'd do.

Mayo has no trade value. Huge contract coming off nasty injury.

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Yes Mayo is very good when 100% healthy. But, he went on IR this past 2 consecutive years. He will be 29yrs old when 2015 season starts. He now has to "prove it".

He will have to take a drastic pay-cut, not a restructure deal.

The LB corps did very well without him. Can you say that about our DL without Wilfork?
Siliga is good, but he gets hurt..

Zuma said:

The idea here is to create cap space for the likes of Revis, McCourty, Gostkowski and possibly Vereen.

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Then you should go look at Miguel's page, because CUTTING Mayo gives the Pats less than 800k in cap space.

http://patscap.com/

And remember, hightower is having surgery this offseason.

4thRing-Hunt said:

Keep the Fork and pass the Mayo

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Yes, cut a top 10 LB and leader of the defense who is in the prime of his career and only 29 when the season starts, compared to a 34 year old defensive lineman who is on the down slope of his career...

Mayo can still be a premier player in the league when healthy, can't say the same for Wilfork. Obviously I want both next year, but their salaries need to be adjusted because the cap hit is too high.

I.M. Fletcher said:

I Reiss's chat the other day, he eluded to the idea that mayo knows he will have to take a pay cut, and is likely to do so.

Wilfork, I have no idea. It is a hit to the pride being asked to take a pay cut in consecutive seasons, but winning may cover over that. I don't really have an idea how wilfork is wired, but it could go either way with him.

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Wilfork is done. I've watched him give up on plays and actually back-pedal into coverage....and for such a fat man, that's ridiculous. I could not believe he came back from his injury around 30 lbs. heavier when he should have come back trimmed down.

He's been a great Patriot, but his time has come.

First, Mayo's health will dictate what happens in this scenario. He had a severe injury that is not easy to come back from. He may never play again! If he passes a physical he can either take the re-structure offer or become a free agent. Its that simple.

Wilfork is done ... he is a shell of his former self. Great comeback from a very tough Achilles injury. He made his money this year and got paid! Not a chance they do that again next year. Give his money to Knighton. The only way Wilfork comes back is if Kraft intervenes.

Get use to the chance that neither are here next year!

Sadly, I am coming around to the thinking of those who suggest that Wilfork will be the odd man out when tough decisions will need to be made.

If he isn't willing to work with the Pats and reduce his salary and help with the cap, then he will be gone and the Pats will make good use of money elsewhere.

At least he would leave with another ring.

Ochmed Jones said:

Restructuring both is the ideal solution, however it is going to be tough for bb to get this and revis done before free agency starts.

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Why is it difficult to negotiate more than one contract in the next 3 weeks? There's plenty of staff. Seriously, the team has plenty of resources to negotiate with all those where decisions need to be made before March 10th (nine free agents, Revis, Solder and Wilfork). Of course, some the lower end free agents might wait and go into free agency, without a real decisions (perhaps White, Ridley and Branch).

Mayo can wait, since there is no bonus (or immediate decision) involved. Also, it may useful for both Mayo and the team to understand the state of Mayo's health. After all, $4.5M of his salary is guaranteed if he injured.

Wilfork is the only capable DT run defender we have. Even at the tail end of his career, he's still an anchor.

Meanwhile, our LB crew of Hightower and Collins blossomed into the best duo in the league while Mayo was gone.

I think Mayo is a good player, but continues to be vastly overrated by a lot of people here.

Mayo more likely to be on team simply bc releasing or trading him doesn't save us much cap space. Wilfork is not coming back at 8m. Unless he accepts a very team friendly deal he is not coming back. Could get a nice contract in free agency.

I hope Vince comes back at like 4m. But I dknt know

billdog3484 said:

Mayo more likely to be on team simply bc releasing or trading him doesn't save us much cap space. Wilfork is not coming back at 8m. Unless he accepts a very team friendly deal he is not coming back. Could get a nice contract in free agency.

I hope Vince comes back at like 4m. But I dknt know

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Are you thinking that Wilfork would get more than $4M in free agency? I don't think that anyone but Vince and Bianca have any problem with the patriots paying him at least what he is worth on the open market. He's as valuable to us as to other teams.

The first OPEN question is whether Wilfork is worth $4M, $5M, $6M, $7M, $8M or more (as contracted). The second OPEN question is how much Wilfork is willing to accept.

The questions are much more straightforward this year than last. Wilfork is healthy, has had a solid year playing over 70% of the defensive reps, and is expected to decline in production each year. This is often the time when Belichick cuts ties with a player.

In any case, I don't see Belichick more than $5M of new money (a cap savings of at least $3M).

Finally, I find it extremely unlikely that Wilfork will have a 2016 contract for more than $3M (a savings of $3M from next year's cap).

condon84 said:

Wilfork is the only capable DT run defender we have. Even at the tail end of his career, he's still an anchor.

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I don't think you have watched Sig and Branch carefully enough.

condon84 said:

Meanwhile, our LB crew of Hightower and Collins blossomed into the best duo in the league while Mayo was gone. I think Mayo is a good player, but continues to be vastly overrated by a lot of people here.

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Really? When healthy Mayo is an outstanding sideline to sideline LB who is also stout enough to stick his hat in the gaps and play the run. With him back- providing he plays at close to his previous level, he gives the defense flexibility to move HT into and edge rusher/OLB role (which helps Nink and Jones) and Collins move around even more defensively. Keep in mind, Collins has very good pass-rushing skills that because of the need for him to play in coverage or on the weak side, the team has not been able to utilize.

condon84 said:

I think Mayo is a good player, but continues to be vastly overrated by a lot of people here.

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From 2008 to 2012 he was a Top 3 ILB. The numbers and what he brings to this defense prove that.

mgteich said:

Why is it difficult to negotiate more than one contract in the next 3 weeks? There's plenty of staff. Seriously, the team has plenty of resources to negotiate with all those where decisions need to be made before March 10th (nine free agents, Revis, Solder and Wilfork). Of course, some the lower end free agents might wait and go into free agency, without a real decisions (perhaps White, Ridley and Branch).

Mayo can wait, since there is no bonus (or immediate decision) involved. Also, it may useful for both Mayo and the team to understand the state of Mayo's health. After all, $4.5M of his salary is guaranteed if he injured.

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This is the era of the fax machine and the e-mail. The Patriots should be able to carry on
multiple negotiations at once. They might have to conclude a restructure or cut a player before finalizing a contract. They may be juggling a lot of balls starting March 7th to cover their butts. It will be interesting to see if they franchise McCourty or Gostkowski.

robertweathers said:

I don't think you have watched Sig and Branch carefully enough.

Really? When healthy Mayo is an outstanding sideline to sideline LB who is also stout enough to stick his hat in the gaps and play the run. With him back- providing he plays at close to his previous level, he gives the defense flexibility to move HT into and edge rusher/OLB role (which helps Nink and Jones) and Collins move around even more defensively. Keep in mind, Collins has very good pass-rushing skills that because of the need for him to play in coverage or on the weak side, the team has not been able to utilize.

From 2008 to 2012 he was a Top 3 ILB. The numbers and what he brings to this defense prove that.

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I don't understand why folks don't understand that Mayo is a huge upgrade over Ayers, and will give us one of the very best set of linebackers in the NFL. And yes, the presence of Mayo will also help the play of the defensive line.

We worry about the HUGE decline of our run defense if Wilfork is gone. I'm not so sure at all. Siliga, Branch, Jones, Easley and a 1st or 2nd round draft choice is a pretty good DL, especially with Mayo, Collins and Hightower as linebackers. Personally, I would like Wilfork to play for another year, but he isn't worth anywhere near $8.5M.

PatriotsReign said:

Wilfork is done. I've watched him give up on plays and actually back-pedal into coverage....and for such a fat man, that's ridiculous. I could not believe he came back from his injury around 30 lbs. heavier when he should have come back trimmed down.

He's been a great Patriot, but his time has come.

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If we are looking at areas of improvement, Pats were poor in short yardage defense last year. IIRC in runs of 2yds or less they allowed 1st downs 78% of the time. That ranked near the bottom of the league. I'm not blaming that on VW but run D and a pass rush from the DT position would be areas that could use upgrades.

There is no question that VW is not the same player as he was 3-4 years ago. Is he still a quality player?- yes. He just isn't a $8m a year one.

mgteich said:

Are you thinking that Wilfork would get more than $4M in free agency? I don't think that anyone but Vince and Bianca have any problem with the patriots paying him at least what he is worth on the open market. He's as valuable to us as to other teams.

The first OPEN question is whether Wilfork is worth $4M, $5M, $6M, $7M, $8M or more (as contracted). The second OPEN question is how much Wilfork is willing to accept.

The questions are much more straightforward this year than last. Wilfork is healthy, has had a solid year playing over 70% of the defensive reps, and is expected to decline in production each year. This is often the time when Belichick cuts ties with a player.

In any case, I don't see Belichick more than $5M of new money (a cap savings of at least $3M).

Finally, I find it extremely unlikely that Wilfork will have a 2016 contract for more than $3M (a savings of $3M from next year's cap).

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i think that another team with a lot of cap space would be willing to over pay a little to get a proven winner and leader in the clubhouse. and if that requires guaranteeing money into a 2nd or even 3rd year, i think its possible he walks. I'm sure vince and the patriots want to work something out but money talks and if another team is willing to over pay, theres a chance he leaves. Run Stuffing DL like wilfork can be brought in for cheap and perform at a level comparable to vince In my opinion.