Patriots could cut then re-sign Vince Wilfork

http://nep.247sports.com/Bolt/Patriots-could-cut-then-re-sign-veteran-Vince-Wilfork-35819192

There is a chance of Vince signing with another team if they try this.

I'm hoping one of the young bucks in the draft falls to us. There are some great d tackles in 2015.

NE_Zealot said:

I'm hoping one of the young bucks in the draft falls to us. There are some great d tackles in 2015.

Click to expand...

This is a very deep DL class. We wont have a problem finding a DT.

KDPPatsfan85 said:

This is a very deep DL class. We wont have a problem finding a DT.

Click to expand...

So now we come to the point where Wilfork is replaceable by a draft choice.

Not saying replaceable but NE does need to think about the future. Wilfork is 33 and known to be stubborn about taking less $$$

mgteich said:

So now we come to the point where Wilfork is replaceable by a draft choice.

Click to expand...

Im not saying he is replaceable, what I am saying is that there is a lot of talent at DT in this draft. Also, the Patriots could try to resign him cheaper bc DTs at his age go for less money.

Yes, if Wilfork is cut, the team will look at options, including Wilfork. It seems unlikely to me that free agent Wilfork would end up signing for the patriots.

I agree that that there are lots of options at DT if Wilfork leaves. The first is to re-sign Branch. The second is to sign a mid-level free agent NT. A third is to draft a NT. I suspect that we would do two of the three if Wilfork were to leave.

Personally, I would see little downside in re-signing Branch unless another free agent accepts a deal before March 10th.

mgteich said:

It seems unlikely to me that free agent Wilfork would end up signing for the patriots.

Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that - - at least for one more year.

Reason why the door may still be open in that case? D'Aundre Holmes-Wilfork enters his Senior year at Xaverian HS this coming fall.

They aren't moving D'Aundre out of Xaverian at this stage- he is too good a football player at that program, and Bianca is not going allow Vince to live away from the family. That's too close knit a relationship.

Vince will either grudgingly take a lower deal or simply retire.

They'd be the high bidder in fa at half his current cap hit.

They could cut and re-sign Revis too.

Wilfork needs to be a team player here again.

I believe they did this with Troy Brown. Wilfork accepted a contract that was very incentive based. He and the team made out, because he was their best DT.

An interception and 2 passes defensed? How many nose tackles even have those statistical categories? It's business. No matter how they do it, the Pats want Wilfork back because no borderline 1-2 pick, or Branch will replace him in the short term.

RayClay said:

I believe they did this with Troy Brown. Wilfork accepted a contract that was very incentive based. He and the team made out, because he was their best DT.

An interception and 2 passes defensed? How many nose tackles even have those statistical categories? It's business. No matter how they do it, the Pats want Wilfork back because no borderline 1-2 pick, or Branch will replace him in the short term.

Click to expand...

A couple of points:

1) The INT wasn't a coverage INT. The ball was tipped at the LOS by another Patriot, Wilfork looked up and the ball was in his hand - - cute bunny hop afterward though.

2) I fully agree with you that Patriots definitely want him back for more reasons than simply on-field performance.

3) However the argument that no one can replace him adequately in the short-term is one that the Patriots haven't succumbed to before with Mankins or Welker or Seymour. They want Wilfork, but they will not sacrifice cap space for other areas of need on the team. They will not pay him more to see a Revis or McCourty or even Gostkowski walk away as a result. It's a zero-sum game and he is somewhere around 4th or 5th on that priority list at this time.

shmessy said:

However the argument that no one can replace him adequately in the short-term is one that the Patriots haven't succumbed to before with Mankins or Welker or Seymour.

Click to expand...

Bill as a cold, calculating, impersonal dictator is a popular meme, but I believe that there are levels of attachment to players. Guys like Faulk and Brown were given farewell tours and Bruschi/Harrison were allowed to leave on their terms (with a little prodding). The three you mentioned had public scuffles with the team, which I think contributed to their eventual parting. While discussions with Vince got a little crass last year, I think he is closer to the first group than the second, and I expect him to retire a Patriot.

We all love Vince, but he doesn't collapse the pocket like he used to. He also doesn't command nearly the number of double teams anymore either. Wilfork is still a versatile and smart player who is a solid starter, but he's not nearly the force he used to be. A massive DT that demands double teams and can consistently stuff the run and collapse the pocket is invaluable. That, IMO, is the Patriots biggest need (assuming they keep McCourty and Revis).

Is Dominique Easley being written off already? Won't he be able to help plug a gap or two if Wilfork does leave?

Oswlek said:

Bill as a cold, calculating, impersonal dictator is a popular meme, but I believe that there are levels of attachment to players. Guys like Faulk and Brown were given farewell tours and Bruschi/Harrison were allowed to leave on their terms (with a little prodding). The three you mentioned had public scuffles with the team, which I think contributed to their eventual parting. While discussions with Vince got a little crass last year, I think he is closer to the first group than the second, and I expect him to retire a Patriot.

Click to expand...

I hear ya and that's a very good point.

It does take two to tango, however, and 50% of it does depend on whether Vince can accept contract reality at this point. All of your positive outcome examples were players who did not have nearly the public kerfuffle that Vince had last spring.

I'm hoping that all goes well, that Vince understands that his football worth right now is NOT a reflection of how the team and fans view his worth as a human being and that they can shake hands and sign a nice contract.

bresna said:

Is Dominique Easley being written off already? Won't he be able to help plug a gap or two if Wilfork does leave?

Click to expand...

Easley is about 90 lbs lighter than Wilfork. He's more of a better Chris Jones than a Vince Wilfork. Two totally different player roles.

Wilfork has a decision to make. If he understands that he has one year left, then one option is to retire as a patriot and let his kid finish high school this year. He will be on a farewell tour all year.

However, Wilfork might think that he has more than one year left (or can convince GM's that he does) in which case he will leave and sign a contract elsewhere.

The biggest problem with Wilforks contract last year is no one knew it he could come back at all. That was a huge injury to a very large man. Wilfork came back from it which is an impressive feat. I think he has at least 2 more years of being a solid starter. He isn't the best NT in the game anymore but a starting caliber veteran locker room leader still has value. I would look to extend him for 2 more years on top of this year on a deal that works for both. Load that last year with say a 8 mil salary so he can feel good about the average per year, save face, and get paid now while the pats get cap relief and can cut him when he is no longer a solid starter.

RayClay said:

I believe they did this with Troy Brown. Wilfork accepted a contract that was very incentive based. He and the team made out, because he was their best DT.

An interception and 2 passes defensed? How many nose tackles even have those statistical categories? It's business. No matter how they do it, the Pats want Wilfork back because no borderline 1-2 pick, or Branch will replace him in the short term.

Click to expand...

I think the problem is comes when you compare those stats to 2012 when he had 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, and 6 pass defenses and he had a much lower cap #.