McCourty now has a choice to make

With Gost getting franchised:

1.Resign with the Patriots for about 8-9 million a year (just my guess)

2. Sign somewhere else and be the highest paid safety in the league for about 10-11 million a year (destinations include: Indy, Oakland, Tennessee)

If the Colts offer him the deal above and he can be the face of a defense that will be Superbowl contenders for years to come, his choice seems obvious.

@AdamSchefter: Unless Patriots re-sign him before next week, Devin McCourty is going to be one hotly-pursued free agent.

Here we go.

Oh God.

I can already see this board spinning McCourty right into the Welker villain club.

"HE LEFT FOR THE MONIES. TRAITOR."

Can we please- please- avoid that with him? He's been a great player here and was a key piece of a title club EDIT: Not to mention he's been a class-act. Realistically the Patriots are in a very tough spot this offseason capwise, it was always possible either Revis or McCourty (or, worst case, both) didn't come back.

Shalise Manza Young claims the Patriots and D-Mac haven't even spoken as of late, so I mean, that might tell you where the Patriots stand; unless they're waiting to solve the Revis code, but surely they'd talk with McCourty in the meantime?

I keep hearing that the Colts will go after McCourty, but I'm not convinced that that's a good fit. Their nonexistent pass rush and nonexistent run D are much bigger issues than their subpar coverage at safety.

It only takes one team but I'm not sure the league sees McCourty as a 10 or 11 Mi /year asset.

varjao said:

It only takes one team but I'm not sure the league sees McCourty as a 10 or 11 Mi /year asset.

Click to expand...

FWIW I feel the Eagles will make a big play for him. Would totally be a Chip Kelly kind of player, they have the cap room, and God knows they need the secondary help.

The Jags will pay him..

BradyFTW! said:

I keep hearing that the Colts will go after McCourty, but I'm not convinced that that's a good fit. Their nonexistent pass rush and nonexistent run D are much bigger issues than their subpar coverage at safety.

Click to expand...

Their biggest issue is that organization is a mess, as we've seen in the last month.

At $9 M he would be the third highest paid for his position, $10 or 11 M just isn't going to happen IMO. He wants to stay here with the Pats. He will take $8-9 M IMO

I know y opinion isn't worth a cup of coffee, but being a Pats fan for 55 years tells me that there are players that value being in a great organization vs a $1 M when they are at $8M.

I am staying positive, he wants another ring and who best offers him that, The Pats.

Pats wouldn't be willing to pay him 8-9M per year. They don't have the money for one thing.

Although if they cut Revis, they might be tempted.

if we dont get a deal done before next week, mccourty is GONE.

...come on bill, get it done. i'd be furious if mccourty went to the scumbag colts.

Can the pats look at branch from the raiders if DMac leaves? Branch is very talented but he is never healthy. Low risk reward.

Greg A. Bedard ‏@GregABedard 1h1 hour ago
If Patriots don't tag McCourty, Colts GM Ryan Grigson should camp out on his step. Settle secondary, weaken rival. At least drive cost up

Brewskies said:

At $9 M he would be the third highest paid for his position, $10 or 11 M just isn't going to happen IMO. He wants to stay here with the Pats. He will take $8-9 M IMO

I know y opinion isn't worth a cup of coffee, but being a Pats fan for 55 years tells me that there are players that value being in a great organization vs a $1 M when they are at $8M.

I am staying positive, he wants another ring and who best offers him that, The Pats.

Click to expand...

What if the Pats don't think he's worth it? What if the whole assumption of this thread, that McCourty "has a choice to make", is bull? He's already made it clear he wants to stay here. If NE hasn't even spoken to him recently, that says more to me about the choice BB is willing to make than anything McCourty has to do.

Not tagging him is madness. Losing potentially both him and Revis would be devastating

The Pats have never had the cap room to tag McCourty. And, honestly, with Revis and Browner at CB, I'm not sure the Pats can afford the highest paid safety in the NFL, even if they view McCourty as the best safety in the NFL.

Just take a deep breath and see how this all plays out.

Wrath Mania said:

Oh God. I can already see this board spinning McCourty right into the Welker villain club. "HE LEFT FOR THE MONIES. TRAITOR." Can we please- please- avoid that with him?

Click to expand...

Every situation is different; Welker and his agent simply messed up. IF McCourty signs elsewhere for bigger bucks, I don't see how anyone can fault him. The Patriots have their own arcane approach to roster building and sometimes it takes us into the regular season before the other shoe drops on head-scratching moves made months prior.

Big winner today is Mccourty..he is going to get a TON of $$

His brother tweeted about getting his recruiting gloves on

Tunescribe said:

Every situation is different; Welker and his agent simply messed up.

Click to expand...

No, they didn't.

For a site that claims to be so intent on getting "truth", this place sure is happy with passing along untruths about former players and non-Patriots players/coaches/owners

I may be among a few not freaking out. He is good, but we can live without him. A top corner makes every secondary looks good. Sign Revis and if McCourty goes so be it. But if the plan is to let Revis go, then McCourty is a must sign. Pats are in a toughy.

SVN said:

Greg A. Bedard ‏@GregABedard 1h1 hour ago
If Patriots don't tag McCourty, Colts GM Ryan Grigson should camp out on his step. Settle secondary, weaken rival. At least drive cost up

Click to expand...

Seeing how well Grigson mangled this deflate gate stuff, he'd probably end up mixed up, camp out on Sterling Moore's steps and sign him instead.