Pay Seymour ! - Let McGinest and Givens Go
 

Would you all rather lock up and pay the best and most dominant young defensive lineman in the game or lock up a number 2 posession receiver in a spread it around offense, and a 34 year old linebacker with sure to be declining skills.

Don't get me wrong, Givens and McGinest were beloved Patriots and great leaders, and very good talents, but Richard Seymour is an all time type, first ballot Hall of Fame, defensive lineman that can absolutely dominate a game. He is the kind of player that only comes around every 5-10 years or so.

Where do you think the Patriots are going to get the money to sign Seymour ?
I will use the eight-year $66 million contract which includes a $16 million signing bonus that Jevon Kearse signed with the Eagles a couple of years ago as the starting point for Seymour. Seymour is twice the player that Kearse is.

The more likely scenario is that Seymour warrants a $20+ million signing bonus and 8-9 million a year for say 7 years.

Everyone is waiting for some kind of big splash in Free agency this year. I would be happiest to hear that Seymour and Deion Branch are signed up for the long term. These guys are the unique talents. A replacement for Givens will be found. McGinest will be replaced by Vrabel and the Patriots will find a middle linebacker.

This doesn't mean that it doesn't sucks to lose those guys, this is just the reality of doing business in the NFL. You can't pay everyone on your roster 4 million dollars !

Everything is going to be OK, and even better, everything is going to be better for the long run when we lock up Seymour and Branch.

One more thing. Don't be surprised if the Patriots sign Lavar Arrington. I remember when the Patriots signed Rosey Colvin 3 years ago, that came out of nowhere and I was amazed that they spent as much money as they did on him.

I was right with you right up to Arrington--------

Ding ding ding....we have a winning post. You sir are 100% dead nuts right on!!

I agree with everything you said (well, not the Arrington part) and if we do sign Seymour & Branch - that would mean we are keeping two more crucial members of the CHAMPIONSHIP nucleous around here for years to come.

I agree...NO Arrington....please!!!! Just don't think it will happen...

You can't imagine Arrington's talent in the hands of Belichik ? Don't forget that Belichick was the D-Coordinator for Lawrence Taylor.

I'm just saying don't be surprised. I would rather spend the money on Seymour and Branch, but there might be room for another big talent like Arrington.

What Arrington Talents? The ones for Freelancing? For ignoring your coach? For not playing inside the team plan? The talent of having almost no cartiledge in your knees?

No thanks on Arrington.

BTW, its wierd that Adam Shefter reported on Sat or Sun that Arrington had signed with the Giants, yet nothing came of it....

Just like Corey Dillon was a selfish, me, no team guy ?

You people have to read through the media hype and get down to the facts. That guy is a stud man. I don't ever remember hearing Greg Williams or Joe Gibbs saying that he ignored them or was free lancing all the time. Maybe he was frustrated just like Corey Dillon was playing for a lose bag of a team every year.

Have any of you ever watched a game that Arrington has played in ? You might not like the supposed attitude, but you can't deny the talent.

Exactly regarding Seymour. I want them to lock him up and that will require some big money. As for Arrington, I just don't see him fitting in in NE. I know, I know some players labeled troublemakers have come here and fit in. I just don't see Arrington as being one of them.

I think that's pretty much the plan already Mcdonut. I like what you're saying about Seymour and Branch. With regard to Arrington, all we've ever heard about him is basically press clippings. I don't know much else about him. If BB and Pioli think that he or that LB from SF will fit in here, then I'm ok with that.

I have to wonder if this is the best allocation of cap resources. I love Seymour, but it makes me nervous allocating that much of the cap to one player.