http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/local/orl-nflsep0206mar02,0,1226846.story
Not good news if you are an AV fan.....talking about NE in past tones..
Not good news if you are an AV fan.....talking about NE in past tones..
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.This is my thinking as well.MoLewisrocks said:"I really enjoyed my 10 years with the Patriots. It's been a great time and I have a lot of good memories there," he said. "The New England Patriots are bigger than I am. There have been other people who have been released, and others who have been brought in, and that team's been good no matter what."
I think Adam gets it on one level. And while he was upbeat about being a UFA, if the landscape doesn't change radically he may be far less excited about that prospect very soon. And that might just work to the Patriots advantage. If he has to settle for a lot less than he's been hoping for, he might just end up right back where he started. Some of the teams who were rumored to be potential suitors are at or above the cap, so even with slicing and dicing they may not be in a position to blow a FA kicker away. And most of the teams with lots of cap space this season are teams with needs but low revenue facing an uncapped future. They'll have lots of UFA's to look at, but will be faced with the reality of paying them in 2007 and beyond as well.
I think how that shakes out is part of what BB is waiting to see.
hwc said:I don't know why anyone is surprised. When Vinatieri forced the Pats to franchise him last year, it was perfectly obvious that Adam's number one goal was to get to unrestricted free agency. When a player is determined to do that, there is nothing a team can really do about it, unless they are willing to grossly overpay the player as a pre-emptive move.
Same with Givens.
The smart teams must resist the urge to overpay players.
PatsSteve1 said:The Patriots paid Adam 2 mill in 2004 and 2.5 mill in 2005. I'll be surprised if any team gives him a deal that averages over 2 mill a year. Considering the Patriots paid him what they did the last 2 years, if the Patriots want him back, whatever he's offered may be something the Pats will be willing to also pay and maybe he'd take it to stay where he'd remain an icon. I'm not predicting anything here, but I don't really think he's going to get some blockbuster deal. If there's no CBA, there's not as much cap space for teams.
PatsWickedPissah said:Would that it were true, to quote John Forbes Kerry, but then I doubt it.
Pats726 said:I did think it was news, considering many thought NE had a chance to sign him. From what Felger has said there IS a multi year contract making him the highest kicker on the table now. THAT is news!! The discussion was that with him being a UFA, a team liek GB or Cleve who have cap room could overpay for him. I do NOT think NE will...that simple. It is sad...but there are still a few days that a deal can be done. Hopefully, it can. It was also pointed out that with AV using words like that, it might just be a ploy to have NE raise the stakes a bit. Not sure about that one.