BB's toughest coaching call

[Miguel]

To put some cap perspective on the Brady-Bledsoe transition.

If he had remained on the Pats roster in 2002 Bledsoe would have had a cap number of $6.33 million. But because he was traded, his cap number was $6,666,667 so it cost the Pats around 550K in cap space to trade Bledsoe.

As of now, Brady's 2014 cap number is $14.8 million. If traded, it goes up to 30.8 million. Add another $420K to the cost of trading Brady as that would be the salary of the player who takes Brady's place in the Top 51 list.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

http://guyism.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/johnny-unitas-colts-chargers.jpg

I lived this as a teenager, don't want to see it happen again….

 

[1960Pats]

http://guyism.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/johnny-unitas-colts-chargers.jpg

I lived this as a teenager, don't want to see it happen again….

Johnny Unitas came to our HS in the mid 60s. I can still picture him standing up on that podium in the auditorium.

I can't blame any player for trying to hang on, and that would include Brady if he left for another team. Unitas to the Chargers and Montana to the Chiefs was a little strange, but not bad.

 

[Ivan]

What hasn't been mentioned so far in this thread is that Belichick has already demonstrated his ability to pull the trigger when he sat Bledsoe in favor of Brady. The challenge now is to identify and procure a new Brady.

What you are forgetting is that Brady actually won that job in the pre-season and Belichick acknowledged that in the Brady 6 documentary, then he went out and won it again when he got the opportunity to play in place of Bledsoe during the 2001 season, going back to Bledose made no sense when the patriots were on a play-off roll, and despite Bledsoe's protests Belichick made the right decision and the rest is history.

While I can understand liking Mallett as a prospect we have absolutely no idea whether he will be a good QB or not when he gets the chance. His coaches may have a good idea from what they have seen in practice but there is nothing in terms of game experience, and taking Mallett over Brady at this point makes absolutely no sense at all. It might if Brady has a bad season sometime in the next few years but unitl then it doesn't.

 

[dhamz]

I guess I never gave Mike McCarthy the credit he deserves in handling the Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers transition. Recall that that Brett Favre, certain future HOF and SB winning QB, led the Packers to a 13-3 season. Nonetheless McCarthy chose to sit him down and transition to Rodgers.

It didn't go easily. Favre was a raging bull about it, and Rodgers and the Pack fell off to a 6-10 first season under Rodgers.

But McCarthy had the intestinal fortitude to continue in spite of it all. In retrospect he was very right:

This didn't happen anywhere close to how you are portraying it here.

Favre retired (teary press conference and all) so the Pack that off-season turned to Rodgers who had been their #1 3 years earlier when Favre first let it be known he was considering retiring. When Favre flip-flopped about retirement as camp approached, Ted Thompson told him there was no room for him in GB. Favre demanded his release so he could be a Viking. Thompson said no chance. They agreed he would be traded and he ended up a Jet.

There was no sitting down of Favre for Rodgers by McCarthy. No sticking the course as Rodgers struggled and Favre raged.

As for the intestinal fortitude of McCarthy to continue- that is actually funny. Rodgers was a 1st year starter, a former #1 pick, and he threw for 4000 yds, 28 tds, and 13 ints. What was his other option? Go to Matt Flynn? Ask Ted Thompson (probably 2nd only to BB in the amount of decision making power in the NFL) to cut his hand picked QB and draft/trade for someone else?

 

[raduray]

What you are forgetting is that Brady actually won that job in the pre-season and Belichick acknowledged that in the Brady 6 documentary, then he went out and won it again when he got the opportunity to play in place of Bledsoe during the 2001 season, going back to Bledose made no sense when the patriots were on a play-off roll, and despite Bledsoe's protests Belichick made the right decision and the rest is history.

I'm not seeing how my post leads you to believe that I'm forgetting anything. Belichick has demonstrated a ruthless willingness to switch horses whenever he thinks necessary, including the QB position (Bledsoe to Brady). That assumes a (perceived) suitable replacement is at hand. Nowhere do I state that Mallett should be that replacement.

 

[Ivan]

I'm not seeing how my post leads you to believe that I'm forgetting anything. Belichick has demonstrated a ruthless willingness to switch horses whenever he thinks necessary, including the QB position (Bledsoe to Brady). That assumes a (perceived) suitable replacement is at hand. Nowhere do I state that Mallett should be that replacement.

Oh, OK, you were just speaking in the abstract and saying that someday Belichick will have to replace Brady, and it had nothing to do with the topic of this thread, which is about replacing him with Mallett.

in that case we agree.


On a related note, someday Belichick will retire.

 

[dhamz]

Situations are different:

There is zero doubt in my mind in Ted Thompson's position, BB trades Favre and goes with Rodgers.

I have no doubt in the 49ers position in the early 90s faced with the choice of the legend who had played once in 2 years and the younger, healthier, reigning NFL MVP BB trades Joe to KC.

I think BB definitely drafts Luck and moves on from Peyton if he is making that decision.

I think if he is in Denver when Elway retires, he tries hard to convince him not to, and lets him know that if he changes his mind during the summer he is welcome back with open arms and Bubby Brister will be a nice back-up when John wants some time off in practice.

Today, there is no way he considers for a second making any sort of change.

 

[raduray]

... and it had nothing to do with the topic of this thread, which is about replacing him with Mallett.

Hate to be picky, but if you re-read the OP, you will not find any mention of Mallett.

 

[Ivan]

Hate to be picky, but if you re-read the OP, you will not find any mention of Mallett.

Not a problem, you apparently are new here and don't understand how AZ feels about Ryan Mallett, he loves him and fully expects him to replace Brady. He may not have made that clear in his OP but those of use who have had many discussions with him are well aware of what he is talking about.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The ball to Slater was thrown so high it allowed the defender to get back and make a play! Brady CANNOT throw anything over 20 yards downfield. The Broncos and every other decent defense plays a 20 yard box from the line of scrimmage. Its easy to defend that 20 yard box. Brady's passing percentage downfield is 20%!

WE need to start looking for a new QB (draft or FA), Can Mallett do the job ... I don't know?

I was FOR medical marijuana right until this post, Markey Mark

Do agree that the lob ball to Slater was not a good throw and also that the overthrow to Edelperson was awful. Sometimes, you (player) just suck

 

[Deus Irae]

The ball to Slater was thrown so high it allowed the defender to get back and make a play! Brady CANNOT throw anything over 20 yards downfield. The Broncos and every other decent defense plays a 20 yard box from the line of scrimmage. Its easy to defend that 20 yard box. Brady's passing percentage downfield is 20%!

WE need to start looking for a new QB (draft or FA), Can Mallett do the job ... I don't know?

The pass to Slater should have been an easy catch. That's on Slater, not Brady.

 

[obgod3]

At some point in the very near future NE has to think about who will replace TB. I know how sacrilegious it is to say that but I figure TB has 2 more good years and maybe 2 after that of ok years. Instead of drafting guys to develop trade bait, i.e. Hoyer, you have to be serious about who is next. I personally think BB and Brady end this run together so it will be new coach and new QB.

 

[Triumph]

If Brady was fading why did he get so much better as soon as Gronkowski returned?

Because Gronk is a beast who would excel on virtually any team. He physically over powers defenses. Finesse and Gronk arent on the same planet.

Of course having Gronk opens up the passing game for other players. The downside is that if Gronk cant play the whole passing offense goes to hell in his absence. It never used to be that way. When Branch got hurt early in the 04 season, Patten stepped in so the offense wouldnt miss a beat.

Everyone forgets, Branch, Brown and Givens, none of them started a full 16 game season ever for the Pats.

 

[Triumph]

I was FOR medical marijuana right until this post, Markey Mark

Do agree that the lob ball to Slater was not a good throw and also that the overthrow to Edelperson was awful. Sometimes, you (player) just suck

Why they would pass to Slater is baffling to begin with. Its like a fan called down to the sidelines with a play. The last pass that Slater caught in a game was from Peyton Manning himself for a TD in last years Pro Bowl.

For a team that plays by the laws of probability, Slater was a 50 - 50 shot in the dark at best.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Why they would pass to Slater is baffling to begin with. Its like a fan called down to the sidelines with a play. The last pass that Slater caught in a game was from Peyton Manning himself for a TD in last years Pro Bowl.

For a team that plays by the laws of probability, Slater was a 50 - 50 shot in the dark at best.

It's a typical JoshMcD "WTF?" call. Had it worked (low %) he'd be called brilliant.
Slater (1) even with his speed failed to get separation (2) flailed away at the ball Kung Fu fashion, as always. THere's a very good reason he's not a deep threat WR.