While I trust the miguel numbers, period, which probably re-sets the Amendola conversation more accurately... MGT, did you add 2m and 2.4 m to get 5.4m, or did I read wrong?
Amendola indeed made his case in the stretch, but I think we can in all fairness get a restructure out of him. Tim Wright is another keeper, if you ask me, but we'll see. Amendola is a contributor (by the late numbers) but was not one for much of the time of his deal. I think he takes a one-time dip, with another "prove it" round built in that makes a cut or a raise the options (i.e., low dead-money hit in future seasons if cut)... can that be done? Basically build in an early bonus where if he lives up to potential, we pay? I see him capable of earning a bigger role but think there's a million or two to be saved by paying him by what he's proven. (When we get to Revis, I think the logic goes against us, to a much less cap-friendly result... but he proved every dime of it. Unless he wants to do us a favor... I think most of this impact will have to be absorbed.)
Jonas Gray (Grey?) is a weird one for me. One big game, then it was Blount time. I am assuming he is on a rookie deal, and pulled a rookie stunt. Oversleeping must have just been the tip of an iceberg, given his disappearance. Or, he just wasn't showing anything in practice, because he practiced against the Pats' D instead of the Colts. Thinking we keep him because he's cheap, but once again, I'd have to research that opinion. If he doesn't cost much, it's great to have an easily available back-up if Blount goes down. Assuming Blount is locked up. That situation just confuses me. Who am I kidding, it all does.
Ayers might not be gone, with the glut represented on the market by Pierre-Paul, Freeny, Umenyiora, and Arakpo out there... with four proven vets/big names/shiny objects, I'd love to be a fly on the wall where Ayers is being discussed. Played half a season w/Tennessee, nothing happened. Two knees you'd think were gone. Sure on the Pats he showed he can contribute... but can he contribute
here? What else is out there on our budget... what is he trying to earn? I think if he tests the waters, we get a decent deal w/him for next season.
The elephant in the room is that I now see Revis as a must-keep. Since the opposite of what I think generally happens, we'll see where that goes. Revis opens up the rest of the defense, and gives Bill all his toys to play with. We'll know by March 10. Of course he too could restructure but I don't know why he would. He was already on a prove-it year, and he proved it. Another ring? Feh. Maybe he'd feel like he could be the piece that puts [name of competitive team here] over the hump, if the Pats won't pay. I think if it comes to it we pay... restructuring can push that into future years but I think for the most part we still bite most of that bullet this year.
This was a season of Brady evolution, if you ask me - back to how he can "beat you so many ways." I see investments on both lines, still... but I am wondering whether the next strategic move is toward the 2.5-second QB. It certainly fits in with the future direction, if we assume that Grapes is the future. It makes upgrades along the O-line desirable but less all-or-nothing. It also cuts down on demands for additional "downfield threats..." That's
so 2007. I think they try to save money and
not shoot for a flashy free-agent wide-out - maybe a middle class guy w/potential. So Amendola made a case for himself when it counted, which counts more than disappearing earlier on... but probably they chisel some off that cap hit, given the length of his non-performance. Wilfork...? Restructure. They want him, he wants to be here, do the magical cap-friendly deal.
"They all need to restructure" isn't an option... we'll have to lose
somebody, and with Brady and Revis taking something like $39M in cap room this coming season, I expect the unexpected (unless the unexpected is a much more friendly Revis deal... which I just don't know that Revis wants to do... come on Darrell, we <3 you so much....)
Anyway, just idle musings after reading Miguel & some of the other articles (Balistieri) and some other musings here. I'm quite happy to be proven wrong, but just as it was "unthinkable" to lose the Ginger Beard Man a couple days before this season, I'm expecting unthinkable offseason moves this year too to get to the best team of 53, not the best 53 men, next September.
So much goes into it, between the money side, the evaluation side, and the BB chess-playing side. But I just don't see him trying to play the chess game he's played for so long, trying to get production out of the front 7 w/a weak secondary. This D only gets better, but at the cost of long-ball production, unless Tyms or Boyce truly emerges. Or Dobson, but he's drifting into Chad Jackson territory for me.
Now watch us trade away our whole draft to get a #1 receiver
