Thanks for the feedback guys.
The one thing that I have wondered in digging more and more into the Patriots cap is how much things might have changed if there was some added input on the cap/personnel decisions for the team. The team has such a great combination with Brady and Belichick that it can absorb the bad deals here and there to the point where Id imagine you dont even notice it, but I wonder how much better they would be without them. New England seems to go after alot of mediocre on the downside guys in hopes of getting something from them. Ocho and Shaun Ellis were two examples of recent signings like that. That would have amounted to probably an additional 6 million or so in cap room this year that could have delayed the Brady restructure or been used for better young veteran talent. Its tough to argue a team could be much better than the 12-14 wins the team seems to get every year but in hindsight there are little moves here and there that might be more obvious if you had the two stars leave the team.
P.S. Though I appreciate the invite I wont be abandoning my Jets. You guys wouldnt want that anyway--- as soon as I would start cheering on the Pats the Pats would go down the tubes.
Jason, thanks so much for all you do! And please feel free to visit our board any time you like. True, we do have a thread where we mock the afflicted but elsewhere we welcome the perspective of sane and rational (OK, only slightly insane) fans of other teams.
I think you've got your finger on part of what leads to the high number.
Yes, BB is a dedicated bottom feeder. He's like the horseplayer who loves to back outsiders. There's some reason to it -- it's true that a lot of players get written off too early by coaches/GMs who are obsessed with "re-building". BB's attitude is that every season is a new one and he'll do the best with what he has at the time. And he has had a lot of success with oldsters -- think of Rodney Harrison, Brian Cox, Brian Waters, Alge Crumpler. All gave him good service -- and were dumped like used kleenex as soon as he thought their day was done.
Looking at the individual players, first,there were some plain misjudgements (Ochocinco, Fanene -- Adalius Thomas and Derek Burgess earlier). But there are more players who, through age and injury fell off more quickly than expected -- guys like Bodden, Warren, Kaczur. I think that's a price BB is prepared to pay.
As others have pointed out, his ruthlessness serves the team better than other coaches not admitting their mistakes. There is *very* little dead money for players who have actually gone on to make an impact elsewhere.
It also sends a very powerful message to the players. BB isn't someone who motivates his team by ranting and raving, but they know that they have to perform or else. Past performance may get you a contract, but it's only current performance that keeps you a Patriot.