it's all just slipping away

[PatsFan24]

first it was ty and the coaches, now its adam willie and david. all the keys to the title run are slipping away. im worried about how good of a team it is gonna be next year, esp if rodney can't play

 

[BelichickFan]

We have $17M, we'll spend it wisely.

 

[IcyPatriot]

first it was ty and the coaches, now its adam willie and david. all the keys to the title run are slipping away. im worried about how good of a team it is gonna be next year, esp if rodney can't play

What hole did you crawl out of???

 

[smg93]

Take it easy. Free agency works both ways. You not only lose players but you get ones too. Rodney, Corey, Rosie ring any bells?

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Did I miss something , or did Adam and Wille both sign somewhere else???

 

[primetime]

Tom Brady.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Jonathan Kraft has defected to the Dolphins as Saban corners the market.

Saban said "Hey, yeah the cap has gone up...but Pop Bob is in Israel and Jonathan cracked the code to the safe."

 

[PatsFan24]

ok ok i know i overeacted, i just hate the idea that willie and adam lifelong patriots might be gone next year

 

[BelichickFan]

ok ok i know i overeacted, i just hate the idea that willie and adam lifelong patriots might be gone next year

Milloy and Law were "lifelong patriots" at one time. Life goes on, decisions must be made, and Belichick/Pioli are right on the value of players more often than not.

 

[PatsFan24]

yes i know, i was disappointed to see them leave also.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Brady & Belichick & Pioli.

If we lose any two out of those three I'll really start to worry.

For now I'm just gonna switch to decaf - and might I suggest we all do.

 

[BelichickFan]

Brady & Belichick & Pioli.

If we lose any two out of those three I'll really start to worry.

As long as Brady and Belichick are here, I won't be worried.

 

[smg93]

As long as Brady and Belichick are here, I won't be worried.

Yup, me too but let me add Pioli to that list.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Willie and David I can see letting go. But ADAM?!?! What kind of crack do you have to smoke to not pay Adam what he's worth? I mean God the Cap's goin up, Brady's the franchise arm, lets get the franchise boot signed.

 

[italian pat patriot]

i trust in SP & BB.

and still TB is our qb : no problem.

football is a business, we know it but we have 'good brains' in Patriots management.

still i would like to see Adam and Willie with us of course...

 

[gomezcat]

It's the nature of football that you can't dominate the league for ten years. I have to say that it is a strength of the NFL that teams can't just buy their way to success each year. In soccer, for example, there are only ever two or three teams who are going to win the league. Even as a supporter of one of those teams, it gets rather tedious.
Yeah, the Pats MAY go through a period of re-structuring but they are not about to go 1-15. Things are nowhere near as bleak as some on here seem to think. We can re-sign Adam or pick up a decent kicker, Willie's great but is on the downside of his career, the O Line could do with some upgrading, we could do with a great number 2 receiver and the running game is in need of improvement. Despite these issues, I back BB and Pioli to have identified them and ways in which they can be fixed. Without Givens, we can draft someone, see if Andre Davis will step up or pick up a solid possession type like Joe Jurevicius. The LB corps will be solid with or without Willie, the O line will improve from last year if Light and Koppen are back (and that doesn't take account of any replacements) and the running game would improve as a result. We could do with getting younger at RB but they know that. These people live the game and probably work 70-90 hours per week.
Are there improvements to be made? Absolutely. Things aren't that bad, though. Take away some turnovers from the Denver game and we win. I think that we would have then fancied our chances against Indy or Pitt.
If you think things are bad, you weren't a fan in the early 90s. Now THAT was depressing.

 

[rookBoston]

BB is completely not sentimental, when it comes to roster management. Releasing Otis, releasing Milloy... no one else in the league could have done it.

We could almost build an entire team out of quality former Patriots that are still playing

QB - Bledsoe
RB - Martin, Smith
WR - Patten, Givens*, Glenn
TE - Wiggins, Cleeland
OL - Compton, Woody, Ruegamer, Andruzzi, Ashworth*

DL - Hamilton, Washington, Eaton, Spires
LB - McGinest*, that's it?
CB - Law, Buckley
S - Milloy, Jones

Not half bad. We just need some LB (Cox, Phifer, TJ... all retired), and the team is a bit weak at OT, but otherwise this group is ready to play ball.

In fact, on paper, this team compares pretty well with the current roster

QB - Brady
RB - Dillon, Faulk
WR - Branch, Childress*
TE - Graham, Watson
OL - Light, Mankins, Koppen, Kaczur, Gorin

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Seymour
LB - Vrabel, Claridge*, Bruschi, Colvin
CB - Samuel, Hobbs
C - Harrison, Wilson

Difference is, our roster fits under the cap with room to breathe and an eye to the future.

 

[patriotspride]

as long as our coach owner and front office remains the same we are in good shape .when those guys start to leave then its time to worry.

 

[smg93]

Yeah, the Pats MAY go through a period of re-structuring but they are not about to go 1-15.

If you think things are bad, you weren't a fan in the early 90s. Now THAT was depressing.

First, I wouldn't even classify next year as anywhere near re-structuring. Our nucleus is still Superbowl quality. Like you said, if not for a few turnovers....

And I agree, things are definitiely not terrible right now. Those years in the 90's were tough but I always had hope watching Bledsoe and the crew. Just a win was satisfying. We've come a long way haven't we.

 

[groundgame]

ok ok i know i overeacted, i just hate the idea that willie and adam lifelong patriots might be gone next year

When the dust settles, there is a good possibility that either Adam or Willie might be playing for New England next season. You have to admire the BB/Pioli team, they have guts, and I sure would not want to be playing poker against these guys if my house was on the line.