Jason Taylor or Kevin Faulk

[billdog3484]

i dont know why they would have to be mutually exclusive of eachother. wouldnt signing jason taylor make jarvis green more expendable? i know faulk's release would give us more cap space, but i feel like it would be green and not faulk to go

 

[zoostation]

Kevin Faulk is a first down machine? In the last 5 years he has been one of the most consistent and dependable Patriot on the offensive side of the ball.

Me thinks the Patriots aren’t even considering cutting him.

 

[Willie55]

Faulk is one of the most valuable players on the team, and probably the best on third down where he is also one of the best in the league. Our best receiver out of the backfield who consistently moves the chains and picks up the blitz. He has improved every year and nobody made more big plays last year than Kevin Faulk.

Its funny you mention Kevin Faulk and most valuable player. Every time he touches the ball, he makes positive yards I yell at the television "Kevin Faulk MVP!!" I love the game he brings. He would be a huge loss, especially on third downs, if he were gone.

 

[Rob0729]

Remember, though, the 30% rule applies to renegotiated contracts, not just new ones. So, for example, if the Pats want to convert Brady's salaries to signing bonuses, they need to convert much of his 2010 salary, as well.

But both Brady's and Light's 2010 salaries and cap hits are currently less than 2009. That means the Pats can renegotiate either salary down at least a bit before the 30% rule comes into place. Brady's current salary is $5 mill and cap hit is $12.6 mill. Next year he has a $3.5 mill base and a $10.2 mil cap hit. Light currently has a $4.25 mil base and a $5.5 cap hit. Next year he has a $4.5 mil base and a $4.7 mil cap hit. So there is clearly some room for the Pats to work with before they have to worry about the 30% rule. They would not have to convert either player's 2010 salary at least up to a certain point.

 

[Gene In Montana]

Kevin Faulk has been "MONEY" on the field!!!

 

[mayoclinic]

Without cutting players with major salaries, we will already need to have a restructure or two in order to sign the rookies and have the cap money to go into the season. That's fine. That's business as usual.

If we want Taylor, either he needs to play for about what Woods plays for or we will need to figure out where to get the cap monies.

One option is to cut Faulk and draft a running back or two to replace Faulk and Green-Ellis. Surely, Taylor AND Morris AND Maroney AND two rookies can handle the load and put us in good shaper for the future. Hopefully one of the rookies will turn out to be a major contributor.
===================

Well, I made the argument as best I can. My choice would be to extend Faulk and not worry about Taylor.

In's interesting that you posted this about 3 weeks after your previous poll on this issue:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/221289-who-who-would-you-choose.html

That poll had a 2-to-1 preference for keeping Faulk over signing either Jason Taylor or Ray Lewis. I was one of the people in the Faulk camp.

I fully appreciate Faulk's contributions, but I do understand the logic of considering the other approach. Faulk will be 33 this year, is a role player, is in a contract year, and has a $4M cap hit (with $3M saved if he is cut or traded). Trading Faulk and drafting someone like Devin Moore to replace him would result in a younger, cheaper alternative, and his money could be used to bring in Taylor in a starting role at OLB on a 2 year deal.

I'm not saying that we do it. I remain a big Faulk fan. But with the other moves that the FO has made in free agency, I'm not sure it is as open-and-shut as it once was.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

But both Brady's and Light's 2010 salaries and cap hits are currently less in 2010 than 2009. That means the Pats can renegotiate either salary down at least a bit before the 30% rule comes into place. Brady's current salary is $5 mill and cap hit is $12.6 mill. Next year he has a $3.5 mill base and a $10.2 mil cap hit. Light currently has a $4.25 mil base and a $5.5 cap hit. Next year he has a $4.5 mil base and a $4.7 mil cap hit. So there is clearly some room for the Pats to work with before they have to worry about the 30% rule. They would not have to convert either player's 2010 salary at least up to a certain point.

Just to be clear, the cap hits play no part in the 30% rule. We're both right, though—any new contract must be compliant with the rule, but there is some room for maneuvering in both contracts (for Brady, they could convert ~$2.4M, saving $1.2M, without doing anything to 2010; for Light, they could convert ~$1.4M, saving $700K).

 

[abdul7]

Kevin Faulk = The most under rated player in the NFL ! Too valuable as a good blocker and 3rd down. No way we lose him. Just cant believe how some of us can even consider losing him. Peace.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The guesstimates are that we would only bring Taylor in here at a cap hit of $2-3M in 2009. So if Brady and Light could be seemlessly tweeked to free up almost $2M a couple of cuts of salary only recent signings currently residing within the 51 might be sufficient to get it done. And there is always the option of doing something with Faulk's contract. He's due to receive $3.4M in salary and roster bonus in his last season. A 1 year extension that basically converts his $500K roster bonus due week 1 and half his 2009 salary ($1.45M) to a $1.95M signing bonus he gets up front in exchange for 1 more season at $1.88M with all salaries guaranteed would be cap compliant and free up another $1.4M. Given his age and position $5.3M in guaranteed money thru 2010 and any otion of being cut off the table should make Faulk happy.

Given the present constrictions there doesn't appear to be much else available in the way of tweaking for cap room that wouldn't expose the team to risk in the event 2010 is capped or set precedents that undermine the existing compensation model that has served it well.

 

[satz]

Crazy Post
1)maroney even when he was healthy was NOT put in blocking downs early in his career. we are talking about a high first round pick.
2)Kevin faulk and heath evans are the 2 best blockers even last year.morris and jordan were okay not good.
3)Having already lost evans now the plan to cut faulk so definitely blowing the blocking backs for our QB.He is excellent chip blocker .
4)At his size he takes on 50lbs or so bigger guys and buys enough time and is one of the best 3rd down block.
5)plays the slot and split wide and have tremendous hands.
6)Hr avg some ridiculour 6 yds/carry last year.
7)leading receiving RB in pats history.

PLANraft a rookie in the 3rd and replace him ..... wish things were so easy and every team will have a faulk.

 

[supafly]

Its funny you mention Kevin Faulk and most valuable player. Every time he touches the ball, he makes positive yards I yell at the television "Kevin Faulk MVP!!" I love the game he brings. He would be a huge loss, especially on third downs, if he were gone.

I honestly have mentioned him as an underrated team MVP too, obviously not in '07, but there's been at least a yr or 2. Last yr he was again, amazing.

If it came down to having to cut someone to save money, (and there will be a surprise cut or 2--especially with the plethora of draft picks, better depth and competition etc) I wouldn't want it to be K.Faulk. Let's at least wait until he has a questionable yr.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I refuse to choose between them.

You are setting up a fallacy of necessity ... namely that we can only have one or the other, when in fact, there could be 47.5 other ways to sign Taylor and still remain under the cap.

Cutting Faulk may be one way to do so, but not the only option, and a poor option in my opinion.

Faulk has made a career out of finding niche roles on the team and filling them. He is versatile, loyal, dependible, and effective.

No, cutting him would be foolish.

 

[skri65]

Get nervous every time he touches the ball? He's had one fumble in the last couple seasons. He's been an unbelievable blocker, and he is an ELITE 3rd down/shotgun RB. When we need a third down, Faulk has almost ALWAYS delivered. He also screams "Patriots Way" every time he gets on the field. Where in the world did the Faulk criticism come from? Talk of him getting cut? He's one of our most valuable assets on the offensive side of the ball.

 

[Lord_Reginald_III]

yeah, the fumbles haven't been a prob in a real long time. it also seems like every year faulk has stepped up his game on some level: hands, running the draw, running routes, etc

besides which, there is absolutely no way cassel would've had the year he did without faulk...

 

[diggemsmack]

both

 

[brdmaverick]

With the money we save by replacing BJGE with a rookie, the Patriots won't save enough to sign another cheerleader, never mind Jason Taylor.

I've never been a huge Kevin Faulk fan. The less he touches the ball, the lower my stress levels during a game. But I don't know about replacing him with a rookie for third downs. If he hadn't been suspended for the first game of the season last year, Pollard probably never makes it to Brady's knee.

Right now I think a good third down back is more important than Taylor.

Wow, I used to feel like that, but I feel completely the opposite now. The guy has great hands. I feel so much better with him in the game. Over the past few years you can see that he has made GREAT catches (even for little dump offs) and turned them into first downs.

 

[Holy Diver]

One of the Three games to glory videos has commentary with three Patriots, I think it was Givens, Branch and maybe Vrabel....

all are no longer with the team...obviously.


the Voice overs were recorded just after Faulk signed a new deal, and at one point during the game he makes a play....all three say "We just signed Faulk....so glad to have THAT guy back on the team"


I agree, aside from a few fumbles early in his stay with the Patriots, the man has been CRUCIAL to our superbowl victories.

 

[brdmaverick]

In all honestly, I would prefer they cut Maroney as opposed to Faulk. He is a great fit for the team and his skill set fits perfectly with what the Pats ask him to do.

 

[Fencer]

Faulk has also stepped up simply in terms of getting first downs. A few years back, it seemed he'd always make a good-looking play, but wind up being stopped a yard or two short.

 

[supafly]

In all honestly, I would prefer they cut Maroney as opposed to Faulk. He is a great fit for the team and his skill set fits perfectly with what the Pats ask him to do.

Me too, although I don't think it would help too much in savings

Faulk is a chain sniffing beast, he represents the whole 'team first' philosophy