SITE MENU
Registered Members experience this forum ad and noise-free.
CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Pro Football Weekly is hearing that, if healthy, Patriots CB Ras-I Dowling (hip surgery) will start opposite of Devin McCourty.
He'd be getting the nod over Kyle Arrington, who, after putting up an NFL-high seven interceptions last season, would work the slot in nickel situations. After being selected 33rd in the 2011 draft, Dowling starter in the season opener, but appeared in only two games due to injury.
If this blurb is true, it would be stupid to extend him now:
Ras-I Dowling - New England Patriots - 2012 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com
If Arrington is the third or even the fourth CB (depending on Dennard's development), it is stupid to extend him now with his contract value being pretty high leading the league in INTs last year.
Dowling looked great in that game to me.Why are people so high on Dowling anyways? Was I the only one watching when he was part of the secondary that gave up 400 yards to Chad Henne? Yeah.. Chad Henne..
Why are people so high on Dowling anyways? Was I the only one watching when he was part of the secondary that gave up 400 yards to Chad Henne? Yeah.. Chad Henne..
why bother?
You need 3 corners in the NFL today.
Right, it's not like there were 10 other guys on the field in that game.Why are people so high on Dowling anyways? Was I the only one watching when he was part of the secondary that gave up 400 yards to Chad Henne? Yeah.. Chad Henne..
You need 3 corners in the NFL today.
Why are people so high on Dowling anyways? Was I the only one watching when he was part of the secondary that gave up 400 yards to Chad Henne? Yeah.. Chad Henne..
I love Arrington, he's a starting quality CB who will be a great #3/nickel back, but I feel he'll get overpaid the next offseason. With two kids behind Dowling/Mccourty in Moore/Dennard, he'll probably look for money elsewhere.
The #3 CB position is as important as any starting position defense nowadays though.
All right, all I'm saying is lets see if Dowling can even play more than one and half games before we crown him the savior of the secondary. Size and speed doesn't do a lot from IR. Just ask Shawn Crable.
That's why (1) it would be smart for the Pats to tie up Arrington sooner rather than later if he's willing, and (2) why he's probably not willing. If he wants to see how much he can push his value and get paid, then the Pats have other options. If he's willing to stay and be part of a perenniel contender, the team should lock him up quickly.
Going off the entire last year, Arrington was the best player in our secondary. That includes McCourty, who had his skills completely fall off a cliff after one summer. I don't see how the best CB suddenly becomes the Patriots second guy off the bench.
Going off the entire last year, Arrington was the best player in our secondary. That includes McCourty, who had his skills completely fall off a cliff after one summer. I don't see how the best CB suddenly becomes the Patriots second guy off the bench.
I think that we will see another case of the constant trend where some random NFL team overpays for a CB again.
I would expect a guy like Arrington to fetch anywhere between 6-7 1/2 per year in free agency, depending of course on his production this year.
For a guy like Belichick who doesn't seem to overpay at the CB position in particular, I would have to imagine that he does not value Arrington quite that high.
My guess is that he is hoping that any one of Dowling, Moore, or Denard may work out, as opposed to paying Arrington the kind of money that he will likely demand.