Let's say McCourty walks. What is the plan?

[Patriots1364life]

You cannot lose two guys like that in the secondary period!! Revis is worth all that guarantee money. Are we gonna go back to the lousy secondary play? It doesnt help as well that our defensive line is very weak at creating pressure. Are they gonna replace him with maxwell?

 

[Joker]

The nfl network insider on tv said revis wanting big dollar big guaranteed money on contract. Bb probably not willing to go there which means bb will release revis before the option comes due.

you know, I want to believe that this "insider" report is accurate but I do not trust ANYTHING coming out of the NFL official network. For all we know this is another deliberate plant by the NY centric NFL media to let Revis know big money is on the table from the Jets and Bills(Rex Ryan, the media darling of NFL Network).
Put it this way, I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[hwc]

The nfl network insider on tv said revis wanting big dollar big guaranteed money on contract.

Wow. Now that is some serious insider analysis. Revis will want big money! Who could have ever predicted that? I wonder if Belichick knows Revis wants big money? Somebody should tell him. He'll be shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

What would we ever do without this kind of expert analysis!

 

[supafly]

There is no one in free agency or the draft that you can plug in who can perform as well as
McCourty. If Revis also leaves, the Patriots will be cellar dwellers on defense.

A bit on the dramatic side, no?

We all realize that they'll be a much different secondary should McCourty and Revis leave, but I'm not sure I'd agree with the term "cellar dwellers" myself.

I do agree with you that there would be several steps backwards, so let's hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[mgteich]

A bit on the dramatic side, no?

We all realize that they'll be a much different secondary should McCourty and Revis leave, but I'm not sure I'd agree with the term "cellar dwellers" myself.

I do agree with you that there would be several steps backwards, so let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Belichick decided that he wasn't paying $9.5m for safety. Isn't it that simple?

Perhaps the guaranteed money is holding any contract; perhaps a contract will still be announced. Either way, I agree it isn't the end of the world if Harmon or Ryan starts and we have $9.5M available.

With regard to Revis, we'll see. If he doesn't re-sign, it will be a major blow, but how can it be the end of the world to choose not to pay two players a total of $24M a year. If necessary, Belicick will figure out how to put $24M a year to good use.

IMHO, we'd still be favorites to play in the conference finals.

 

[chasa]

Panic for about 4 months

3 weeks of BB is a terrible GM, kraft is cheap

by the third preseason game "Mccourty was garbage, he wasn't even the best safety on our own team last year"

After the first loss around week 4 "The patriots window has closed, Brady is washed up, The team just doesnt want to play for BB, after he was cheap and let the locker room leader McCourty go in free agency"

After the team wins the AFC east "well you can't win in the playoffs without a good safety this team is going to one and done"

and then eventually after the patriots lose in the AFCCG or Superbowl "See This team is terrible, we got lucky all year"

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

A bit on the dramatic side, no?

We all realize that they'll be a much different secondary should McCourty and Revis leave, but I'm not sure I'd agree with the term "cellar dwellers" myself.

I do agree with you that there would be several steps backwards, so let's hope it doesn't come to that.

It's the slow period offseason right now Sup. That means it's the time for tense drama over lost free agents crushing the future and missed draft picks that are sure to sink the dynasty
People prone to this high drama better take their Xanax now! because, at minimum, McCourty or Revis is, for all intensive purposes, no longer a Patriot (90+% likely). Consider: Are the Patriots going to devote 20+% of the cap for their 2 starting CBs and their starting FS? Or are the Patriots apt to not devote too high a percentage to one area? My money is on the latter ((the only thing that alters that thought is if the complexities of future/multi year considered cap ramifications have been worked out by BB, and he is comfortable with the multi year cap situation/outlook for the secondary/team).

Tough call on who I would want to stay a Patriot. The argument is actually McCourty + Browner or Revis in terms of money spent. Also, McCourty is a captain, has some position flexibility and he seems to be a Patriot guy. Yet if we are going to have the luxury of the highest/almost highest paid player at a position, I'd rather have Revis. Committing multi years to him as one of the highest/highest paid CB is a proven and quantified commodity. With McCourty, IMHO, the jury is still somewhat out if it is a good deal to commit mutli years to McCourty being one of the highest/highest paid FSs. "It's all about the business Caesar..."

 

[hwc]

It's too early to write off the possibility of both Revis and McCourty signing long term deals with the Pats. Tagging McCourty at the absolute top of the market would have been just stupid. He would have had zero incentive to do a real deal. Plus, the Pats simply don't have $ 9 million in extra cap space today.

 

[supafly]

People prone to this high drama better take their Xanax now! because, at minimum, McCourty or Revis is, for all intensive purposes, no longer a Patriot (90+% likely).

I agree with you. I would imagine that they're prioritizing Revis, but I doubt that they both will be kept.

I haven't felt good vibes about the possibility of keeping McCourty since the initial reports from last fall came out about the lack of progress on a new deal. I thought that there was a decent chance of them tagging him yesterday, but once that didn't happen I personally doubt that they'll be able to compete with other bigger offers this weekend.

 

[Patriots1364life]

I would prefer keeping revis over dmac although I love dmac. Its gonna suck seeing him elsewhere I just cant figure out how they are bringing back wilfork at 8.5. I would cut him just so he can face reality about his market value. Great guy but its about production on the field.

 

[Jlaff]

I may as well admit it, I don't have an eye for safety play. The reason I think McCourty is good is because analysts and people on this board tell me he is.

With that in mind, I'll trust in Bill.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I agree with you. I would imagine that they're prioritizing Revis, but I doubt that they both will be kept.

I haven't felt good vibes about the possibility of keeping McCourty since the initial reports from last fall came out about the lack of progress on a new deal. I thought that there was a decent chance of them tagging him yesterday, but once that didn't happen I personally doubt that they'll be able to compete with other bigger offers this weekend.

Agreed.
I don't blame McCourty for going with bigger money and, as you said, I think those much bigger offers for him will be there. He should take one of them then celebrate.
Unfortunately for McCourty -- based entirely/only my gut feeling -- I think he is one of those guys who won't thrive elsewhere like he did with the Patriots (if he signs with the Jets or Indy or Balt or Denver I'll, without exception, root for that).

Yes it is too bad because there's very little not to like about McCourty. I wish he could have stayed (assuming his leaving is a certainty). But given the money/cap situation, the Patriots have to go with low cost cheaper alternatives at some positions. So I say bring on 2015 with Harmon, or one of our CBs suited for FS, or (insert player name here) taking over at McCourty's position. Ultimately, if the Patriots can take a modest step upward with the potency of their pass rush, I think the loss of McCourty' will be palatable (meaning the Patriots will do what they did in 2014: be in the mix at the end with the chance to win it all with a few clutch plays).

 

[Brady6]

Name a better slot CB with awesome ST ability that makes less

Brandon Boykins
William Gay
Tyrann Mathieu
Nickell Robley
Jimmy Wilson

To name a few. Arrington isn't an awesome ST player either he did not make a single ST tackle last season.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

I might sound harsh but I've never thought McCourty was elite at anything. He's smart, he works hard, football is important to him and all that. But that's not worth top dollar in my opinion. I think he's going to walk and cash in for a couple years and might return later in his career to provide veteran leadership. Just a hunch.

 

[JackBauer]

yes

The more likely it appears McCourty will be heading elsewhere, the more posters you'll have crawling out of the woodwork and claiming they never thought he was an elite safety and that letting walk go is/was a good decision.

 

[makoute]

The more likely it appears McCourty will be heading elsewhere, the more posters you'll have crawling out of the woodwork and claiming they never thought he was an elite safety and that letting walk go is/was a good decision.

I don't think that is fair, there is a fairly decent portion of posters on this site who have never viewed McCourty as nothing more than a very good safety.

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

You guys can disagree all you want, BUT,IF, McCourty leaves i wish Ryan to play FS. He was great as a rookie. He had 6 int that year. And like McCourty i can see this guy as a really smart player. Good range. Good Hands. And Taller than Dmac. Obviously I wanted Dmac back , but never @8+M per year.

 

[JackBauer]

I don't think that is fair, there is a fairly decent portion of posters on this site who have never viewed McCourty as nothing more than a very good safety.

There were really only two particularly vocal ones I can think of.

 

[Bruins29]

Brandon Boykins
William Gay
Tyrann Mathieu
Nickell Robley
Jimmy Wilson

To name a few. Arrington isn't an awesome ST player either he did not make a single ST tackle last season.

LOL "To name a few" as if there are more. No, nice try. Gay is good. The rest? Seriously?

How many special team touchdowns did these guys have last year?

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I don't think that is fair, there is a fairly decent portion of posters on this site who have never viewed McCourty as nothing more than a very good safety.

There's also fairly decent portion of posters on this site who viewed McCourty as the worst player ever after his rookie season, and would never be convinced otherwise.

He's not a HOFer, but he's a top 10 safety in this league. Maybe that says a lot about the lack of safeties. Maybe it just says we don't know how to evaluate secondary players. But the list of better guys starts with something like Earl Thomas, when-healthy Eric Berry, ummm...maybe Chancellor. Then.............

He's not the best guy in the league. He's not going to Canton based on his production so far. But he's a top 10 guy. And there are at least 25 teams that would give him a starting job tomorrow if they could afford him.