opinion on dillon going into 07

[koolaid23]

just curious as to what you guys know, think or hear about dillon retiring or taking a paycut or being cut. i love the guy but i think maroney needs 20-25 touches a game to get into a rythm. not to mention the field turf and new zone blocking system being installed in our line. 4.4 million is too much for a backup/goaline back.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

He's made his money, he has his ring, it really depends on him what happens next. He says that hte Indy loss left a bad taste in his mouth, let's see how bad of a taste. He's not dumb either, he has got to know that the writing is on the wall for his place and role on this team.

 

[pats63]

I think we will draft a big running back to take Corey's role.....Leonard or hunt could be in the hunt.....I was so glad to have Corey in a pats uniform...I think he will come back for a year,but retirement is around the bend....Corey we love ya and respect you....

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I think that was the point behind having Maroney attempt all types of carries, that the Pats did not need/would not bother with a "goal line back". Maroney is the back of the future, and I think they pay Corey this year (or restructure it, if he's amenable,) and get Maroney as far as he's getting prior to Dillon's serious downgrade or departure. I don't see them going for a back in the draft, but it also depends what value falls to them or becomes advantageously available through trade-ups.

PFnV

 

[DarrylS]

One more year with a restructured contract, use him as we used him this year.. lots of TD's, tough yards, ball control. Maroney will be fine, needs a year to condition to the rigors of the NFL.. he has been mentored well by Dillon.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

One more year with a restructured contract, use him as we used him this year.. lots of TD's, tough yards, ball control. Maroney will be fine, needs a year to condition to the rigors of the NFL.. he has been mentored well by Dillon.

Disagree with Moroney being "fine"...His dings on the scouting reports were "upright running style and sometimes avoids contact". We clearly saw these deficiencies this year. Perhaps he will develop into a punishing, downhill runner with time.


I agree with keeping Dillion for one more year but, they need to bring in a tough, human bowling ball type due to Dillion's wear and tear.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

Corey will be with Us in 2007 if He restructures his contract.If not He will be cut.It's really that simple.

 

[Fantasic4x50x54x59x55]

I believe he restructures his contract and gets brought back for one more season, as a jerome bettis style running back ( in a much more effective manner)..when games need to be winded down, or when We are in the red zone, or its 2 or 3rd and short we will see clock killin dillon... Nothing but love for the big guy...he's played injured for most of his stay in new england and done a great job considering the fact. Now I believe we draft a bigger younger back as the PUNISHER role this draft to atleast have a season under his belt under the guidance of one corey dillon.

Hey is Greg Jones down in Jacksonville available?? He was an absolute monster in college..

 

[DarrylS]

Disagree with Moroney being "fine"...His dings on the scouting reports were "upright running style and sometimes avoids contact". We clearly saw these deficiencies this year. Perhaps he will develop into a punishing, downhill runner with time.


I agree with keeping Dillion for one more year but, they need to bring in a tough, human bowling ball type due to Dillion's wear and tear.

A lot of the "upright running style" happened after his rib injury, he was clearly not the same runner as before... most seem to think he will be a very good back and will be fine.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

I hope Dillon is back as a situational RB, but if the Pats have to use him full time due to a Maroney injury, our running game will be in trouble. IMO it is a priority to bring in another back to add to the mix either via the draft or free agency. If we do it in the draft, I hope its a fairly high round pick..2nd - 4th for a quality back. I don't trust Maroney at this time to carry the load.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I thought that Corey was seriously underused in the playoffs. If he got more carries, he would have racked up the yardage and killed the clock. The Colts basically forced us to throw, and a drop here and there and off the field they were. Corey is made to get 4 yards a carry, if you get 4 yards everytime you touch the ball, you will win every game.

I can see restructuring Corey's contract, but I think that he is far from being "done". Plus he is absolute money in short yardage and goaline situations.

 

[satz]

The pats have no need to restructure his contract now due to the cap space.Also , the guy did carry nearly 200 times for 815 yards or something so to talk like he is not good is a bad sign as i am sure alot of teams would have loved one back to get 800 yrds in so many carries.In our own division ask the jets and dolphins on this.

When he came here he played for a low number that went up this year so unless we are in cap trouble they will pay him as him , faulk .heath carried the load when maroney was out which might happen next year.

If for some unknown reason he is cut i think ron dayne is a awesome choice as the veteran big bad back.He will be cheaper and a younger version of dillion but man he played in a bad texas team.Give him a OL and TE and see him run over teams.With him in patrick pass slot here to learn from dillion the man will us give 3 yrs of good big runner.

 

[zippo59]

Disagree with Moroney being "fine"...His dings on the scouting reports were "upright running style and sometimes avoids contact". We clearly saw these deficiencies this year. Perhaps he will develop into a punishing, downhill runner with time.


I agree with keeping Dillion for one more year but, they need to bring in a tough, human bowling ball type due to Dillion's wear and tear.

When he said "Maroney will be fine" he means in terms of the tupe of runner Maroney is. He is a quick speedy runner, not a powerful punder like Dillon. No one is saying he is. If Dillon retires then we would need to find another short yardage inside runner because that is not what Maroney is made to do and no one expects him to be.

 

[cstjohn17]

just curious as to what you guys know, think or hear about dillon retiring or taking a paycut or being cut. i love the guy but i think maroney needs 20-25 touches a game to get into a rythm. not to mention the field turf and new zone blocking system being installed in our line. 4.4 million is too much for a backup/goaline back.

Looking at this from both a productivity standpoint and cap standpoint I think they are stuck with him. This is not a bad thing, he performed ok in 2007 and Maroney has not proven he is a 30 carry a game back in the NFL.

They will likely ask him to renegotiate with the benefit to him being that even though the numbers will be lower it is better to have some cold hard cash now then an empty contract. I am not an expert with this stuff but maybe they try to re-work the numbers so that he gets more money this year and it becomes easier to cut him next year. In hindsight this was a very poor contract for the Pats, he was still under contract and they appeared to overpay based on his age.

http://www.patscap.com/
2007 Cap Hit - $4,429,220
Dead Money (if released after June 1)
- 2007 Cap Cost - $1,922,500
- 2008 Cap Cost - $3,845,000

 

[ChoWZa]

Maroney can carry the load. A lot of his problem has been the lack of carries. Besides, the Patriots won two superbowls with Antoine Smith. I'm sure with an aging Dillon they can do the same if thats what it comes to. Give Maroney the ball, go into 07 with Maroney as the Patriots featured back and give him a chance, he'll give you the numbers. A lot of the bad memories of Maroney last season was when he was stacked up a yard off the hand off and simply had no where to go.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Corey still has another good year left. We should draft a RB in the mid rounds this year. I don't think that he will retire.

If he or Kevin were not hurt in the AFCCG, we would have had our fourth SB. The proof of that statement is what they did in the first half. They were both gone in the second half.

 

[letekro]

I thought that Corey was seriously underused in the playoffs. If he got more carries, he would have racked up the yardage and killed the clock. The Colts basically forced us to throw, and a drop here and there and off the field they were. Corey is made to get 4 yards a carry, if you get 4 yards everytime you touch the ball, you will win every game.

Are u serious?

Actually if you get 3.34 yards everytime you touch the ball, you will win the game.

Unfortunately, a negative play "here and there" and off the field you go.

I find it humorous that one week it's "We should have used Maroney more" and the next week, "We should have used Dillon more." I don't remember a single person calling for a big game from Dillon before the Colts game (though everybody was calling for Maroney to go wild). Bottom line is, if we executed in EITHER the passing game or the running game in the second half we would have won, but their defense stepped up. It stepped up against the pass, against Maroney, against Dillon, and even against Heath Evans.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Are u serious?

Actually if you get 3.34 yards everytime you touch the ball, you will win the game.

Unfortunately, a negative play "here and there" and off the field you go.

I find it humorous that one week it's "We should have used Maroney more" and the next week, "We should have used Dillon more." I don't remember a single person calling for a big game from Dillon before the Colts game (though everybody was calling for Maroney to go wild). Bottom line is, if we executed in EITHER the passing game or the running game in the second half we would have won, but their defense stepped up. It stepped up against the pass, against Maroney, against Dillon, and even against Heath Evans.

Dillon or Faulk didn't play in the second half, so how could the colts D step up against them.

 

[stinkypete]

just curious as to what you guys know, think or hear about dillon retiring or taking a paycut or being cut. i love the guy but i think maroney needs 20-25 touches a game to get into a rythm. not to mention the field turf and new zone blocking system being installed in our line. 4.4 million is too much for a backup/goaline back.

Wait, is there a zone blocking system being installed? I have not heard of this.

 

[Patriots4Ever]

I am hoping that he will restructure so that we can bring him back.The Trio of Dillion,Faulk,and Maroney with the occasional pluggin in of Evans and Pass,along with the Dave Thomas factor...Is still among the best in the league..All this talk of Dillion.yet nothing of Faulk..I am hoping we go into this next season with the same setup of Runningbacks..