Pats Rookie Signing Thread...

[Brady-To-Branch]

According to Pro Football Talk...

The Patriots have signed seventh-round CB Willie Andrews to a four-year deal with a $46,500 signing bonus; the fourth-year salary escalates to the low RFA tender based on minimum play-time and a team qualifier.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

 

[BelichickFan]

Wow, an actual draft choice signing. Time for Pioli to get to work :rocker:

 

[Hok]

A four-year contract for a 7th rounder?

Sure it's not a lot of bonus money, but it's just as easy to sign the guy to one-year deals through his first four years (3 years exclusive rights, one year restricted). Does this mean Andrews is our new returner?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Be still my heart... we just signed our 7th round draft pick!

All joking aside the Pats have scored on 7th rounders before, see exhibit David Givens.

Andrews can and probably will make this team with his special teams play, if he shows ability to play nickel or dime corner that would be a nice added bonus.

 

[Pats726]

A good Signing Thread...

Always good to get a signing in early...1 up 9 to go...This may not be easy given the money they have...I'm excited...even for a 7th round pick...I think he's a sleeper!!!!

 

[DarrylS]

They also signed a 6th rounder several years ago who had a pretty big impact on this team.

 

[pats1]

A four-year contract for a 7th rounder?

Sure it's not a lot of bonus money, but it's just as easy to sign the guy to one-year deals through his first four years (3 years exclusive rights, one year restricted). Does this mean Andrews is our new returner?

The maximum is a 4-year contract. Why the hell else wouldn't you want to lock up a young player for 4 years at the minimum?

Most UDFAs are signed to multi-year deals, but it's not like baseball, remember. Salaries aren't guaranteed, so it's all about the signing bonus. It definitely doesn't mean right now that he'll be our returner.

I can't think of any teams that would even do something as stupid as not signing draft picks to multi-year deals.

From Miguel's page, the Pats' two seventh rounders from last year:

Matt Cassel - The Boston Globe reported on July 3rd that "Cassell accepted a four-year, $1.439 million deal, including a $54,000 signing bonus." Cassell's 2005 cap charge will be $243,500.

Andy Stokes, the final pick in the draft, was signed to a 2-year contract but released during training camp.

 

[Hok]

The maximum is a 4-year contract. Why the hell else wouldn't you want to lock up a young player for 4 years at the minimum?

Because if you have to cut him, you eat the bonus money hit.

 

[pats1]

Because if you have to cut him, you eat the bonus money hit.

OooOOoooOOO .... $46,000! What a cap hit! What a risk!

(That would be all of a whopping .4% of the Pats' cap room!)

 

[Pats726]

Pats Rookie Signings 1 down 9 to go!!!!

This is a good thread to have and add to as all are signed!!! MODS: Maybe a stickee for this????

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Believe it or not, I'm pretty excited about this guy. He clearly has the potential to be a factor in the return game, with speed and footwork, as well as college experience on special teams. Remember, lots of draft picks never took reps on special teams in college.

Also, the guy could be the next Randall Gay at CB, a guy that is downright fast, and overlooked in the drafting process.

I don't think the signing bonus is an issue at all because this guy appears to be our best chance at a breakout special teams player amoung the rookies, and the bonus was simply an easy way for the Pats to retain him for the full four years allowed. They would have made it five years, but the rules were recently changed by the advice of Tom Condon, who got involved in advising Upshaw during the recent union negotiations. I believe without a doubt that Condon was pulling hard to make sure that players like his former client, Ben Watson, could no longer be locked up into long term deals as rookies. I believe that this is bad for teams, and good for agents (and their clients).

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

Re: Pats Rookie Signings 1 down 9 to go!!!!

This is a good thread to ahve and add to as all are signed!!!

Thanks! Maybe the Mods can make it a sticky?

A four-year contract for a 7th rounder?

Sure it's not a lot of bonus money, but it's just as easy to sign the guy to one-year deals through his first four years (3 years exclusive rights, one year restricted). Does this mean Andrews is our new returner?

Hok, I agree with pats1 that the SB money for a 7th rounder is negligible under the cap.

Moreover, allowing a player to become a restricted FA nowadays can become a risky proposition, especially for a lower round pick. Maybe I'm being a homer when I say I'm confident that Andrews will turn out to be a steal. He's got good speed for S/CB and has extensive punt/KO return experience. But lets assume I'm right and Andrews becomes a RFA. The Pats will have to give him the mid-level tender (1st round compensation) to keep him from bolting. At this point, any team would gladly forfeit a 7th rounder for him. Remember the RFA signing spree under Danny Snyder? (Coles, Morton, both RFAs from the Jets).

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Besides his return abilities (who is our PR again?) Andrews was said to be the only CB to keep up with Chad Jackson. If Andrews beats everyone out for the return job, and can be an emergency CB/S so that Troy Brown doesn't play defense, BB would have a decent role player for a 7th.

 

[patsox23]

I don't mean to be a buzzkill, but it's important to keep in mind that this contract doesn't fully guarantee Andrews is even good enough to make the 53. I suppose it is, on some level, a good omen, but the cap-hit to release him would be very minimal.

I hope he does make it, I hope he does have an impact as a S/T guy and returner, but we may be putting the cart before the horse here.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Homerism Out of Control

Abdrews had better be super fantastic on both return and COVERAGE special teams for him to have any shot at making the roster. And as for Andrews in our base defense, even as a PT dime, nickel or penny back. Let me just say this. Baylor's defense is to ours as a Yugo is to a Bentley.
Andrews needs a lot of work, people, let's be real and put down those glue sticks.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I appreciate what you guys are saying, but I also think that he got the four year deal AND the signing bonus BECAUSE Bioli sees something in him.

Otherwise, I think he would have gotten no bonus, and a three year deal.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

No signing bonus??????

How's he going to pay for that room at the motel 6 during TC??? You know Tom may be leaving the light on for free, but it costs money to get inside the door.

 

[patsox23]

I hope you're right, Rings, but I'm not going to assume it means anything yet. Just me being me.

 

[pats1]

I appreciate what you guys are saying, but I also think that he got the four year deal AND the signing bonus BECAUSE Bioli sees something in him.

Otherwise, I think he would have gotten no bonus, and a three year deal.

His contract was dictated by those around him and those from last year. The team (it's actually the Chief Adminstrative Counsel Jack Mula who does the rookie contracts) doesn't have a lot of bargaining room.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Pats1:

Without getting into a big discussion about how the team has signed picks in the past, and how they have clearly bucked any trends by signing players to 6 year deals when they felt like it, including to the point of hold-outs, and signing players like Gus Scott to one year deals when they felt like it (including a brief hold-out), I will just agree to disagree with your post!

I feel like it is well within Bioli's discretion to give a 7th round pick a three year deal without a bonus, if they so desire. Or at least to drag this thing out and try to.