Pro Football Weekly: Pats have legitimate interest in Lito Sheppard

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

no a rumors a rumor to me but if it keeps coming up you start to think maybe theres something behind it...

where there is smoke, there is fire.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I listen to Ray Diddinger on WIP from Philly. He has a Sat. am show. Kills the time doing laundry, groceriest, etc. I can't stand the knuckleheads on WEEI Sat. am. He may be the only sensible journalist in Philly. He has mentioned that from his angle Lito for a swap of firsts is fair for both teams. Other than Lito's health. His contract is the key. I'm not keen on ripping it up and giving him 7-8m per year.

 

[slash83]

I listen to Ray Diddinger on WIP from Philly. He has a Sat. am show. Kills the time doing laundry, groceriest, etc. I can't stand the knuckleheads on WEEI Sat. am. He may be the only sensible journalist in Philly. He has mentioned that from his angle Lito for a swap of firsts is fair for both teams. Other than Lito's health. His contract is the key. I'm not keen on ripping it up and giving him 7-8m per year.

Id probably do that, the number 19th pick would be alot chaeper then the 7th pick and still would probably be able to pick up Groves or Harvey... just depends on what Lito's looking for contract wise.

 

[RayClay]

This is a good point, but doesn't it matter what kind of renegotiation he wants? Certainly he isn't looking for an Asante-level overpayday, but if he is, clearly he's not worth it. No corner is. I'm glad we let Asante go at this point, he will never be worth all that money, and if we could get Lito for a decent price, it may be worth it.

He's a "name" cornerback. In my mind he can get a huge contract and Philly can get a good trade if that's what they want.

Look at Clements last year.

I know he's not a free agent, but I don't see him willing to play out the rest of that contract.

Having young athletic cornerbacks on first contracts seems the way to go to me.

 

[Deus Irae]

no a rumors a rumor to me but if it keeps coming up you start to think maybe theres something behind it...

I hear Randy Moss might get cut....

 

[fgssand]

I listen to Ray Diddinger on WIP from Philly. He has a Sat. am show. Kills the time doing laundry, groceriest, etc. I can't stand the knuckleheads on WEEI Sat. am. He may be the only sensible journalist in Philly. He has mentioned that from his angle Lito for a swap of firsts is fair for both teams. Other than Lito's health. His contract is the key. I'm not keen on ripping it up and giving him 7-8m per year.

I am sure Philly would love a first round swap....stick it Andy.

With Lito's current deal, good through 2011 at 5MM per with 2MM guaranteed - I think he takes anything that pays him a little more and gives him a bit more in guaranteed money.

I sure have no interest in talking about our #1 for him and am not too thrilled discussing our #2 - start with the #3 and maybe throw in 5 or a 6 and we could have something.

Philly has a problem....signing Asante for what they did insults Lito (and a whole bunch of others on their defense as well). They need to move him and I would doubt they want him in their own division or even the NFC.

 

[bradmahn]

He's a "name" cornerback. In my mind he can get a huge contract and Philly can get a good trade if that's what they want.

Look at Clements last year.

I know he's not a free agent, but I don't see him willing to play out the rest of that contract.

Having young athletic cornerbacks on first contracts seems the way to go to me.

Whoever has Sheppard's rights has all the power in this situation. He still has four more years left on his contract. This isn't a franchise tag, one year, "I'm-gonna-sit-out-until-you-pay-me" situation; he will either play under that contract for the four years (or accept whatever the team is willing to pay above and beyond that) or he will not play football again.

I have a question for someone more knowledgeable: from what I've seen, Lito is owed another $2.9 million in prorated bonuses. If he were to be traded, the Eagles would eat that money and his new team would just be responsible for his salary, right?

 

[RayClay]

where there is smoke, there is fire.

Or just a road flare.

 

[RayClay]

Whoever has Sheppard's rights has all the power in this situation. He still has four more years left on his contract. This isn't a franchise tag, one year, "I'm-gonna-sit-out-until-you-pay-me" situation; he will either play under that contract for the four years (or accept whatever the team is willing to pay above and beyond that) or he will not play football again.

I have a question for someone more knowledgeable: from what I've seen, Lito is owed another $2.9 million in prorated bonuses. If he were to be traded, the Eagles would eat that money and his new team would just be responsible for his salary, right?

Good point. Doesn't stop him refusing to report without a reworked contract, though.

Not like it hasn't been done.

 

[The Great Fork]

He's a "name" cornerback. In my mind he can get a huge contract and Philly can get a good trade if that's what they want.

Look at Clements last year.

I know he's not a free agent, but I don't see him willing to play out the rest of that contract.

Having young athletic cornerbacks on first contracts seems the way to go to me.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what's better; someone with some experience or a young guy who has all the athletic tools, but with no track record (and since track record means injuries maybe this is useless anyway ).

I completely agree that if he wants a big contract it is not worth it, no disagreement there.

 

[The Great Fork]

Whoever has Sheppard's rights has all the power in this situation. He still has four more years left on his contract. This isn't a franchise tag, one year, "I'm-gonna-sit-out-until-you-pay-me" situation; he will either play under that contract for the four years (or accept whatever the team is willing to pay above and beyond that) or he will not play football again.

I was thinking about this earlier. I think you are right, there is no way he would take a gamble and sit out. Not when there are 4 years on the line.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Moss was acquired for a 4th and took a huge pay cut.

Let's not get carried away and think that's the norm.

Looks to me like the Pats cut a big salary, carefully screened affordable vets to get a decent starter and veteran depth and are most likely, by their history, to spend picks on a CB than anything else this year.

Where does Lito fit into that?

With the always inflated market for "name" CBs, I'd be surprised if Lito doesn't look for a renegotiation and Philly doesn't look for a pretty high pick.

If we pay both ways, why wouldn't we have saved the pick and paid Asante?

I see the moves so far paving the way for 1 or 2 CBs from the draft, Richardson and we're set.

could be right...

who knows though...

 

[RayClay]

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what's better; someone with some experience or a young guy who has all the athletic tools, but with no track record (and since track record means injuries maybe this is useless anyway ).

I completely agree that if he wants a big contract it is not worth it, no disagreement there.

Considering they aren't likely to get younger at LB and they picked up 3 vets, one of whom projects as a starter, I think they go athletic and draft for 2 CBs. Just my opinion. They seemed able to coach up Asante and Hobbs.

Philly is holding the cards, but if they trade and Shepard doesn't want to report without a deal, they could have a mess on their hands.

My opinion only, it's certainly a many faceted situation depending on relative costs.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

I hear Randy Moss might get cut....

Tom Brady is another possible cut.

 

[RayClay]

Of course why Pitt would take on Asante's contract and cut loose a CB with such an affordable long term deal has to make you go hmmmmm...

 

[The Great Fork]

Of course why Pitt would take on Asante's contract and cut loose a CB with such an affordable long term deal has to make you go hmmmmm...

Clearly they have no faith in Lito. Do you mean to imply that his injury history is worse than we have been led to believe?

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

I think this would be a good move for the Pats if they can get him even for a 2. Elite CBs don't come cheap and he would help you guys plug the hole you still have back there. As a Bills fan, I can tell you that Jason Webster ain't likely to be the answer, even if he can stay on the field. (I ought to forward you the threads of Falcons fans messages to us on him last year about him not being able to stay on the field.) As for Asante tanking, just see how Nate Clements did for SF after signing one of the richest deals ever for a defensive player--the $80 million man played slightly better than a middle of the road free agent. I saw several of their games and saw him get burned in each one. Paying all that money to "shut down" corners is a risky business.....

Asante is an elite corner, without a doubt-however, he is NOT pure man-man corner in Jim Johnson's schemes.(FYI-the Eagles had Marcus Trufant initially on their radar, before the Hawks tagged him, that is).

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Clearly they have no faith in Lito. Do you mean to imply that his injury history is worse than we have been led to believe?

Lito's injury history hasn't been bad at all, quite frankly-aside from being IR'd around midseason in '05(pretty much 1/2 of the Birds' roster was on IR as well that year), he would only miss the first 2-3 weeks or so at the start of each season, then get stronger as the seasons would progress, only to play gangbusters at the end.

BTW-Reid reportedly wants that Vandy OT(Chris Williams). If I were Pioli/Belichick, I would ask much, much more than Lito and their 19th. Reid salivates over lineman, so it wouldn't be surprising if he sells the kitchen sink on this one.

 

[The Great Fork]

Lito's injury history hasn't been bad at all, quite frankly-aside from being IR'd around midseason in '05(pretty much 1/2 of the Birds' roster was on IR as well that year), he would only miss the first 2-3 weeks or so at the start of each season, then get stronger as the seasons would progress, only to play gangbusters at the end.

BTW-Reid reportedly wants that Vandy OT(Chris Williams). If I were Pioli/Belichick, I would ask much, much more than Lito and their 19th. Reid salivates over lineman, so it wouldn't be surprising if he sells the kitchen sink on this one.

So that being said, why the hell are the Eagles not wanting Lito anymore? I don't understand them right now. Andy Reid is maybe just all ****ed up because his kids can't stop doing drugs and crashing cars, or something to that effect.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

So that being said, why the hell are the Eagles not wanting Lito anymore? I don't understand them right now. Andy Reid is maybe just all ****ed up because his kids can't stop doing drugs and crashing cars, or something to that effect.

It's just the way the Eagles and the Philly media are run-when players start getting "on the wrong side"(or however this expression is), then they will run a smear campaign on them.(WIP has done this many times with McNabb, FYI)

IF Samuels gets off to a slow start(or even goes through a rough period anytime in the season)-he's going to see the harsh reality as well. BTW-IMHO, he IS an elite corner, but he's in the WRONG system.