Sign the Beast XVI -- Big Vince Wilfork!

[hwc]

What on God's earth leads you to believe that he is going to retire after reading this? I see nothing whatsoever to suggest that. I see lots to suggest the opposite.

The fact that he plans to take his time and think through all his options before making a decision that is right for his family. This was a very un-Vince-like statement today. Last year, he threw a hissy fit and cleaned out his locker. He's a really smart guy. He knows that there will never be a better time to walk away.

I think he will get a TV offer that is more attractive than some decidedly unattractive football offers playing for short money with some crap team. He's awesome at the jock media stuff. He's a character. A natural larger than life personality. I guess it would have to be ESPN in CT as opposed to NFL Network in LA unless he wants to move.

 

[Patriots1364life]

I still want him back. Want him to help us try and repeat.

 

[Ross12]

He will be a Colt next season.

I don't think so, the first thing they will do is attempt to deflate him.

 

[5thRing-Hunt]

this is a great interview with Wilfork after the super bowl. He said he was ready to get to work on repeating next year. Of course this has all changed with the latest developments. It's worth a listen to though because he goes after all the haters. Love the big guy. http://media.weei.com/device/mobile/a/101628196/vince-wilfork-they-can-hate-us-now.htm

 

[Mark12]

I want vince to retire as a Patriot. If he does leave, hopefully Easley can become more than serviceable.

 

[manxman2601]

Can he rush the....nevermind.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Love Vince, love everything he stood for, and he's a first-ballot Patriots HOFer. But he's gone man.

Also:

Mike: Okay, so what if I don't want to give up on her?

Rob: You don't call.

Mike: But you said I don't call if I wanted to give up on her.

Rob: Right.

Mike: So I don't call either way?

Rob: Right.

Mike: So what's the difference?

Rob: There is no difference right now. See, Mike, the only difference between giving up and not giving up is if you take her back when she wants to come back. But you can't do anything to make her want to come back. In fact, you can only do stuff to make her not want to come back.

Mike: So the only difference is if I forget about her or just pretend to forget about her?

Rob: Right.

Mike: Well that sucks.

Rob: Yeah, it sucks.

Mike: So it's just like a retroactive decision, then? I mean I could, like, forget about her and then when she comes back make like I just pretended to forget about her?

Rob: Right. Although probably more likely the opposite.

Mike: What do you mean?

Rob: I mean at first you're going to pretend to forget about her, you'll not call her, I don't know, whatever... but then eventually, you really will forget about her.

Mike: Well what if she comes back first?

Rob: Mmmm... see, that's the thing, is somehow they know not to come back until you really forget.

Mike: There's the rub.

Rob: There's the rub.

 

[RayClay]

Pat Kirwin thinks Vince will be back with the Pats and this was simply that it made no sense to pay him the $4 million roster bonus.

I understand Kirwin's thinking and he could be right. I think Vince will retire, but there is certainly an argument that he returns.

I respect Kirwan, so that makes me happy. as for the OP, I'm more afraid we'll be the Colts next season than curious where Vince ends up.

It's all in flux this off season, so who knows?

BTW, being deep at DT is a lot different than having top DTs and the pick to get them. If you could reliably get top big athletic DTs in the secound round it would be a different game. check out how many DTs have a first round grade at all and get back to me. Are there monster DTs that could slip in this draft? i don't see them. If anything they'll be 2nd rounders who will be overdrafted.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

Id be pretty shocked if he came back at this point. I think this is really the end this time.

 

[RayClay]

That's the way I see it, too. It's not like Vince is going to be better next year or the year after.

Does everyone forget that Wilfork looked silly going out there with a highly incentivized contract coming off an achilles tear?

Is there one person here who predicted he was playing 70% of the snaps, not missing a down from injury, blocking a field goal etc.

Of course, he's going to be better next year, with a healthy off season to workout and the injury two years back.

He's older, but he's not a speedy WR, he's a massive DT. He'll play somewhere if he wants to for a while. After a year or two, the benefit of being healthier will be off set by more years, but he'll be able to make more than you think for as long as he's healthy (or not,it doesn't seem to phase him).

This is a guy who came off a career ending injury (according to most people) to anchor a Super bowl team as the leader and far and away best interior lineman. People that think he's now garbage and can be easily replaced by 2-3rd round draft picks, I really wonder if they watch the game.

 

[patchick]

Id be pretty shocked if he came back at this point. I think this is really the end this time.

I wouldn't be shocked at all. If the money is close, sticking in the place where your family has put down roots (and you've established lucrative long-term endorsement deals) makes sense.

 

[RobertWeathers]

what if he gets a 2 yr 7m offer --- what are the chances the pats give him 8m including a 6m signing bonus for 7m this year?

Zero.

The FA market and draft is flooded with DTs. Inventory "outweighs" demand.

If VW is thinking he is getting that $ he is going to get served a major slice of humble pie.

 

[PatsDeb]

Vince stated today that "there is plenty of gas left in the tank," and that "hell yea(h)" he will still be playing into the future.

It doesn't seem like he's even considering the possibility of retiring.

That's before he sees what's out there.

 

[IllegalContact]

The FA market and draft is flooded with DTs. Inventory "outweighs" demand.

Wilfork is not getting all this money, but your statement could not be further from the truth

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wilfork is not getting all this money, but your statement could not be further from the truth

In what way? Draft? FA inventory?

 

[vyrago]

I think that Wilfork, at age 34 and coming off an ok-ish season where his run-stuffing prowess was visibly diminished, will soon find that other clubs are not quite willing to pay what Mrs Wilfork told him they will be. I think Wilfork will likely be disappointed by the $4-5m ish kind of numbers he'll be quoted (maybe 2 year at $8m), and that in the end of the day the Pats will be able to match and squeeze in such a number. I know a lot of pundits feel that Wilfork will command $8m+ but I think that is a stretch.

agreed!

 

[1960Pats]

That's before he sees what's out there.

My guess is that there'll be more out there than the Pats are willing to spend. Then it will be up to Big Vince.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I don't know what I hope this off season. A lot of guys we've grown to know and love are going or gone by the looks of the balance sheet (Vince = case in point.) Keeping everybody at the very least means pushing obligations into the future... it is what it is. Every team, in every year, is still paying money for bonuses of years past, and we certainly are. You can't just count one year's hits.

Once again I defer to Bill et al. to pick the deals that they're willing to make. At the same time, on the human level, VW feels like part of the family. But lest we forget, it's a pretty brutal family no matter how much love you've got for it, or how much love it's got for you. It's a business in the end, not a family.

Seems like yesterday I couldn't imagine ever replacing Ted Washington... just couldn't be done...

 

[RobertWeathers]

My guess is that there'll be more out there than the Pats are willing to spend. Then it will be up to Big Vince.

Yep. All we know right now is the Pats did not feel he was worth a $4m signing bonus and an $8m cap number. That is only team that defined his value.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Seems like yesterday I couldn't imagine ever replacing Ted Washington... just couldn't be done...

Ethan Kelley, baby, Ethan Kelley!