So...Pats' possible moves

[RobertWeathers]

Use the 1st and 3rd round tender to let him know he's wanted in Dallas and scare others away...

If they use a 2nd, he's guaranteed to be gone.

Austin is going nowhere.

Jerry Jones: Free-agent-to-be Miles Austin 'will be with the Dallas Cowboys' - The Huddle: Football News from the NFL - USATODAY.com

 

[emoney_33]

Forget about Bodden, Wilfork, Mankins, Faulk, Watson, TBC & Brady; Bill just gave a 2nd-round tender to Pierre Woods! Woo-Hoo! Super Bowl here we come!

What is the point of this?

 

[Kontradiction]

Since when does Cromartie have a really bad hip? He played with a broken hip in 08 but it wasn't an issue in 2009. I haven't heard of any lingering effects that it had on his play.

It doesn't take rocket science to play CB in the NFL. I don't think academics are THAT important in the NFL. Things like the Wonderlic test are overrated. Some guys aren't standouts in the classroom but have football smarts/good instincts. I think if you take his raw skills and athleticism and have him working with Belichick, it would bring out the best in him.

You could see the lingering effects it's had on his play... unless you haven't watched a San Diego game in three years. And no, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to play CB for the Pats. However, it does take a smart guy. Instincts will only take you so far here. On top of that, BB even said that he can't do anything with guys that won't tackle. Now, go watch that "Cromartie can't win on his own" video and tell me what Belichick would think of that.

 

[captain stone]

What is the point of this?

The point is: we should be worrying about Bill re-signing his own players - his good ones, not the drek of Pierre Woods - before worrying about signing or trading for other teams' players.

 

[DaBruinz]

Austin is going nowhere.

Jerry Jones: Free-agent-to-be Miles Austin 'will be with the Dallas Cowboys' - The Huddle: Football News from the NFL - USATODAY.com

Well, first of all, that article didn't say a damn thing other than giving a Jerry Jones quote that has no meat behind it. Second, it would be nice if you followed what was said and replied to the person who you disagreed with and not to the one you agreed with.

Lastly, what I said doesn't change. Jones can keep Austin with a 1st and 3rd tender while they work on a long term deal. It still saves him over 5 million in terms of "reserved" money until a contract is completed.

 

[RyanP421]

Hey @$$hole What are you trying to say? Where is your "Glorious" ultra intelligent post?

The question was which rumor do you think would possibly happen? At least that's what I got out of it. I'd love a Peppers signing but when you have all the FA's the Patriots have right now and Brady needing an extentsion I just don't see it happening.


Why do we need another ALWAYS HURT WR to add to a depleted roster? Cromartie had one good season the rest were mediocre as the same for Maroney. A trade for Cromartie for Maroney is a wash in my book.

Explain to me how that would be a wash when they play different positions? That makes no sense.

 

[RyanP421]

d) I know Branch knows the "system" but I have concerns about his health. Bryant doesn't know the "system" but he doesn't have health issues, won't cost a 4th rnd pick but will demand more money. He brings a little baggage, personality wise as well. Tradeoffs...ugh. Any thoughts?

I've read many articles, including the WSJ, which predict many teams will spend far less this yr because of the uncapped floor. To do that many teams will be cutting highly paid players and the owners will pocket the cash difference. Estimates range from $50 to $60 million range. If this happens, a flood of veterans may hit the market after June 1. How the FO decides to play this could go a long way towards determining how good the Pats will be next year.

I think RK and BB are savvy enough to take advantage of all these players who are expected to be cut from their present teams. Patience is a virtue!

What?

 

[DaBruinz]

Explain to me how that would be a wash when they play different positions? That makes no sense.

It makes plenty of sense if you stop and read what Tibbs said.

 

[woolster22]

Was Cromartie healthy during that Jets loss? I might be qilling to cut the guy some slack if he had shoulder issues a-la Hobbs/Plax in 07 (sorry for bringing it up guys). But even still, that is not the mindset we need on this team. I'd rather have a B- talent with something between his ears rather than an A who can't read Green Eggs and Ham. Who here has the BB quote "Don't give me a defensive player who can't tackle, where am I going to put him?" Or something to that extent anyway. The guy just has too many issues upstairs, especially considering his dome can best be described as an empty tuna fish can with a bb rattling around inside... Next!

 

[Rob0729]

Even with no cap, many teams are talking about using the $132-$135 million as their absolute MAX and still doing the Cap accounting in the event that 2011 has a cap again.

Just a side note. Team revenues haven't grown that much since 2004. What has grown is the amount that teams are forced to use in determining the cap number. Which actually hurts their total revenues.

Every team will have a cap no matter if there is a cap or not. Kraft won't spend an unlimited amount.

Actually the TV revenues have grown and so have revenues. The league renewed all of their contracts with the networks in 2005. And a gain just recently (DirectTV's yearly fee jumps 43% in 2011 under the new deal just signed in May). In 2005, the fees jumped quite a bit. NBC paid a lot of Sunday Night football in 2005 (a big jump from ABC's fees). In recent years, there has been a huge international push. The NFL Network is generating more money for the NFL especially after Comcast gave in and agreed to carry it. There is a significant amount of more revenue coming in.

In 2004, Forbes has the Pats' revenues at $191 million. In 2009, they have it at $301 million. That is a 57.6% in crease in annual revenues since 2004. That is an exponential increase in my book.

2004
Forbes.com: NFL Team Valuations 2004

2009
#3 New England Patriots - Forbes.com

 

[woolster22]

the projected cap is crap, especially if you are operating under the assumption that the players will be taking a pay cut if/when the new CBA is reached. Say they spend up to the 135 and the new cap comes in with a 25% decrease. ***** city my friend. I bet they spend 100-110 this year, no way in hell it gets over 120. As little Bobby boy has been saying for a while, there are a lot of unknowns. What was the # the owners were pushing? 30% decrease for the players? Thats a large difference and if it came in the form of a cap...lets just say crazy al and washington will be crapping their pants for a few years. I understand that the 30% is a guess from memory on my part, and even if true would be the 1st stab at negotiating, so in reality it would probably end up around 10-20, but still, this would be enough to severely hinder a few teams. I expect the pats to make a few moves, but i don't think theyll be throwing out too many big offers. I dont even think theyll be much of a factor in the Peppers situation. vince/Mank get tagged/maxtendered, Brady gets an extension, and they probably bring in a few mid level FAs here and there. I just can't see the FO justifying dropping the coin on Peppers unless Vince has a long-term deal. I think that would just be sending the wrong message to all the players. "If we draft and develop you, you owe us so we won't pay you. If someone else finds you, than you are a commodity and we'll back up the brinks truck!" Who was the last home-grown player to get a big deal? Brady hasn't had a huge payday (always up there, but could easily get more), Seymour? Tedy-always took below value. Asante-Walked. Branch-Walked. Law-Walked. Light-Paid alright, but nothing crazy (over-rated in my opinion, but I've always had a sort of unjustifiable hate for the guy. how many times can you jump offsides? how many times is he going to **** his pants against speed rushers? I digress). I guess this discombobulated rant is over, and Bear Grylls just took a rainwater enema? WTF Bear, couldn't have that been dropped in the cutting room?

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

You could see the lingering effects it's had on his play... unless you haven't watched a San Diego game in three years. And no, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to play CB for the Pats. However, it does take a smart guy. Instincts will only take you so far here. On top of that, BB even said that he can't do anything with guys that won't tackle. Now, go watch that "Cromartie can't win on his own" video and tell me what Belichick would think of that.

I only saw a few SD games, I don't know how many you saw. But I thought he played pretty well in the games I saw and I didn't really see any lingering effects.

I'm not going to judge a guy off of one play. He's not one to like to come up and tackle but there are other great CB's who are like that, like former Patriots corner Asante Samuel. I'd be able to put up with some of the lack of tackling if he brought the game-breaking presence that Samuel brought to the secondary.

If Bodden is not retained, I don't see why you wouldn't want to give it a shot. Maroney has been here for a while and hasn't lived up to his billing. We've made excuses for him year after year, but when it comes down to it he's been outperformed by guys like Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris.

To find a RB to replace Maroney's production is much easier than finding a CB with the skill set of Cromartie. RB's are a dime a dozen. CB's like Cromartie don't grow on trees.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

We have, in the Patsfans rumor mill:

- Branch getting traded to the Pats for a 4th round pick
- Pats signing Peppers
- Pats trading Maroney for Cromartie

If they're able to do that, keep Bodden, extend Wilfork and Brady, and not kill the team for the future....heck, I'm all for it!

I like all those moves.

I would add a couple more:

1) Pick up a TRUE shutdown corner
2) Sign Mankins to an extension
3) Make Vollmer the starting LT and move Light nto a "Russ Hochstein" type role.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I only saw a few SD games, I don't know how many you saw. But I thought he played pretty well in the games I saw and I didn't really see any lingering effects.

I'm not going to judge a guy off of one play. He's not one to like to come up and tackle but there are other great CB's who are like that, like former Patriots corner Asante Samuel. I'd be able to put up with some of the lack of tackling if he brought the game-breaking presence that Samuel brought to the secondary.

If Bodden is not retained, I don't see why you wouldn't want to give it a shot. Maroney has been here for a while and hasn't lived up to his billing. We've made excuses for him year after year, but when it comes down to it he's been outperformed by guys like Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris.

To find a RB to replace Maroney's production is much easier than finding a CB with the skill set of Cromartie. RB's are a dime a dozen. CB's like Cromartie don't grow on trees.

When I watched Cromartie play this past season, I thought he showed very little by way of change of direction. Clearly the hip injury has affected him. The question is if the hip gets better or is he like this forever? BB won't trade for a guy that can not change direction.

 

[Rob0729]

I like all those moves.

I would add a couple more:

1) Pick up a TRUE shutdown corner
2) Sign Mankins to an extension
3) Make Vollmer the starting LT and move Light nto a "Russ Hochstein" type role.

Why would you make Light into a Hochstein role when the Pats' oline was most effective when Light was at LT and Vollmer was at RT? Brady was sacked once in the last four games. And you want to weaken the the o-line by weakening two positions? I know Light gets a lot of crap, but most of it is undeserved (like blaming him for the Suggs strip sack in the playoffs when it wasn't his fault and ignoring that Suggs was shutdown for the rest of the game after that play).

 

[supafly]

Why would you make Light into a Hochstein role when the Pats' oline was most effective when Light was at LT and Vollmer was at RT? Brady was sacked once in the last four games. And you want to weaken the the o-line by weakening two positions? I know Light gets a lot of crap, but most of it is undeserved (like blaming him for the Suggs strip sack in the playoffs when it wasn't his fault and ignoring that Suggs was shutdown for the rest of the game after that play).

Agree w/ you here Rob. I think sometimes people tend to forget that Light goes up against the elite pass rushers of the NFL, it's only natural that Light isn't going to win every single battle everytime. If he did he'd easily be the best LT in the game today.

I just think it's unrealistic to think that any LT can win every matchup, every week, on every single snap. Light does his job, wins the majority of his matchups against the very best the league has to offer, and doesn't deserve half the crap he gets on this forum.

He may have some issues at times, but rarely seems to continue making the same mistakes throughout the game--at least IMO anyway. If the starting LT's of the NFL were divided into 3 tiers, of approx. 11 each, I believe Light would be in the upper part of the 2nd tier. He's certainly in the top half of the 32 teams, IMO.

 

[DW Toys]

You could see the lingering effects it's had on his play... unless you haven't watched a San Diego game in three years. And no, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to play CB for the Pats. However, it does take a smart guy. Instincts will only take you so far here. On top of that, BB even said that he can't do anything with guys that won't tackle. Now, go watch that "Cromartie can't win on his own" video and tell me what Belichick would think of that.

Just saying, If BB can't do anything with guys who won't tackle we would lose our whole DB roster after last year.

Another case in point. I have said this before. Assante Samuel didn't even have to wash his uniform after many games.

Did Deon Sanders ever make a real tackle? There is your justification for Cromartie in somewhat less of a fashion at this point in his career.

It's not like we are giving a first round pick this year for Cromartie. Maroney is Maroney. LM might work very well in the SD system, but not here. Do the Pats let him languish in 2010 and blow him out in 2011, or get something for him? He has proven nothing in his time here other than a player drafted way too high for his value, even the most adamant LM supporters must agree.

At least Cromartie has shown he has other skills besides making babies at some point in his career. Besides he could hurt his 'nads if he tackled too much! Seriously-Will he get back to show the talent he has? That is the question but definitely more upside than Maroney does, especially in our RB system. LM is a great kid but we all know but Maroney is not a Mensa candidate with all the mental mistakes he makes either. Give me a healthy Cromartie and a year supply of condoms for the sake of the New England area female population and see what we can do with him as a Pat in 2010.

If we need a DB with smarts, we can Draft Rolle from FL ST. this year. How cool would it be if he practiced abstinence?
DW Toys

 

[TheBeers]

I'm not a fan of Cromartie.. i doubt that move happens. Another solid pass rusher would make the secondary a hell of a lot better. Of course Peppers is out there I kinda doubt that happens, Elvis Dumervil could be a decent fit. Dansby would be nice though I'm not sure how well he fits the system. Haven't heard anyone mention Gary Bracket who also doesn't fit the system but if he could figure it out would look great next to Mayo. Just going down the list of Players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents March 5 there are some great players on that list that I could see as a Patriot.

 

[muzz]

d) I know Branch knows the "system" but I have concerns about his health. Bryant doesn't know the "system" but he doesn't have health issues, won't cost a 4th rnd pick but will demand more money. He brings a little baggage, personality wise as well. Tradeoffs...ugh. Any thoughts?

Is that so?
Maybe someone should tell the Bucs that he's been slacking off just because he felt like it then...........

 

[JackBauer]

Did Deon Sanders ever make a real tackle? There is your justification for Cromartie in somewhat less of a fashion at this point in his career.

The only somewhat significant difference being Deion Sanders was one of the best to ever play the game. Cromartie is an overrated, off-injured slightly above-average cornerback.

Do the Pats let him languish in 2010 and blow him out in 2011, or get something for him?

Are those really the only choices we have? How about we use him like we did this season? Fact remains, fumbles notwithstanding he had a good year. There's no reason to believe he won't give us the same if not better production in 2010. Or perhaps you'd like to rely on a couple old, injury prone vets and (one would presume) a rookie.

Seriously-Will he get back to show the talent he has? That is the question but definitely more upside than Maroney does, especially in our RB system.

Definitely more upside? We know this how? They're both the same age, and were drafted the same year.

LM is a great kid but we all know but Maroney is not a Mensa candidate with all the mental mistakes he makes either.

So you're making the claim that LM is expendable because he's not too bright and makes too many mental mistakes. What mental mistakes are you referring to, exactly? You realize Cromartie isn't exactly, err, known for his acumen? Why would we want to trade for a guy who has no heart?