There seems to be a lot of doubters in here on the Patriots F.O. lately

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

What some Patriots fans seem to be having a hard time understanding is that this is..and will always be a business before its a sport on the field.

I loved Wes here as a Patriot and all he gave to us in enjoyment over the years but it was time to move on...he is not getting any younger and the F.O. thought it was time to get a little bit younger and move on and create another WR corps that Brady has never had a problem in adjusting to.

This front office has made many tough decisions before despite them really wanting to keep them,as for example letting a All-Pro CB leave (Law),A WR just a year removed from the MVP of the SB (Branch),a CB that was a good ball hawker (Samuel) One of the early 2000s best DL (Seymour) and many other favorites among us......yet

.......despite all the losses of our guys to FA or trades,the F.O. has continued to put a respectable team on the field...a team that has been more successful than any other in the NFL over the past 12 years...a team that has rarely missed the playoffs and is almost always the favorite to win the SB every year and the only team that has been to multiple SBs and Championship games as well.

Why all of a sudden has some believing that Belichick has lost it or that the F.O. is going nuts?

One man has never made the difference between winning a championship or losing one and Welker won't be the reason either...its a team sport and always will be.

When this F.O. decides that its imperative and smart to keep a player they do so and in a big way with juicy contracts like Gronk,Hernandez and Wilfork and smart extensions given to Brady.

I just don't feel the F.O. felt that Welker was imperative to winning and that Brady can make adjustments like he always has done before.

Like I said before,I loved Welker as a Patriot and I wish him the best of luck in Denver (as long as his best games are not against NE)...He was a pleasure to watch and I don't think anything of him less now than before

.....REMEMBER its a business before its a sport on the field and Welker and the Patriots have decided that the business partnership should go seperate ways....we should respect both parties in that respect and move on to the 2013 season with Welker moving to the Rockies and what should be an exciting and new WR corps.

 

[IcyPatriot]

this needed a new thread???

many have already said this in the Welker and Amendola threads.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

this needed a new thread???

many have already said this in the Welker and Amendola threads.

You can move it if you wish,I didn't really get involved in those discussions yesterday.

 

[PATSNUTme]

this needed a new thread???

many have already said this in the Welker and Amendola threads.

You kill one and 10 come to the funeral.

This is like the time when the tall, fast, WR named R**** M*** was traded and for every thread closed or merged 5 more would pop up before the task was completed.

I know that we have merged and closed many, but it's like a fire, sometimes you just have to let it burn out. It's all these conflicting media report threads that are driving me crazy.

 

[Kontradiction]

The main line of thought is that the number of injuries that have plagued this team over the years has cost us two Super Bowls and an appearance in another. The team then makes a move where it waves bye bye to the franchise's greatest WR, who is also a guy they could depend on to be there every Sunday and replaces him with a guy that has spent twice the amount of time on the shelf. The questions regarding the front office's decision making are valid, IMO.

 

[IllegalContact]

The main line of thought is that the number of injuries that have plagued this team over the years has cost us two Super Bowls and an appearance in another. The team then makes a move where it waves bye bye to the franchise's greatest WR, who is also a guy they could depend on to be there every Sunday and replaces him with a guy that has spent twice the amount of time on the shelf. The questions regarding the front office's decision making are valid, IMO.

most productive != greatest

I'd still take stanley morgan and troy brown over welker.....

 

[Kontradiction]

most productive != greatest

I'd still take stanley morgan and troy brown over welker.....

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

 

[IllegalContact]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

absolutely

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I have 110% trust in the Pats college scouting team, the scouts, Caserio, and Belichick. They had strong drafts using their time-tested system of how to evaluate players.

I do NOT trust the opinions given by McDaniels and also by the DB and safety coaches. None of them have proven they know what they're talking about when it comes to evaluating talent.

The huge concern is that Belichick solicits information from his staff around personnel decisions, and when it comes to certain positions (those influenced by McDaniels or the DB/safety coaches), the information is not reliable.

This will be 2006 all over again. Brady takes a hometown discount only to see the Pats completely waste it on bad acquisitions and draft picks.

This team has not won since 2004. It has kept winning (more than anyone), but ever since Willie, Givens, Law, Samuels, Seymour, Branch left they have not won another one.

Brady has 2 great years left and they are going to waste it on a 5 year plan that may never materialize

 

[IllegalContact]

I have 110% trust in the Pats college scouting team, the scouts, Caserio, and Belichick. They had strong drafts using their time-tested system of how to evaluate players.

I do NOT trust the opinions given by McDaniels and also by the DB and safety coaches. None of them have proven they know what they're talking about when it comes to evaluating talent.

The huge concern is that Belichick solicits information from his staff around personnel decisions, and when it comes to certain positions (those influenced by McDaniels or the DB/safety coaches), the information is not reliable.

This will be 2006 all over again. Brady takes a hometown discount only to see the Pats completely waste it on bad acquisitions and draft picks.

This team has not won since 2004. It has kept winning (more than anyone), but ever since Willie, Givens, Law, Samuels, Seymour, Branch left they have not won another one.

Brady has 2 great years left and they are going to waste it on a 5 year plan that may never materialize

mcdaniels was not here for the brandon tate and taylor price picks......and was not involved in the bethel johnson pick.....you want to hang him on chad jackson? fine....

I think the pats will be more than fine and likely score more than 500 points again

 

[JackBauer]

I have 110% trust in the Pats college scouting team, the scouts, Caserio, and Belichick. They had strong drafts using their time-tested system of how to evaluate players.

I do NOT trust the opinions given by McDaniels and also by the DB and safety coaches. None of them have proven they know what they're talking about when it comes to evaluating talent.

The huge concern is that Belichick solicits information from his staff around personnel decisions, and when it comes to certain positions (those influenced by McDaniels or the DB/safety coaches), the information is not reliable.

This will be 2006 all over again. Brady takes a hometown discount only to see the Pats completely waste it on bad acquisitions and draft picks.

This team has not won since 2004. It has kept winning (more than anyone), but ever since Willie, Givens, Law, Samuels, Seymour, Branch left they have not won another one.

Brady has 2 great years left and they are going to waste it on a 5 year plan that may never materialize

I think you vastly overstate how much influence McDaniels has.

 

[dannydyn]

The main line of thought is that the number of injuries that have plagued this team over the years has cost us two Super Bowls and an appearance in another. The team then makes a move where it waves bye bye to the franchise's greatest WR, who is also a guy they could depend on to be there every Sunday and replaces him with a guy that has spent twice the amount of time on the shelf. The questions regarding the front office's decision making are valid, IMO.

I don't think anyone in his right mind questions Welker's play-making abilities and durability - certainly not the guys in the FO. I think it is more to do with Welker's personality. I think BB has been ticked off by his persona one too many times, and decided to move on. Welker's age certainly had something do with it as well, though that alone, was not the reason.

For anyone who hasn't realized it yet, here in NE, unless your name is Tom Brady, you're replaceable.

 

[signbabybrady]

The main line of thought is that the number of injuries that have plagued this team over the years has cost us two Super Bowls and an appearance in another. The team then makes a move where it waves bye bye to the franchise's greatest WR, who is also a guy they could depend on to be there every Sunday and replaces him with a guy that has spent twice the amount of time on the shelf. The questions regarding the front office's decision making are valid, IMO.

Any one move on an individual level can be criticized for sure but what the OP was getting more to is that the type of cold harded business decision made here and made again and again over time are the ones that are less likely to burn you and when they burn they should be less severe.

In theory you lock up less capital into your potential mistakes and you continue to build in other areas so you can make up for your short comings and try again to fill them sooner.

Bottom line is the front office has consistantly brought in enough good talent to keep us floating at the top while, the inevitable thing that every team faces, talent has drained out the bottom. You cant keep them all and the ones you do keep will eventually be unable to perform.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I think you vastly overstate how much influence McDaniels has.

5 ex-Rams/Broncos on the roster (not all with the team still) since last year is evidence McDaniels has Belichick's ear.

Holley's book definitively describes how in 2006, against the entire Patriots scouting staff, Belichick took Laurence Maroney in the 1st round only because of McDaniels' pushing for it (and McDaniels only pushing for it based on horrible advice from his brother). McDaniels also personally worked out O'Connell. O'Connell doesn't get drafted 3rd round without McDaniels' pushing for it.

So no, it's not exaggeration to suggest McDaniels' has big influence on these personnel moves.

 

[IllegalContact]

something to quell the doubters

Bill Barnwell on the second day of NFL free agency - Grantland

 

[DropKickFlutie]

something to quell the doubters

Bill Barnwell on the second day of NFL free agency - Grantland

Not really. He basically just says that 'In Bill We Trust'. He doesn't use evidence that Amendola could be better than Welker because the numbers don't actually suggest that.

Thing with that is, Bill is now relying heavily on McDaniels' recommendations (5 McDaniels' guys now here over the past year, not all w the team still).

Also, ever since they let Branch,Vinatieri, Willie, Law go they have not won another championship (though they have won a lot, more than anyone)

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't think anyone in his right mind questions Welker's play-making abilities and durability - certainly not the guys in the FO. I think it is more to do with Welker's personality. I think BB has been ticked off by his persona one too many times, and decided to move on. Welker's age certainly had something do with it as well, though that alone, was not the reason.

For anyone who hasn't realized it yet, here in NE, unless your name is Tom Brady, you're replaceable.

I would buy this if the Pats hadn't made an initial offer before the start of last season and an offer just recently. Anybody that's "pissed off" by Welker's persona (and what persona was that, again?) doesn't make an offer on a UFA. They let him ride out.

Any one move on an individual level can be criticized for sure but what the OP was getting more to is that the type of cold harded business decision made here and made again and again over time are the ones that are less likely to burn you and when they burn they should be less severe.

In theory you lock up less capital into your potential mistakes and you continue to build in other areas so you can make up for your short comings and try again to fill them sooner.

Bottom line is the front office has consistantly brought in enough good talent to keep us floating at the top while, the inevitable thing that every team faces, talent has drained out the bottom. You cant keep them all and the ones you do keep will eventually be unable to perform.

Except that the Patriots could have very easily kept Welker, not only on their roster, but also off a roster with Peyton Manning as the quarterback.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I haven't commented on the Welker thing yet. I loved him as a player and I loved him as a Patroit.

I've tried to sift though all the conflicting media reports and come to some sort of conclusion as to what went on. I guess we do know that Wes was offered $8 mil by the Patriots for 2 years before he signed the franchise tender for $9.5 mil.

The Patriots offered him a deal of $5mil with incentives. We don't know what those incentives were and how much more Wes could of made. It was reported this morning by a reporter who will will remain nameless, that Wes or his agent never went back to the Patriots with the Denver offer. It's been reported that they did and the Patriots would not match. I don't know what to believe between those stories.

But the Patriots did offer him what the market value turned out to be this year. And had Wes taken their offer last year he would be making above the market value for 2013. So I don't know why people are blaming the Patriots other than just though anger.

Until I hear otherwise, I can conclude that Wes took business too personally. It sounds that as tough and determined he is on the football field, he's a little thin skinned when it comes to business negotiations. In the end, he chose to leave.

I'm not blaming him or the Patriots, it's just is what it is.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I would buy this if the Pats hadn't made an initial offer before the start of last season and an offer just recently. Anybody that's "pissed off" by Welker's persona (and what persona was that, again?) doesn't make an offer on a UFA. They let him ride out.

Agreed.

This type of petty, personal, and unusual behavior from the Patriots FO is not typical of them even in other situations of making hard choices

This type of petty, personal behavior smells like what happened in Denver when they destroyed that roster during McDaniels' tenure. McDaniels' jettisoned Peyton Hillis simply bc of an incident at a team function over his wife.

 

[signbabybrady]

I don't think anyone in his right mind questions Welker's play-making abilities and durability - certainly not the guys in the FO. I think it is more to do with Welker's personality. I think BB has been ticked off by his persona one too many times, and decided to move on. Welker's age certainly had something do with it as well, though that alone, was not the reason.

For anyone who hasn't realized it yet, here in NE, unless your name is Tom Brady, you're replaceable.

Keep in mind Tom has basically made it by his own actions a decision the team might never have to make with him. had he wanted to exhaust every last effort to squeeze everything out a tough decision might need to be made on him long before it ever will now.

Granted not everyone has as much career earnings as hall of fame QBs do and can afford to give their teams the same favors. Doesnt make them wrong for it but certainly doesnt make the front office wrong either especially when they have proven to be able always put out a great product.