Thomas NOT franchised

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Thomas wants $12m/yr.

The Niners are some $30m under the cap, and Mike Nolan helped develop him in his days as DC in Balt.

Looks like he'll wind up a Niner next year.

 

[BradyManny]

Thomas wants $12m/yr.

The Niners are some $30m under the cap, and Mike Nolan helped develop him in his days as DC in Balt.

Looks like he'll wind up a Niner next year.

Welll, the Niners seem to be moving in the right direction, but if he wants to compete for a ring soon, he's better off coming here among other places.

12m a year? If he wants that much, forget it.

 

[patchick]

The thing about Thomas is he would fill the strong side OLB the best since Willie and he gives you the flexibility to move inside against quicker passing teams like the Colts so you can get as much speed on the field as possible. Assuming they bring Seau back, Junior and Tedy are great run stuffers still. Then you use an outside rotation of Thomas, Vrabel, and Colvin. In passing situations you bring in the 5th db and move Thomas inside and use Vrabel and Colvin outside.

Polk and Johnson are two others to look at but they wouldn't give you that flexibility that BB loves, and there's the draft but it's hard to expect rookies to contribute right away, it happens but you cannot count on it in this system.

Just to clarify, I don't disagree with anything you're saying. I'm not claiming that a Johnson or Polk would make as big an impact on the team as an Adalius Thomas. I was just trying to say that whether or not you think the Pats are likely to shell out for a marquee FA like Thomas, Briggs or Fletcher-Baker, you desperately want those guys on the market. The richer the pickings at the position, the better the chances the Patriots come away with someone to their liking.

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[dryheat44]

Thomas wants $12m/yr.

The Niners are some $30m under the cap, and Mike Nolan helped develop him in his days as DC in Balt.

Looks like he'll wind up a Niner next year.

I don't know where you dug up that number. Maybe Thomas wants that much (Hell, so do I) but nobody is paying Thomas $12 mil/yr, unless you're including the pro-rated signing bonus. I'll be stunned if he gets 10/yr. Maybe 4 years avg. 8.5 mil with $15 mill SB. While the Patriots won't be the top bidder, their offer will be competitive.