Throwing away our opportunities for another Lombardi??

[groundgame]

...Despite all this, it took a horrific display of unforced turnovers, combined with a key missed field goal, to end the season of a team that would have played the Steeler's at home for the right to beat Seattle in the SB. ..

After witnessing too many hideous Patriot losses over three decades in Denver, last year's playoff loss was not due to a fluke run of bad luck at the wrong time. Overall, bad karma seems to be the rule for the Pats in games at Denver. I don't buy into the argument that if the Pats had not fumbled here, or if Brady had not intercepted there, etc. the Pats would have won that game. The Pats did not play well that night and Denver played pretty good.

 

[mgteich]

OK, let's pass around the koolaid. We will be SB champions! We will pocket $10M or move it to next year, because there was NO ONE in free agency that could help opur team. Our team is that good!

Posey???? Naaah!! We've better of with Mincey on the squad, and Chad Brown is much better!

And has been no returner available better than Andrews, and no receiver better than Childress. no corner better than Gay and Warfield.

We have the money. We have the need.

Am I missing something?

 

[Clonamery]

You wrote that agreeing (attaching it) with Mikey's originating comments?

I suggest you read this fella's post from a couple of days ago:

7/31/06 by the Honorable Mike Allen

Mike Allen? Mike Allen? Hmmmm. Why does that name ring a bell? Regular poster, perhaps? Hmmmm. Contradivts NEM's post, though. Hmmmm. Mike Allen, fellah seems pretty juiced about the Pats, though NEM doesn't. Hmmmm.

 

[shmessy]

OK, let's pass around the koolaid. We will be SB champions! We will pocket $10M or move it to next year, because there was NO ONE in free agency that could help opur team. Our team is that good!

Posey???? Naaah!! We've better of with Mincey on the squad, and Chad Brown is much better!

And has been no returner available better than Andrews, and no receiver better than Childress. no corner better than Gay and Warfield.

We have the money. We have the need.

Am I missing something?

Yes. The season does not start tomorrow.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Mikey and NEM... hmmmm...

I'm feeling better and better about this team now.

I've always suspected Mikey as a NEM sock puppet

 

[Clonamery]

I've always suspected Mikey as a NEM sock puppet

I didn't need that visual.....

 

[PatsRI]

I didn't need that visual.....

Better than a hand puppet?

 

[upstater1]

I just wish I could understand why the team won't spend $ on mid level free agents (like the ones I have just mentioned) and then be $13-15MM under the cap. I know Mr. Kraft will spend whatever it takes so I am just curious what is going on.

Well, first off, the Patriots are known as the team that spends more on mid-level free agents than any other team. That's a Pioli specialty. Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Corey Dillon, Stephen Neal, Matt Light, Tedy Bruschi, Ted Washington, I'm sure I'm missing a few people. Secondly, our cap WAS at $13-15 under, but then we had to pay the rookies about $4m (maybe more). So let's say that left $9m under. That was before the Branch and Law thing went down. If Branch signs for a little more than the Patriots offer him, he probably gets a raise and reachable bonuses of 500k, and an extra million or two in signing bonus against the cap this year. So Branch = $2.5m extra off the cap. Then they were saving for Ty Law. They needed say $5m for him this year (on a 2 year deal). That would have put us right up against the cap, $1.5m left, and you always hold a little in reserve for late cuts in training camp and/or injuries. The Patriots were holding their gunpowder dry to nab Branch and Law. Law fell by the wayside, so the way I look at it, they are about $5 million under the cap (assuming that Branch is signed). They can't spend all that money, or else they can't resign Branch.

If they can't find a vet to sign at the end of camp, or if they don't trade for a vet, then I'm sure they'll just guarantee some of Brady and Seymour's money to open up more space for next year. The Patriots had a plan, but with Law that plan fell through. It happens. It's no reason to bash them over the head. I'm sure they will spend to within $1 million of the cap by season's end. bank on it.

 

[arrellbee]

Good post, upstater1. A few more mid-Free Agents of note:
Izzo 01 from Miami
Davis 03 from STL
Hochstein 02 from Tampa
Gorin 02 from SD
Miller 04 from PIT

With a chance for some additions to that list this year depending on how some guys work out.

By the way, which upstate ?

 

[upstater1]

By the way, which upstate ?

There's another upstate?

I'm in New York. Buffalo, which is actually Western NY, but I used to live in the Eastern half when I made up my screenname.

 

[Patjew]

Well, first off, the Patriots are known as the team that spends more on mid-level free agents than any other team. That's a Pioli specialty. Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Corey Dillon, Stephen Neal, Matt Light, Tedy Bruschi, Ted Washington, I'm sure I'm missing a few people. Secondly, our cap WAS at $13-15 under, but then we had to pay the rookies about $4m (maybe more). So let's say that left $9m under. That was before the Branch and Law thing went down. If Branch signs for a little more than the Patriots offer him, he probably gets a raise and reachable bonuses of 500k, and an extra million or two in signing bonus against the cap this year. So Branch = $2.5m extra off the cap. Then they were saving for Ty Law. They needed say $5m for him this year (on a 2 year deal). That would have put us right up against the cap, $1.5m left, and you always hold a little in reserve for late cuts in training camp and/or injuries. The Patriots were holding their gunpowder dry to nab Branch and Law. Law fell by the wayside, so the way I look at it, they are about $5 million under the cap (assuming that Branch is signed). They can't spend all that money, or else they can't resign Branch.

If they can't find a vet to sign at the end of camp, or if they don't trade for a vet, then I'm sure they'll just guarantee some of Brady and Seymour's money to open up more space for next year. The Patriots had a plan, but with Law that plan fell through. It happens. It's no reason to bash them over the head. I'm sure they will spend to within $1 million of the cap by season's end. bank on it.

Great post, I found it quite illuminating.

 

[Brady#12]

what's so funny about it? you think letting McGinest, Vinatieri, Givens, and Law go, helped the team?

Givens- In my opinion Givens is an average WR but was made to look better by Bradys ability, and Chad Jackson is a better WR than Givens so we are fine in that department.

McGinest - I think that he only had one good year left in the tank, and we will be better off getting a youngster in there and letting them learn and make the position there own the way McGinest did, I think he will be missed in the close games where we may lack a bit of experiacne but I think getting Rodeny back makes up for that so were not to bad in the deparment either.

Law - I would of like to re-sign Ty but he went to the Chiefs for the bigger contract.
But yes we probably would off been better of with a Samuel-Law partnership at the CB position for a few years until Ty calls it quits then we might have a bit of a hole to fill, so I think in the long run were better of with Samuel-and Hobbs at the CB position and Let Wilson/Rodney be the leaders of the secondary, which is what we lacked last year.
But I think for future reference that E.Wilson will be the future leader of our secondary and last year was a good lesson for him.

So overall....Yes I do think we will be better off in the long run and not re-signing those players will help the team.

 

[JoeSixPat]

While I disagree with the premise, hat's off to mikey for a very compelling thesis and worthwhile thread.