Vince Wilfork asks to be released

[DaBronxPats14]

Thanx BIG MAN for givin it your all and your leadership on & off field.
Hopefully it could be worked out some how.

Top 5 Vince Wilfork Moments - YouTube

 

[mgteich]

We are talking about Vince and Bianca.

I agree that your scenario is the best one for public consumption for all concerned parties.

As with so many before him, Wilfork can go out and see how much he's worth to other teams.
This is more likely to be possible after more rehab. He can then consider any patriot offers at the time, or not.

In any case, to release Wilfork now, at his request, is the best for everyone concerned.

And yes, I think that retirement is a strong possibility.

I only read about half the thread, so if this point has already been made.....deal with it.

Vince is a sure fire first ballot Pats HOFer. He's a Pats lifer deeply connected not only to the franchise and Owner, but to the local community, and the NE area. Think about it. What do the Pats need right now? That's right, Cap Space. Where is the most likely place to find significant cap space? Right again, Vince Wilfolk's contact.

NO ONE knows if Vince will ever play again, let alone to the level we've all become accustomed to. Plus its likely no one will have a clue as to his rehab until at least June, which would be too late to make much of an impact on the Pats cap situation. An added complication is that the best way to maximize increasing the Pats cap room is with a release, and NOT a restructure. So what are the Pats to do.

If the Pats release him, its just another example of "the heartless Pats screwing over their own players again". Vince knows he's no longer an elite DT/N worthy of an 11MM cap number. He doesn't even know if he's going to play this year, and won't know for a couple of months. So, once again, Vince takes one for the team, and "asks for his release". He creates the cap space the Pats need right now. He saves the Pats a PR hit, knowing that IF he can play, the Pats will sign him to a contract that will reflect what he can do on the field NOW, and not what he DID for 9 of the last 10 years.

BTW- I know that, while this scenario makes sense to me, its just that, a scenario. It could be true, it might not be. But until I see Vince Wilfolk in another uniform, playing for another team, its the scenario that I choose to believe.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Feel free to join me.

 

[PATS16N0]

As a fan, I think I moved on from Wilfork sometime last season. I definitely moved on this off season and I certainly moved on after we landed Revis.

I'd rather have the spending money right now to continue to build around our new GOAT corner with a pass rush. Penetrating the center of opposing offensive lines will serve us much better this year than having Wilfork.

 

[supafly]

In any case, to release Wilfork now, at his request, is the best for everyone concerned.

And yes, I think that retirement is a strong possibility.

If he were considering retirement, why would he even care about asking for a release right now?

I assume that you are insinuating that he won't be able to find work and decide to retire? I'm not so sure I'd agree with that. We'll have to see how it plays out. I am disappointed that they couldn't reach a reasonable extension to get the '14 cap hit lessened, while still offering fair money for the next couple of yrs.

 

[old 55]

Last year was the first season where Ware missed a game (played in 13). It followed 8 straight 16 game seasons. He may be overpaid, but he's far from often injured.

I'm going by the fact that he's played while injured and, as you noted, missed games last year due to injury. My point was that it's a risky signing that Denver hopes that he is able to contribute at his peak levels, but that may not be realistic to expect. I stand by my opinion that Denver overpaid - not that someone else might not have done the same.

Hopefully, Big Vince will find someone to pay him based on his prior levels of play and he collects big bucks, but a guy that's probably closer to 400 lb than 300 coming off an achilles injury at his age is a huge riisk and not worth a top money contract, again, in my opinion.

 

[patfanken]

Now that I've dealt with the emotional side of this, lets look at the results, which are great. In the last day with the cut of Vince, Sapouanga (sp?), and Revis only counting $7MM this season, we have created over $14MM in cap space. If you add the $5MM in space that was reported after the initial reports of the Revis deal, we have all the money we need to fill all the gaps that we've talked about.

Lets get that big CB/SS. Lets get that DE. Lets get another speed LB. Lets find that experience move TE. Lets add to our back up OL depth. We don't need any Ware-like big FA signings, we just need a bunch of solid mid-low range signings to solidify our team BEFORE the draft, so we can draft for talent and not necessities.

 

[strngplyr]

Wcome to the 2014 Patriot's, Tommy Kelly

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 1m
Patriots DT Tommy Kelly restructures his contract, creates about $800k in cap space for Patriots. Tommy Kelly restructures pact - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN (by @FieldYates).

 

[mgteich]

I'm insinuating that Wilfork may not be willing to go through rehab and start with a new team for what is offered.

In any case, Wilfork did the right thing for him and for the team by asking for a release.

After all, he may decide that the best place to play IF AND WHEN he rehabs may be patriots, or not.

It makes no sense to discount his services now, with everyone factoring in the possibility that rehab will not be successful. Clearly, Wilfork will be worth much more if he has a successful rehab.

If he were considering retirement, why would he even care about asking for a release right now?

I assume that you are insinuating that he won't be able to find work and decide to retire? I'm not so sure I'd agree with that. We'll have to see how it plays out. I am disappointed that they couldn't reach a reasonable extension to get the '14 cap hit lessened, while still offering fair money for the next couple of yrs.

 

[BadMoFo]

Wcome to the 2014 Patriot's, Tommy Kelly

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 1m
Patriots DT Tommy Kelly restructures his contract, creates about $800k in cap space for Patriots. Tommy Kelly restructures pact - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN (by @FieldYates).

Looks like Kelly has a spot locked on the team.

 

[JMC00]

Wcome to the 2014 Patriot's, Tommy Kelly

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 1m
Patriots DT Tommy Kelly restructures his contract, creates about $800k in cap space for Patriots. Tommy Kelly restructures pact - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN (by @FieldYates).

Nice......

 

[Mack Herron]

Looks like Kelly has a spot locked on the team.

With little guaranteed money it is far from a lock. More like an opportunity to stick around if he can rehab his ACL.

 

[Tunescribe]

Vince's current contract was written with inflated values on the backend in order to inflate the overall value of the contract. It was likely going to be renegotiated during the past season based on his level of play. The achilles, his age and weight makes the current contract even less in line with a fair market deal. Denver overpaid for an often injured Ware and often injured Talib, but most business decisions are usually better than those. Kraft said they wouldn't overpay for a player with an injury history like Talib, but Big Vince needs to understand that a restructured deal here is likely better than playing in Oakland, etc. Ask Kelley.

Pulp Fiction- "Feel that sting, big boy? That's pride f***ing with you!"

Sorry Vince, you're not a top corner in the league. You're not a top safety or pass rusher. The NFL is now about QB pressure and pass defenders.
If your pride is hurting, take the money you've already earned and retire rather than play at a lesser level for a lesser team, just for a paycheck.

Yes. It appears likely that Vince is being stubborn to his own detriment. Without knowing how much of a "lesser deal" the (supposed) restructure might represent, chances are he'd be better off swallowing hard and taking it vs. leaving and slamming the door only to find nobody else will do him better.

 

[patfanken]

If he were considering retirement, why would he even care about asking for a release right now?

I assume that you are insinuating that he won't be able to find work and decide to retire? I'm not so sure I'd agree with that. We'll have to see how it plays out. I am disappointed that they couldn't reach a reasonable extension to get the '14 cap hit lessened, while still offering fair money for the next couple of yrs.

Sup, I don't understand your position. What kind of extension could the Pats even offer, when they don't know if he's even going to be able to play, and WON'T until a month AFTER the draft.

That's why I never understood or believed these reports that the Pats were in negotiations to work on a restructure. First any kind of realistic restructure wouldn't knock much off the cap, without having to pay Vince a huge initial payout without knowing that he can play. Second, we need the money NOW, and not 3 months from now.

If he's healthy, he'll find work. If not with the Pats, with any of a number of teams that play the 3-4, or need a solid run stopper. But, at this stage of his career, he's not going to be offered more that $3-4MM from any team, and I think the Pats would match that.

 

[SB39]

Pretty disappointed in him if you ask me. Sure football players have every reason in the world to chase the money, but if a guy like Brady the most important player on the team restructures his contract to a friendly team deal why can't Wilfork do it as well?

Because Wilfork's wife isn't bringing in $50 million per year.

 

[randomk1]

Because Wilfork's wife isn't bringing in $50 million per year.

Yeah...i'm sure Vince and his family are starving given how little he has earned.

 

[zipster9]

Yes. It appears likely that Vince is being stubborn to his own detriment. Without knowing how much of a "lesser deal" the (supposed) restructure might represent, chances are he'd be better off swallowing hard and taking it vs. leaving and slamming the door only to find nobody else will do him better.

If he gets cut, look for Patriots to make a run in draft (Louis Nix) ?
Of course, Patriots will have to move up..

 

[grux]

Wcome to the 2014 Patriot's, Tommy Kelly

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 1m
Patriots DT Tommy Kelly restructures his contract, creates about $800k in cap space for Patriots. Tommy Kelly restructures pact - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN (by @FieldYates).

Nice job Tommy. I hope Vince changes his mind and renegotiates his contract.

 

[DocHoliday]

If he gets cut, look for Patriots to make a run in draft (Louis Nix) ?
Of course, Patriots will have to move up..

Nix has poor mobility apparently. Why do we need to replace Wilfork? Forget the NT position - we should be going for 4-3 DT interior rushers.

 

[PATS16N0]

nix has poor mobility apparently. Why do we need to replace wilfork? Forget the nt position - we should be going for 4-3 dt interior rushers.

+1,000,000

 

[VJCPatriot]

Thanks for your great service to the Patriots and to the community over the years, Wilfork. I was proud to root for you as a member of our team. But all good things must come to an end. Best of luck to you with your next team, except on the days that they play us!