Was letting Asante walk a mistake?

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

Asante was obviously overpaid by the Eagles. The mistake by the

Patriots was not planning ahead for his departure. Signing a lot of

castoffs to one year minimum contracts has not provided an adequate

replacement. Wheatley and Wilhite may or may not be the answer.

Looking to the future, the Patriots have to expend a day one pick on

a cornerback. I'd also like to see them up the ante for a proven

veteran cornerback. There is no way the Patriots will go after

Asomugha. Perhaps they would consider a cornerback just below

him.

You are correct that the Pats plans post departure have proven inadequate. Next years' draft will pick a CB high and sign another FA vet at CB.

The other hindsight item that really irks me is the Pats getting no draft pick for Asante not counting a possible 3rd round comp pick. Had they let the greedy weenie sit out and lose millions, we still woulda made the playoffs and someone else could have dropped the SB winning Manning toss.

 

[Double G]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

"Asante was obviously overpaid by the Eagles. The mistake by the

Patriots was not planning ahead for his departure."

BINGO, we have a winner, give the man a cigar.

Shame on the FO for not seeing this coming and giving him a new deal BEFORE he got to his walk year, everyone knew someone would drop a Brinks truck full of money at his feet once that happened.

I'm getting a little sick of this teams mantra of "No one guy is bigger than the team, we designate a dollar amount to a position and don't deviate from it, we'll find a JAG and stick him into the system and all will be fine,"etc, etc, etc.

You have to identify players that you want/need to keep and pay them accordingly, you can't continually let guys walk, sooner or later you will get burned.

Not to mention the vaunted front seven of ours, specifically the front three, got zero pressure on the QB yesterday, the lone sack came on a blitz, so having the best secondary on the planet means squat if you give the QB a month in the pocket to find the open guy................

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

He's not a shutdown corner.

Furtermore, a $9 mill/year CB makes the play he should've made on the Giants last drive and Eli's last mistake. There's very few CB's I would toss $9 mill at. There's also very few WR's I would toss that money at, and Moss is clearly one of the exceptions. The FO made the right moves this offseason.

Time will tell if Ty Law could have brought anything to this team for a cheap price.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

Missing:

Brady
Maroney
Jordan
Morris (for a while)
Thomas
Harrison
Wheatley

Unless Asante was going to replace all 7 of those players, this argument is just a way to make people feel better by finding a scapegoat. While I agree with the general notion that the Patriots were unable to 'replace' Samuel, and I was not thrilled (to say the least) with the O'Neal signing, I think the team could have weathered the problem had the other injuries not happened.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

I'm getting a little sick of this teams mantra of "...we designate a dollar amount to a position and don't deviate from it...

I've never heard anyone in an official Patriots capacity say that. Nor do I personally think it's true...

 

[SVN]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

teams which livr in the past die in the past. everytime we keep hearing law and asante and all..they are solns now. When they stink in a yr or two people will complain we didnt bring in anyone new or play any younger guys. sometimes you have to cut the cord and try and figure out with newer younger players . just like college.

 

[nepatz11]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

I disagree as well. Asante was never a shut down corner. He was completely overated because he played in a good system, with good players and a good offense that put lots of points on the board and kept pressure on the opposition. Not a bad player. He was an above average corner who benefited from circumstances and not worth that kind of money. I would love to have him but not at that price.

That said you are right to identify a mistake and that mistake was not finding adequate replacement. I believe Hobbs is a decent CB but when you go into a year with Hobbs as your best CB with a bunch of rookies and also with Harrison as your only legit NFL SS that is a huge mistake. Merriweather could be a great FS/CB take but he is not a SS.

 

[Double G]

Re: It looks like letting Asante walk may have actually been a mistake

"I've never heard anyone in an official Patriots capacity say that. Nor do I personally think it's true..."

Sorry, ask anyone who covers this team and that is what they will tell you, they assign a dollar value to each position and stick to that no matter what.............

 

[PatsFan2]

Does anyone disagree with this?
Shut down corners are not easy to find.
AS has played really well for the eagles (I have watched all of their games).

The Patriots simply could NOT replace him and his ability to get turnovers.

Every JAG they have brought in has not come close to his production level.

I am not saying they would be super bowl contenders, but maybe in either the game with the Colts or teh Jets he could have made a difference.


Also, I still think they should have offered Ty Law a defined role... for the veteran minimum this was a no brainer

Alot of people are going to dissagree with you...not i. But i will just say this the NE Patriots are getting what they paid for in 2008 at the CB position. CB is going to a First Round selection in 2009 mark it down.

 

[ausbacker]

I don't believe letting Asante walk was a mistake, however we knew the secondary would be a thorn in our sides this season.

Where we could impove was the means of which we tried to replace Asante. Something I believe the front office are in the process of doing, however the needs on D are far greater than 1 position. For instance say we took McKelvin instead of Mayo. Then we're missing an MLB.

Chicken and egg really. I'm hoping the 2008/2009/2010 drafts address the critical needs on defense.