Why did we match Sauerbruns offer?!?

[solman]

This would have been foolish if the agreement contained either significant guaranteed money or a poison pill.

Since BB/SP are by definition not stupid, I can only assume that the agreement contained neither.

The real question, then, is why Denver didn't do more to secure Sauerbruns services? If a player is worth a $1.4M deal (even with much of that being incentives) surely the player is also worth either a poison pill or enough guaranteed money to force BB/SP to back off.

 

[moosekill]

This would have been foolish if the agreement contained either significant guaranteed money or a poison pill.

Since BB/SP are by definition not stupid, I can only assume that the agreement contained neither.

The real question, then, is why Denver didn't do more to secure Sauerbruns services? If a player is worth a $1.4M deal (even with much of that being incentives) surely the player is also worth either a poison pill or enough guaranteed money to force BB/SP to back off.

Wrong!! It isn't foolish if the Patriots think Sauerbrun is a better punter, or if they believe Miller is hurt. I personally feel Sauerbrun is a better punter then Miller, he has a much better leg.

 

[zippo59]

but with the hgh he's more like a 28 year old

The illegal substances Sauerbrun got busted for were weight loss supplements. They were still illegal but the purpose was to get smaller not bigger.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

The illegal substances Sauerbrun got busted for were weight loss supplements. They were still illegal but the purpose was to get smaller not bigger.

But he was connected to the ring of players who were caught buying muscle enhancing supplements.

HGH is probably what he was trying to get.

 

[zippo59]

But he was connected to the ring of players who were caught buying muscle enhancing supplements.

HGH is probably what he was trying to get.

But he has a problem being too big for his entire career. It doesn't make sense to me that he would puposely buy something to make himself bigger. He could have very well gotten another illegal substance but I don't think it was HGH.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

But he has a problem being too big for his entire career. It doesn't make sense to me that he would puposely buy something to make himself bigger. He could have very well gotten another illegal substance but I don't think it was HGH.

HGH doesnt have to necsarily get you bigger if you dont want it too. if your taking it and run and practice punting all day you can still lose weight while gaining massive muscle buildup in what your training for.

Its possible to take these things and lose weight. It just depends on how you use them.

 

[biffman]

So the Patriots sign this guy last year off the street and he does well here. Now he gets another offer and asks the Patriots (who were the team that gave him a second chance) not to match. That’s bull****. I’m not saying that BB was being altruistic in signing him – he obviously did it because we needed a punter. However, why would saueburn (sp?) not want to be here?

 

[DarrylS]

How about if he goes to Denver for a draft pick.. would that make everything better???

 

[solman]

Wrong!! It isn't foolish if the Patriots think Sauerbrun is a better punter, or if they believe Miller is hurt. I personally feel Sauerbrun is a better punter then Miller, he has a much better leg.

There is more to being a good punter than getting touchbacks. Miller excels at aiming and situational awareness. He's a true BB kind of guy.

But the fact remains that we spent $100K on the Miller option.

I wonder if it would actually be possible to get trade value for one of these guys.

 

[PromisedLand]

Maybe because he was solid throughout the playoffs (particularly against the Chargers) and he deserves the chance to earn the fulltime job during TC. Miller is also getting up there in age.

Bingo. In fact I think Todd probably has the inside track at this point, given that Miller is 37 and coming off an injury. Obviously the braintrust has concerns about depending on him at this point, or they wouldn't have matched Sauerbrun's offer.

 

[PatrioticDynasty]

Bingo. In fact I think Todd probably has the inside track at this point, given that Miller is 37 and coming off an injury. Obviously the braintrust has concerns about depending on him at this point, or they wouldn't have matched Sauerbrun's offer.

Ok, so my question is if they just gave miller $700,000 why would they sign sourpuss to a 1.4 mil sheet? Seems a little costly to piss on the donkeys...

1) Can he choose which sheet to sign?
2) what if he doesn't sign the Pat's offer, or causes a stink?
3) If the pats do cut him in camp, then how much of a cap hit do we suffer?

PD.

 

[Pats67]

How about if he goes to Denver for a draft pick.. would that make everything better???

That's as good an argument as any at this point. They gained an advantage through the signing of the original contract, so why not use it? Maybe they wanted him to compete with Miller in the fall, but since they were unable to sign him prior to FA, and he now has an offer in place, and seems to prefer Denver anyway, its at least possible that this is the game plan now. Its not like they don't have enough kickers to stage a competition anyway, and maybe their interest in Sepulvada (visiting here soon) is sincere.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Ok, so my question is if they just gave miller $700,000 why would they sign sourpuss to a 1.4 mil sheet? Seems a little costly to piss on the donkeys...

1) Can he choose which sheet to sign?
2) what if he doesn't sign the Pat's offer, or causes a stink?
3) If the pats do cut him in camp, then how much of a cap hit do we suffer?

PD.

(1) No, he can't choose; that's what right of first refusal means. [In that respect it's exactly like an offer sheet made to an RFA.]
(2) AFAIK, he doesn't have a choice in the matter; his options in that regard are the same as Asante's.
(3) That's the question no one has addressed yet. I suspect the answer is <$250,000, and quite possibly zero. [The Pats, IMO, shouldn't waste too much money to screw over the Donkeys, but if they can do it for free, why the heck not? ]

 

[He Ban Me]

Probably to mess with the Donks. Hope he doesn't pull a steroid juiced hammy!

 

[AzPatsFan]

BB/SP want to beat you by having good players everywhere. They have always paid attention to Special Teams. BB has sought out good players for these teams, gunners, P K, LS, tacklers not simply applying whatever reserves that remain from the regular squads to populate the STs. (That is why I 'll bet their second rated S, is the Texas Longhorn.)

AV was a good K; Gostkowski was a high #4 draft pick, to replace a guy who was older and fading. Miller was good punter who Cowher really liked, but thought was old and fading; BB eked a few more years from him.

BB had 2 rooks on his PS backing up Miller before he got hurt, and then signed Walther, & then Sauerbrun when he became available. Todd was the second highest Punter ever drafted, behind Ray Guy. And Sauerbrun earned his draft status, who became a multi-time pro bowl Punter. But he is getting old too.

Is it any wonder that the next Ray Guy, Todd Sauerbrun, Rich Camarillo, caliber Punter is Danny Sepulveda; and ST Coach Brad Seeley went to Waco to work him out. He must have been impressed as Sepulveda is coming to Foxboro on a visit. When did this last happen for a rookie Punter?

If he can extract a draft pick for TS than it makes it easier to spend one on Sepulveda; if not, having him makes it easier to by-pass Danny, waiting to take him at a later pick, and possibly losing him to another team.

 

[The 12th Man]

3) If the pats do cut him in camp, then how much of a cap hit do we suffer?

PD.

I beleive I read on KFFL before that the Broncos didn't include any gauranteed money in the contract, so if that's the case, it would cost the Patriots nothing to cut him in camp. Good move, by BB/Pioli IMO if that's the case. Now they can use him in a trade or keep him simply for TC competition.

 

[ClevTrev]

Ha! I'll go with the majority on this thread and state that the Pats want the best players on their STs. To think this is anything more than a move to put the team in a better situation (fielding the best player at each position) is pure fantasy.

Anyone who believes the act of matching the contract was intended to spite Denver is living on another planet. This management team wouldn't trifle with such an act having so little to do with winning a SB.

 

[pats-blue]

I think the only "poison pill" in the contract reported was a no trade clause. Depending how this is worded it my not be Saurbrun's choice we are talking about it could be the TEAM can't trade him...just to prevent the Pats prying a draft pick out of the Broncs. Just a thought.

 

[The 12th Man]

I think the only "poison pill" in the contract reported was a no trade clause. Depending how this is worded it my not be Saurbrun's choice we are talking about it could be the TEAM can't trade him...just to prevent the Pats prying a draft pick out of the Broncs. Just a thought.

Good point blue. I almost forgot about that. If that's true, then the Pats definitely want to have a battle in TC at the position. Maybe they're not sure how Miller's leg will be coming back from injury. I think they like Miller more, but want to make sure he's the same Miller now as he was before the injury. Interesting. We'll have to wait and see.