Why Pats have not Been Active!

[ctpatsfan77]

cause if we do sign moss at 10mil a yer and if they use the 7th pick in the draft that pick will make like 7mill a yer we only have 20 mill in cap there is not much they can do

As has been noted before, the issue is not the value of the contract, but the size of the cap hit. Even if the Pats draft at #7, the cap hit will not be $7M the first year or two (and whatever SB they pay can be prorated over six years).

 

[TimU]

cause if we do sign moss at 10mil a yer and if they use the 7th pick in the draft that pick will make like 7mill a yer we only have 20 mill in cap there is not much they can do

Just what I was thinking. The draft is going to cost like 9-10mm against the '08 cap. They need to have some money left over for DBs. They just don't have that many bullets here.

The brain trust may be thinking that Moss is (a) old (b) has had issues (c) tailed off late in the season, so either he comes back at $6-7MM per or else they move on.

 

[mgteich]

We have plenty of cap money. It usually costs a net $6M to sign draft choices, PS, Player 52, Player 53, and keep an injury reserve. For example the #7 will cost about $2M and the 4th and beyond nothing. In any case, that money isn't needed until July. Even then, we won't need $6M. We can move some 2008 salaries into bonuses and save at least a couple of million of 2008 cap room.

The patriots are usually NOT active in the early free agent market (except for re-signings), since that is when players moving other teams have the opportunity to be overpaid. Last year was the exception.

That being said, right now I am most concerned about Gaffney. I'd like to see him in the fold soon. It is most likely that others will pay Moss much more than the patriots are willing to pay a wide receiver. That's a given. The patriots have our method of managing the cap and the draft. Other teams have theirs. There are very few teams that make it work by continuing to get value for their cap dollar, albeit with different strategies. We are one of those, arguably one of the two best (with the colts). The others are the steelers and san diego. There is a characteristic of teams that get value for their cap money: they are consistent winners!

The patriots have done better in managing the cap and in winning since Kraft got here, and certainly since Belichick, Pioli and Brady got here.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Could it be possible pats will trade their pick to another team for a vet and picks.

Sure BB+P have set up possible scenarios and discussed with other teams prior to draft.

We cannot pull off last years rush every year to costly.

Plus this is a deeper draft fpr LBs and Cbs than 2007

The reason, IMO, that the Patriots have not been active early in free agency is because they don't value the available players as highly as other teams do.

We know that this team will move agressively when there is a player they want.

We also know that they will not spend money for the sake of spending money when the available players are square pegs to address the Patriots round holes.

Knowing all this, what conclusion are we to draw?

The obvious answer is that the Patriots will use this year's free agency to restock their middle class "depth" players - that have played important roles in every successful Super Bowl season - rather than shelling out big bucks for few players.

 

[mgteich]

Maybe. Or maybe we'll trade for a player or two. Or maybe we'll sign players sometime after the first three days of free agency. Last I heard, law and surtain weren't signed. shepherd is being shopped. I'm sure there are lots of others at corner, linebacker and wide receiver. As in the past, we may add a player the week before the draft. After all, that is when many trades take place. Also, we will also bid on a couple of RFA's. We might get lucky as we did last year.

The bottom line is that we have six important open positions that need to be filled. We have $20M in cap room, and restructuring money available if needed. We are in fine shape.

That being said, I would feel a lot better if I sign on later and find that we re-signed Gaffney.

Knowing all this, what conclusion are we to draw?
The obvious answer is that the Patriots will use this year's free agency to restock their middle class "depth" players - that have played important roles in every successful Super Bowl season - rather than shelling out big bucks for few players.

 

[Maroney's Dreads]

Guys, it's still early. By this day last year, we didn't have Stallworth, Welker, Moss, or Thomas. Just relax