Wilfork Restructures Contract (3 Yr 22.5 Mil)

[JoeSixPat]

I really never doubted this would happen. The whole clearing out of the locker was clearly posturing. Can't blame Vince - but he also knew that even coming off his injury the Patriots needed him.

Everyone says he wasn't the same last year before the injury - but the Pats were still stopping the run 10x better when he was in than after he went out

Expect them to still draft a DT who can play NT and other positions. I'm guessing this contract, while cap friendly for this year, might not go the full 3 years if a rookie can step up by next year.

Hopefully Wilfork throws himself into rehab and getting back into shape as he did after his rookie contract. He now has the incentive to earn his roster spot - and his salary -for next year and the year after. But for Vince I think it's more a matter of pride, and I feel good about that.

Welcome back Vince!

 

[shmessy]

what a holocaust the past month has been for the Chicken Littles...

my advice....buy low on chicken stock futures...the market is flooded with carcasses

This has been fun! (and predictable)


http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...-day-1-fa-will-you-able-keep-perspective.html

 

[Kimimar0]

Thank **** for that, I love Vince Wilfork. Legend.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I look to the 1st 2 rounds for a DT pick for an interior pass rusher along with Chris Jones who is not bad in that role and is already on the roster.

Did you miss my comment that VW was a run stopper and no longer an 80% down player? Yes, you did.

Agreed. And yes, as NT Vince's role has really become Run D

Let's not minimize that. Once he went out with an injury the Run D really suffered and it that alone can be a game changer.

They still need someone to rush the passer - we all know that. But having Mayo back and whoever else they can add in the draft may address that too.

 

[TyronePoole]

If Vince still requires two-defenders to block him, that's your pass rush.

That he does this and ALSO stops the run, is what makes him such a valuable anchor for the line... even dare I say it, at 80% of his pre-injury/younger self.

look this is just wrong. It's not true. It is false. BAD.

Our pass rush has been absolute dog**** when he's been on the field, this idea that "he takes up two blockers!" and thus allows pass rushers to roam free is a cliche that is not grounded in fact. Guys that rush the passer in nickel and dime which is what needs to be run most of the time to be a good defense these days are the ones that actually take up two blockers and disrupt the backfield in a meaningful way.

 

[kennyb]

I said vet min plus incentives. It's 3 m plus incentives. So about 2m extra. Hope he comes back 100%.

 

[JoeSixPat]

That's not true. He's not a significant asset in the pass rush, but he's not a liability. Anyone who commands a double team is, pretty much by definition, an asset in any situation where they're commanding a double team. He won't get many sacks, but if he's anything close to what he was in the past, he will push the pocket and command a double team.

Correct and well put.

For proper perspective, consider the alternative. The Pats cut Wilfork, have the cap hit, and are left without a good pass rusher OR someone who can defend against the run as Wilfork (hopefully still) can - and then STILL have to pay someone to replace Wilfork at NT

Wilfork of course knew this and Belichick, not really having a good Plan B from the looks of it, likely had to overpay a bit.

But even there, he got Wilfork for a bargain early in his career. Sometimes these circumstances favor the player.

It would have been a much more difficult negotiation if Wilfork WASN'T coming off of injury, that's for sure.

 

[Brady6]

yeah, rational fans that aren't emotionally blinded are a real pain in the ass. You can like Wilfork as a person and not think he's a very good solution for this team you know, it doesn't make you a bad "fan."

How anyone can look at our DL and think it's anything but an enormous question mark is beyond me. We have two 33 year olds this year that both sustained season ending injuries last year. One of them was playing horribly before the injury and is not suited towards optimal packages that the secondary should allow us to run. We have one pass rushing DE and a versatile solid DE. Then guys that are just above JAG level and a kid who we are for some reason banking on to be a stud that has had a heart attack and some kind of mystery infection that kept him out all year and has never played outside of Canada. This isn't Chicken Littling, this is being realistic in the assesment of the DL (other areas are massively stronger).

Having Wilfork back in any kind of way that forces us to play him is literally making the worst possible use of a Revis/Browner combo imaginable. If I'm going to speculate this has to be a Kraft family PR job and not much to do with BB (let's hope). Luckily they didn't commit silly money to him and the cap hit won't be too terrible. I just hope BB benches him when he knows he needs to.

Wilfork turned 32 years old in November, he is closer to 31 than he is to 33. The Patriots have under $4M guaranteed to Wilfork and Kelly so I would not be overly concerned from a financial perspective.

From a on the field perspective the team was ranked #9 last season in PPGA with Siliga, Jones, and Vellano. Rotate Wilfork, Kelly, and Armstead in with those players and you're already better off. That is before the draft, where I'm sure they will add 1-2 productive players across the defensive line.

 

[TyronePoole]

I look to the 1st 2 rounds for a DT pick for an interior pass rusher along with Chris Jones who is not bad in that role and is already on the roster.

Did you miss my comment that VW was a run stopper and no longer an 80% down player? Yes, you did.

No, I didn't miss it, it's an irrelevant comment. Either he's a run stuffing nightmare who ZOMG takes up two blockers or he's a backup/situational NT. I have my theory/worry about which one the Pats will use him as and idgaf what random number <80% you think justifies his existence on the team. That's a goal post shift and not at all what I've been talking about.

 

[DefenseRules]

AWESOME NEWS!!! :rocker::singing:

 

[TyronePoole]

Wilfork turned 32 years old in November, he is closer to 31 than he is to 33. The Patriots have under $4M guaranteed to Wilfork and Kelly so I would not be overly concerned from a financial perspective.

From a on the field perspective the team was ranked #9 last season in PPGA with Siliga, Jones, and Vellano. Rotate Wilfork, Kelly, and Armstead in with those players and you're already better off. That is before the draft, where I'm sure they will add 1-2 productive players across the defensive line.

I agree they need to add in the draft. Patsfan13 posted, and some others seemed to agree that we are set there.

I think people are really getting caught up in the upside they see in Armstead/Kelly/Wilfork. At least one of those guys is likely to be injured in a significant way and who even knows what performance level we can expect from them.

We have such a unique opportunity to turn it loose on the QB I don't even want hear this crap about the run defense. There is no team in today's NFL that loses because they have a sick pass defense and a porous run defense it's just not how the game is played or how OLs are constructed.

 

[Danger Zone]

Yeah, you're not in a position to state any of this with authority. Bellichick was playing Spikes on the regular last year when all available metrics showed that it was very sub-optimal and he was killing our pass defense. Then all of a sudden poof.

If you're one of these posters that's just gonna appeal to BB's authority all the time and start spouting dogmas that then turn out to be false well we can just fast forward to the part where you simply state something he does cannot be wrong because he did it. He is the best coach in the league who makes a litany of errors and has consistent bad thinking in several aspects of the game that all coaches have (4th downs, 2 point conversions etc).

Bottom line is you don't know what the relationship is behind the scenes or who has what sway over what signing.

Just in case you think Im implying it, let me clarify: I think Belichick is fallible and I think he makes mistakes.

That said, I'd bet the mistakes he makes aren't necessarily mistakes for the reasons you or me think they are.

And are you seriously arguing that Kraft put his foot down and ordered him to resign Vince?

And yes, Vince being on the line helps the pass rush. As will our new secondary. Do we need another pass-rushing DE? Of course we do.

And how about we celebrate Vince's return rather than let this thread derail into something far less pleasant to read?

 

[ausbacker]

On first review, it looks like a fair deal that satisfies both sides. I'm pleased with this news. Welcome back Big Vince. Get back to your All Pro best now.

 

[Rob0729]

I wonder how Borges is going to spin this. After killing the Patriots for basically throwing Wilfork out with the bath water before they even did anything with him, how is going to trash the Pats for coming up with an extension that benefits both sides? Wilfork would play better this season if the Pats just threw money at him?

 

[ripatsfan91]

I agree they need to add in the draft. Patsfan13 posted, and some others seemed to agree that we are set there.

I think people are really getting caught up in the upside they see in Armstead/Kelly/Wilfork. At least one of those guys is likely to be injured in a significant way and who even knows what performance level we can expect from them.

We have such a unique opportunity to turn it loose on the QB I don't even want hear this crap about the run defense. There is no team in today's NFL that loses because they have a sick pass defense and a porous run defense it's just not how the game is played or how OLs are constructed.

I think by extending Vince and restructuring Kelly, it all but guarantees we won't go DT in the first two rounds. Interior Oline and TE are much bigger needs IMO.

 

[TyronePoole]

That said, I'd bet the mistakes he makes aren't necessarily mistakes for the reasons you think they are.

What does this even mean? Even his mistakes are a secret?

And are you seriously arguing that Kraft put his foot down and ordered him to do this just because YOU think it's a bad move?

Um, what does "ordered" mean in this context? Did you not see the last "insider" glimspe we had into a contract negotiation where it was basically the Krafts talking to each other about numbers and then deciding vince over Seymour? Have you not been able to read between the lines that when they go out and have spat with Mankins, or do a PR tour about Welker and his agent or are constantly updating about Vince that they are intimitely if not nearly exclusively involved in certain signings? You never noticed that these players often refer back to their dealings with Robert or Jonathan specifically? BB is the Coach and name GM.

I have no doubt he has more autonomy than any other coach in recent history but just lol at implying it's in any way farfetched for the Krafts to veto Belichick or even "persuade" him on re-signing Vince. You think Belichick manages the cap all by himself too? They have a PR interest in the team, and they took a bad hit last summer, it doesn't seem at all implausible to me that they thought it would be better for the long term face of the team not to allow the narrative that they screw loyal veterans over to keep festering.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I agree they need to add in the draft. Patsfan13 posted, and some others seemed to agree that we are set there.

I think people are really getting caught up in the upside they see in Armstead/Kelly/Wilfork. At least one of those guys is likely to be injured in a significant way and who even knows what performance level we can expect from them.

We have such a unique opportunity to turn it loose on the QB I don't even want hear this crap about the run defense. There is no team in today's NFL that loses because they have a sick pass defense and a porous run defense it's just not how the game is played or how OLs are constructed.

Before the extension, I had DT as the team's #1 draft need. I don't think it's #1 anymore, but I still think it's in the top 4 along with (in no particular order) OG/C, DE and TE.

 

[goheels22002]

Wilfork and Kelly both restructuring ftw.

Wilfork, Kelly, Siliga, C. Jones, Armstead

Sounds good to me if they believe in Vince to return to 70-80% form.

This is good news but doesn't alter the need to add a DT with the first or second round draft choice. Kelly and Wilfork are both 33 coming off season-ending injuries. It's critical to bring in a highly likely replacement for one of these guys. This draft is deep in skill players and defensive backs, so the late first round options should include some solid linemen on both sides of the ball.

Good to have Vince back, and the controversy around his signing out of the picture.

 

[Shockt327]

Updating an earlier item, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Vince Wilfork's "three-year, $22.5 million deal" is essentially a one-year, $8 million contract.

The final two years are option years. As for Wilfork's "$8 million," only $3 million of it is guaranteed. The remaining $5 million is tied up in playing-time incentives, albeit ones Wilfork is expected to reach if he's healthy. It's a good deal for both sides, allowing Wilfork to save face while protecting the Pats in case he hits a speed bump in his recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon.

Vince Wilfork - New England Patriots - 2014 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com


Vince Wilfork - New England Patriots - 2014 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

Yeah, I'm liking this, now.

Cause I really wasn't big on it when I thought a (potentially) injured Vince was getting 8 mil straight up.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I agree they need to add in the draft. Patsfan13 posted, and some others seemed to agree that we are set there.



I think people are really getting caught up in the upside they see in Armstead/Kelly/Wilfork. At least one of those guys is likely to be injured in a significant way and who even knows what performance level we can expect from them.



We have such a unique opportunity to turn it loose on the QB I don't even want hear this crap about the run defense. There is no team in today's NFL that loses because they have a sick pass defense and a porous run defense it's just not how the game is played or how OLs are constructed.

How will we know they will be injured significantly? If I remember Vince and Kelly had no serious injuries for several years before last. Armstead we have no clue on. But to say he will be significantly injured is like the BS people say about gronk injured every year. He played 40+ straight games and missed his first game to injury in 2012.

I don't get why everyone thinks since a player had his first significant injury that now they will forever not play a whole season. I just don't get it.