Off-season Choice: pats bring in Byrd, Bills bring in Diggs

[TinhWoodhead]

Who needs Diggs when we have Sanu tearing it up?

plus sanu got to the airport first

 

[bresna]

For all we know BB approached Gilmore and/or Thuney and/or McCourty and/or Hightower and they told Bill to pound sand.

We know you're correct when it comes to Thuney. There were numerous reports that the Patriots were trying to sign Thuney to a long term contract to get out from under that Franchise tag contract. He wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted $14 Million this year no matter how long of a contract they offered.

It really bugs me when people act as if you can simply offer a player money and they take it. Deal done. No problem at all. Sure. Happens all time. Hey, did you hear there's a bridge for sale in Brooklyn?

 

[203Pat]

plus sanu got to the airport first

That Sanu had a great release!

 

[borg]

We know you're correct when it comes to Thuney. There were numerous reports that the Patriots were trying to sign Thuney to a long term contract to get out from under that Franchise tag contract. He wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted $14 Million this year no matter how long of a contract they offered.

Would love to know the approach/rejection ratio.....especially for a notoriously frugal GM who no longer has Tom Brady and probable Super Bowl opportunities to entice cooperation

It really bugs me when people act as if you can simply offer a player money and they take it. Deal done. No problem at all. Sure. Happens all time. Hey, did you hear there's a bridge for sale in Brooklyn?

Exactly
The "It's Bill's fault Brady left" lacks context on so many levels beyond the most basic "It takes two to Tango" which gets completely ignored here.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If Diggs were here and catching balls from Cam he'd be pulling the same hissy fit he did in MN.

 

[203Pat]

If Diggs were here and catching balls from Cam he'd be pulling the same hissy fit he did in MN.

Catching them as they bounce off the turf 3 feet in front of him.

 

[mgteich]

There were not 20M in cap space when there was a chance to improve the team. Otherwise Cam Newton would have not signed for a 1M APY contract with incentives at the end of June.

It was obvious where this year was going in terms of available depth when they traded Harmon away to create some room to navigate.

I don't understand why you'd think it would be a good idea to go the Saints route and leverage the future by doing restructures in year when you transition to another QB. You'd do that if Brady was still the starter the same way BB had been doing it the last couple of years to keep the window open.

We have restructures every year. We put money into the future almost every significant re-signing, extension or signing.

The choice was there in March. HOWEVER, the choice was also there in October, when $20M PLUS the result of a re-structure was available.

I'm not especially criticizing the CHOICE, just pointing out that there were many choice to make, many of which probably affecting our chances for the 2020 playoffs. This is a relatively new path for the patriots; but, this was a special year (a year that many thought would be cut short).

 

[mgteich]

Would love to know the approach/rejection ratio.....especially for a notoriously frugal GM who no longer has Tom Brady and probable Super Bowl opportunities to entice cooperation

The acceptance is almost 100% for players accepting a restructure. That is part of almost every nfl contract.

 

[upstater1]

While risky, Metcalf was my choice. AJ Brown was next followed by Samuel (who I thought the Pats would've taken). I'm not a huge fan of Samuel as his "RB" mentality is going to cut his career short. Bill should've gone offense in rounds 1-3 in 2019 and not take a damn DB in the 2nd round who still barely plays. Go offense again depending on how 2019 went in rounds 1-2. Not a good use of draft capital in recent years.

Should've traded for Sanders. The popular take (wrong take) is that Sanu was in demand, hence the 2nd round pick. You can ask for whatever you want, doesn't mean that player is worth it. 49ers said no thanks when Atlanta asked for a 2nd and went after Sanders. Bill didn't know the 49ers bowed out and took the bait. Dimitroff won that negotiation (a token victory before he got fired).

Bill's second mistake was hanging Sanu out to dry fielding a punt he's only done ONCE in his career. You're already thin at WR and he gets his newly acquired WR injured. Now they don't have any WR's. SMDH. There's an SI article that Sanu said he should've shut it down after that, but felt the pressure to play as he was traded for a 2nd round pick.

As for Sanu, he's out of football. Surely an ankle sprain isn't the reason why. He was basically done when we traded for him. Dimitroff rooked us.

 

[mgteich]

When playing keyboard GM, it is very easy to make definitive statements like the above.

Or claiming the Pats would simply have to restructure players to turn $1 million in cap space (pre Covid quitters) into ample space ($25 mill) to keep Brady and his wife happy.

Easy peasy

These declarations never account for the mindset of the assumed restructurers.

For all we know BB approached Gilmore and/or Thuney and/or McCourty and/or Hightower and they told Bill to pound sand.
Gilmore had the mindset of regaining 'top of the CB market' salary status.
Thuney and his agent might have been more inclined to use their franchise tag leverage that Cousins and Prescott latched on to.
McCourty and Hightower could have responded "Your going to need to overwhelm us veterans with significant long term financial appreciation"

Who knows?

Assuming any team desired restructuring will be a mere formality is simplistic internet fodder

OK, you think that you know the contract better than all who have discussed restructures for a couple decades on this board.

I didn't say that it would have been an easy choice for Belichick. But he could have brought in players and restructured Gilmore. Diggs would have required an early restructure, presuming that Diggs had any interest.

A mystifying part of all of this was the franchise of Thuney. If we weren't going to the playoffs, that money could have pushed into the future.

 

[Sciz]

As for Sanu, he's out of football. Surely an ankle sprain isn't the reason why. He was basically done when we traded for him. Dimitroff rooked us.

He’s been the Lions’ #2 receiver in recent weeks. It just took a full year of recovery to get to that point.

 

[Doctor DDS]

We have restructures every year. We put money into the future almost every significant re-signing, extension or signing.

The choice was there in March. HOWEVER, the choice was also there in October, when $20M PLUS the result of a re-structure was available.

I'm not especially criticizing the CHOICE, just pointing out that there were many choice to make, many of

I think BB smartly determined that this team was more than a few moves away from any real success and they would be better off biting the bullet cap wise this year to accelerate the rebuild. Agree that he could have made some moves to win them a few more games but I don't think they would have made it past the WC round anyways and it was better for the long term not to push more money into the future.

 

[upstater1]

He’s been the Lions’ #2 receiver in recent weeks. It just took a full year of recovery to get to that point.

Wow--he's back. It's weird to take that long to come back from an ankle sprain, even if you tear ligaments.

 

[bresna]

A mystifying part of all of this was the franchise of Thuney. If we weren't going to the playoffs, that money could have pushed into the future.

I didn't think there was anything mystifying about Thuney. They want to keep him long term but they didn't have the cap space to do it this past offseason. I would not be surprised to hear about him signing a long term deal after this season is done. They have a lot more cap space next year and they knew they would. Thuney's Franchise Tag just pushed it off a year...

Or Bill could let him walk and take the 3rd round comp pick.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

We traded for Sanu instead of Diggs

For one beautiful moment I forgot about the Sanu trade and then this happened.
It was like watching your best friend ram your wife while you get a call from the bank your broke and you are being arrested for a crime you didn’t commit while you suddenly gained 100 pounds and the drs on the phone telling you you don’t have much time and then on call waiting your son is telling you he’s really a she and they are marrying a sloth while you are being spoon Fed your most hated meal you have projectile vomiting and diarrhea while your biggest fear is playing all around you on multiple screens while your listening to the song you hate the most.
That’s the Sanu trade the best I can describe it and it’s still worse.

 

[mgteich]

I didn't think there was anything mystifying about Thuney. They want to keep him long term but they didn't have the cap space to do it this past offseason. I would not be surprised to hear about him signing a long term deal after this season is done. They have a lot more cap space next year and they knew they would. Thuney's Franchise Tag just pushed it off a year...

Or Bill could let him walk and take the 3rd round comp pick.

Yes, he could take a 2022 3rd instead of $15M of rollover money plus a 2021 3rd.

 

[fnordcircle]

Patsfans can't even handle a single losing season.

If double digit wins is the minimum you'd accept prepare for a whole new world, virgins.

 

[Doctor DDS]

I doubt the Pats would get a comp pick if Thuney goes as they are likely to sign some offsetting free agents. I think that increases the chances that they bring him back.

 

[50-yard-line]

In retrospect the smart move would have been drafting AJ Brown over harry. And then trading up slightly for jefferson.

Unlike the comparison posed in the OP that would have been possible.

AJ Brown or Deebo Samuel, yes.
Pick 64 for DK Metcalf.
5th Round for Hunter Renfrow.

It was all there for us - instead of Harry, JJ Williams, and Froholdt. I spent the day 9and round 5) screaming at the TV...although after I read about Harry, I thought he would work out here (although I was surprised they chose a guy who's strength was contested catches, which Brady didn't like to throw).

 

[Jangles]

so maybe scam throws 6 TDs this season?