3 million a year for Sanders

[R_T26]

Is he the most overpaid patriot?
Is it even debatable?
Is it safe to say he wont be a Pat next year?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Is he the most overpaid patriot?
Is it even debatable?
Is it safe to say he wont be a Pat next year?

No, yes, and no.

After all, when the Pats re-signed him, the only true safety they had signed through even this season was Meriweather.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

It's mostly salary so they can release or trade him when if they want to. When they re-signed him they didn't have Chung and McGowan hadn't made his big splash.

 

[The_Riddler]

Been saying it for a long time now...........

 

[R_T26]

nOt really saying it was bad at the time, just worked out that way.

 

[HarkDawg]

No, yes, and no.

He is definitely underpaid more so than another Sanders I know who happens to play for the COLTS..... BOB Sanders you over paid injured hump

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Adalius is the most overpaid right now,He plays o.k. but not as hard for the money he is making .....

 

[Pujo]

I assume if he stays after this season, it'll be for a reduced contract. I still don't mind having him this year, though, he's solid for a backup.

 

[Deus Irae]

Why do we need to malign Sanders just because other players are doing a great job? Sanders has been a dependable player for the team, and he earned his contract. If the team decides to release him from his contract after this season, he'll go elsewhere and, probably, find himself a job as a starter. Hell, he can call up Pioli and go start for the Chiefs, or he can call McDaniels and become part of a 3 man rotation there in Denver.

I love the idea of questioning everything, but this fan base has got to get past the notion that any Patriots player who's not the very best at his position is some overpaid stiff that needs to go. It's just not a realistic approach to the game.

 

[D-cleater]

Thomas is pretty much the most overpaid player. I would love to be making Springs's money for the amount that he is contributing as well.

I give the FO more of a pass on Sanders than Springs and Thomas. How were they to know that Mcgowan would turn out to be as solid as he is?

I do think Sanders is gone next year given his current salary and Mcgowan's performance, unless he restructures.

 

[ALP]

Is he the most overpaid patriot?
Is it even debatable?
Is it safe to say he wont be a Pat next year?

hindsight is great isnt it?

 

[BradyFTW!]

He's a good safety who is excellent depth and has trade value. He's not playing because every single variable regarding the safety rotation has worked out perfectly up to this point in the season. Sanders is capable of starting in this defense, but instead McGowan has played excellently and avoided injury, and Chung has made great strides as a rookie. Both players came into the year capable of playing at a higher level than Sanders is capable of, but with significant question marks that Sanders didn't have. Sanders was the "safe" option, and the fact that we haven't needed to use it is great. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we trade him in the offseason, with McGowan and Chung rendering him largely expendable, but it won't be because he's a bad player or overpaid. It will be because he's worth more to other teams (in trade value) than he is to us.

 

[JFK]

Chung is a rookie and is getting more playing time than Sanders.
At 3 million, I don't see him playing next year and I don't see him restructuring because he is worth $3million. However, can we trade him for a 4th round pick? We might want to trade AD too if if actually saves $$

 

[RobertWeathers]

As others have mentioned previously, no one was to expect BB hitting it both in the draft (Chung) and in FA (McGowen). Signing Sanders was the safe move. The Pats don't typically overpay so my assumption is that A) they see good value in him and B) there was positional risk as Merriweather was the only on in the secondary returning who knew the D. With Sanders having more experience, it maked sense to sign him.

Look at his contract. Not bad for a 5th year pro and it's quite manageable.

Mike Reiss, of the Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots S James Sanders signed a three-year deal that includes base salaries of $620,000 (2009), $2.3 million (2010) and $2.8 million (2011). He received a signing bonus of $1.8 million and a roster bonus of $1.2 million that was paid in March. The deal also includes workout bonuses from $80,000 to $100,000, depending on the year.

Total sunk cost for 2009 is $3.6m..Good chunk of change but they are free and clear in 2010 and beyond....

 

[DaBruinz]

I do think Sanders is gone next year given his current salary and Mcgowan's performance, unless he restructures.

Why do people say this sort of thing without bothering to look at the monetary issues with it?

1st - There is no salary cap next year as it stands right now.
2nd - Even if there was a salary cap next year, Sanders is a bargain at 2.95 mill.
3rd - Sanders has gotten outplayed by McGowan. He's still a very capable player and having someone of his caliber who can step in if someone like McGowan or Meriweather go down is a GOOD thing. Not a bad one.

 

[pats1]

It's really not his fault, or the Pats'. It's just that they extended Sanders before they drafted Chung and before McGowan was signed and showed what he could do.

 

[mayoclinic]

He's a good safety who is excellent depth and has trade value. He's not playing because every single variable regarding the safety rotation has worked out perfectly up to this point in the season. Sanders is capable of starting in this defense, but instead McGowan has played excellently and avoided injury, and Chung has made great strides as a rookie. Both players came into the year capable of playing at a higher level than Sanders is capable of, but with significant question marks that Sanders didn't have. Sanders was the "safe" option, and the fact that we haven't needed to use it is great. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we trade him in the offseason, with McGowan and Chung rendering him largely expendable, but it won't be because he's a bad player or overpaid. It will be because he's worth more to other teams (in trade value) than he is to us.

Good points.

I think the Sanders signing was very reasonable at the time. Meriweather was our only other safety signed long term, the price was quite reasonable for a potential starting safety, and Sanders was a known quantity and a solid team player who BB likes.

But things have changed dramatically. $3M for a 4th safety is just not cost-effective. McGowan and Chung have come on strong and Sanders is not likely to move up unless there is an injury, and that's just too much to pay for depth. In addition, Brad Lockett has played reasonably well and is probably a decent 4th safety, at 1/10 the cost of Sanders.

It's possible that we just keep Sanders, but given the other people that need to be re-signed I think that we could use that money better elsewhere. I think we try to trade Sanders unless he restructures. I think he has a fair amount of value to other teams - a young, experienced, proven borderline starter/strong #3 rotational guy with a decent salary is not something to sneeze at. There's a lot of good safety prospects likely to be available in this draft (Eric Berry, Taylor Mays, Earl Williams, Morgan Burnet, Chad Jones, Reshad Jones and Nate Allen, depending on which juniors come out), but Sanders still probably has decent value.

 

[BradyFTW!]

3rd - Sanders has gotten outplayed by McGowan. He's still a very capable player and having someone of his caliber who can step in if someone like McGowan or Meriweather go down is a GOOD thing. Not a bad one.

Especially with McGowan's injury history. I like the guy, but with his track record and the way he plays the game, having someone who can take his spot in the rotation is more a necessity than a luxury.

 

[fillylabinga]

Another way to look at this is that the Pats have $6M locked up in the safety position between their top 4 players. Sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Sure, it may be that the best of this group are paid the least amount of that money, but that's the way the NFL works these days: it's hard to win in this league without have a decent part of your team made up by good players on the rookie pay scale who could command more money on the free market.

Also, he'll be off the cap by the time we need to resign Merriweather and McGowan so no harm done.

 

[Patspsycho]

He's still a very capable player and having someone of his caliber who can step in if someone like McGowan or Meriweather go down is a GOOD thing. Not a bad one.

This is why it's a no-brainer that we're going to keep Sanders. I'd rather have JAG's as backups, not stars because you get less trouble and bickering that way.