Banta-Cain, Woods, Ninkovich and Crable

[SanAngeloState]

Is it a forgone conclusion that AD is history? If Pats keep him for this year, maybe he has something to prove to others that he still has it. If he lollygags around on the field, cut him during the season.

I think the guy has a bit of pride in his play, and he's getting a decent salary.
Taking a cap hit of $4.4M this year and $4.3mil next year doesn't seem like the right business approach. Of course, only BB knows the real story and how AD affects his locker room.

I thought there wasn't a cap hit this year.

Anyway, the cash cost to keep this guy is over 4M per year. That's a lot to keep a disgruntled player who completely sucks. They cut him they pay a 4.5M cap hit, which is a lot less than 9M over two years, if there even is a cap.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

TBC, Woods, Ninko, Crable: aka the Worst 3-4 OLBs in Football.

TBC - nice story last year; overpaid this year (& beyond).
Woods - he's been Dead to me since the SB.
Ninko - should be tried at SILB; I actually feel that he could succeed there.
Chicken Legs - should never, ever have been drafted ahead of Cliff Avril.

Those 4 names instead should read:
Barwin, Avril, Jacob Ford, Mark Anderson.

ding .... we have a winner.... it is fair to say that the pats do not have a starting-caliber OLB right now

 

[MaineMan]

I thought there wasn't a cap hit this year.

Anyway, the cash cost to keep this guy is over 4M per year. That's a lot to keep a disgruntled player who completely sucks. They cut him they pay a 4.5M cap hit, which is a lot less than 9M over two years, if there even is a cap.

Correct. ZERO cap hit this year - no cap. I'm not even sure there's even a cap hit under a new cap in 2011 for a guy on an "old" (pre-2010) contract who gets cut this season.

 

[MaineMan]

It is indeed difficult. Ninkovich turn out OK for a 5th rounder, still in the league as a backup in his 5th year.

Originally drafted by NO ('06) and IR'd after 3 games active as a DE in a 4-3. Picked up as a reserve by MIA for '07-'08 (tough LB corps to break into, at the time), minimal stats. Back to NO sometime in '08, again with the 4-3 DE thing. So, maybe his time with the Pats has been his first real shot to see the field as a 3-4 OLB?

He seemed way more effective than Burgess as an OLB in the pre-season. Not sure why he only got 127 snaps all year - although 77 of those came in the final four regular season games, all at LOLB, so maybe he was starting to push Burgess. Which also might explain why Burgess suddenly "caught fire" (snark) toward the end of the season. And, oh yeah, Burgess hasn't been re-signed by the Pats yet. Hmmmm.

Just to be clear, I'm not predicting anything close to "stardom" for Ninkovich, but maybe he's decent enough to be in the mix.

 

[Water Boy]

TBC, Woods, Ninko, Crable: aka the Worst 3-4 OLBs in Football.

TBC - nice story last year; overpaid this year (& beyond).

Rushing DE/OLB is a money position. Like Bodden, TBC has earned his contract IMO. Especially considering the top guys at the DE position make 2 to 3 times more.

 

[mgteich]

Ninkovich is definitely in the "mix" as of now and into TC.

Originally drafted by NO ('06) and IR'd after 3 games active as a DE in a 4-3. Picked up as a reserve by MIA for '07-'08 (tough LB corps to break into, at the time), minimal stats. Back to NO sometime in '08, again with the 4-3 DE thing. So, maybe his time with the Pats has been his first real shot to see the field as a 3-4 OLB?

He seemed way more effective than Burgess as an OLB in the pre-season. Not sure why he only got 127 snaps all year - although 77 of those came in the final four regular season games, all at LOLB, so maybe he was starting to push Burgess. Which also might explain why Burgess suddenly "caught fire" (snark) toward the end of the season. And, oh yeah, Burgess hasn't been re-signed by the Pats yet. Hmmmm.

Just to be clear, I'm not predicting anything close to "stardom" for Ninkovich, but maybe he's decent enough to be in the mix.

 

[eagle eye]

TBC was incredible last year, I'd have him on any team as a starter right now.

 

[Marqui]

TBC was incredible last year, I'd have him on any team as a starter right now.

I thought you were being serious for a second

 

[eagle eye]

I thought you were being serious for a second

I gave no hint of sarcasm, joking in my post which means I was very serious.