Can Wilfork be traded?

[RobertWeathers]

Seriously?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could not even get a draft pick for Darrelle Revis.

Yes. Because he would not renegotiate his deal.

 

[SB39]

He will not be cut. They will hold on to him and let him move on only after have they exhausted all possible avenues for realizing as much in return for his value.

In other words, he'll be cut - because no one is going to trade for him.

*Actually I think a restructure here in NE is certainly possible, but the current contract is simply untenable.

 

[nabwong]

So will this be like the cassel + vrabel trade? Mallett + wilfork to the texans. Then draft McCarron.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Teams willing to trade for Wilfork (right now) would make about as much noise as one hand clapping.

Even Al Davis (rest his soul) wouldn't make that trade.

 

[ATippett56]

Yes. Because he would not renegotiate his deal.

Neither does Wilfork.

 

[Patjew]

1. We do not know what the Pats offered, but its safe to assume that Wilfork was lowballed.

2. Is Wilfork really done in the NFL? Why do the Pats want him to take a pay cut if he cannot play in the NFL anymore?

1. No it's not.

2. I said "May never"

 

[Gwedd]

So will this be like the cassel + vrabel trade? Mallett + wilfork to the texans. Then draft McCarron.

I would so love to see AJ in New England as Brady's backup and potential replacement. He'd fit right in without a whole lot of trouble, as Alabama uses a system very similar to New England's, including terminology, etc.

 

[Brady6]

Personally, I am not trying to trade Wilfork or release him. I think many of you have forgotten how great of a player Wilfork is and how much he changes the dynamic of our defense. Even if Wilfork is 75% the player he once was, he is still one of the top five nose tackles in the NFL. I would not pay him $7.5M in 2014 but I am sure there is a way to come to an agreement that both parties can accept.

Why do we need to cut Wilfork, we have Revis, Browner, and Edelman all under contract right now, we are still under the cap, we have not even restructured or extended Gostkowski, McCourty, or any of the others that were discussed early in the year. Unless we intend to sign Jared Allen, we are not desperate for cap space at all, so before I make Wilfork a street free agent I am doing everything possible to reconstruct that relationship if I am the Patriots. We had the 30th ranked run defense in the NFL that was down 21 spots from the prior year, which was the lack of Wilfork largely. Everyone is so caught up in have this great defense but yet pro letting the player that makes up 20 spots in total rush defense rankings.

 

[supafly]

Even if Wilfork is 75% the player he once was, he is still one of the top five nose tackles in the NFL. I would not pay him $7.5M in 2014 but I am sure there is a way to come to an agreement that both parties can accept.

I agree with your thoughts and felt that there would be a way to reach a one/two yr extension also, but it's not looking particularly good at the moment based on VW's request for release a few days ago.

 

[Brady6]

I agree with your thoughts and felt that there would be a way to reach a one/two yr extension also, but it's not looking particularly good at the moment based on VW's request for release a few days ago.

Wilfork is an emotional man, if I recall his contract negotiations for this contract were not smooth. Calmer minds prevail though with time.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Won't happen. Base salary is too high.

 

[Triumph]

1. More accurately, Wilfork felt lowballed by it.

2. It could simply be a matter of risk. The Pats must believe there's a significant non-zero chance he's done, or at least not going to recover to his pre-injury dominance (Wilfork is one of the few players ever to get All-Pro votes at two different positions in the same year). If they were 100% convinced he'd be back 100%, they'd just say "Hey, Vince, would you mind converting this salary to bonus so we can add $5M cap room, and we'll add, say, two more years at $XM each?"

1. Wilfork felt low balled like: Mankins and Seymour and Ted Washington and Ty Law and ... If youre trying to imply that the Pats dont have a history of this sort of thing, I have a very hard time believing you.

2. Well, thats the issue. How much was offered in an extension?

 

[Triumph]

Actually, it is a lot like Wilfork's situation, almost identical. Lot like Steve Smith too. In each case you have a team not willing to pay a guy under contract and, in each case, nobody in the league is going to offer a single thing for a guy whom everyone knows will be cut.

Do you mean like Drew Bledsoe and Matt Cassel?

Just because Tampa was stupid and didnt get something for Revis, does not mean that Revis could not have been traded.

We don't know what NE offered him but, no matter how big or how "puny", he obviously feels like he can get more elsewhere (or at least up the bidding from NE).

Which is why Wilfork will agree to restructure there, but not in NE.

The only way Wilfork restructures elsewhere would be for huge money, which defeats the purpose of trading for him in the first place.

No, just more money than NE has offered.

Define "huge money" anyway? Wilfork isnt a fool. He knows that he is on the downside of his NFL shelf life.

 

[bagwell368]

Personally, I am not trying to trade Wilfork or release him. I think many of you have forgotten how great of a player Wilfork is and how much he changes the dynamic of our defense. Even if Wilfork is 75% the player he once was, he is still one of the top five nose tackles in the NFL. I would not pay him $7.5M in 2014 but I am sure there is a way to come to an agreement that both parties can accept.

Why do we need to cut Wilfork, we have Revis, Browner, and Edelman all under contract right now, we are still under the cap, we have not even restructured or extended Gostkowski, McCourty, or any of the others that were discussed early in the year. Unless we intend to sign Jared Allen, we are not desperate for cap space at all, so before I make Wilfork a street free agent I am doing everything possible to reconstruct that relationship if I am the Patriots. We had the 30th ranked run defense in the NFL that was down 21 spots from the prior year, which was the lack of Wilfork largely. Everyone is so caught up in have this great defense but yet pro letting the player that makes up 20 spots in total rush defense rankings.

Is VW going to provide $7.58M worth of play this year?

He didn't look at all good last year - well off his 2008-2012 peak.

75% of prime VW is a camp cut DT, not some near All Pro.

He's one of the dozen greatest Pats of all time, but, things change. BB can simply make better use of that money with VW gone than him here.

 

[micronin127]

If Wilfork gets cut, who would sign him now? Could he even pass a physical or workout? Will he be ready for OTA's and training camp?

The Patriots really have no choice but to cut him if he won't do either of the following:
1. take a pay cut in the form of NLTBE incentives as its hard to get a per game check if you are on the PUP list for 6 games, or money tied to snaps if we expect him to play 50% then for each tier 60%, 70%, etc... there is a bonus.
2. convert the salary to a signing bonus and add 2 more years at 3-4 million per year reflecting a situational role like Gerard Warren/Anthony Pleasant and others have filled over the years

2014 is likely to go this way... PUP list during training camp, hopefully gets activated midseason and can contribute as a DT in base defense who comes off the field in sub defense so essentially 50% or less of the snaps for half a season plus playoffs.

Would love to see him retire a Patriot. Would love to see him get another ring here. Would love Vince Wilfork Day. Would love to see him elected into Patriot Hall of Fame.

I think that he could have 3 more seasons in him, but not as a 3-down player in his prime.