[Edited title] Patriots gave Andrews offer which did not "entice" him - but both sides want to get a deal done

[Deus Irae]

Very true.

we have a finite number of dollars to spend and nothing or next to nothing at qb, wr, te, dt, de, lb and pk. And ps: our best cb probably will require more cash!

does spending 10 plus million on a center, when the last 3 centers we got, started almost from day 1?

As of right now, this team has an enormous amount of available cap space. (more than $65m, 3rd most in the NFL).
As of right now, this team has an even larger amount of projected cap space available for next year (more than $145m, most in the NFL)

So all the griping about a couple of million dollars per year for Andrews is just silliness. This is not a year where the Patriots need to be eating from the dumpster behind McDonald's. This is a year where the Patriots can eat at Tavern-On-The-Green if they want.

 

[venecol]

The cap dropped by ~15M this off-season, half of the teams in the league aren't in position to bid on a center, and Andrews' original team has the 3rd most space. So, Andrews and Linsley are basically seeking big contracts from a HANDFUL of teams....supply/demand....yo!

You'll be surprised.

 

[TheRainMaker]

So all the griping about a couple of million dollars per year for Andrews is just silliness. This is not a year where the Patriots need to be eating from the dumpster behind McDonald's. This is a year where the Patriots can eat at Tavern-On-The-Green if they want.

Amen to that! When you don't have anyone else to pay in the meantime, it's ridiculous to think it's going to destroy the team.

 

[venecol]

If he is going to cost top 15 $$ they are better drafting a replacement.
Finding a smarter use for the money isn’t “cheaping out”.

We agree, he's moving on. Maybe Karras or Ferentz.

 

[Ring 6]

We agree, he's moving on. Maybe Karras or Ferentz.

Right. Those are the only 2 centers we have to choose from. The only way we can replace a player when we have 60 mill of cap room and 9 draft picks is to sign our former backups.
Great job contributing to the conversation

 

[Ring 6]

As of right now, this team has an enormous amount of available cap space. (more than $65m, 3rd most in the NFL).
As of right now, this team has an even larger amount of projected cap space available for next year (more than $145m, most in the NFL)

So all the griping about a couple of million dollars per year for Andrews is just silliness. This is not a year where the Patriots need to be eating from the dumpster behind McDonald's. This is a year where the Patriots can eat at Tavern-On-The-Green if they want.

And you don’t pay tavern on the green prices for Macdonald’s food.

 

[venecol]

Right. Those are the only 2 centers we have to choose from. The only way we can replace a player when we have 60 mill of cap room and 9 draft picks is to sign our former backups.
Great job contributing to the conversation

We've had this convo. Which one of the below available free agent centers would you pick. You refused to answer.

Good talk.

 

[Ring 6]

We've had this convo. Which one of the below available free agent centers would you pick. You refused to answer.

Good talk.

Free agency hasn’t started yet. This is an incomplete list. I didn’t “refuse to pick a player”.
I said the list is incomplete, I have not evaluated every player and their price, and when that is done if they best deal is overpaying Andrews (which it surely won’t be) then use the draft.

you didn’t like that answer because it didn’t play into you trying to manipulate the discussion.

Regardless of who is on the list paying too much for a player is a bad move and there are plenty more options than 2 guys you throw out there to make it seem like it’s Andrews or screwed.
And there is a draft.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

We've had this convo. Which one of the below available free agent centers would you pick. You refused to answer.

Good talk.

If you go back the last 20 Patriot seasons, haven't we constantly found centers who were good with a low draft pick ? Koppen but then a bunch of centers after Koppen. I care even less about paying guards big money, but I can get behind decent money for a center, but I also know our alternative is the Pats seem good at finding centers.

 

[Ring 6]

If you go back the last 20 Patriot seasons, haven't we constantly found centers who were good with a low draft pick ? Koppen but then a bunch of centers after Koppen. I care even less about paying guards big money, but I can get behind decent money for a center, but I also know our alternative is the Pats seem good at finding centers.

Since 2003 it’s been Koppen, Wendell, Stork, Andrews

 

[Brick27]

Some random guy on the Jets makes $9M a year. Weston Ritchberg is making over $9M as well with the 49ers who hasn't been great since signing and may get cut. It doesn't seem that far fetched Andrews using his Pats pedigree to get someone to pay at least pay $10M.

Yeah McGovern was alright heading into that deal, but Jetes will be Jetes and overkill. Not far fetched for sure, but just don’t see it in a year like this. We’ll see. I’d like him back at a reasonable/level headed price, but 10 AAV feels high.

 

[venecol]

Free agency hasn’t started yet. This is an incomplete list. I didn’t “refuse to pick a player”.
I said the list is incomplete, I have not evaluated every player and their price, and when that is done if they best deal is overpaying Andrews (which it surely won’t be) then use the draft.

you didn’t like that answer because it didn’t play into you trying to manipulate the discussion.

Regardless of who is on the list paying too much for a player is a bad move and there are plenty more options than 2 guys you throw out there to make it seem like it’s Andrews or screwed.
And there is a draft.

That's nonsense. Forum and you have been talking about FA players for weeks. The question is specific to free agency. Those are the free agents "available," the Friday before FA begins. It's the "available " list. You think there's going to be 10 more centers added between now and Monday? You can't look at that list and suggest, you know in the spirit of having a "conversation," which ones you would pick over Andrews and why?

Now if your answer is nobody, that you'll just look at getting a center from the draft, it tells me Andrews is a pretty good option after all.

 

[venecol]

If you go back the last 20 Patriot seasons, haven't we constantly found centers who were good with a low draft pick ? Koppen but then a bunch of centers after Koppen. I care even less about paying guards big money, but I can get behind decent money for a center, but I also know our alternative is the Pats seem good at finding centers.

Are you saying Pats have never re-signed a center in the last 20 years? That's the question at hand. Ring thinks they should offer no more than $4.5M (??). He's making $3M now. Lol, why even try with an offer like that.

Where did people get $10M, $12M, $14M? OTC and Spotrac have him between $6M - $7M. I think he gets $7M maybe a bit more from someone. He's the 2nd best "available" center. Pay him $7 and keep a solid line to protect whomever it is playing behind the line. You can work it out to where his cap hit is $3M.

We just saw Mahomes almost get killed in the SB, lmao. Why risk getting a rookie that may not pan out by throwing him to the wolves in Week 1.

That's why I've been saying for weeks, Andrews is gone. Bill won't make a competitive offer. He's going to stick $62M under his mattress and take out $3-$4M at a time in about 2 weeks, lol. He'll sign a dozen guys for $2M ea and everyone will think he's brilliant because he value shopped. Problem is that w/o the Goat QB, winning a SB with avg talent ain't cutting it anymore. Let's face it this team is just one of the 31 again.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Are you saying Pats have never re-signed a center in the last 20 years? That's the question at hand. Ring thinks they should offer no more than $4.5M (??). He's making $3M now. Lol, why even try with an offer like that.

Where did people get $10M, $12M, $14M? OTC and Spotrac have him between $6M - $7M. I think he gets $7M maybe a bit more from someone. He's the 2nd best "available" center. Pay him $7 and keep a solid line to protect whomever it is playing behind the line. You can work it out to where his cap hit is $3M.

We just saw Mahomes almost get killed in the SB, lmao. Why risk getting a rookie that may not pan out by throwing him to the wolves in Week 1.

That's why I've been saying for weeks, Andrews is gone. Bill won't make a competitive offer. He's going to stick $62M under his mattress and take out $3-$4M at a time in about 2 weeks, lol. He'll sign a dozen guys for $2M ea and everyone will think he's brilliant because he value shopped. Problem is that w/o the Goat QB, winning a SB with avg talent ain't cutting it anymore. Let's face it this team is just one of the 31 again.

They're saying 10M because the top10 centers are making around 10M. Is Andrews a top10 center? I don't know. I agree 7 would be great. I'd have to think hard about giving Andrews 10. I don't think he's been a huge advantage for us against a defense but I think he fits well in our scheme and can identify protections.

 

[Wax Frog]

He's not gone until he signs that dotted line.....I know it's not looking good, but a girl can always hope, can't she? lol

 

[Biffins]

If he is going to cost top 15 $$ they are better drafting a replacement.
Finding a smarter use for the money isn’t “cheaping out”.

You don't think he's in the top half of all centers?

 

[Biffins]

As of right now, this team has an enormous amount of available cap space. (more than $65m, 3rd most in the NFL).
As of right now, this team has an even larger amount of projected cap space available for next year (more than $145m, most in the NFL)

So all the griping about a couple of million dollars per year for Andrews is just silliness. This is not a year where the Patriots need to be eating from the dumpster behind McDonald's. This is a year where the Patriots can eat at Tavern-On-The-Green if they want.

What is BB going to do with all this cap space? How many vet mins can he sign?

Let me guess. Bring in 10 more random has-beens at WRs and keep releasing them and taking the 2-3m cap hit per player and waste all that cap space. Same stuff he's done before.

 

[amfootball]

What is BB going to do with all this cap space? How many vet mins can he sign?

Let me guess. Bring in 10 more random has-beens at WRs and keep releasing them and taking the 2-3m cap hit per player and waste all that cap space. Same stuff he's done before.

We have all that space because we have no Qbs, literally. Just the few hundred thousand we are paying Stidham. This is Bill's dream. Field the exact team he wants with no Qb play. He has been waiting 20 yrs for this. He can tell every FA "why should I pay you when I am not paying a Qb?"

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

He has been waiting 20 yrs for this. He can tell every FA "why should I pay you when I am not paying a Qb?"

That is very funny. Well done.

 

[BTTA]

You don't think he's in the top half of all centers?

IF he plays, and can be counted on to play, he's top 10. And having a center who has won championships, and can actively demonstrate what that takes, increases his value.

Long term health is the issue. No one on this board has any clue about the degree of risk there. How much he should be paid is tied directly to that risk factor.

If the risk factor is low, he's worth $8M a year, given that the OL will have a new configuration and need his presence and coaching. They'll probably get him for $7M.

If the risk factor is high, then they'll need to invest draft capital as a safety net, and he's worth considerably less.