it's all just slipping away

[pats1]

For now I'm just gonna switch to decaf - and might I suggest we all do.

Amen. Some people just need to chill out and remember it's March 11, not September 11.

 

[Hoodie]

This is why I hate the off-season

I hate all these personnel changes particularly losing players who have been mainstays and fan favorites. It's also hard because BB doesn't give any clue as to the direction he's taking. For example, you see all sorts of rumors about FA's talking with various teams. Never do you hear about players talking to the Pats. But I guarantee Scott and BB aren't sitting in their offices playing tiddleywinks.

Can someone remind me of this the next time I post a panic thread like this one.

When does the season start?

 

[DaBruinz]

Willie and David I can see letting go. But ADAM?!?! What kind of crack do you have to smoke to not pay Adam what he's worth? I mean God the Cap's goin up, Brady's the franchise arm, lets get the franchise boot signed.

And what kind of crack do you have to smoke to not realize that the Patriots offered Adam a deal that would keep him the highest paid kicker in the league. I know that Adam cares that there was only a little guaranteed money in it. However, lets remember that Adam is the one who sat on his arse and didn't hire another agent until after the SuperBowl was done. Had Adam gotten off his arse and signed an agent right away, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation because Adam probably would be signed by now.

 

[RayClay]

BB is completely not sentimental, when it comes to roster management. Releasing Otis, releasing Milloy... no one else in the league could have done it.

We could almost build an entire team out of quality former Patriots that are still playing

QB - Bledsoe
RB - Martin, Smith
WR - Patten, Givens*, Glenn
TE - Wiggins, Cleeland
OL - Compton, Woody, Ruegamer, Andruzzi, Ashworth*

DL - Hamilton, Washington, Eaton, Spires
LB - McGinest*, that's it?
CB - Law, Buckley
S - Milloy, Jones

Not half bad. We just need some LB (Cox, Phifer, TJ... all retired), and the team is a bit weak at OT, but otherwise this group is ready to play ball.

In fact, on paper, this team compares pretty well with the current roster

QB - Brady
RB - Dillon, Faulk
WR - Branch, Childress*
TE - Graham, Watson
OL - Light, Mankins, Koppen, Kaczur, Gorin

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Seymour
LB - Vrabel, Claridge*, Bruschi, Colvin
CB - Samuel, Hobbs
C - Harrison, Wilson

Difference is, our roster fits under the cap with room to breathe and an eye to the future.

Yeah, bring back OTIS.

I believe we can pay him less because he's collecting social Security.


*Childress????*

Hamilton, Washington, Eaton, Spires does not = Warren, Wilfork, Seymour + Green

 

[BionicPatriot]

I think Adam will stay, I realize many have given up but I havent. It's just a gut feeling honestly. I hate to see Willie go, but I to think he'll be back like Brown did and call it quits. I really do. I think your way overreacting. I just want to know something. How much does "In Belichick We Trust" really mean to some of you?

Every dang year we go through a rain storm of how our cheap ass FO is letting go of irreplacable players. Ridiculous. Hell, BB and co. nearly won the superbowl with an injury ridden team last year, moreso then ever. Untill the wins and rings stop coming, THEN I'll question Belichick/Pioli's decisions.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

first it was ty and the coaches, now its adam willie and david. all the keys to the title run are slipping away. im worried about how good of a team it is gonna be next year, esp if rodney can't play

While I think you're overreacting just a tad (and I'm just not smart enough to be able to understand how the Pats would let number 4 go), I also think you're forcing us to ask a basic question: can a "dynastic" team like the Patriots of 2001--2005 keep enough of the pieces in place to extend their dominance beyond four or five years? in the post Cap era?

The '90's Cowboys' story is muddled by the Jones-Johnson catfight, but that team, the one other "dynastic" Cap-era team, rapidly declined.

I don't see the Patriots "declining." BB is too great a coach and TB too great a QB for that to happen. But, it's certainly an open question as to whether they can put together another 14--2 SB run. There's just too much talent too evenly distributed around the league to think that that's a lock, as much as we might all want it to be.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

BB is completely not sentimental, when it comes to roster management. Releasing Otis, releasing Milloy... no one else in the league could have done it.

We could almost build an entire team out of quality former Patriots that are still playing

QB - Bledsoe
RB - Martin, Smith
WR - Patten, Givens*, Glenn
TE - Wiggins, Cleeland
OL - Compton, Woody, Ruegamer, Andruzzi, Ashworth*

DL - Hamilton, Washington, Eaton, Spires
LB - McGinest*, that's it?
CB - Law, Buckley
S - Milloy, Jones

Not half bad. We just need some LB (Cox, Phifer, TJ... all retired), and the team is a bit weak at OT, but otherwise this group is ready to play ball.

In fact, on paper, this team compares pretty well with the current roster

QB - Brady
RB - Dillon, Faulk
WR - Branch, Childress*
TE - Graham, Watson
OL - Light, Mankins, Koppen, Kaczur, Gorin

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Seymour
LB - Vrabel, Claridge*, Bruschi, Colvin
CB - Samuel, Hobbs
C - Harrison, Wilson

Difference is, our roster fits under the cap with room to breathe and an eye to the future.

That's one of the best pieces of anlysis I've seen done out here and certainly as good as any done by the overpaid "talking heads" on ESPN. Put that team in the NFC and they're a lock for the Playoffs.

 

[flutie2phelan]

....
We could almost build an entire team out of quality former Patriots that are still playing

QB - Bledsoe
RB - Martin, Smith
WR - Patten, Givens*, Glenn
TE - Wiggins, Cleeland
OL - Compton, Woody, Ruegamer, Andruzzi, Ashworth*

DL - Hamilton, Washington, Eaton, Spires
LB - McGinest*, that's it?
CB - Law, Buckley
S - Milloy, Jones

Not half bad. We just need some LB (Cox, Phifer, TJ... all retired), and the team is a bit weak at OT, but otherwise this group is ready to play ball.

In fact, on paper, this team compares pretty well with the current roster

QB - Brady
RB - Dillon, Faulk
WR - Branch, Childress*
TE - Graham, Watson
OL - Light, Mankins, Koppen, Kaczur, Gorin

DL - Warren, Wilfork, Seymour
LB - Vrabel, Claridge*, Bruschi, Colvin
CB - Samuel, Hobbs
C - Harrison, Wilson

Difference is, our roster fits under the cap with room to breathe and an eye to the future.

Not only would it be fun to play this game (on Madden) ...
but it would be instructive to see the total cap hit of the legacy squad!