Bostonian1962
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Messages
- 3,096
- Reaction score
- 34
I was half inclined to cut and paste the assessment that Andy Johnson did on the team, in tribute to Ronnie Borges, but decided against it.
In thinking about how I feel the Pats have done thus far in free agency, I was going to be less upbeat about the D. Stallworth signing. As I've stated in the past, it just seems to me that players who have dabbled in drugs, and have a history of being late for meetings, hardly ever seem to change. For every Irving Fryer that mature and turn their lives around, there are scores of examples of "once a punk always a punk" type players.
However, I have to admit that reading the text of his interview this morning has made me think his ways are a thing of the past. In a culture of athletes looking us in the eyes and saying "I NEVER took steroids", "I didn't hit my wife", "Those drugs weren't mine", you can never be sure if he's sincere, but he sure sounded like it. Anyway, I am much more stoked about him than I initially was.
So, my overall assessment of their free agent acquisitions. I have to give the Pats an A. It will be an A+ if they sign Kavika Mitchell or Hartwell, shoring up the ILB position. We'll see what happens there.
I love the Franchise tag being placed on Samuel. The Pats learned how much a shut down, play making CB can benefit the team, after perhaps missing Ty Law more than they'd ever admit. The big interceptions by Samuel last year, reminded the team how much they missed that, and how much they wanted to keep Samuel. I love the move, and think he'll be locked up long term when all is said and done. In fact, I assume the contract will be such that they'll increase the cap space this year, allowing that aforementioned ILB signing.
The team's move to lock up Koppen was brilliant. Particularly when you see the crazy contracts the Olinemen are getting in free agency.
I'll get to the UFA signings in a moment, but sometimes non-signings are good moves. To me, NOT signing TBC was a good move. His tendency to get sucked inside, and not seal the outside was maddening, and hurt the team. He's no bum, and had his moments, but his mental mistakes gave me grey hairs.
Now to the UFA signings.
Stallworth - He is a huge talent. He is a weapon. He is fast. He also has a history of hamstring injuries, and has got to be committed to the training staffs advise on preventing that in the future. He has stated that his bad ways are a thing of the past, and as I said above seemed sincere in saying so. If that is true, he will be a great player for this team. No disrespect to his QBs in N.O., and Phil, but now he will be having Tom Brady throwing him the pill and should flourish.
Welker - I know a lot of people have questioned this move. I completely love this player. Not in a romantic kinda way. My wife can vouch for me in that area, but I love him as a player. If you recall, he caught 9 passes in the first game against us last year. If you also recall, the Pats had to gameplan against him in game two. He's one of those players that is just a football player. Players like that (Brown, Bruschi, Vrabel) have been key to the Championships. To think he caught 67 catches with that QB situation in Miami. He will be a tremendous player for the Pats. I have no doubt about that. He improves our Special Teams (yes, I'm one of those people that says "our" team). His leaving Miami makes theirs worse. As for giving up a 2nd and 7th for him, nobody will care about that a year from now. The team is going to most likely end up with 10 picks or more in the draft. That's more than enough. The 7th rounder in particular, I couldn't care less about giving up. Great pick up by the team. Makes the team better in so many ways.
Morris - I never noticed him much until his 100 plus yard rushing game against the Pats this past season. All I can say is the fact that the team went after him so quickly after the FA period began, means they DID notice him, and wanted him. I'm a "best player available" draftnik type, and if that player happens to be a RB at some point, I'd not be shocked to see one drafted. Time will tell. In any event, the Morris signing didn't get me excited, but he could pan out into a usefull all around type player.
K. Brady - Knowing there was a good chance that Graham could bolt to play near his hometown, and knowing how advantageous it's been to have such a great blocking TE, this seems to be a tremendous move. He's like having another tackle, and fits well with what the Pats like to do. The team knows that Watson and Thomas will be the pass catching threats, so this move makes all the sense in the world. I wish he was younger, but you can't have everything.
K. Washington - I have had a post or two over the last couple of years regarding acquiring this player. Here's my deal with him. I have two close friends who are, of all things, Bengals' fans. They told me about him last year, saying they've "watched him a lot, and while the depth at WR has buried him, he's a huge talent and a great character person". Last year, as final cuts around the league were approaching, one of the two of them told me that "you should want him before any other player. He will be a star with Brady throwing to him". Now, I don't know what their talent assessment abilities are, and I have seen Washington much with my own eyes. However, I am very happy to have a 6'3" talent, that came across as such a character guy, when he was in the other day. The $300K signing bonus makes this move a no brainer, that could pay huge dividends.
This team, that came within a minute of another Super Bowl, just drastically improved their offense. Oh, and I'm not one that agrees with those thinking that our #1 and #2 receivers from last year should be canned. Can you imagine having enough talent that your 1 and 2 are now your 2, 3, 4, or 5? Caldwell did drop a couple of key passes against Indy, but I'm not one that wants to negate the fine season he had because of two passes.
A. Thomas - Um, getting arguably the number 1 rated player in free agency…………might just be a decent move. Come on, we're all excited about this move. Tremendous player. Tremendous character. Classy. A Leader. Intelligent. A Patriot. Nuff said.
Now onto the draft. I'd expect some nice additions. Hopefully, they'll be at ILB, S, and/or CB, but talent anywhere is a plus, and the team should have 10 picks after the comp. picks are announced. I would not be surprised to see them trade one of their 1st round picks to move back into round 2, and garner a pick or two next year. Nor, would I be surprised if they traded up for Landry or Nelson at safety. There's a lot they could do. If they land Hartwell, or Kavika Mitchell before the draft, they will clearly enter the draft with few weaknesses. All I have to say is WOW!
In thinking about how I feel the Pats have done thus far in free agency, I was going to be less upbeat about the D. Stallworth signing. As I've stated in the past, it just seems to me that players who have dabbled in drugs, and have a history of being late for meetings, hardly ever seem to change. For every Irving Fryer that mature and turn their lives around, there are scores of examples of "once a punk always a punk" type players.
However, I have to admit that reading the text of his interview this morning has made me think his ways are a thing of the past. In a culture of athletes looking us in the eyes and saying "I NEVER took steroids", "I didn't hit my wife", "Those drugs weren't mine", you can never be sure if he's sincere, but he sure sounded like it. Anyway, I am much more stoked about him than I initially was.
So, my overall assessment of their free agent acquisitions. I have to give the Pats an A. It will be an A+ if they sign Kavika Mitchell or Hartwell, shoring up the ILB position. We'll see what happens there.
I love the Franchise tag being placed on Samuel. The Pats learned how much a shut down, play making CB can benefit the team, after perhaps missing Ty Law more than they'd ever admit. The big interceptions by Samuel last year, reminded the team how much they missed that, and how much they wanted to keep Samuel. I love the move, and think he'll be locked up long term when all is said and done. In fact, I assume the contract will be such that they'll increase the cap space this year, allowing that aforementioned ILB signing.
The team's move to lock up Koppen was brilliant. Particularly when you see the crazy contracts the Olinemen are getting in free agency.
I'll get to the UFA signings in a moment, but sometimes non-signings are good moves. To me, NOT signing TBC was a good move. His tendency to get sucked inside, and not seal the outside was maddening, and hurt the team. He's no bum, and had his moments, but his mental mistakes gave me grey hairs.
Now to the UFA signings.
Stallworth - He is a huge talent. He is a weapon. He is fast. He also has a history of hamstring injuries, and has got to be committed to the training staffs advise on preventing that in the future. He has stated that his bad ways are a thing of the past, and as I said above seemed sincere in saying so. If that is true, he will be a great player for this team. No disrespect to his QBs in N.O., and Phil, but now he will be having Tom Brady throwing him the pill and should flourish.
Welker - I know a lot of people have questioned this move. I completely love this player. Not in a romantic kinda way. My wife can vouch for me in that area, but I love him as a player. If you recall, he caught 9 passes in the first game against us last year. If you also recall, the Pats had to gameplan against him in game two. He's one of those players that is just a football player. Players like that (Brown, Bruschi, Vrabel) have been key to the Championships. To think he caught 67 catches with that QB situation in Miami. He will be a tremendous player for the Pats. I have no doubt about that. He improves our Special Teams (yes, I'm one of those people that says "our" team). His leaving Miami makes theirs worse. As for giving up a 2nd and 7th for him, nobody will care about that a year from now. The team is going to most likely end up with 10 picks or more in the draft. That's more than enough. The 7th rounder in particular, I couldn't care less about giving up. Great pick up by the team. Makes the team better in so many ways.
Morris - I never noticed him much until his 100 plus yard rushing game against the Pats this past season. All I can say is the fact that the team went after him so quickly after the FA period began, means they DID notice him, and wanted him. I'm a "best player available" draftnik type, and if that player happens to be a RB at some point, I'd not be shocked to see one drafted. Time will tell. In any event, the Morris signing didn't get me excited, but he could pan out into a usefull all around type player.
K. Brady - Knowing there was a good chance that Graham could bolt to play near his hometown, and knowing how advantageous it's been to have such a great blocking TE, this seems to be a tremendous move. He's like having another tackle, and fits well with what the Pats like to do. The team knows that Watson and Thomas will be the pass catching threats, so this move makes all the sense in the world. I wish he was younger, but you can't have everything.
K. Washington - I have had a post or two over the last couple of years regarding acquiring this player. Here's my deal with him. I have two close friends who are, of all things, Bengals' fans. They told me about him last year, saying they've "watched him a lot, and while the depth at WR has buried him, he's a huge talent and a great character person". Last year, as final cuts around the league were approaching, one of the two of them told me that "you should want him before any other player. He will be a star with Brady throwing to him". Now, I don't know what their talent assessment abilities are, and I have seen Washington much with my own eyes. However, I am very happy to have a 6'3" talent, that came across as such a character guy, when he was in the other day. The $300K signing bonus makes this move a no brainer, that could pay huge dividends.
This team, that came within a minute of another Super Bowl, just drastically improved their offense. Oh, and I'm not one that agrees with those thinking that our #1 and #2 receivers from last year should be canned. Can you imagine having enough talent that your 1 and 2 are now your 2, 3, 4, or 5? Caldwell did drop a couple of key passes against Indy, but I'm not one that wants to negate the fine season he had because of two passes.
A. Thomas - Um, getting arguably the number 1 rated player in free agency…………might just be a decent move. Come on, we're all excited about this move. Tremendous player. Tremendous character. Classy. A Leader. Intelligent. A Patriot. Nuff said.
Now onto the draft. I'd expect some nice additions. Hopefully, they'll be at ILB, S, and/or CB, but talent anywhere is a plus, and the team should have 10 picks after the comp. picks are announced. I would not be surprised to see them trade one of their 1st round picks to move back into round 2, and garner a pick or two next year. Nor, would I be surprised if they traded up for Landry or Nelson at safety. There's a lot they could do. If they land Hartwell, or Kavika Mitchell before the draft, they will clearly enter the draft with few weaknesses. All I have to say is WOW!
