OT: Chargers Extend Danny Woodhead

[Rob0729]

I think he is overrated by many, I'll give you that, but hate is way too strong of a word.

Prorating Vereens stats over a full season leave out the possibility that the numbers would go down. If you simply doubled Woodhead's stats after his first 8 games in 2013 he'd have ended up with 98 catches for 782 yards rather than the 76-605 he actually did.

Never said it can definitely be projected that way, but you have to factor in that Vereen was playing with a bum wrist for most of the season last year which was still not 100% even at one point this offseason. Of course that is going to affect the way he catches. He had a few drops that were likely to be huge gains because there was no one between him and the end zone. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that with a healthy wrist, some of those wheel routes where he was alone on the field and he dropped the pass would have been catches and big pick ups and possibly TDs. So his numbers last year could have been even greater with a healthy wrist.

 

[Spiral]

Chargers Extend Danny Woodhead

So he's now up to maybe 5'7"?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Woodhead's one of the players who seems like a genuinely decent person (in addition to being a valuable asset for any team) and for whom I wish nothing but the best.

While I'm a "In BB I Trust" guy pretty much straight down the line, I can't figure out why he let Woodhead go...but Belichick's got the rings and I don't, so all I'll say is, "Good on ya, Danny Woodhead. I hope you help bring the Chargers everything but an AFC Championship."

 

[Rob0729]

Woodhead's one of the players who seems like a genuinely decent person (in addition to being a valuable asset for any team) and for whom I wish nothing but the best.

While I'm a "In BB I Trust" guy pretty much straight down the line, I can't figure out why he let Woodhead go...but Belichick's got the rings and I don't, so all I'll say is, "Good on ya, Danny Woodhead. I hope you help bring the Chargers everything but an AFC Championship."

As I said earlier in the thread, I am not sure if Belichick let Woodhead go. I think Woodhead may have wanted to go where he would be THE third down/change of pace RB and not taking Vereen's scraps. I think Woodhead may have wanted to go to the place where he had the most opportunities to play.

 

[captain stone]

Bill could've easily had both Woody & Vereen, and Ridley (who will not return next season) & Blount.

 

[mayoclinic]

From Reiss' quick hits today, FWIW:

3. One of the things Bill Belichick has said in the past is that the worst thing a personnel staff can do is make a mistake on one of its own players. The thinking is that with extensive time with the player, both on and off the field, no one should know player better than a team's staff. The Patriots have been generally excellent in that area, as there are few players who leave town, perform better, and ultimately earn a second greater payday with their new team. Running back Danny Woodhead, who after a stellar 2013 season signed an extension last week with the Chargers that included a $3 million signing bonus, is one of the exceptions. The Patriots made an offer to Woodhead last year, never really budged and were ultimately content to let him depart for peanuts compared to what they've paid others, such as receiver Brandon LaFell this offseason. Have to think Belichick revisited that decision-making process at some point this past offseason to determine how things broke down internally. Selecting Wisconsin running back James White in the fourth round this year to pair with Shane Vereen might turn out to be a nice recovery.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4765334/quick-hit-thoughts-around-nfl-pats-188

Reiss certainly makes it seem like the Pats didn't try very hard to keep Woody.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

As I said earlier in the thread, I am not sure if Belichick let Woodhead go. I think Woodhead may have wanted to go where he would be THE third down/change of pace RB and not taking Vereen's scraps. I think Woodhead may have wanted to go to the place where he had the most opportunities to play.

I guess none of us can be sure. Thanks for your take.

 

[Off The Grid]

Yep.

01 ~ Those who've been around here a few Years will remember that I proclaimed Uncanny Danny WoodHead to be a magnificent Steal, the very week we stole'm from the pathetic Jets, back in September of 2010, before he ever played a Down for us.

02 ~ I Campaigned, loud & long, before, during, and after the idiotic Decision to let'm go to keep him.

03 ~ Respectfully submitted, but the idea that he left us because the Bolts offered'm more Snaps is crazy. WoodHead is part of a Crew in San Diego, just as he was, here. Most Men run on a combination of Self Aggrandizement and being A Part Of Something Bigger Than ThemSelves, while Money of course is a Factor. Had WoodHead been approached a Year before his Free Agency, as he should've been, and been assured that his Intensity, his Passion, and his Contributions to this Team were greatly Respected and greatly Appreciated, that we saw'm as an integral part of our Future, that we wanted to Chase Championships with'm as an integral part'f our Team, and that we wanted to forgo the whole excrutiatingly obnoxious process and just pay'm...I believe he would've happily signed.

Mad Bill is awesome, but sometimes he screws up big time, and it's childish to pretend otherwise.

This was one of those times.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Mad Bill is awesome, but sometimes he screws up big time, and it's childish to pretend otherwise.

This was one of those times.

The only possible logic I can see is that Ridley and Vereen were each cheaper than Woodhead, and BB expected to use the former two more. Personally, I would have gladly given Woodhead Kevin Faulk-type money; I think he was that good in the offense.

 

[Off The Grid]

The only possible logic I can see is that Ridley and Vereen were each cheaper than Woodhead, and BB expected to use the former two more. Personally, I would have gladly given Woodhead Kevin Faulk-type money; I think he was that good in the offense.

Yep. Having absolutely no FlexBack to share Snaps with Shifty Shane ~ and to be there if, oh I don't know, he missed time due to injury ~ was a brazenly and obviously asinine mistake.

Our Offense was needlessly crippled because we weren't 2 Deep at a crucial, crucial Position.

 

[Froob]

From Reiss' quick hits today, FWIW:



http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4765334/quick-hit-thoughts-around-nfl-pats-188

Reiss certainly makes it seem like the Pats didn't try very hard to keep Woody.

I'm not convinced he wanted to come back. Why come back to split time with Vereen?

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Woodhead signed with SD after the Pats signed Leon Washington. That's where the real screw up was. Signing a washed up Washington before Woodhead.

On 3-14-13, the Patriots signed Leon Washington to a $1.2 million contract with a $360,000 signing bonus.

On 3-15-13, the Chargers signed Danny Woodhead to a 2 year $3.5 million contract (2013 salary was $750,000 with a $1,000,000 signing bonus).

On 9-1-13, the Patriots released Washington.

On 9-7-13, the Patriots re-signed Washington, guaranteeing his 2013 salary.

On 11-23-13, Washington was released. He concluded his Patriot career with 1 rush for 1 yard for a 1.0 AVG. Woodhead rushed for 429 yards and caught 76 for another 605 yards with 8 total TDs.

 

[supafly]

Woodhead signed with SD after the Pats signed Leon Washington. That's were the real screw up was. Signing a washed up Washington before Woodhead.

On 3-14-13, the Patriots signed Leon Washington to a $1.2 million contract with a $360,000 signing bonus.

On 3-15-13, the Chargers signed Danny Woodhead to a 2 year $3.5 million contract (2013 salary was $750,000 with a $1,000,000 signing bonus).

On 9-1-13, the Patriots released Washington.

On 9-7-13, the Patriots re-signed Washington, guaranteeing his 2013 salary.

On 11-23-13, Washington was released. He concluded his Patriot career with 1 rush for 1 yard for a 1.0 AVG. Woodhead rushed for 429 yards and caught 76 for another 605 yards with 8 total TDs.

Yeah, that decision to bring in Washington sucked. No doubt about it.

 

[IllegalContact]

I'll take vereen......nothing to see here

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yep. Having absolutely no FlexBack to share Snaps with Shifty Shane ~ and to be there if, oh I don't know, he missed time due to injury ~ was a brazenly and obviously asinine mistake.

Our Offense was needlessly crippled because we weren't 2 Deep at a crucial, crucial Position.

To be fair, though, did the Patriots regularly carry two healthy third-down backs before Faulk/Woodhead?

 

[Off The Grid]

To be fair, though, did the Patriots regularly carry two healthy third-down backs before Faulk/Woodhead?

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a rat's @$$ about Historical Precedent.

My sole concern is what's best for the Team...

And I consider it self-evidently asinine to fail to carry a minimum of 2 FlexBacks.

And the use of the term "3rd Down Back" is effectively extinct, don't you think? It's a 20th Century Term that has no bearing in an Era where every single Snap is a potential "Passing Down" and FlexBacks of the caliber of Vereen and WoodHead can offer dynamic options on all 3 Downs.

 

[DocHoliday]

I bet Tom would have preferred Woody to DA. Yes, I know they play different positions.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a rat's @$$ about Historical Precedent.

My sole concern is what's best for the Team...

And I consider it self-evidently asinine to fail to carry a minimum of 2 FlexBacks.

And the use of the term "3rd Down Back" is effectively extinct, don't you think? It's a 20th Century Term that has no bearing in an Era where every single Snap is a potential "Passing Down" and FlexBacks of the caliber of Vereen and WoodHead can offer dynamic options on all 3 Downs.

I figured you'd say something like that.

In any case, though, wasn't Leon Washington supposed to be the other "flexback? (FWIW, I believe that Washington's signing came first because the Patriots knew Woodhead wouldn't take their offer, not that they preferred Washington per se.)

 

[Off The Grid]

I figured you'd say something like that.

In any case, though, wasn't Leon Washington supposed to be the other "flexback? (FWIW, I believe that Washington's signing came first because the Patriots knew Woodhead wouldn't take their offer, not that they preferred Washington per se.)

Heh!! And you know: Even before I started typing, I figured that you figured I'd say something like that...Nor have I any doubt that you'd figured on that, as well, and were more or less looking for that kind of answer. Ah, the numerous nuances of a lengthy Correspondence.

My eyes rolled so violently that they both spent 6 weeks in a sling when I got word about the odious Leon Washington signing. See, this is exactly what I'm talking about when I say that admiring Mad Bill does not preclude one's recognizing his occasional bouts of flat out Dumb-@$$ behavior.

I say that with all due respect to him and to anyone who supported that move, including you if that's the case, but are you kidding me?? Leon Washington, I was an huge Fan of, back in ~ Wait For It ~ 2009!!

By 2013, he was clearly and demonstrably long over the hill. There has never been anything in the History of the World more obviously and demonstrably clear than the fact that signing him at that point was a complete and utter waste of TaxPayer Money, and yet intelligent men like you, Mad Bill, and others evidently thought he was a viable replacement for Uncanny Danny WoodHead???

It boggles my freaking mind, Bro.

 

[supafly]

So many topics and situations over the years that we all wonder about. I'd love to be able to find about more about some of these personnel decisions. We all hope for a book, but even if Belichick decided to do something like that, I doubt we'd get anything close to what we want in juicy details!