Do you think there's a risk with Wilfork that you sign him to a big guaranteed money deal and then someone decides a little payback for last year is in order and he gets a career ending injury on a dirty play? Not trolling here--serious question, since folks in this league can have a long memory and Vince didn't exactly endear himself to too many folks outside New England with some of his antics (including the 4 times he was fined). As a Bills fan, I can tell you that that hit on Losman still has people steaming, and I'd imagine folks on the other three teams he got fined against last year ('Boys and G-men, plus one other I can't recall) feel the same, although fortunately he won't be playing them this year absent the SB and I can guarantee you that unlike other coaches, Jauron won't tell his O-line to target him for retaliation (which some Bills fans see as a weakness--I'm not among them). Compounding the problem is that the position he plays it's very easy for one guy to take him high and someone else to go after his knee, for example. As I've stated before, I don't root for injuries, but I must admit I wouldn't shed a tear if he got a bit of what he dished out last year. I honestly wonder if that will go into Pioli's thinking in working out a deal.
That aside, I'd do what it takes to lock him up long term if I were the Pats, as he really is a force in the middle and your D would greatly suffer without him in there I suspect.
It will also be interesting to see how much ground he gains on Rodney's lead in the annual "dirtiest player in the League" award. Rodney's usually got a 15-20% lead over the number 2 the last few years (23 to 7 last year if I recall correctly), but I strongly suspect Vince and perhaps Roy Williams (he of the "horse collar tackle") will handily close that gap.....
