Tommy Kelly

[ATippett56]

Patriots DT Tommy Kelly's Week 5 knee injury was a torn right ACL.

Tommy Kelly - New England Patriots - 2014 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

It's interesting because Kelly told reporters after Week 5 that "everything is alright" with the knee. And he never played again. Losing Kelly and NT Vince Wilfork (Achilles') were huge in-season blows to a New England defense that wound up finishing 30th versus the run. Now owed $2.5 million in salary and bonuses at age 33, Kelly is a prime candidate for offseason release.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

Kelly played better than Wilfork this past year and it Kelly if a candidate for off season release then Wilfork is even more so.

The Patriots would be crazy to bring either back especially at their respective compensation levels.

 

[Rob0729]

Kelly played better than Wilfork this past year and it Kelly if a candidate for off season release then Wilfork is even more so.

The Patriots would be crazy to bring either back especially at their respective compensation levels.

The other option is bring either or both back on reduced contracts. Wilfork will have to cut his base salary down quite a bit to come back.

 

[ATippett56]

The other option is bring either or both back on reduced contracts. Wilfork will have to cut his base salary down quite a bit to come back.

The other option is to select at least one defensive tackle in the 2014 NFL Draft and not rely on two aging defensive tackles recovering from surgery.

 

[BelichickFan]

The other option is to select at least one defensive tackle in the 2014 NFL Draft and not rely on two aging defensive tackles recovering from surgery.

Depends how much they like Silinga and Armstead going forward. If they like those two, add Chris Jones as a rotation guy and we have good depth if Kelly and Wilfork come back.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

The other option is bring either or both back on reduced contracts. Wilfork will have to cut his base salary down quite a bit to come back.

Do you really see Wilfork helping this coming year?

Wilfork didn't have a good year this past year. He was abused by Jets Loser guard Ducasse. In fact, Ducasse flattened Wilfork:


He (Ducasse) played his best game against the Patriots in Week 2, pancaking Vince Wilfork on a touchdown run"


Jets to bench struggling Ducasse for Winters | New York Post


Wilfork will be 33 years old during this coming season, coming off a major, major injury coming off a bad year and will probably be even heavier.

I think people keep thinking that 2008 Wilfork is coming through that door but he isn't coming through that door.

Time to move on.....

 

[ATippett56]

Depends how much they like Silinga and Armstead going forward. If they like those two, add Chris Jones as a rotation guy and we have good depth if Kelly and Wilfork come back.

Siliga and Jones did not get the job done against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Upgrades are definitely needed at the defensive tackle position. As for Armstead, as far as I know, he has not been medically cleared to play football and is a total unknown going forward.

 

[resdubwhite]

Do you really see Wilfork helping this coming year?

Wilfork didn't have a good year this past year. He was abused by Jets Loser guard Ducasse. In fact, Ducasse flattened Wilfork:


He (Ducasse) played his best game against the Patriots in Week 2, pancaking Vince Wilfork on a touchdown run"


Jets to bench struggling Ducasse for Winters | New York Post


Wilfork will be 33 years old during this coming season, coming off a major, major injury coming off a bad year and will probably be even heavier.

I think people keep thinking that 2008 Wilfork is coming through that door but he isn't coming through that door.

Time to move on.....

I'd like the team to take a look at him in the close season and see where we are at. If Vince isn't at the races I'd hope he considers retiring.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It is assumed that Wilfork and Kelly will be recovered enough to be ready for training camp and participate at some level. At that time the team can make better, more educated decisions on if they are part of next years team.

While it is doubtful that either player will play at the same salary and cap charge, it is not doubtful that they are too crippled to every play again.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

I'd like the team to take a look at him in the close season and see where we are at. If Vince isn't at the races I'd hope he considers retiring.

I think all the same things apply to any other team that would pick him up for even the veteran minimum.

For a guy his size and age that achilles injury is a killer.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

It is assumed that Wilfork and Kelly will be recovered enough to be ready for training camp and participate at some level. At that time the team can make better, more educated decisions on if they are part of next years team.

While it is doubtful that either player will play at the same salary and cap charge, it is not doubtful that they are too crippled to every play again.

Who is assuming that they will be ready and play at the some level? I don't think anyone is assuming that to be true.
Some level could be a very bad level.

 

[mgteich]

Our default is Siliga (no "n"), C. Jones, Vellano, Armstead and a rookie. We would expect improvement from these youngsters in 2014. So, we start with an likely improvement over 2013, without spending any of the $12M of avoidable cap money now allotted to Wilfork, Kelly and Sopoaga.

We all agree that Sopoaga is gone (for a savings of $2M). The situation of other two is very different.

KELLY
Kelly is due new money of $2.156M for his 2014 services, including a salary of $1.950M. If healthy, he is certainly worth that as a backup DT. We can simply wait until camp and decide then whether to part ways.

WILFORK
We need to make a decision on Wilfork much sooner if we want to save some cap room. We could not afford his cap hit even if he were healthy. There are options, but no good ones. Making a long term decision on a player while injured is difficult.

Depends how much they like Silinga and Armstead going forward. If they like those two, add Chris Jones as a rotation guy and we have good depth if Kelly and Wilfork come back.

 

[Love The Drake]

I like this idea how about Big Vince as a defensive line coaching assistant?
Tommy Kelly may be able to make a comeback but I like the idea of Big Vince giving his invaluable advice to these young guys as well the money we could negotiate to shave off the salary cap. He would still be a part of the team he would still be able to mentor the pups and he would instantly be in the Patriots hall of fame.
Instead of coming back a shell of his former self he makes a difference.
What do you all think?

 

[ATippett56]

KELLY
Kelly is due new money of $2.156M for his 2014 services, including a salary of $1.950M. If healthy, he is certainly worth that as a backup DT. We can simply wait until camp and decide then whether to part ways.

That money is better served towards a new contract for either Aqib Talib and/or Julian Edelman.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Who is assuming that they will be ready and play at the some level? I don't think anyone is assuming that to be true.
Some level could be a very bad level.

I never said play. I said recovered enough to be ready for TC and participate at some level. Their participation could be walk-thrus, working out and maybe some light contact or conditioning but not with pads or preseason games. We've seen Seymour and Harrison go on PUP and we've seen Welker come back Week 1. No one can predict exactly when a player comes back from a knee injury and plays at this level.

Since Kelly tore it in Oct, most likely had the surgery in Nov and camp is 9 months later. Wilfork has said that he should be ready to go by TC. Thats what I base it on.

Either way, I'm sure the team will do what it thinks is reasonable to protect themselves financially, manage the risk and give the players an opportunity to make good money if they are healthy as if they do revert back to form, are damn good players.

 

[Deus Irae]

Here's your current replacement pool:

WalterFootball.com: 2014 NFL Free Agents - Defensive Tackles


Looking at that, Wilfork and Kelly are probably still the best options, unless the Patriots can't come to some agreement on a Wilfork restructure.


Pairing the Jones boys, and bringing in Linval Joseph would be a nice alternative, but the money needed isn't likely to make that possible.

 

[mgteich]

You are essentially talking about Wilfork retiring and volunterring his services to the team. For a guy making what Wilfork makes, any salary for being a coaching assistant just wouldn''t be worth taking. I don't think that this will happen. Besides, what makes you think that Wilfork would be a better coach than those that we have or could hire?

I like this idea how about Big Vince as a defensive line coaching assistant?
Tommy Kelly may be able to make a comeback but I like the idea of Big Vince giving his invaluable advice to these young guys as well the money we could negotiate to shave off the salary cap. He would still be a part of the team he would still be able to mentor the pups and he would instantly be in the Patriots hall of fame.
Instead of coming back a shell of his former self he makes a difference.
What do you all think?

 

[Love The Drake]

Well the coaches always say how well prepared he is and the film study he puts in he is known as the best 34 nose tackle for quite some time. Also the fact a lot of the young guys this season said he helped them a lot along the way including Siliga the fact he demands instant respect has been a standout on and off the field a great attitude hunger to win. Just thinking who better to teach the young guys and instill the BB discipline down the line when BB decides to step away. Just saw it as a good person to have for a McDaniels or another coach trying to keep BBs system in place.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

I never said play. I said recovered enough to be ready for TC and participate at some level. Their participation could be walk-thrus, working out and maybe some light contact or conditioning but not with pads or preseason games. We've seen Seymour and Harrison go on PUP and we've seen Welker come back Week 1. No one can predict exactly when a player comes back from a knee injury and plays at this level.

Since Kelly tore it in Oct, most likely had the surgery in Nov and camp is 9 months later. Wilfork has said that he should be ready to go by TC. Thats what I base it on.

Either way, I'm sure the team will do what it thinks is reasonable to protect themselves financially, manage the risk and give the players an opportunity to make good money if they are healthy as if they do revert back to form, are damn good players.

Well what do you think Wilfork is going to say in public...."I might not be ready"?

Wilfork was not a damn good player this past year. In fact, he was pedestrian at best. Add another year on (33) and coming off a major injury (regardless of what he says, chances are his abilities will have eroded) and there is a much better chance he will only be worse.

 

[Love The Drake]

I don't like hearing that Billy O wants to poach the coaching staff here nothing worse then losing great young football minds for this team.
Thinking Pepper won't stay here in his role forever and Big Vince seems like the kind of guy who would be a natural coach.