What’s our cap space situation?

[Ivan]

Maybe. All we really know for a fact is how Butler expressed his own feelings immediately after the SB.

I think we know what Belichick thinks of Butler as well. You make a starter watch the entire SB with his helmet in his hand and there is absolutely no way they are coming back.

 

[Ivan]

Is there one worth trading up for? Doesn't seem like a particularly top-heavy OT draft class to me.

I didn’t say anything about an OT, and everything obviously depends upon how the draft falls in draft day, but if Mayfield is around in the early 20’s I would make the move up, and the same goes for a guy like Vea, and some others. There are always surprises. And while I don’t want them to move down, if their first round board is cleared out then I couldn’t blame them. I just think they are short on
playmakers and earlier is generally better when it comes to getting them.

 

[maineman209]

I didn’t say anything about an OT, and everything obviously depends upon how the draft falls in draft day, but if Mayfield is around in the early 20’s I would make the move up, and the same goes for a guy like Vea, and some others. There are always surprises. And while I don’t want them to move down, if their first round board is cleared out then I couldn’t blame them. I just think they are short on
playmakers and earlier is generally better when it comes to getting them.

Sorry. I thought you were responding to someone else's post about OT vis-a-vis Solder, Garcia, etc.

 

[ivanvamp]

I would be shocked if they made any attempt at all. They didn’t burn that bridge they cremated it.

They vaporized it.

If they offered Butler a contract, which in it of itself would be a shock, I cannot fathom Butler taking it, unless it absolutely blew every other offer out of the water (which ain't happening).

Then again, stranger things have happened so.........

 

[maineman209]

I think we know what Belichick thinks of Butler as well. You make a starter watch the entire SB with his helmet in his hand and there is absolutely no way they are coming back.

Honestly, I'm not willing to make any assumptions whatsoever about what BB thinks about Butler - certainly not based on the SB versus the average 98% of the defensive snaps he had Butler playing in every other game this past season.

 

[Ivan]

They vaporized it.

If they offered Butler a contract, which in it of itself would be a shock, I cannot fathom Butler taking it, unless it absolutely blew every other offer out of the water (which ain't happening).

Then again, stranger things have happened so.........

Such as?

Honestly, if there were such a thing as less than zero that’s what I would put the likelihood of his returning to New England at.

 

[Ivan]

Sorry. I thought you were responding to someone else's post about OT vis-a-vis Solder, Garcia, etc.

No problem. I’m pretty open when it comes to drafting, because the likelihood of the draft going the way you think it will is also zero. And despite the protestations of even our most intelligent draftniks we/they have a minimal amount of information on the prospects when compared with that of the teams. I believe the Patriots stack their board with a fraction of the players actually available, but have a much longer list of those they will try to sign as UDFA’s, and when their board is cleared for that round they try to move out of it. So if they don’t have anyone they deem worthy of a first round pick.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Wow. People think Butler is coming back? He recjected about 7 mil per, which is insane on his part. I can only imagine what his dumb agent was trying to do with the Saints.

I can see him getting around 5 mil per from somenone out there, but this ship has clearly sailed.

It sounded like he wanted years, because he said he wanted to retire a Patriot. Ok, then take the 7 mil per for 2 years and we'll revisit it in 2 years, if that's what you want.

These players shouldn't have to be responsible for understanding the cap, the market, etc. That's the agents job and his agent failed him miserably.

And, it's pretty clear he took it personal to the point it distracted him all year, right up through the SB.

I fully appreciate his time here and obviously SB 49, but people need to get over it. That was HIS choice to do.

When you want to find where an issue started, always go to the source. This business aboout it being Kraft or now BB's fault, is ridiculous. I bet the stuff we've heard is even worse than they were letting on.

BB professionally protected Butler saying it was more about scheme, but the truth is, it was as much about a lack of trust in BB's opinion.

 

[mgteich]

Sure they could make an offer to Butler. And we know that, for Belichick, Butler is a #3 corner (at best) who can't play the slot (behind Bademosi in the depth chart). Butler is certainly behind Rowe.

Yes, I suppose that he might offer more to Butler than Bademosi.

The BOTTOM LINE is that any offer from the patriots will be at least matched by someone who actually wants him.

They vaporized it.

If they offered Butler a contract, which in it of itself would be a shock, I cannot fathom Butler taking it, unless it absolutely blew every other offer out of the water (which ain't happening).

Then again, stranger things have happened so.........

 

[chasa]

butler coming back is less likely then butler signing one week contracts each week just to play against the patriots.

 

[maineman209]

No problem. I’m pretty open when it comes to drafting, because the likelihood of the draft going the way you think it will is also zero. And despite the protestations of even our most intelligent draftniks we/they have a minimal amount of information on the prospects when compared with that of the teams. I believe the Patriots stack their board with a fraction of the players actually available, but have a much longer list of those they will try to sign as UDFA’s, and when their board is cleared for that round they try to move out of it. So if they don’t have anyone they deem worthy of a first round pick.

OTOH, if BB actually trades up from the #31 to take any prospect, chances are that the guy will turn out to be pretty good.

 

[Deus Irae]

ust my guessing:
- Butler tests the market, but probably doesn't leave without the Pats having made another offer.

They humiliated him during the Super Bowl. How are they going to "unburn" that bridge?