Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Springs was released today, adding to last year's garbage pile of free agent acquisitions (Galloway, Baker, Lewis).

So now it's Bodden, Butler, and McCourty, with probably Wilhite or Wheatley back there as well. Unless they acquire somebody else, that's the group.

 

[Netman]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Cnn Reported Arlen Specter was voted out. Sorta Pats related.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Cnn Reported Arlen Specter was voted out. Sorta Pats related.

Maybe that Congressional investigation of those dastardly Patriots can be put to bed.

 

[Rover]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Springs was released today, adding to last year's garbage pile of free agent acquisitions (Galloway, Baker, Lewis).

So now it's Bodden, Butler, and McCourty, with probably Wilhite or Wheatley back there as well. Unless they acquire somebody else, that's the group.

I never understood why he wasn't given more of shot as they kept running Wilhite I believe out there.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

No surprises here:

The Patriots announced they have re-signed unrestricted free agent LB/DE Derrick Burgess and released LB Bruce Davis and WR Isaiah Stanback.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on May 14 that Burgess agreed to a one-year deal.

The agreement with Burgess enables New England to continue to stockpile defensive linemen. Additionally this offseason, the Patriots have signed Vince Wilfork and Gerard Warren to go along with pass rusher Tully Banta-Cain.

Burgess, a nine-year veteran, led the NFL with a career-high 16 sacks in 2005, when he made his first of two consecutive Pro Bowls with the Raiders. The Patriots acquired Burgess in a trade with the Raiders on Aug. 6, 2009. Last season, Burgess played in 16 games with six starts and finished with 35 total tackles, 5.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Davis joined the New England practice squad on Oct. 7, 2009. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round in 2008 out of UCLA. As a rookie, he played in five games, seeing action mainly on special teams. Davis was waived by Pittsburgh prior to the start of the 2009 regular season.

Stanback joined the New England practice squad on Sept 7, 2009. He was signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Nov. 14, 2009 and played in six games with two starts. Stanback finished the 2009 season with three receptions for 22 yards and one kickoff return for 22 yards.

On Springs, he was a mystery to me too. From what I understand, he's your typical mercenary. And maybe, with the midseason locker room issues, they wanted to reduce his role? But you do your scouting on the guy and you sign him to a three-year deal? For what? Everything we've seen from Wilhite indicates he can't play. Same goes for Wheatley (though we've seen so little of him it's more of an assumption). But Belichick must be seeing something different, I guess.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

The lowdown on Welker
Posted by Albert Breer June 2, 2010 12:30 PM

Just up to the press box from the Patriots' OTA session, which was held outdoors at the team's practice field adjacent to Gillette Stadium. And the big story?

You already know: Wes Welker.

The Patriots All-Pro slot receiver was out there in uniform, with a hinged knee brace covering his left leg. He took part in stretching and an early high-knee bag drill.

And that was just the start. He looked swift and agile during a cone drill, cutting and weaving in a "W" shape. That, to me, is rather significant.

Then, came passing lines. Welker ran routes with his teammates, and you could see him running in-cuts and squirrel routes and slants. He rounded off his cuts and breaks, which is certainly to be expected, and dropped a ball or two, which is no reason for alarm in May.

Then, when the team broke into full-squad offense and defense, he retreated with a trainer to the Dana Farber Field House behind the stadium. He missed that team work, plus the passing skeleton drills and 7-on-7s, before coming out to watch the end of practice, carrying his brace in his left hand.

This has got to be the most encouraging news on Welker in quite some time. Is he ready to play football? No. But a little over three months from the season opener, he's cutting and running routes and doing football things.

To be clear, the Patriots can still put him on PUP, which is what has been assumed to be what they'll do. That decision comes at the start of training camp, with another one to follow (the one that would sideline him through Week 6) at the final roster cutdown. But after today? All that looks like a much less likely scenario.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Also, lost in the Welker headlines but potentially a big/developing story: Kaczur takes part in OTAs at left guard (Mankins's spot), with Vollmer at right tackle.

 

[CarlS]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Jason A interesting news from Patriots camp regarding Brady:

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/06/disconnect_in_b.html

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Thanks Carl. I read that, as well as some reaction to it, and I'm not really sure how much weight to place on it. Silver could be reading the tea leaves accurately, or he could just be throwing something out there. There's not much solid sourcing in his story.

But it wouldn't shock me if this contract negotiation is difficult, assuming that Brady will be looking to get paid at a level reflecting his performance in the 2006/2007 seasons, when he was arguably the best QB in the NFL (set records in '07, had a great season with a mediocre receiving corps in '06).

OTOH, the Patriots might want to pay him more in line with his 2009 performance (when played like a top-five to top-ten QB).

The difference between those two levels is tens of millions of dollars, so yeah, this could definitely get interesting.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Mankins: 'I want to be traded'

By Mike Reiss, ESPNBoston.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots offensive lineman Logan Mankins said Monday that he does not plan to sign his restricted free agent tender and wants to be traded.

"At this point, I'm pretty frustrated, from everything that's happened and the way negotiations have gone," Mankins said in a phone interview. "I want to be traded. I don't need to be here any more."

Mankins has until 11:59 p.m. ET to sign his $3.26 million tender. Asked his plans in regard to signing the tender, Mankins said: "There is no way that I'm signing that thing."

Thus, as the Patriots start their mandatory minicamp Tuesday, Mankins is not planning to attend. With Mankins not planning on signing the tender, the Patriots can now fire back by slicing his salary to $1.54 million. The Patriots sent Mankins a letter indicating their right to make that cut, and now could take this action based on Mankins' hard line.

Mankins, who enters his sixth NFL season, would have been an unrestricted free agent in a season with a salary cap. But with the league's rules changing to a non-salary cap system this offseason, Mankins reverted to restricted free agent status.

Mankins said his frustration is beyond the change of a salary-cap system. He feels as if the Patriots aren't being true to their word.

"After the 2008 season, me and my agent approached the Patriots about an extension and I was told that Mr. Kraft did not want to do an extension because of the [uncertain collective bargaining agreement]," Mankins said. "I was asked to play '09 out, and that they would address contract after the uncapped year. I'm a team player, I took them at word, and I felt I played out an undervalued contract.

"That's the big thing," he continued. "Right now, this is about principle with me and keeping your word and how you treat people. This is what I thought the foundation of the Patriots was built on. Apparently, I was wrong. Growing up, I was taught a man's word is his bond. Obviously this isn't the case with the Patriots."

Mankins would not provide details of negotiations, or what he is seeking financially in a contract. His agent, Frank Bauer, also declined to discuss details, although revealed that the main reason a deal hasn't been reached is that the Patriots' final offer is "20 percent lower than Jahri Evans' deal with the Saints."

Evans, a Pro Bowl guard, signed a seven-year, $56.7 million contract with the Saints in May.

So offering a $45 million contract is a slap in the face now?

 

[Priceless]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Mankins: 'I want to be traded'So offering a $45 million contract is a slap in the face now?

It's all about the guaranteed money, not what is offered or even signed.

 

[Rover]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Hmmm...part of me cringes at this because they've made some colossal errors when it comes to letting key free agents go that may have cost them a couple of Super Bowls (Ty Law, Assante Samuel, Deion Branch). However, $45M bucks is a lot for an offensive lineman, even one like Mankins. In his defense though, he's probably looking at Matt Light's contract vs his level of play and figures he ought to be paid three times as much because of that.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

It's all about the guaranteed money, not what is offered or even signed.

True, I don't know what Jones was guaranteed but it had to be around $20M-$25M, I'd imagine.

The Boston Globe reports that the Patriots' most recent offer to Logan Mankins averages approximately $7m per season.

 

[pirate]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Playing the "some other guy got paid more" card with the Pats is a bad idea. It is pretty clear they try to spread it around more than the average team. If you made a team of guys the pats have let go or traded vs. paying top dollar, you'd have a pretty good squad.

With a fixed amount of money and uneven distribution among the signed players it shouldn't be hard to find a team or two that pays more for any one position. Using that as the benchmark is fine for negotiating, but if he thought he'd get that kind of money he guessed wrong.

I'd have no problem if he counter-offered or demanded more up front...but to throw a tantrum in the press and question people's integrity...not a good move in my book.

Seems that he and his agent might have calculated that and figured the best way to get Evans level money was to make it clear he is leaving so the Pats try to trade him vs. get nothing in return eventually. Again, I may understand the tactic but when it includes those type of comments I think he has hurt his standing in other ways.

 

[French Rage]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1NE8dsKaGlY&color1=0x333366&color2=0x666699&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1NE8dsKaGlY&color1=0x333366&color2=0x666699&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Well, here we go. First official day of training camp.

All the draft picks are signed and will be on time. LG Logan Mankins is still holding out.

Shawn Crable was cut yesterday. They spent a third-round draft choice on him three years ago and he never played a regular season down for the team.

Going into last year I thought New England had one of the best 7-8 rosters in the NFL. This year I don't feel that way, but I don't really know what to expect.

If the 2009 draft class can emerge (Butler/Chung in the defensive backfield, Vollmer at RT, and Tate/Adelman at WR) and they get some contributions from the 2010 class (if McCourty can slot himself as the third DB, Hernandez contributes in a pass-catching sense, Mesko improves last year's horrible punting game, and either Cunningham or Spikes --hopefully both -- show they know what they're doing out there), I'll feel pretty good about them making another run at a championship in the next 2-3 years, even though it might not be this year.

Should be an interesting season.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Huh.

Nine-year veteran pass-rusher Derrick Burgess, who did not report Thursday for the start of the New England Patriots' training camp, is considering retirement from the NFL, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Burgess, 31, re-signed with the Patriots this spring, after a three-month stint as an unrestricted free agent garnered only modest interest in him. He received a one-year, $1.5 million contract from the Pats.

Expected to provide New England with an outside pass rush, Burgess recorded only five sacks in '09, his first season with New England.

Sources said that, as recently as Wednesday, Burgess told associates that he was leaning toward retirement. Those same sources indicated, however, that Burgess could still change his mind about his immediate future. Patriots officials have been apprised that Burgess may retire.

Starting OLBs project to be Tully Banta-Cain and either Rob Ninkovich or Pierre Woods. Not exactly Wilber Marshall and Otis Wilson . . .

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Three-time Super Bowl champion David Patten retires as a Patriots this morning. He was a longshot to make the roster.

 

[pirate]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

Three-time Super Bowl champion David Patten retires as a Patriots this morning. He was a longshot to make the roster.

I wonder if in the long-run he made more money by leaving or if he would have had 1-2 more years in his career, a la Troy, if he had stayed with the the Pats.

 

[Jason A]

Re: Patriots' Offseason: Last Days of the Dynasty?

I wonder if in the long-run he made more money by leaving or if he would have had 1-2 more years in his career, a la Troy, if he had stayed with the the Pats.

Very possible. IIRC he hurt himself shortly after leaving, so that made it pretty tough.

Welker has passed his physical and is being removed from the PUP list. He will practice today.