New England Patriots thread (MOD WARNING - #4503)

TO.

Armstead was running drills at the mini camp yesterday. Looks like he will be good to go for Camp.

Son Of A Vidic

Hazys wrote: »

Edelman's deal is 4 years not 3.

"The deal has a base value of $17 million and includes $8 million in bonuses and guarantees ($6 million guaranteed for skill) and $2 million in incentives, a source confirmed to ESPN.com."

Averages out at $4.75m a year, which is probably not a realistic number as the contract is probably back loaded.

It does seem a little steep but i'm glad to have our most reliable WR and a stud on special teams back.

I think we actually fleeced him a bit. He had a Welker like year last year and with him staying healthy, he showed us what he could do. Before we tagged Welker in 2012, Welker was looking for 3 years @ $21 million. The best we offered was $18 million for 3 years. So getting Edelman for 4 years @ $17 million is very good business and fair play to Edelman for being satisfied with that. If it was Welker, he would of have probably joined the Jets by now.

When you look at both Edelman's 4 year $17 million deal and LaFell's 3 year $9 million deal. I think the Pats got some very good value from both of those deals.

TO.

Apparently Pats have inquired about DeSean Jackson

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2014/03/18/report-patriots-have-inquired-about-wide-receiver-desean-jackson/

Son Of A Vidic

TO. wrote: »

Armstead was running drills at the mini camp yesterday. Looks like he will be good to go for Camp.

I still remain baffled at what infection he had and where he had it? It would have been pretty nasty to require surgery. Have you picked up anything about it on your side of the pond?

Son Of A Vidic

TO. wrote: »

Apparently Pats have inquired about DeSean Jackson

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2014/03/18/report-patriots-have-inquired-about-wide-receiver-desean-jackson/

Trade with Amendola? Yes please.

TO.

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I still remain baffled at what infection he had and where he had it? It would have been pretty nasty to require surgery. Have you picked up anything about it on your side of the pond?

Nothing on his infection but apparently he was looking good doing drills yesterday and is on par for a return.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Trade with Amendola? Yes please.

We wish
Seems odd that they'd even want to trade him. If he wants more money, they just need to remind him that he's already under contract.

Son Of A Vidic

If there's no trade option available then I'd leave well enough alone. It might make better sense to draft a WR and go after Jared Allen.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

It might make better sense to draft a WR and go after Jared Allen.

I'd much prefer Allen. He's a playmaker and could complete our starting defense with the secondary we now have.

Son Of A Vidic

munstermagic11 wrote: »

I'd much prefer Allen. He's a playmaker and could complete our starting defense with the secondary we now have.

I think it's a pipe dream but if we landed Allen, I would probably crap my pants with excitement.

munstermagic11

munstermagic11 wrote: »

We wish
Seems odd that they'd even want to trade him. If he wants more money, they just need to remind him that he's already under contract.

let me preface this by saying this may have been blown out of proportion by the media so you will see a lot of apparently in this not definite but

desean phoned in a year while he was tagged (and the tag was not small) and got his big contract now 2 years into a 5 year 51 million deal its being reported he wants more an it looks like he may phone in a year again to try to get a better deal for himself.

the issue with him being traded is i dont know if hes worth as much in another system as hes perfect for the system chip runs and i think if he was traded for anything less than a first i wouldnt be happy with is and i know a lot of other eagles fans would be the same.

also i have herd reports that chip kelly does not like his attitude apparently he has a massive ego and he did get very very upset when chip didnt make him no 1 instantly when he came in (this has since been resolved and desean said he understood where chip was coming from but apparently the fact that he got so upset day one did not go down well with chip)

the reason id be surprised about ye getting him (apart from the value issue stated above) is that the issue if there is an issue is his attitude and bill and chip seem to have similar views when it comes to this.

Red Crow

Noel Jolly Fountain wrote: »

let me preface this by saying this may have been blown out of proportion by the media so you will see a lot of apparently in this not definite but

desean phoned in a year while he was tagged (and the tag was not small) and got his big contract now 2 years into a 5 year 51 million deal its being reported he wants more an it looks like he may phone in a year again to try to get a better deal for himself.

the issue with him being traded is i dont know if hes worth as much in another system as hes perfect for the system chip runs and i think if he was traded for anything less than a first i wouldnt be happy with is and i know a lot of other eagles fans would be the same.

also i have herd reports that chip kelly does not like his attitude apparently he has a massive ego and he did get very very upset when chip didnt make him no 1 instantly when he came in (this has since been resolved and desean said he understood where chip was coming from but apparently the fact that he got so upset day one did not go down well with chip)

the reason id be surprised about ye getting him (apart from the value issue stated above) is that the issue if there is an issue is his attitude and bill and chip seem to have similar views when it comes to this.

Just saw on some Eagles feeds that you want at least a 3rd rounder. I think he's slightly overrated. But he's a matchup nightmare and he fits very well into exactly what Chip Kelly wants to do. He's undersized but how many times has he proven that he's a down field threat. He has loads of 40 yard+ plays in the NFL.

Trading him for a 3rd rounder would be moronic from an Philly point of view.

Blured

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

The net result = LaFell has had a more productive career and all that despite playing for a run happy offense. LaFell was scheduled to visit the Broncos after us but thankfully that was nipped in the bud. Sanders was on our radar last year, but that boat sailed and he wasn't invited for a visit this year.

All fair points - didnt mean to sound like I was calling you out!

I will say, in defence of Sanders, 2013 was the first year he was the no.2 receiver for the Steelers which lead to an improvement in his stats. Before that he has been behind Wallace, Brown, Ward, etc.

I like both signings, just think Sanders will be more productive of the two

Son Of A Vidic

Blured wrote: »

All fair points - didnt mean to sound like I was calling you out!

You're grand, I should have put up the stats in my earlier post anyway to support my claim.

Blured wrote: »

I will say, in defence of Sanders, 2013 was the first year he was the no.2 receiver for the Steelers which lead to an improvement in his stats. Before that he has been behind Wallace, Brown, Ward, etc.
I like both signings, just think Sanders will be more productive of the two

The lads are probably sick of me whining about us having two many smaller WR's and needing more like Dobson. So I'm delighted we got one. I was really keen on Sanders last year, but I like LaFells extra size and physicality.

Son Of A Vidic

Noel Jolly Fountain wrote: »

the reason id be surprised about ye getting him (apart from the value issue stated above) is that the issue if there is an issue is his attitude and bill and chip seem to have similar views when it comes to this.

I agree, Bill doesn't do diva's but that said, you know what he's like for rehab challenges. I'm guessing all this chatter with the Patriots predates us signing Edelman and LaFell so it's probably irrelevant now. Edelman was a priority, a bigger WR in LaFell was a priority and being realistic. DeSean is probably not now a real necessity. We have other areas of need that have to be addressed. Bill can pick up another WR if he wants one, in a well stocked draft class.

BizzyC

I cant see Jackson being given proper consideration unless it's great value, which it wont be.

It's not the case of a troubled past etc looking for a shot of success, this is a cocky guy who thinks he's the best and wants to be treated as such.

He wont be willing to keep quiet and do what he's told like Bill will demand.

Hazys

Saw this gif, i had to share

eagle eye

Sometimes cocky players shut up when they are playing with legends. When you get a little praise from a legend like Belichick or Brady its means a lot. When Jackson was finishing high school Brady had his third ring and Belichick was the best coach in the NFL. Coming to the Patriots might be a humbling experience for the man and it might work out very well for both sides.

As said already its not like this guy is trouble off the field, he is just cocky.

Son Of A Vidic

To see what he can bring, I love this catch from LaFell while in traffic and very nice body control to keep in bounds....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_pf8AMCao

BizzyC

Looks like Blount will moving on soon.

Free agent markets for RB is heating up, can see the Steelers picking him up, Ravens also interested apparently.

TO.

BizzyC wrote: »

Looks like Blount will moving on soon.

Free agent markets for RB is heating up, can see the Steelers picking him up, Ravens also interested apparently.

I dont think he will get what he is looking for in the FA and will either settle with an offer with Pats once his value is established or a contract with slightly more money elsewhere. The market for Backs is deep right now.

Son Of A Vidic

He's visiting the Steelers today and then possibly the Ravens. There has been no in-house contract talks so far. So it's likely we happy for the market to establish value and then see whether he's worth that valuation or not.

TO.

Good article on Football Nation today about our 5 biggest draft regrets in the Franchises history. All very interesting but number 5 made me laugh out loud. :

New England Patriots: 5 Biggest Draft Day Regrets in Franchise History

The New England Patriots have appeared in 7 Super Bowls in their history, (2 Pre Belichick-Brady-2001-2013) and have won 3 World Championships. As great as that resume sounds, you can look at the teams draft decisions and find reasons why they have not won with this current regime as well as in the 1980s. Lets take at my choices for the worst Patriots draft mistakes since 1980.



1. The Jerry Rice trade:
Most Pats fans over the age of 40 (I am in this boat) remember the Patriots had two very good wide receivers in Stanley Morgan and Irving Fryar during the mid 80s. Both were borderline Hall of Famers and excellent players. However, in the 1985 NFL draft, New England traded there 1st round pick (#16) and 3rd (#75) to the World Champion San Francisco 49ers for a 1st (#28), 2nd (#56) and 3rd (#84). With the Pats 1st round pick the Niners selected a small college WR from Mississippi Valley State with amazing offensive production. His name? JERRY RICE. He turned out to be ok. The man owns 39 NFL records and played in a position player record 274 games. #80 is frequently referred to as GOAT (Greatest of All Time) by teammates and opponents. How good was Rice? He was voted #1 in the league’s inaugural countdown of the 100 greatest players of all time. I like to break down great players by 20-year gaps and during my 1st 20 years on Earth, Mr. Rice is one of my answers for the best player of that era, I nicknamed the group the Payton Rice Taylor trio. No further explanation is needed. #34, #80 and #56.



2. Tony Eason and the 1983 draft:
Eason was part of one of the greatest draft classes of all time which features 6 Hall of Famers, led by 3 franchise QBs in John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. One was drafted the pick ahead of him (Kelly, #14 by the Buffalo Bills) and the Miami Dolphin selected Dan Marino with the 2nd to last selection in the 1st round (#27 overall). Marino went on to break more records than Michael Phelps and destroyed the Pats (and the rest of the NFL) on a regular basis. Kelly became the face of the Bills and leading Buffalo to 4 straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990-93. Eason was better than he was given credit for, particularly early in his career, but injuries and the success of both Kelly and Marino within the division combined to make his life miserable. When local favorites Steve Grogan and Doug Flutie were serving as backups, Pats fans would boo his every move and call for his benching. This was one of the more ugly situations in the history of the franchise.



3. Bill Parcells/Curtis Martin Compensation picks:
A highly visible power struggle over personnel decisions between Pats owner Robert Kraft and the coach he inherited - Bill Parcells - led to an ugly breakup between the team and its leader after the 1996 AFC Championship season. For the right to coach the hated division rival NY Jets, New England received four NYJ draft picks over 3 years - 3rd and 4th in 1997, 2nd in 1998, and a 1st in 1999. Only the last pick - LB Andy Katzenmoyer - turned out to be productive but a serious neck injury forced him to retire before the 2002 season. Parcells signed his pupil and Pats star running back Curtis Martin to a free agent offer sheet after the 1997 season and New England let him walk, receiving two selections for #28 in the 1998 draft. The Pats hit on the 1st rounder at #18 when Robert Edwards totaled over 1,400 yards total offense, scoring 12 touchdowns. However, Edwards suffered a catastrophic leg injury during a flag football game at that season’s Pro Bowl and never regained his old form. Martin went on to a Hall of Fame career in New York and is currently 4th all time in career rushing yards.



4. The Late 2000s draft droughts:
From 2006-2009, the team hit a major dry spell and missed on several high draft picks. During this time frame, New England lost several key members of both the scouting and front office, most notably GM Scott Pilli (2009) and Director of College Scouting Thomas Dimitroff (2008). Only 5 players remain from these 4 draft classes (OG Logan Mankins, LB Jerod Mayo, Special teams captain Matthew Slater, RT Sebastian Vollmer and WR-KR Julian Edelman) and this fact has to be a contributing factor in why the team has come up short of winning more Super Bowls in recent years.



5. Urban Meyer’s Gator Group:
The current coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes gained much of his success winning 2 National Titles while coaching the Florida Gators (2005-2010). He is also a close confidant of Belichick and sold him on 4 of players during his time in Gainesville. Most of these players came with red flags relating to character and/or criminal behavior. Bill would like to send them all back to Florida. With postage. WR Chad Jackson (2nd rd, 2006) could not play at all while LB Brandon Spikes (2nd round, 2010) could but has issues with lateness, injuries, discipline and pass coverage. Jermaine Cunningham (2nd rd, 2010) was drafted to rush the passer, barely saw the field (3.5 sacks in 3 years) and was suspended for performance enhancing drugs. Finally, we have EASILY the best player in the lot, #81 TE Aaron Hernandez. A matchup nightmare who was too big for defensive backs yet too fast for linebackers , Hernandez formed the best tight end duo in NFL history with Rob Gronkowski. The man could play (175 catches, 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns in 3 seasons) but missed the team meeting about not murdering people. Allegedly. After his shocking arrest this summer, the Patriots cut him. Immediately. Something tells me if Jim Brown played for Meyer, Belichick would pass.

BKWDR

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/03/24/robert-kraft-hopes-work-something-out-with-vince-wilfork/5Yffi2S10SF5hjvVmuy0aK/story.html

Positive about Wilfork

Son Of A Vidic

Great post there TO. The swapping of our pick with the 49er's and them taking Rice must count as the worst of the lot. And number 5? Well it speaks for itself really.

BizzyC

Interesting point on the 06-09 draft classes.
You can really see the effect that those drafts have had.

Son Of A Vidic

BKWDR wrote: »

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/03/24/robert-kraft-hopes-work-something-out-with-vince-wilfork/5Yffi2S10SF5hjvVmuy0aK/story.html

Positive about Wilfork

I'd be very cautious still though. Kraft loves him, but he's also a businessman who pays the wages of the entire roster. Vince is one of our greatest ever Patriots, but he needs to see the logic of the team position. Even without the complications of the injury he suffered, his cap hit is way too high. It was weird when he immediately came out on twitter praising Talib for the deal he got.

Not really the done thing from a team captain and an influential leader in the dressing room. Then several days later it made sense when he asked to be released. I didn't realise he also cleared out his locker on the same day, which I found to be a bit petulant. Hopefully he'll see sense and they'll get a deal done. But as much as I love him for the player and leader he was, I don't want him holding us to ransom.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Regular season 6th game V's Saints (11-5)

The Saints came into this game in good form at 5:0.

It seemed like it could another one of those games for the offense when Dobson dropped a simple catch with nobody around him; but he recovered well and made some big plays (6 catches for 63yds).

The offense scored 17pts in the first half, but Tom was under a lot of pressure and was sacked four times (5 in total for the game).
The Pats did put together a number of long drives in the game, but had to settle for 3pts at the start.
Saints came back to make it 7:3, but then two Ridley TD's (Ridley had a good game with 20 carries for 96yds; Blount had started but only made 9yds on 7 carries), left the HT score 7:17.

We had a poor Q3 in which the Saints came back.
Saints started with a FG and then a TD; before Gost kicked a 54yd FG to leave it at 17:20 at the end of Q3.
Amendola also went out on that FG drive; took a heavy hit and was pretty much knocked out.

The defense had a good game overall.
But we didn't get enough QB pressure, with just the one sack, but did force the INT.
Jimmy Graham was catch-less in the game.
Restricted Brees to 236yds (only bettered by the Seattle defense in 18 other games Brees played).
Pats D forced a number of 3 and outs towards the end to give the offense the chance to win the game.

Into Q4 and the Pats D force a sack (Chandler Jones) and then pressure on Brees results in Arrington getting the INT.
Pats can only get a FG from that opportunity.
Saints drive the length of the field for a TD, 24:23. Saints were on the Pats 35yd line, 3rd and 20, Brees hits Stills in double coverage, Gregory too late to get across.

With 2mins 50secs to go, Pats on their own 20yd, going for it on 4th and 6, the Pats fail. Saints score a FG, 27:23.

Tom gets picked off at the Saints 30yd line, trying to connect long with Edelman. Saints reckon it's now over, but another 3 and out (Chandler Jones takes down Brees) gives the Pats another opportunity with no timeouts and starting on their own 30yd line.

1min 13 secs left; Brady to Edelman for 23yds.
54 secs left; Brady to Collie for 15yds.
40 secs left; Brady to Dobson for 5yds.
Edelman twice drops tough catches at the 1yd line.
24secs left; Brady to Collie for 10yds.
10 secs left; Brady to Thompkins for the TD!

"Brady's back. That's your quarterback. Who left the building. Unicorns, show ponies, where's the beef!"


Pats moved to 5:1, up next a trip to the Jets.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Son Of A Vidic

munstermagic11 wrote: »

The Rob Ryan Gif is just the epitome of pain and being totally sickened.