New England Patriots thread (MOD WARNING - #4503)

Hazys

Eli Manning wrote: »

According to some sources they were about 4M off. So it's hard to know.

Was that 4M a year or the total contract?

I thought it was more of an issue with years on the contract.

Red Crow

Hazys wrote: »

Was that 4M a year or the total contract?

I thought it was more of an issue with years on the contract.

4 Mil total was what I read. Adam Schefter said the Patriots may let him test FA to see what other teams value him at.

davyjose

Eli Manning wrote: »

4 Mil total was what I read. Adam Schefter said the Patriots may let him test FA to see what other teams value him at.

Could be a risky strategy. Colts, for example have a fcuk-ton of cap space now that Manning's off the books. Our new OC will be using shorter, more precise routes, based on timing and precise running. Something Welker would excel at. Plus the value of having a guy like him working with Luck (Welker and Wayne... drrooolll) would be invaluable. I have no way of knowing, but I'd say we'd pounce.

Son Of A Vidic

Eli Manning wrote: »

According to some sources they were about 4M off. So it's hard to know.

I think he was offered 16/17 million for a two year extension. He was looking for 21 million. So there was a 4 million difference. I came across this last summer, sorry, I can't remember where I read it though.

davyjose

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I think he was offered 16/17 million for a two year extension. He was looking for 21 million. So there was a 4 million difference. I came across this last summer, sorry, I can't remember where I read it though.

So if he's tagged this year, he'll have essentially gotten his way -- $9.5m this season; $11.5m next season = $21m.

Son Of A Vidic

davyjose wrote: »

So if he's tagged this year, he'll have essentially gotten his way -- $9.5m this season; $11.5m next season = $21m.

Yes, the $21 million was his bottom line because of the cost associated with tagging him for the two seasons. The Pats were offering him $16-$17 million hoping to do good business and save themselves some money on the tags. Welker took a gamble because there was no guarantee that he would be tagged a second time and be guaranteed the $11.5 million. I want him to stay, but who knows if he will be tagged a second time this summer.

Son Of A Vidic

The line up for 2013, dates and times to be arranged. 2012 Win/loss record included for quick reference.

HOME

Denver Broncos (13-3)

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)

New Orleans Saints (7-9)

Miami Dolphins (7-9)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)

New York Jets (6-10)

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Cleveland Browns (5-11)

AWAY

Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

Houston Texans (12-4)

Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)

Miami Dolphins (7-9)

Carolina Panthers (7-9)

New York Jets (6-10)

Buffalo Bills (5-11)

Tristram

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

AWAY

Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

Houston Texans (12-4)

Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)

Those are four tough road games.

Son Of A Vidic

Tristram wrote: »

Those are four tough road games.

Indeed they are and lately, we always seem to be playing the Ravens at their home during the regular season.

JaMarcus Hustle

I think that's a pretty horrid schedule. Saints, Broncos and Steelers all at home will be tough, regardless of homefield advantage though you'd still expect us to be favourites. The 4 road games Tristram mentioned will also be a bitch, and I'd probably throw in Carolina there too as they really got their act together late in the season, though you'd wonder what they will throw at us minus Chudzinski.

HigginsJ

Laugh if you will but the Browns are also an improving team. They played alot of teams close this year.

Son Of A Vidic

I'd settle for 9-7 and winning the SB like the Giants did in 2011.


Disclaimer for any Giants fans in here: No, that's not a dig at the Giant. I would just gladly take some extra losses next season and end up winning the SB.

HigginsJ

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I'd settle for 9-7 and winning the SB like the Giants did in 2011.


Disclaimer for any Giants fans in here: No, that's not a dig at the Giant. I would just gladly take some extra losses next season and end up winning the SB.

We'd gladly take a 12-4 record next year

Red Crow

HigginsJ wrote: »

We'd gladly take a 12-4 record next year

You sniffing glue again pal?:pac:

Son Of A Vidic

Fúck it, I'd take a losing season, make the playoffs through a mathematical miracle and end up winning the SB.

walshb

Brady said it best himself when he said that 1 team succeeds each year and the other 31 fail.

HigginsJ

Eli Manning wrote: »

You sniffing glue again pal?:pac:

I know yea. Also how boring would 12-4 be?

davyjose

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Fúck it, I'd take a losing season, make the playoffs through a mathematical miracle and end up winning the SB.

You're in a conference with the Bills, fins, and Jets. That's the important thing to remember.

Son Of A Vidic

HigginsJ wrote: »

Laugh if you will but the Browns are also an improving team. They played alot of teams close this year.

One of the predictions that I did get right in the predictions thread, was the Browns would win 5 games this season. So they're certainly going in the right direction alright.

eagle eye

We'll go 12-4 or better again next season. It will then be all about the playoffs once again.

j8wk2feszrnpao

eagle eye wrote: »

We'll go 12-4 or better again next season. It will then be all about the playoffs once again.

Getting to the playoffs if very likely, although it looks a tougher schedule next season.
With a fully fit offense, I think the Pats can go all the way.

A non-fit Gronk last year and this year has been the difference between two SB wins and falling short. The guy is a matchup nightmare and is huge for the running game as well.

eagle eye

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Getting to the playoffs if very likely, although it looks a tougher schedule next season.
With a fully fit offense, I think the Pats can go all the way.

A non-fit Gronk last year and this year has been the difference between two SB wins and falling short. The guy is a matchup nightmare and is huge for the running game as well.

Yep, without doubt he is the most complete tight end in the league, only Jason Witten comes close.

Son Of A Vidic

Odin Brief Watchband wrote: »

A non-fit Gronk last year and this year has been the difference between two SB wins and falling short. The guy is a matchup nightmare and is huge for the running game as well.

Let's hope next year will be third time lucky and we'll have Gronk fully fit when we really need him. Agianst the Ravens we were playing the leagues best red zone defense. So having Brady's best redzone target unavailable, didn't make things any easier.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Let's hope next year will be third time lucky and we'll have Gronk fully fit when we really need him. Agianst the Ravens we were playing the leagues best red zone defense. So having Brady's best redzone target unavailable, didn't make things any easier.

He is our elite receiver and I think he's on his own in the TE position in the NFL.

We aren't far off winning the SB, a SB final and AFC final last two years is proof of that. Plus we are going to have more or less the same roster next season.

But we have only 5 draft picks next season, 2 of which are in the very late rounds. That means we have to 'hit' on our early round picks.

We do suffer from our consistent successful seasons with low draft picks.

Free agency will also be interesting. Some will automatically be out of our price range will others may be a risk.

The pass rush will be largely dependent on Jones stepping up next year. He had an impressive start for a rookie, before fading after mid-season injury. Hopefully his rookie year was a good learning curve and he can have an improved second season.

Syferus

Jimmy Graham would have something to say about someone even uttering that Gronk is on his own at the position.

Plenty of beastly TEs in the league, VD in San Fran being the best example outside of the Gronk-Graham tandem that's always bandied about.

Gronk is great but it's the NE system that use TEs so much in the passing game and the fact he has Tom Brady passing him the ball that are the biggest x factors in that arrangement.

Son Of A Vidic

Jimmy is a great TE and I don't think he would have any issue at all with Gronk being top of a very talented pile. Gronk's 11 TD's and 790 Yards despite missing 5 games, is just the kind of quality production which puts him there.

eagle eye

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Jimmy is a great TE and I don't think he would have any issue at all with Gronk being top of a very talented pile. Gronk's 11 TD's and 790 Yards despite missing 5 games, is just the kind of quality production which puts him there.

As a receiving tight end Jimmy Graham is definitely on the same level as Gronk but he is nowhere near as good at pass blocking or run blocking.

As I said earlier, for an all around complete tight end the only one that comes close is Jason Witten who was the no.1 all around tight end for a good part of the last decade.

eagle eye

Anyways Belichick was back at work getting ready for next year on Tuesday.

We signed Armond Armstead who played in the CFL last year. Armstead was a really promising prospect at USC but he had a heart attack and never played on 2011 which subsequently led to him going undrafted in 2012. He was an all-star in his rookie season in Canada and his team won the Grey Cup.

There are a lot of people who really rate him as a player. Schefter said its like getting an extra early draft pick. He is almost 300 pounds and can play DE or DT.

Just on the heart attack, he has sued USC over the medication he was given claiming it brought on the heart attack. Clearly he has proven his health is good now after completing a full season in Canada.

This first video is Armond playing for the Trojans against UCLA Bruins. He had a very good game and when he lined up on the edge he was facing TE Cory Harkey(no. 87) who is now with the Rams. The second one is his CFL year highlights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA8JN6l25Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZjbbph7O-g

Son Of A Vidic

eagle eye wrote: »

Anyways Belichick was back at work getting ready for next year on Tuesday.

We signed Armond Armstead who played in the CFL last year.

Ya seen that alright, he looks like potentially a very good move for us with very low risk involved. We have only 4 draft picks this season - a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and a 7th round pick. So landing Armstead is an unexpected bonus alright.

taidghbaby

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Ya seen that alright, he looks like potentially a very good move for us with very low risk involved. We have only 4 draft picks this season - a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and a 7th round pick. So landing Armstead is an unexpected bonus alright.

I said it in the Colt thread already but a few teams had Armstread in to have a look at him and I know the Colts made an offer to him too so he could be a good pick up for the Pats!