Yeah. It’s way too early to be thinking about
these things.
Have you ever noticed that in the absence of
information, we tend to fill that void with thoughts of doom on a planetary
scale? Okay, maybe that’s just me.
In my
previous post, I noted the insanity in a proposed trade of Tom Brady for
Houston’s #1 pick in the 2014 draft and turning that pick into Johnny Manziel.
While that seems too crazy – even if the Patriots thought Blake Bortles was
Andrew Luck 2.0 – it doesn’t mean something a little less crazy might happen. Maybe
even a few somethings auguring doom on a planetary scale.
Vince Wilfork is a salary cap cut; signs with Dolphins…
The consensus of the pigskin cognoscenti is that
Big Vince will renegotiate his contract, reducing his $11.6m cap hit, and
retire a Patriot three years hence. What if Wilfork decides he’d rather not
re-work his deal with New England? The Patriots could seek cap space elsewhere
and pay the man. Wait, what? That doesn’t sound like Bill Belichick, does it?
Complicating the situation is Wilfork’s recovery from a blown Achilles tendon.
His contract plus the injury makes him virtually untradeable; certainly, the
Patriots are unlikely to find much value in return even if they could find a
trade partner.
Wilfork being cut and signing with Miami is certainly
a worst case scenario. An extension that frees up cap space and gives Vince a
few more years in New England and another shot at a Super Bowl win is far more
likely, though, isn’t it?
Please say yes!
Logan Mankins is a salary cap cut; signs with Texans…
Bill Belichick’s admiration for Logan Mankins’
toughness is well documented and if anything the offensive line needs to get
better, not worse, but Mankins is carrying a hefty $10.5m salary cap number as
well. If Dan Connolly is on the salary cap bubble with his $4m cap hit, I’d say
Mankins situation bears watching. The last contract negotiation with Mankins
was ugly.
You have to think Bill O’Brien will be watching
for roster churn on the Patriots. He’s just two years removed from his job as
offensive coordinator for New England so he would also have an appreciation for
Mankins. Would the Texans give up their second round pick for Mankins? Does it
make sense to keep Connolly who struggled at times in 2013 and let Mankins go?
I’ll say no and no.
While I can embrace the optimism regarding
Wilfork, I’m not so sanguine when it comes to Mankins renegotiating his
contract. As much as Belichick the HC loves Mankins, we shouldn’t forget that
Belichick the GM believes to his core that no single player is bigger than the
team.
Ryan Mallett is traded to Cleveland; leads Browns to AFC North
Championship…
I was going to say “breaks Manning’s single season
passing TD mark” but somehow the prospect of the Browns taking over the AFC
North seemed even crazier than that. It goes without saying that the draft
pick(s) New England would get in return would be busts on the order of Shawn
Crable, Chad Jackson and Laurence Maroney.
It seems far more likely the Patriots will simply
hold onto Mallett for 2014 and let him walk in 2015, much like they did with
Brian Hoyer but what if Mallett lights it up in the preseason and the Browns
come knocking with an offer the Patriots can’t refuse? I can’t conceive of what
that might be, though. I can’t see them parting with Joe Haden. Mammoth
defensive lineman Philip
Taylor to replace Vince Wilfork doesn’t exactly make me feel like buying
Super Bowl XLIX tickets, either.
Aqib Talib signs with the FC of DC…
Raheem Morris, who coached Talib in Tampa Bay, is
now the DC for the Washington Football Club. Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft has already
hinted that he isn’t willing to open his checkbook for the oft-injured
shutdown cornerback. It’s hard to blame Talib for following the money. He’s 27
and this is likely his last chance for a big money contract. If the FC of DC or
any other team for that matter is willing to pay the man, he’s gone.
Don’t even start with talk of moving McCourty back
to cornerback.
Julian Edelman signs with the NY Jets…
The Bill O’Brien connection may be a little
overblown as Edelman was more punt returner than wide receiver when O’Brien was
OC for the Patriots but it makes sense that O’Brien will bring the same
offensive concepts to Houston and he’ll need a reliable slot receiver to make
that work. But that’s not a worst case scenario; Edelman signing with the Jets
is.
Jules certainly has earned the payday. The
100/1000 receiving season would be enough, but he is also still one of the best
punt return men in the NFL. Edelman, like Talib, is 27 and will be looking for
long-term financial security. It doesn’t make fiscal sense for the Patriots to
release Amendola; they also have Josh Boyce and T.J. Moe for depth in the slot.
Whether it’s the Jets or the Texans, we should all
start getting used to seeing Edelman in another uniform in 2014.
LeGarrette Blount leaves, too? LeGarrette Blount leaves, too…
Blount is – you guessed it – 27 years old. Given
the actuarial charts on NFL running backs Blount must maximize his next contract.
When it comes to running backs in the modern NFL, it’s generally a buyer’s
market. Given this, it’s hard to say who would be willing to pay the man but my
guess would be the Arizona Cardinals. Blount would give them the big back they
need to match up with the NFC West rivals. The 49ers have Frank Gore and the
Seahawks have Marshawn Lynch. Blount, along with Andre Ellington on 3rd
down, would give the Cardinals a running game that should help keep Carson
Palmer upright and out of 3rd and long situations.
The Patriots will not overspend on Blount with
Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden under contract. Blount came into
the league and undrafted free agent and had to give up money to join the Patriots
so he can ill afford to leave money on the table. Even I can connect those two
dots.
I’m going to miss him.
Who invited this guy to the party?
Okay, I just can’t end this post on that note. Or
any of the notes that preceded it. Let’s say everything above actually happens
(except for the Browns winning the AFC North because that’s just crazy talk).
The Patriots would be swimming in cash. They could go after Jimmy Graham and
Greg Hardy along with other team’s cap casualties. They’ll be getting back
Jerod Mayo, Sebastian Vollmer and Rob Gronkowski and be looking for the second
year leap from Jamie Collins, Logan Ryan and Aaron Dobson.
That’s not so bad. Not bad at all.
Change can be good some times.
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