Gronk's New Deal and Notes
1. Gronk smash records. Gronk get paid. The Pats extended Gronkowski's contract 6 years, valued at $54 Million. The kid deserves it, but this news may very well irk Wes Welker, who has been trying to get a long term deal done. Apparently, the Patriots have their priorities straight, and value youth highly. Gronkowski is indeed the future of the franchise, and if you had been hesitant about picking up his #87 jersey, you can rest assured that Gronk will be in blue for years to come.
2. Perhaps locking down Gronkowski was a major roadblock in the Welker negotiations. Maybe the Pats will get a bit more aggressive with the Welker talks now that their financial situation is a bit clearer. Gronkowski is signed long-tern, and now a price point for Welker can be established with more certainty. However, I have said this before, and no deal has been done. Personally, I would like to see Welker get a long-term deal, but I concur with the organization in thinking that Gronk is a priority over Wes.
3. OchoCinco's departure is not surprising. The timing is really the surprising part. Why cut him before the preseason? Were his reps in OTAs that bad? Or perhaps his knowledge of schemes and routes is still vastly lacking? My guess is that his talents were not much different from those of Gaffney, Stallworth, and Branch. Releasing OchoCinco allows Belichick to rid himself of the constant media circus that surrounded his playing time, or lack thereof. Getting rid of Ocho could actually have a positive impact on the locker room because despite his scaled back personality, he was always a distraction. Haynesworth and Ocho didn't work out as well as Moss and Dillon, but I can't fault Belichick for trying.
4. Another move, which surprised me most of all, is the release of Markell Carter. After spending all of last year on the practice squad, it is hard to expect much from Carter, but this is also the same guy that was given a salary increase while on the practice team. I had high expectations, but apparently the coaches were not seeing the development they had hoped for. Also, the front-7 is quite crowded with the new additions from the draft and free agency. Carter was likely headed for the scout team again, but it is likely that another team would try to sign him off the practice squad (as they did last year). Seems like this move was the right one.
5. Injuries at TE have been prominent, and it bears watching. Will Gronkowski be ready to go in week 1, and will his missed time this offseason reflect in his play? Also, why did Aaron Hernandez miss practice on Thursday? I am not sure, but hopefully Bo Scaife can fill in if injuries continue.
2. Perhaps locking down Gronkowski was a major roadblock in the Welker negotiations. Maybe the Pats will get a bit more aggressive with the Welker talks now that their financial situation is a bit clearer. Gronkowski is signed long-tern, and now a price point for Welker can be established with more certainty. However, I have said this before, and no deal has been done. Personally, I would like to see Welker get a long-term deal, but I concur with the organization in thinking that Gronk is a priority over Wes.
3. OchoCinco's departure is not surprising. The timing is really the surprising part. Why cut him before the preseason? Were his reps in OTAs that bad? Or perhaps his knowledge of schemes and routes is still vastly lacking? My guess is that his talents were not much different from those of Gaffney, Stallworth, and Branch. Releasing OchoCinco allows Belichick to rid himself of the constant media circus that surrounded his playing time, or lack thereof. Getting rid of Ocho could actually have a positive impact on the locker room because despite his scaled back personality, he was always a distraction. Haynesworth and Ocho didn't work out as well as Moss and Dillon, but I can't fault Belichick for trying.
4. Another move, which surprised me most of all, is the release of Markell Carter. After spending all of last year on the practice squad, it is hard to expect much from Carter, but this is also the same guy that was given a salary increase while on the practice team. I had high expectations, but apparently the coaches were not seeing the development they had hoped for. Also, the front-7 is quite crowded with the new additions from the draft and free agency. Carter was likely headed for the scout team again, but it is likely that another team would try to sign him off the practice squad (as they did last year). Seems like this move was the right one.
5. Injuries at TE have been prominent, and it bears watching. Will Gronkowski be ready to go in week 1, and will his missed time this offseason reflect in his play? Also, why did Aaron Hernandez miss practice on Thursday? I am not sure, but hopefully Bo Scaife can fill in if injuries continue.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteQuel dommage, Chad.
I was really hoping Chad would get the offense this year. Alas. Anyway, now that he's gone, I think the WR roster is complete. If Brandon Lloyd is the new Randy Moss (and OTA reports say as much), then the last time these boys were all in the same field--including Josh McDaniels--it was for a fabled regular season. I think all the veterans will make the roster, Branch vs. Gaffney, Gaffney vs. Stallworth and all.
That being said, I'm really hoping that the Patriots repeat it, except they lose a single regular-season game. Just so that it totally reverses the meaning of "18-1".
Anyway, Gronk absolutely breaks games and matchups, so there was no way that Bill would ever let him walk. Aaron, however, Bill will wait on. (I'll bet that after his rookie contract is up, he--like Asante Samuel--will test the FA waters and come out with a dynamite deal somewhere). Neither one of them have anything to worry about, I think. Injuries aside: whatever Josh is going to tell them to do that's new, will probably build on what they already know. Same thing with Lloyd.
I think because the organization already has the franchise tag on him, they're just going to wait until all the dust settles on Welker before giving him a deal. Gronk looks like he's one of the bigger pieces of Cap-tetris, but there's still people like Aaron, and Andre Carter, and only the Lord knows who else how much the Patriots are paying them without an extension. But one thing is certain:
Welker will get his deal.
Stats may be for losers, but as a tool in this context they adequately describe what he is: as a wide-receiver, he's the first of his kind. Partly due to the offense in which he plays in an offense that--while an amalgam similar to various prior offenses--is unique in its utility of him. If you're Bill, would you risk overpaying the sui generis slot specialist, or ride out a year to see if you can haggle him until you're sure of what you're going to spend on everybody else?
Cheer's that the Defense is humming as it should.
Well said Matthias, I think that interspersed latin phrases give your comment a little sense that we shall go quo fata ferunt.
ReplyDeleteThe sky is not the limit for this team. The Defense in 2007 is often forgotten, but they were a good all around team.
A major difference on D is that there is a lot of youth, where in 07, the majority of starters were 10+ year veterans.
The 07-12 comparisons are inevitable because of the return of Josh McDaniels, but let us remember that this team has yet to win a game or even have a mandatory practice.