In response to bredbru's comment:
In response to rameakap's comment:
#5 - Welker
#7 - Talib
#10 - Vollmer
5-6 more games like the last 3 and the Pats MUST keep Talib. If Welker is allowed to walk it better be b/c he got 8+ million per for 4+ years and we have a backup plan like Amendola at half the $ and not just banking on Edelman.
Can we trust Vollmer to be healthy like he was this season for 3-4 more or will it be '11 again? Basically last year was a washout where he was healthy for like 6 games and finally showed up again for the super bowl and was terrible.
rame where you been, ive missed our thoughtfull and intelligent conversations about patriot football.
i have been posing the same questions with others on the draft thread about bb deciding if vollmers back will hinder his play and games palyed through his career or not.
before talib arrived in n.e., i hoped we go to man wiht dennard and talib and get more agressive with the de. to my pleasant astonishment, we have doen so and the de looks in rare form and i believe, with health, could also improve. after talibs 1st game, i hoped and would have attempted to extend talib while he was happy to jsut be in the laegue still, never mind with a supe rbowl team. i said then if we let him show how good and valuable he can be, he might get self confident and feel he should go make top money wherever the top $ is.
re welker started a couple threads the past couple weeks. did you see last week, bb having a lot of leverage to get welker to come down in his demands (hall of fame if he stays and continues same for another 3 years, yearly sb contention,. staying with his buddy and on the field connector brady, not having to start to create somenting all over again, etc.). id liek to offer him 5 years 2 guaranteed (keep him as long as he stays in top form) around 6 or up to 7 per.
talib may be the most important of the 3 (least replaceable) though i want a behavior based adn gaems played based contract 4 years, team option for 5.
though if we wave bye to vollmer i wonder if we get long for right tackle.
and woudl have to replace welker if he left.
Hey Bred, awesome stuff, I've been busy as always, can't believe it took me this long to get back to my thread.
Anyhow, tough loss Sunday night but it didn't make me too worried overall, ball protection is obv. a big issue, Brady hopefully won't throw picks when Gronk spreads things out and the stake's are higher in the playoffs.
I'm right there with you on our FA's. Welker should be given 5 years at 30-35 million with like 15 in signing bonus $. Other than the 1 freak knee injury he has been very durable. A guy like Stokley is still bringing it at age 36-37, Welker has 2 more years of catching 85-105 in him for sure, maybe it is our system but traditionally that is worth 7m+ for sure. After that he could re-work his deal if needed but he will at least be a guy catching you 3-4 a game, getting you a clutch 1st down, etc. Like Branch was last year. They gotta keep him.
Talib had a rough game vs. the 49ers but has been a much needed addition overall. I think it will be a case of the Pats having such a big need and him being grateful for the opportunity and playing for a winner that wanted him that they will come together on something rather quickly.
If the Pats don't sign Vollmer I hope it is b/c they have the inside scoop on his injuries and its just too risky. In that case a guy like Long or Clady taking over at LT and letting the cheaper Solder play RT and also slide to TE/6th lineman duty for some insane blocking scheme's would be pretty awesome.
