Patriots cowboy up

Page 2 of 8 -- Robert Edwards got a tryout in Carolina this week. Nobody deserves a chance to play in the NFL more than Edwards.

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Mark Witkin, hockey agent, attorney: Part of the greatest Boston sports talk show in history - the Sports Huddle - Mark handles contracts and affairs for about a dozen NHL players out of his downtown Boston office. Mark gives us a very unique food choice here, "Pie-in-theSky," a bakery in Cape Neddick, Maine, where he salivates over Bumbleberry pie.

Nick, Would it be possible for the Pats to restructure some contracts (e.g., Brady's or Seymour's) in order to use up the $4 million of extra cap space they have left for 2003? Wouldn't it happen automatically if they converted part of a signing bonus into a roster bonus or is it too late for that? Secondly, what changed with Antowain Smith? Why was he an effective rusher in 2001 but an ineffective one in 2002 and 2003? Did he grow old and lose a step or did he just get lazy after signing a contract? Do you think he is as well conditioned today as he was in 2001? Ciao, TC p.s. You do a great job answering such a broad range of e-mails.
-- Taha Champsi "TC"

A: Yes, the team will likely, in the weeks to come begin work on some pressing business. They are trying to get Damien Woody a long-term deal, but on their terms which, for the moment is being rejected. The organization is 50-50 on whether it should devote some of the money toward a long term deal for Kevin Faulk, especially with Mike Cloud bursting on the scene last week vs. Tennessee. So I think you'll see some of those deals re-worked. As for Smith, he played well against both the Redskins and the Titans. He appears to be coming on. Smith just needs the carries. I think he's just as fast or slow now as he was in '01.

Hi Nick: I've read that the Pats saved 4 million on this year's cap by cutting Milloy & that they will need to eat the bulk of his salary cap hit next year. Has their been any thought given to using this year's cap savings to increase Ty Law's salary this year & extend his contract by a year or two. By doing this, they could make Ty's future cap hits bearable. I don't have any issue with the team cutting a $5 safety. Cutting what might be the best CB in the league, for cap reasons, could be a franchise killer.
-- Matt Fitzpatrick

A: I think the Ty Law issue is similar to Lawyer Milloy. You have a team that has to get salary cap relief on Law's deal, and a player and an agent who believe the current contract is fine and that Law is playing up to it. Hard to pick a side on that one. Anything is possible, but I'd be surprised if there was anything done with Law during the season.   Continued...