Pats expected to release Colvin

they are playing with fire with no water in sight..................

An expected move. Doesn't mean he is gone for good but, that cap number is way too high. Also, they may have concerns about his latest injury.

What are the chances they can bring him back for less money?

the beginning of the end...thank BB...

Enter : Gholston. Dude's a freak.

Whoa... I hope they have something up their sleeve or maybe they would resign Colvin.... though, as good as he is, he always seems to be hurt.

According to Miguels' Unofficial Pats Salary Cap page his contract info is below.
As I remember it, he missed all of 2003 because of injury. He was medicore in 2004 while still recovering from the injury. 2005 & 2006 were decent years. He lost a lot of 2007 plus the playoffs because of injury. While he was decent when healthy, he is not worth $5.5M and cannot be relied on to stay healthy.

Rosevelt Colvin - ESPN.Com's Len Pasquarelli reported that "Although most reports had the Colvin contract as a seven-year, $30 million deal, NFLPA salary documents show it at six years, $25.85 million. Essentially, for a veteran some people felt was the premier player in the unrestricted pool, the Patriots paid only the going rate for a linebacker, a little over $4 million annually. There is a $6 million signing bonus and base salaries of $550,000 (for 2003), $2.1 million (2004), $2.6 million (2005), $3.6 million (2006), $4.6 million (2007) and $5.5 million (2008). There are additional incentives of $300,000 each for the final three years."

in a non business thinking kind of way, this is a dumb move.. they needed him in the worst way at the end of the season.. they are so old and slow its sad. althoough everytime they do stuff like this i get annoyed and they end up in the conf championship game.. who knows, but i really dont like this move, bc you also know they're not paying samuel.. I guess all this money is going to moss..

Holy crap I definitely saw this coming a year or so ago when i looked at his contract. This is a tough blow to the pats. Rosey had his share of injuries, but in the end he was quite a player. He fit the patriots scheme almost perfectly his first year here. His hip probably cost him 2-3 PRIME years. Here's hoping he finds another team, far away from the east and the AFC...

Scary thought if Bruschi and Seau don't come back. There's no backup ready to step up.

When healthy, Rosey gave the Pats a good rush off the edge. Unfortunately, he was never healthy enough for long enough stretches to justify that huge $7.6m cap number. I hope he considers coming back at less money and that the Pats want him back at their price. He can still be a nice complimentary OLB. Good luck to him whatever happens!

Big mistake. Let's take an already super thin LB unit and make it even thinner. Excellent.

Nothing personal Rosie...just bidness.

Why all the concern. It's not like the Pats haven't done anything like this before. I'm sure they have a plan. Don't fret.

stupid move....too bad Bob Kraft can't take some of the money he got from jacking up season ticket prices to re-nogotiate a new deal

I think he'll be back. Rosey is a smart guy. He knows he could make more elsewhere, but he'll be back, at a cheaper price. All players know their last years of a 4+ year contract are probably not going to fly, since most are back loaded.

Don't be getting rid of that #59 jersey just yet.

looking very very shaky at LB as the days go on. Gholston would be huge, but we need to find a few solid vets too

This was expected...oh well...pat's become a more basic 3-4 defense while bb retools with new players who can come in and learn the system...which isn't easy...who knows...some other free agent might shine in '08 to help out the LB corps!!!

Very surprising...I thought they were at least going to renegotiate his deal. No way the Pats were going to pay a player coming off the IR 7.6 million. Your exactly right writeman...nothing personal., strictly business...

I loved Rosie, but he has been injury-prone and inconsistent. BTW, I am not worried at all about Bruschi retiring. In fact I am hoping for it. It's time to get younger, more athletic in the LB corps. This is the deepest LB draft in years, according to many scouts and Mike Mayock on NFL Network. In Bill (and Scott) I trust.

I dont think it will be that bad. This might mean they are more likely to get gholston instead so they need to clear some money. Remember the Colts when they had to get yugoh(?) and some other rookies to step up when their key players retired/ went FA? I see Pats maybe doing that as well to get some young legs in.

Uh oh, the sky is falling and Belichick & Pioli have no plan to deal with this (as usual). Methinks those who desire to be depressed will find it no matter what the news; the realists will do the wise thing which is to wait and see.

They better go after Gholston!!!

way WAY too much for Rosie toward the cap -- they both knew this day was coming. Tough break being hurt all the time, but you couldn't really count on him to be healthy.

He may come back for less.

Gholston is a freak -- MikeyMike hit the nail on the head.

Colvin has not been healthy since his first year with the Pats. My guess is they will find someone younger and less injury prone.....bye bye Rosie, it was a great ride.

Somehow I think the Patriots will manage, whether they bring him back or go in another direction. How can you doubt it after what Belichick and Pioli have done for this team after the past several years? The Patriots will still be the best team after all is said and done. But doesn't that Super Bowl loss still hurt?

good move got to get better at LB

Too bad he always seems to get hurt for playoffs. If he was healthy, Seau & Bruschi wouldn't have been playing every down and Eli would've been running for his life. It's too bad, but I have to agree that 7.6million is too high, I've gotta think they have other options, they always do. I for one panicked when Lawyer Milloy got let go, I won't make that mistake again. Have faith, they are still the elite team in the AFC until further notice. GO PATS!

rosie is a great linebacker when healthy hope the pats reconsider.

Look for the Pats to potentially change back to a 4-3 unless they can shore up the LB corps.

Just because they released him doesn't mean he can't come back. His cap hit was huge. They can still resign him at a cheaper price, of course if no one else signs him for higher.

Hahahahaha!! good, just a bunch of cheats anyway, will enjoy as you sink to the bottom as you desearve

Relax folks.. It's February .........More players want in than out.
Pace yourselves.
Sip your BB Cool Aid slowly.......very slowly. That's it.

It makes me believe that they know something about Bruschi and/or Seau's plans for an encore...

The Pats went for broke this year and almost did it. I suspect that if they had won they would have spent 2008 as a rebuilding year then go for it again in 2009/2010 and no one would have really cared. The team is old, has unproductive guys making too much money and they need to get younger and faster in a hurry. The D-line and O-line look good for a few more years (although Seymour might be on the way out) and Brady has at least 5 years left in him. Maroney could emerge as something of a playmaker but after that the roster drops off due to age or lack of talent. Major holes to fill at CB, LB and WR.

We saw in preseason of 2003 how great Colvin would have been. He suffered a hip injury that ends most careers in any sport. Sadly his potential was reduced at that time and he would make an excellent back up but not at his current number. I do wish him the best.

It was obvious as the year went on their entire linebacking corps needed a complete re-tooling. I'm sure Bill and Scott have some things up their sleeves. No worries.

Thank you Rosie for all you did for the Pats! Hopefull you can work a reasonable deal out with them to stay here....

Rosie's still a good player, and you need all the good players you can get. The Belichick-Pioli tandem is often credited for managing the cap well, so I'll have to give them a mulligan on this move. I hope they've made Colvin a respectable offer and he ends up coming back for two or three more years, but he has a right to do what's best for himself and, personally, I wish him the best no matter what happens.

Possibly we'll see a shift in scheme with Capers on board, and because of that they're looking for a different type of player. I hope that's the reason because I don't have much confidence in anyone currently on the roster who is not named Vrabel or Thomas.

Is it really time to panic?

In Pioli we trust...hasn't really done too badly up to this point -- and I agree with MikeyMike -- Gholston's got to be on their radar at #7 (unless you believe the Lito Sheppard rumors).

It's to make room for someone like Vilma or even Jason Taylor. This team always has a back up plan...

They won't draft a LB. Contrary to reports that Vilma can't play in a 3-4 is ridiculous as he's a flat out top end LB.

You have Thomas and Vrabel outside still, but I agree they need to do something for the middle. Again I'm sure they have a plan in place and we'll see them go deep in the playoffs again next season.

Come on!!!! they are going to save a little money this year, you don't mind do you, plus think of all the money they are going to make raising ticket price any where from say 20-30 dollars a seat....then we get that eyesore of a mall finished!!!!

"Enter : Gholston. Dude's a freak."

Yep

have to expect this-more time for Thomas to pair with Vrabel @ OLB. Colvin really was never the player he could have been after his hip injury. More concerned with what's going on inside with Tedy and Seau--either way we need to get some help thru the draft (hoodie isn't big on draft LB's high) or FA. Hoodie and Pioli must have a plan--got to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I Can't Believe That's What Pats Been Cut Him, There Is No Way Him For Go SomeWhere Else. Becuz He's Still Injury Reserved. I Hope BB Will Change His Mind For Colvin Future. If Draft Young Will Injury So Soon!. Then BB Will Let Colvin Squad A Practice For Return. You Know Colvin Is My Fave Guy/Fans. I Think BB Is Been Cut For Him So Soon! That Is NOT Right. I Hope BB Will Re-Consider About This. I Did Never Forget - He Did INT's By Chargers Rivers. Colvin Was So Smart Guy.

they say it was a foot injury, it may have been his hip again, the way they are about injuries you will never really know, whoever signs him will want to know.

I wonder if the Pats will go for Gholston at OLB in the draft or go for a corner back like Talib or Rodgers-Cromartie.

They could get younger and deeper at linebacker, for sure, but Corner is a problem as well.

I expect the Patriots to be looking for linebackers. I thought they may give Zach Thomas a try, though he is also aging. The Patriots, in their scheme, like to have a mature linebacker, especially in the middle. They may want to get a combination of experience and a bit more speed though. I am hoping that Adalius Thomas does more next year. Mike Vrabel is certainly solid, but they need a few more solid players to complement him.

Rosie was a solid player and always came up with some big plays but there was no chance in hell he was going to make $7mill in 2008.
I hope they can trade out of that 7 spot though. I dont want them paying some rookie $20mill garanteed.

Don't worry. Rosey might be back and then we might even have Jason Taylor or someone like him on defense. I trust B.B. and Pioli know what they are doing don't you? Don't forget we also have the 7th pick overall. Way too early to panick about the defense. They will win it all next year and people like "soupkan" can cry in their soup again.

Just when you think they'll draft someone for the defensive back seven, their first pick will be an offensive lineman.

Bottom line -- too many $$$ -- recovery from hip injury was a bonus -- a good guy
on & off the field but there'll be a new Pioli find and as much as we don't want to see it come , Bru has one more year at best -- And we could see less of Seymour
-- time to get some new horses for the barn .

good lord....does the season start tommorow??. You people need to get a grip. This is what makes the pats great, their willingness to part with those whos value is surpassed by their salary. free agency has not begun, the draft has not happened, the june 1st cuts have not happened, and training camp is months away.

The goal every year is to hopefully win the division and get to the playoffs. With this approach, they wont win every year, but they will stay competititive and have a "shot" every year.

For crying out loud, the Belichik/Pioli team know what they're doing! The linebacker corps needs an overhaul. Thomas and Vrabel are a great pair of OLB's to rebuild around. If Bruschi and Seau have anything left in the tank and BB/SP think they can help the team, fine. Otherwise, let's cut BB/SP some slack and watch them work their magic.

I think the pats need to get younger and vilma and draft Gholston or even try to sign Dan Morgan

Teams were running right at him. He was a liability vs. the run. They are in some trouble but to pay a guy that much for the production....I think they did the right thing.

I Did Never Forget - He Did INT's By Chargers Rivers. Colvin Was So Smart Guy.

Um, yeah...

This move says to me that the patriots will not trade their # 7 pick in the draft unless they can trade down later in the first round. They will defintly go D back or a Vrable type linebacker.

Vernon Gohlston is the must pick to cover this loss at #7. He put #1 LT Jake Long on his butt a couple of times this year in the OSU win over Michigan. It was the only sack Long gave up all year.

They better grab Gholston, unless Mangina pulls a cock-block... what a loser!

Come on!!! Why is everyone panicking? Are we all supposed to believe in Bill Belichick?

People..calm down. Bill probably had a plan for LB before the super bowl. He is a constant thinker and most likely has his sights set on Vilma from the Jets (when we can talk to him that is) They will not draft a rookie LB, Bill doesnt operate like that. Rosie was injured more than he played for us. Also Bruschi led the team with tackles once again and their D ranked third overall..check the stats. Weak at LB..I dont think so. Rob says we have major holes to fill at WR..what??

Ahm, 7 months before kick-off of the 08' season. Plenty of time to tinker and re-tool that LB corp. Can we worry about the.....Sox bullpen depth or something?

Don't get your hopes up for Gholston...he might not even be there at #7 after the combine he had.

I'm not a huge fan of combine results. I don't know too much about Gholston other than he had a great combine.

AT is the only solid player left in that LB corps. Vrabel might have a year or two left, but that's it.

Thanks for everything Rosie. For coming back injury and giving it your all.

Switch to 3-4, have Green-Seymour-Wilfork-Warren on the DL and sign Lance Briggs to play middle LB. A. Thomas-Briggs-Vrabel on LB Corps....

Now that would be a Front 7!!!

You can't invest that much $$ in a player who is over 30 and injury prone. Plus every player in the NFL will tell you they go for big signing bonuses and other "front loaded" parts to the contract because they know the last years of the contract will never come to fruition.....it's decisons like this that got NE 3 SB's....it is very early in the offseason.....

Why do you think Seau and Bruschi are any good anymore, they havent been good for three years. Colvin is a stud and a huge blow

THE HOUSE OF CARDS IS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE!!!!!

uh...Bruschi LED the team in tackles dufus.