Patriots to host CB Springs

He was a great corner once. If he can't play corner for us, he would probably make a decent free safety or add decent dept in nickel or dime coverage.

Mike Reiss is reporting that the Patriots will host free agent Hillary Clinton to play cornerback. Reiss is confirming that this is a brilliant move and that Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick are humanitarians that will likely cure cancer any day now.

(pulling strings)

I think they should go after Roy Williams . He is on the way out.of Big D Nice to see Jr Josh alienate Cutler in Denver. What a joke . Cassel could not tie Cutlers shoes. I hope the Broncos vie for the Lions 2008 record and he gets canned after the first season . The guy was not ready to be a hc . Already a mess. O I hope Matt has his running shoes cleaned up because he will be running for his life at KC Johnson,Gonzalez want out along with their top o line guy. I feel sorry for him. Hey Mike put on your Sherlock Holmes cap on and see if the Vikes asked about MC .I wonder if BB wanted AP and all of their 2009 draft choices to get back at Childress for riipping off Brad Mills

THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE TO BE A LOT BETTER THAN WE WERE IN THE SECONDARY LAST YEAR !!!

meh

We don't need anymore below average CBs

And we don't need anymore 33 year olds

The Pats really need to go after Bodden instead as Springs does not solidify the corner position for years to come. Bodden is also underrated and is flying under the free agent radar. The only thing with Bodden is that at his age he's probably going to go to the place that gives him the best deal, as this is his last shot at a bigtime contract.

The best value for a replacement CB seems to be the draft. The free agent CB market seems to be one of the most expensive for defense (or at least it seemed that way before Haynesworth signed). Plus it is a position that relies heavily on speed so youth is at a premium. The Pats have a shot at taking one of the top 4 CBs in the draft at pick no. 23 or 32.

Wheatley played very well against Harrison before his injury, and looks like he could start opposite Hobbs. At the #23 position we are probably looking at a 4 year contract for under $10M. I believe Mayo at #10 signed a four year deal for $15M.

Do you agree with those numbers Mike?

The bottom line is they need corners and they probably in addition to springs or bodden they will draft CBs in the first or 2nd round (Alphonso Smith Vontae Davis) and that will help them win a championship

SHAWN SPRINGS=DELTHA ONEIL.

Wheatley and Wilhite are likely the corners of the future, and Richardson could come around, too. Springs would be a good (not great) interim corner, and could likely play some FS, as well. So if he was willing to sign for the right price, I'd actually prefer Springs over Bodden.

Although off topic, I'd like to comment further on the Cassel/Vrabel trade. I read a rumor that the Patriots were going to cut Vrabel if they hadn't traded him to the Chiefs. So if that is true, the trade is still disappointing because Cassel alone should have been worth more than a single 2nd round pick, but at least the Vrabel part of the trade makes some sense. If not true, I would prefer the Patriots hadn't franchised Cassel, kept the services of Vrabel one more year and received the 3rd round compensation pick in 2010 for the loss of Cassel.

What we need is Julius Peppers in our Front 7. Could you just imagine what that will do for our defence!

Yay...more s&*t to throw at the wall and see what sticks... Woops...there's another 3rd down conversion for the opposition!

I expect the Pats to sign a big free agent in the next few days. Why else were they in a hurry to trade Cassel for less than what the market gave in similar trades in the past.? It's not like there are other high quality QB's on the market vying for a few buyers. Timing wise, the draft is still a month away. If the Pats don't do anything with their newly acquired $17 mil cap space from now until draft day, then it makes it look even more like Belichick gave away Cassel and Vrabel to help his friend Pioli. In that case, Pats fans got ripped off.

Springs and Bodden are not starters anymore in the NFL they are, at best nickle CB's. Why are the Patriots interested in these two guys? they are not playmakers. This defense needs a huge changeover the corners we have now are second rate at best, I mean Ellis Hobbs? Paaalllease!! He is a midget and is couldn't tackle my sister in the open field. He would be a better full time punt/kickoff return man than a corner. Who the hell is going to play OLB? Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable, Eric "look at Dallas run by me" Alexander? Where will the non-existent pass rush come from? The Patriots need to be smart and draft at least 3 impact starters. They need to stop the bargain bin shopping and draft great players not pay cheap money for more stiffs. I think Nic Caserio is in over his head .

MIKE REISS ... CASSEL TRADE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY NFL.... MIKE WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS? MIKE FELGER IS ALL OVER THIS ON WEEI... JAY MARIATTI BREAKING THE NEWS CHICAGO SUN TIMES! TAMPA BAY CLAIMS THEY OFFERED NE A FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE!!!!

GICK nailed it. All of our corners are BELOW average, in fact, HObbs for example isn't even close to being average.

Lito Sheppard is now gone. Signed with the Jetrs. The Pats need to do a lot more than just HOST corners. They are in awful shape at the corner with not one single bona fide, legit NFL calibre starting cornerback. Hobbs is the biggest waste of them all. He kills this team at the corner. I like him, I like his hard nosed play, but he is awful at the corner and better suited for inside nickel. The other one year players, rookies last year, are just too damned small for the NFL receivers of today.

I would love to see them draft Sean Smith our of Utah with that #34 pick. For whatever reason, the Belichick staff has just fallen to sleep on corners.

What a joke! Just like last year with the secondary. It looks like the same thing all over again. Why not contact someone down at the local high school to fill the role. They do not seem serious on picking up real corners anymore. Too bad.

The pats do not need any more ageing players. we need 3-4 year football players that can come in and play right away. It would not help them to bring in springs. Sign bodden or Mcfadden

WHR ....you are retarded. Jay Mariotti claims that the trade "warrants" a probe. It does not mean the NFL or anyone else will pursue it. This is all speculation. Oh, quit typing in CAPS you meathead.

"HObbs for example isn't even close to being average."

You are an idiot my friend, Have you ever watched the NFL and seen the type of crap corners that are getting made rich?

BB said at the draft he wants players who can play both safety and corner, Springs is now that player. A Springs signing would not make us stop going after Bodden or Greer.

Steve:

The Patriots won't pay the price for young veteran players. This
is why they sign players like Jason Webster, Fernando Bryant,
and Deltha O'Neil. Shawn Springs will be a Patriot by morning
if his asking proce is right. One year contract at 1-2 million.

The PATS need some speed on D. Vrabel wasn't bringing it and he was about to be cut. Get Jason Taylor for the edge rush and draft some young guys to play LB. The secondary looked awful last year in part because they had NO rush. If Seymour and Wilfork are so bloody valuable, why didn't they get more pressure last year? It took Wilfork two thirds of the season to get into shape. Seymour needs to be a dominant player (likes he's paid to be) and step up as a leader. The team has plenty of issues, but team speed on D is the # 1 issue.

Even if it takes one year of bringin in these younger playes whom we have drafted and will draft, i say lets save our roster spots for the young and the restless...we aint going to no super bowl with this secondary and we need to get younger and let them grow up together.

So, we go 11-5 next year and lose in the playoffs but it sets up the years after with a young, fast and experienced (and hungry for a ring) linebacker and secondary core build around Wilfork and the defensive line (whatever remains of it).

One step back 3 steps forward ho!

BB and the Patriots decision makers have lost their minds and are not living in reality. The 2009 season will be a complete bust if the Pats continue to sign old players. The NFL has been moving in the direction of speed and strength on offense and defense. The Pats need to cut Bruschi and other aged veterans who have their SB rings.
The Jets just made BB look like an idiot by signing Leto Sheppard. Sheppard should of been aquired last year after we lost Assante. While BB is in dreamland of days gone by, the Jets, Dolphins, Colts, Ravens and other teams are building a younger faster more powerful team for the present and future playoff runs.
Trading Cassel AND Vrable for one second round pick??? What jackasses!
BB did nothing after a once in a 100 year NFL super Bowl opportunity that ended in tragedy. Instead of a new stradegy by going back to a balanced run/pass game they expose Brady and lose him to injury. Despite the positive reports, Brady may never come back 100%. Get rid of Maroney, Bruschi and the aging veterans and lets rebuild for 2010 and beyond. They are trying to fix a leak in the dam by signing old men to stick their fingers in the cracks. Catastrohpe is coming! The Jets and Dolphins are circling the weak and aged Patriots for an easy kill. Kraft has placed too much trust in BB.

Does anyone have an accurate list of "good" free agents (secondary/DE/LB) that are still available? It seems as though the ship has sailed already on players that could have been a fit here.

well clearing out the cap and the reason they took a second round pick is Matt Cassel isn't worth the 3rd pick and KC was the only team offering that wouldn't then go and trade him to Denver where he would get with McDainels and be a threat besides clearing the cap is good NBC says that the Patriots are going to make a move for Peppers

too old and injury prone. pass on this one and sign bodden.

This guy can play but he is always injured.

Awesome, another aged FA corner to go on IR in August or get burned in October. Welcome to Foxboro, Starks/Scott/O'neal/hawkins/Webster/Bryant I mean Springs

Pepper or Jason Taylor.

KC deserved Cassel. KC took brady down. Cassel Shine, now KC picked him up. Theyre going down.

I dont think we need to worry too much about our defense, because BRADY IS BACKKKKK!!!

When we were going 16-0 Defense wasnt the problem. SO relax

Okay people. Look, we've always questioned BB and his moves. Look where they got us! 3 super bowls in 4 years! i say trust BB and it'll pay off. you'll see.

The fact that the Pats have hosted two free agent CBs in Foxboro in the past 48 hours (Bodden and Springs) indicates that they will be signing a free agent. The possible list includes: Dunta Robinson, Dre' Bly, Jabari Greer, Shawn Springs, Phillip Buchanon, Ronald Bartell, Leigh Bodden, and Patrick Surtain. Springs and Surtain will cost less due to age. The young guys at the front of this list will cost $5-7M per year with a 5 year deal and half that guaranteed. Stay tuned. We will be signing one of these guys.

Dunta robinson

Another old cornerback that can't play anymore. Sigh...