Patriots, NTs & the draft

Hi Mike,
Do you have an insight on whether there are signs of big VW extension? I know you have mention a couple of times in your mailbag that the current labor situation could affect his extension within the year, and probably the chances of getting a deal done after the season is the better option but the odd thing is his stock would be much to what it is now.? And resigning the other FA, Seymour, Mankins, Green and Faulk will also take a huge hit with that. So some of our best players will be gone after the year.

Nikko, I don't have much to forward that story. It had been real quiet as of a couple months ago. Not sure if that's changed at this point.
--Mike

Mike, obviously you (as I do, and I think most other people do) feel that singing Wilfork is a top priority. What do you really feel his value is? If he wants Haynesworth money, do you feel that the Pats should open the vault and give it to him? It looks like, outside Haynesworth, the average is about 7.5 million (Haynesworth's deal comes in at around 14 mil/season if he actually lives up to it and they keep him for the full 7 years).

Last season (according to the USA today salary database), Kris Jenkins had a cap hit of about $6 mil, Tommie Harris (Bears) had a hit of about $6 mil, and Pat Williams (who, although a 4-3 DT, still causes an equal amount of havoc at the line and I would say is a comparable player to Wilfork) had a hit of about $8.4 mil. Do you feel that Wilfork is worth $8.4 mil/year...will he be satisfied with that, and are the Pats willing to pay it?

It should be a pivotal off-season. I wonder if they will wait and see how the cap limit (or uncapped year) plays out and then franchise Wilfork if necessary. Ron Brace does not exactly excite me, I don't see him ever being the backfield disruptor that Wilfork can be at times...then again with the Pats his priority is to eat up blocks first/foremost. An interesting gamble/insurance could be Chris baker from Hampton. Got kicked of the Penn State team for being involved in a couple of fights and ended up at Hampton. 6'2, 325 lbs, 5.03/40. Apparently, he got caught in a couple of bad situations but many feel he is actually a good kid who may not be as much of a character concern as his track record suggests.

Mankins will be interesting to me because I feel the Pats, like many teams, would be reluctant to pay huge money to a guard. Guard's are starting to get huge paydays in some instances (Snee - 6 years/44 mil, Faneca and Hutchinson both avg about 7-8 mil/year) and you can usually get a top guard in the draft in late first round through the second and third rounds, also many top college centers have the ability to play the position. I imagine Mankins will get a 7 mil/year offer if he makes it to free agency.

One guy you might want to add to that list is Sammie Lee Hill from Stillman, Mike. I believe the Patriots had a private meeting with him a couple weeks back where they worked him out. He's a widebody for sure, at 6' 4" and 330 lbs., and while raw, supposedly took well to coaching during workouts, his pro day at Alabama and in postseason activities.

If I had to guess I would say Watson & Green will get offered a very low ball contract and leave for teams that are trying to build from nothing, Faulk will take a one year contract to stay, Wilfork & Mankins will get nice deals and be back, Seymour will leave. I've changed my mind to think they'll draft a defensive lineman over a linebacker to replace Seymour and maybe even a Percy Harvin to replace Faulk.

I see the Steelers signed their defensive star to a big contract to keep him in Pittsburgh for the next six years. Why haven't the Patriots done the same with Wilfork? The longer this lasts, the more his price goes up.

You guys are all forgetting one thing...

They're all in their CONTRACT YEARS = BIG production. Its clear to me that Belichick and Co have already decided on franchising Wilfork next year. That means we get the most out of Wilfork because of impending free agency in a year or two.

Hey Mike,
The recurring theme with the negotiations and subsequent loss of Asante Samuel was "we should have locked him up when we the chance." In the case of Wilfork, is this our last chance, and at what point do we cross over that line? Obviously waiting until the seasons over is too late. Is there a deadline, in your opinion, that beyond a certain date he will go the same route as other departed ex-patriots?

LeKevin Smith is the top backup at NT i thought. At least that's what it says on the Pats depth chart.

Short term, I think depth is a concern at NT.

Wow, nice take, Sonny! I know these posts are about the NT, but I think you did a good job of looking into the crytal ball regarding next year's free agency concerns. Spot on, in my opinion!

I think there's something to waiting to see how the salary cap issue unfolds before deciding how to spend money right now, with so many contracts coming up for renewal. And like was said, they'll franchise him if they have to - no way he gets away.