Wilfork Asks For Release

[NEhomer]

I'm a huge Wilfork fan and would hate to see him go, but the Patriots are in their nickel defense most of the time during the year and Wilfork is off the field. So Wilfork is being paid $8M as a situational player. That is way to much. And we all think his loss was the sole reason the run defense suffered and while he was a part of it, the guy lost in all of this Jarod Mayo(remember our tackling machine) was also out. I think releasing Wilfork and freeing up the cap room to to bring in quality run support LB (Woodyard) and another safety. I think Chris Jones, Saliviga(sp?) being back Sopoaga cheaper and maybe a rookie would be a good group with Kelley. They do need to find a pash rushing DE to spell Jones and Nink, maybe the draft or a FA. But $8M can get several quality situational guys that aren't coming back from injury and add depth. What if Wilfork reinjures his Achilles and then the Pats are SOL and using the same guys they did last year.

I'm not going to lie.....I'd love to see the havoc that a healthy Wilfork and Kelly could cause in the middle when teams have to pay attention to Jones.

Um, that's a hell of a first post. Welcome

 

[rehone]

I love Vince but he DOES NOT fit the 4-3 defense the Pats are moving to. He is not a DT that can pressure the QB and especially after an achilles. Rumor is rampart that Browner wants to play for Pats and I would love that. He is only 29 and he can play that hybrid position along with CB.

No offense to Vince but see you later Vince for $7+ million in CAP space and that would put us at $18 million in CAP space and would allow us to sign a Jared Allen, my choice, and Woodyard from Denver as a cover corner.

Would I take Nicks on a one year deal? sure would but it is unclear if he is interested. I am with JDM in that I kind of like the three kids we drafted at WR and I think Boyce is a potential lethal weapon in the slot although my ideal slot guy would be Jace Amaro at 6-5+ and 265 pounds and pray that Gronk is back and with everything else the offense is potent and lest we forget despite all the troubles last year NE was top 5 in offense and 3rd in scoring.

 

[Southieinnc]

Wow! ugly business. Vince has been the ultimate Patriot but.....
It is a big risk signing off these big bucks with this PARTICULAR injury. Maybe too big a risk.
You know, It is possible that Vince knows it's over and is making a move for the team. He is all class.
It is also posible that Vince is another pro that does nor recognize the time to quit.
Either way, it is likely Vince will make a difference somewhere but will slip away. We are rebuilding, his cap is a real problem. The timing of his injury with reference to his career is unfortunate. A little earlier he heals - a little later he retires. Can't blame him if he wants to keep going, can't blame NE if they want to quit paying.....

 

[BigKen]

Vince should be real careful. Even if the Patriots honor his request, they don't have to do it tomorrow afternoon, they can wait until June 1. If any team even accidentally dials his phone and talks to him, the tampering charge will cost them at least one first round pick and possibly two. As much as Goodell would hate to give Belichick a cup of coffee, Kraft would force him to do what has been done in the past.

Rumor is that the Patriots asked him to take a $4MM pay cut...............Vince thinks he's worth $7.5MM.

Hey Vince, call B.J. Raji and ask him how many phone calls he's gotten......he's a DT and he's what, 4 years younger and not coming off an injury.........think he'd take a $3.5MM contract???

 

[JasonCarrier]

Vince should be real careful. Even if the Patriots honor his request, they don't have to do it tomorrow afternoon, they can wait until June 1. If any team even accidentally dials his phone and talks to him, the tampering charge will cost them at least one first round pick and possibly two. As much as Goodell would hate to give Belichick a cup of coffee, Kraft would force him to do what has been done in the past.

Rumor is that the Patriots asked him to take a $4MM pay cut...............Vince thinks he's worth $7.5MM.

Hey Vince, call B.J. Raji and ask him how many phone calls he's gotten......he's a DT and he's what, 4 years younger and not coming off an injury.........think he'd take a $3.5MM contract???

I'd cut Wilfork and offer Raji the money we were going to offer Vince. Or look at Cody and one other big body and split the difference between the two.

 

[cdumler7]

Vince should be real careful. Even if the Patriots honor his request, they don't have to do it tomorrow afternoon, they can wait until June 1. If any team even accidentally dials his phone and talks to him, the tampering charge will cost them at least one first round pick and possibly two. As much as Goodell would hate to give Belichick a cup of coffee, Kraft would force him to do what has been done in the past.

Rumor is that the Patriots asked him to take a $4MM pay cut...............Vince thinks he's worth $7.5MM.

Hey Vince, call B.J. Raji and ask him how many phone calls he's gotten......he's a DT and he's what, 4 years younger and not coming off an injury.........think he'd take a $3.5MM contract???

At most the NFL would take away a 5th round pick. Let's not go crazy here. Heck that is what they took away from the 49ers when they tried to get Lance Briggs before he was actually released.

 

[JDM]

I see no reason for this to be hostile anyways. Vince doesn't want to restructure, so he asked nicely for the chance to pick his destination sooner than later. Why does it need to be more than that?

 

[ohiopatsfan]

Sorry to hear that Wilfork wants to go, but it is his decision. BB moved fast, bringing in Letroy Guion for an interview. While not an all-pro, Guion is a solid DT and will, if signed, team nicely with Kelly. They will be a solid, if unspectacular, duo at DT, but the Pats will need to add a developmental pick in the draft. My main concern now is to add an interior OL candidate to plug up the hole that nearly got our franchise QB killed last season. There doesn't appear to be much left right now in free agency, but someone may get cut as we move toward the beginning of the season. Sort of like when we got Waters.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

So, according to CSNNE, Vince's restructured deal he was offered was based on playing time, AND, Vince would still not even have to play all games to get his $7.5mil.

They do not get all the details, but this sounds more than fair to me. If he can play, and play well, he gets all his money. If he cannot play, or can only play to a certian level of mediocracy, he gets paid accodingly. Vince want's it all gaurunteed.

I feel a whole lot less sympathy for him now.

 

[BigKen]

The Patriots asked him to take a pay cut and that's from Tom E Curran who covers the Pats and is in Florida at the meetings. He says Vince got really pissed because they want to base the contract on performance. Curran says that the Patriots will not release him outright at this time. They know he's got a contract offer from another team and they won't just let go and sign immediately. They want the other team to hold that money in escrow and not potentially use it to sign someone the Patriots may be looking at.

By the way, that $8M savings could land Jared Allen AND Maurice Jones Drew.

 

[JDM]

It won't even land Allen, let alone someone else too.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

The Patriots asked him to take a pay cut and that's from Tom E Curran who covers the Pats and is in Florida at the meetings. He says Vince got really pissed because they want to base the contract on performance. Curran says that the Patriots will not release him outright at this time. They know he's got a contract offer from another team and they won't just let go and sign immediately. They want the other team to hold that money in escrow and not potentially use it to sign someone the Patriots may be looking at.

By the way, that $8M savings could land Jared Allen AND Maurice Jones Drew.

From CSNNE;
"Prior to Wilfork requesting his release, the Patriots asked the veteran defensive tackle to restructure his 2014 contract so that his salary would be based on playing time. The thresholds Wilfork would have to attain to realize all of the $7.5 million salary he is currently due to be paid are not known but, in the offer Wilfork rejected, he could still realize the $7.5 million without playing every game."

$7.5mil is his salary for 2014. Making the $7.5 performance based is not a paycut. It just means he must perform to get it.

Wilfork rejected Pats restructured extension | Comcast SportsNet - CSNNE.com