Pats FA Day 5: Cherry on Top?

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Thx for the kind words guys. This is my favorite time of the year for NFL & my usual message board is pretty dead so I moved here & have thoroughly enjoyed everyone's insight.

Tbh I didn't know I was missing a membership or what that entails, but I'm glad to hear I'm not just annoying everyone.

Well, not everyone.
 

pappymojo

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Jul 28, 2010
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It turns out that the cherry on top was the draft picks we were comped along the way.
 

SeoulSoxFan

I Want to Hit the World with Rocket Punch
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Jun 27, 2006
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A Scud Away from Hell
Thx for the kind words guys. This is my favorite time of the year for NFL & my usual message board is pretty dead so I moved here & have thoroughly enjoyed everyone's insight.

Tbh I didn't know I was missing a membership or what that entails, but I'm glad to hear I'm not just annoying everyone.
Check your PM, JM3... and welcome.
 

Phil Plantier

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Patriots traded 175 to the Browns for Barkevious Mingo who managed 11 tackles in his 1 season with the Patriots.
I know this is a throwaway line in your excellent post, but I remember Mingo being a bad LB but a great special teams player. I think that ended up being a good trade.
 

JM3

often quoted
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Dec 14, 2019
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Thx SSF.

I know this is a throwaway line in your excellent post, but I remember Mingo being a bad LB but a great special teams player. I think that ended up being a good trade.
Yes & no. I think BB knew that was his floor so was comfortable giving up the pick, but in acquiring the final year of Mingo's contract in return for 4 years of control he was hoping Bark would live up to his 1st round potential to some extent & either become part of the defense (a la Van Noy) or rehabilitate his value enough to get a comp pick when he left.

Neither of those things really happened & he left for the Colts for 1/$2m. So maybe a B- or C+ on the trade?
 

Shelterdog

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It just keeps going. I really thought the Pats were going to draft him coming out of OSU. Seems like the typical Patriots LBer. GREAT depth pickup with some upside.
I hate this transaction.

Not for the player--seems like a great pick-up, I love him for the same reasons you do and that son of a gun can tackle, it's very easy to imagine him developing into the next LB whose career exploded under BB--but for the name.

A guy named after a wu-tang clan guy can't possibly be a veteran NFL player can he? How did I get so darn old.
 

Eck'sSneakyCheese

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I hate this transaction.

Not for the player--seems like a great pick-up, I love him for the same reasons you do and that son of a gun can tackle, it's very easy to imagine him developing into the next LB whose career exploded under BB--but for the name.

A guy named after a wu-tang clan guy can't possibly be a veteran NFL player can he? How did I get so darn old.
Hahaha! I almost called him the Chef!
 

ManicCompression

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To put the age of ourselves and the Wu Tang Clan into perspective, earlier this year Raekwon passed the infamous Brimley/Cocoon Line, meaning he's older than the age of Wilford Brimley when Cocoon was released.

Gza chessboxed it 3 years ago
 

j-man

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Dec 19, 2012
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other than re-sign newton i wouild give them a A+ the only 2nd guess i have is they could had better WR for less $ boure is a 3 wr and can nelson a keep it up
 

Devizier

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Does anyone else feel incredibly old when they read about professional athletes named after members of the Wu Tang Clan?

ETA apparently, yes
 

JM3

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Dec 14, 2019
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This is a TRIUMPH for the Patriots. There's no TEARZ or RAINY DAYZ. Raekwon took less CREAM after engaging in VERBAL INTERCOURSE with the KNOWLEDGE GOD. He doesn't care what PEOPLE SAY, THE MORNING has come, he's RICH AND BLACK, & he's here to BRING DA RUCKUS on some KNUCKLEHEADZ in the GRAVEL PIT & teach them DA MYSTERY OF CHESSBOXIN'. CAN IT ALL BE SO SIMPLE? New & old Patriots are REUNITED - hide your BUTTER KNIVES, PROTECT YA NECK from the GUILLOTINE - & then go get yourself some ICE CREAM...IT'S YOURZ.

After hitting free agency for the first time, McMillan traveled to Gillette Stadium for a visit last week and quickly was won over by what he called the “prestige” of the Patriots organization.

“Two or three other teams were pushing real hard to get me on their squad,” McMillan said, “but I felt like this opportunity couldn’t be passed up just because of the prestige, being coached by some of the best coaches in the NFL and the opportunity that I would have here to be a part of something special. I can’t keep saying it enough. Just being in the atmosphere — when I came into the building, I felt the energy and I felt the positivity they had about winning football games. That’s what I’m trying to be about.”
https://nesn.com/2021/03/new-patriots-linebacker-details-inspiring-conversation-with-bill-belichick/
 

nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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This is a TRIUMPH for the Patriots. There's no TEARZ or RAINY DAYZ. Raekwon took less CREAM after engaging in VERBAL INTERCOURSE with the KNOWLEDGE GOD. He doesn't care what PEOPLE SAY, THE MORNING has come, he's RICH AND BLACK, & he's here to BRING DA RUCKUS on some KNUCKLEHEADZ in the GRAVEL PIT & teach them DA MYSTERY OF CHESSBOXIN'. CAN IT ALL BE SO SIMPLE? New & old Patriots are REUNITED - hide your BUTTER KNIVES, PROTECT YA NECK from the GUILLOTINE - & then go get yourself some ICE CREAM...IT'S YOURZ.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpjG6_QxG6w
 

Saints Rest

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In that article:
  • Jalen Mills: ""I got a call from [Drew] telling me the teams that wanted me, how they may use me, what their coaching staff is saying. It happened so fast. He said 'J, it's on you, whatever decision you make. These are the best options, I think, but this is your future.' I stepped forward and said I wanted to go play for the Patriots.""
  • Bourne said. "I almost didn't have a decision. It was the best decision on the table."
  • Van Noy: "I'm happy to be back with my brothers."
  • Andrews: "This is our home. Our heart's here."
  • McMillan: "I had opportunities to go [to other teams] after the Patriots' visit, about two, three other teams that were pushing real hard to get me on their squad, but I felt like this opportunity couldn't be passed up."
Does anyone see a common theme?
 
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BaseballJones

ivanvamp
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Oct 1, 2015
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In that article:
  • Jalen Mills: ""I got a call from [Drew] telling me the teams that wanted me, how they may use me, what their coaching staff is saying. It happened so fast. He said 'J, it's on you, whatever decision you make. These are the best options, I think, but this is your future.' I stepped forward and said I wanted to go play for the Patriots.""
  • Bourne said. "I almost didn't have a decision. It was the best decision on the table."
  • Van Noy: "I'm happy to be back with my brothers."
  • Andrews: "This is our home. Our heart's here."
  • McMillan: "I had opportunities to go [to other teams] after the Patriots' visit, about two, three other teams that were pushing real hard to get me on their squad, but I felt like this opportunity couldn't be passed up."
Does anyone see a common theme?
Yeah. They hate Belichick. Clearly.
 

esasky's vertigo

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Jul 14, 2005
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Lost in the Supermarket
We've seen enough over the years to know that the Patriots certainly aren't the team for everyone.

But if you love football, and never want to have to worry about not knowing where you stand, it seems like there's NE and everywhere else. No tricks, no tricks as Raekwon said at the top of "Verbal Intercourse." If you work hard, (cliche) do your job, and make the most of your opportunities, you can thrive.

It can wear someone out for sure, especially if they're out for added opportunities like a social media brand-- Gronk made it known it had worn thin for him. And after so long, that's totally fine.
But if you just want football at it's highest level, you know exactly what you'll get here.

It's refreshing in a lot of ways.