The Patriots have traded WR Bethel Johnson to New Orleans for DL Johnathon Sullivan. This trade makes a lot of sense. Bethel Johnson was regressing and was probably not going to make much of a contribution right now (if he didn’t get cut). Johnathon Sullivan is one of the players I thought the Patriots might pick in the first round of the 2003 draft (NO picked him first, the Pats got Ty Warren).  He has been struggling in New Orleans and supposedly does not put in the effort.  Basically both teams are trading disappointing 2003 draft picks who are not showing the right attitude.

I wonder what will happen with both of these players.  While most people seem to think that draft picks becoming busts is mostly about the player, meaning the scouting was bad, I think it also has to do with the coaching.  I wonder if players like Rick Mirer or Ryan Leaf wouldn’t have performed better if they were under the tutelage of a Charlie Weis or Bill Belichick.  The Patriots coaching staff is some of the best at teaching a young player and the core guys on the team couldn’t be better for developing a good team-first attitude.  I wonder if Sullivan’s troubles might have been because he was on a poorly run Saints team.  If he improves, then we got something for a player we would have cut anyway, if he doesn’t, then we don’t lose anything.  Good trade.

The Patriots lost two of the biggest free agents this week in WR David Givens and LB Willie McGinest. K Adam Vinatieri is still a free agent after visiting Green Bay this week.

David Givens signed with Tennessee this week with a five year, $24 million deal. The Patriots offered him $17.5 million. The Patriots did not want to offer Givens too much because they have will have to deal with Deion Branch becoming a free agent next year. Still, if the Patriots had offered Givens the $17.5 million last year before he became a free agent, perhaps they could have kept him. Right now the Patriots only have Branch, Reche Caldwell, and Bethel Johnson signed at WR.
Willie McGinest signed with Romeo Crennel and the Cleveland Browns after the Patriots cut him and did not try to renegotiate a contract. For the last 2-3 seasons, Belichick has gone in every year thinking that McGinest was too old and would have lost a step and wound up with McGinest playing nearly every snap and being a monster on the field. Clearly Belichick still believes that this is the year that will be true (McGinest is 34) and did not believe it was worth it to resign him. Looks like the Patriots will have Rosie Colvin and Mike Vrabel playing LB on the outside next year.

Adam Vinatieri is a player the Patriots have to re-sign. Vinatieri played last year for the franchise tag value of $2.5 million. The Patriots could have franchised him again this year for $3 million. Meaning the Patriots were willing to pay him $2.5 million but not $3 million (with a cap thats $17 million higher). Is it worth risking losing the greatest clutch kicker of all time for a half million dollars with a salary cap of $102 million? If they let Vinatieri sign elsewhere the Patriots may end up with Ryan Longwell or Mike Vanderjagt at kicker??!!

Free Agency is set to start tomorrow, while the CBA situation is still unresolved. Either way, the Patriots stand to lose some key players. The following are the Patriots unrestricted free agents:

• Offensive tackle Tom Ashworth
• Receiver Troy Brown
• Linebacker Matt Chatham
• Receiver Andre Davis
• Receiver Tim Dwight
• Running back Heath Evans
• Tight end Christian Fauria
• Quarterback Doug Flutie
• Receiver David Givens
• Safety Artrell Hawkins
• Offensive guard Stephen Neal
• Cornerback Chad Scott
• Safety Michael Stone
• Kicker Adam Vinatieri

Linebacker Willie McGinest’s contract has an high cap number for this year and he could either get cut or have his contract renegotiated.

Givens, Vinatieri, McGinest, and Neal are the key guys on this list and I really hope the Patriots find a way to keep htem around.

Well the NFL is coming right down to the deadline on the CBA. Under the current contract, the coming 2006 season would be the last capped year and 2007 would be uncapped. Not only would this mean the end of the parity era in the NFL, this next year would be a mess because signing bonuses and things could not be pro-rated over the entire length of the deal. Free agency starts this Friday, so the NFL needs to get something done soon. In addition to coming to terms with the NFLPA on the CBA (supposedly the owners want 57% of revenue, the NFLPA wants 64%), the owners themselves have to agree to a new revenue sharing agreement. Teams like the Patriots and Cowboys are making a lot more on unshared revenues than other teams by marketing their team much more.
The Patriots haven’t come to terms with any of their top free agents (Vinatieri, Givens, Neal, Ashworth) and Belichick basically said that they can’t do anything until they know what the rules will be. Basically will there be a new agreement, what will the cap be, etc. Jonathan Kraft said he thinks the NFL might be able to get something done by Wednesday at 4, that’s the deadline they set for themselves.

Anyway, I certainly hope something gets done for the sake of the league and the Patriots. The NFL without the salary cap would be a very bad thing. And the Patriots without Vinatieri or Givens wouldn’t be so great either.