Kevin Faulk agrees to one-year deal with Pats
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Projo Pats Blog |
March 10
FOXBORO -- The New England Patriots announced Wednesday afternoon through their Twitter account that they've agreed to terms with running back Kevin Faulk. He is expected to sign his one-year contract on Thursday. The all-purpose back is the fourth player from last year's team to reach an agreement with the Patriots in the past week, joining Vince Wilfork, Tully Banta-Cain, and Leigh Bodden. Faulk is just one of nine players who have an agreement with the team that played on a championship Patriots team in the past. While considered to be mainly a third-down back, the 33-year-old Faulk brings a lot of leadership and commands the respect of his peers in the locker room. The Patriots now have five running backs on their roster (Faulk, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis) so they won't be forced to select a running back in the upcoming draft. 
FOXBORO -- According to the National Football League's Player's Association, Wilfork's five-year, $40 million contract includes an $18 million signing bonus and a base salary of $750,000 in 2010; $765,000 in 2011; $4.5 million in 2012; $6.5 million in 2013; and $7.5 million in 2014, with the base salary of the first three years all guaranteed. His contract also includes weight bonuses. Wilfork must stay at 325 pounds or below, he said. The bonuses are as follows: $150,000 in 2010; $135,000 in 2011; $300,000 in 2012; $300,000 in 2013 and $300,000 in 2014. In addition, Wilfork can make up to $800,000 in workout bonuses, including up to $100,000 in 2010 and 2011; and $200,000 in 2012-14. "I never have a problem being at my weight," Wilfork said. "It's really not a big deal. Every big guy in the league that's a nose tackle/defensive lineman, that are bigger guys, all have this in their contract, so there's nothing in this contract that's unfair to me. "I think with the contract, when the time presented itself, I think we both buckled down and we both worked hand in hand together to try to get this deal done, in which we did. There's nothing in this deal that I regret - not at all. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably just do it sooner." Wilfork is now the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL which is a testament to how important he is to the team.
By ROBERT LEE FOXBORO - Vince Wilfork is ready and willing to accept his added responsibility next year as one of New England's vocal leaders. The Patriots two-time Pro Bowler who signed a reported five-year, $40 million deal with the Pats on Tuesday which makes him the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL said during a telephone conference with the media today that in the past, he led more by example but did speak up when he felt it was warranted. Next season he said he will be more of a vocal leader both on and off the field. "Everybody has to be accountable," said Wilfork, who was a captain last year. "When you are on the field you have to give it 100 percent. The only way - you've got to weed out the bad seeds, point blank. If you can't give me what I'm giving you on the field, I don't need you on the field with me. That's how you win. You've got to build trust. Show me that I can count on you. I have no problem, if a guy's not giving me that, I have no problem telling that guy that I don't need him on the field and I have no problem telling [coach] Bill [Belichick] that I don't want him on the field. That's point blank." One of the players Wilfork could be talking about is linebacker Adalius Thomas, who was benched twice last season by Belichick. "At the end of the day, we're on the field together, we travel together, we play together, we camp together, we room together sometimes, we eat together, we have meetings together, sometimes we're together more than we're with our families," said Wilfork. "Sometimes, overnight we stay at hotels together. We need to build that bond, but in that bond you have to have some accountability. We need to trust one another when we're on the field. We need to compete at a high level every place." The Patriots have lost a lot of their leaders from their championship teams over the past two seasons, including Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison and Asante Samuel to name a few. In fact, only eight players that are currently under contract were a part of a championship team with the Pats. It's time for other guys to step up and be leaders, Wilfork said. "A lot of guys aren't used to seeing young leaders," Wilfork said. "The leaders we had were older guys like Rodney, Seymour, Bruschi, Vrabel - you name it. They were older guys and they're not here anymore, but now you start to see younger guys becoming leaders early because they don't take seven, eight, nine years because we're such a young ball club, but these young players we have - [Jerod] Mayo, [Brandon] Meriweather, we've got [Leigh] Bodden, [Ty] Warren, myself, Tom [Brady], we have Randy [Moss], we've got Dan [Koppen] - we have guys in this locker room that know what it takes to win and you've just got to trust it. We as players and as leaders on the team, we have to ask more of ourselves and we have to ask more out of our players, point blank." Wilfork said that the Patriots their mystique and that teams were no longer afraid to play them last year like they were in their championship seasons. He said that they want to get that mystique back this year. "We won around here for a long time and a lot of teams sat back and watched us beat up on people," Wilfork said. "From the last year or two, teams wanted to play us because they thought we weren't the same. We've got to do something to change that because this year, I think it's going to have to start with the players. I think the leaders in this locker room, we're going to have to approach each other and approach the team and let it know this is how we've got to do the things if we want to be successful and go from there, but there's no question in my mind that we have the guys to do that. "We've got the guys to compete, but we've just got to get that out of them. And that's no problem. Just because we have to work a little extra, that's not a big deal. If working a little extra gets us to where we need to be I'll take that 100 times. I'll take that 100 out of 100. I'm willing. I talked with some players and they feel the same way. Everybody's not happy with how we ended the season last year. But you know what? Last year is last year. What we've done in the past we've done in the past." Wilfork said that sometimes last season nobody spoke up when things were going wrong. That won't happen again next year, he said. "We have to raise our level of play," Wilfork said. "If something is wrong, we have to address it. We can't let it go on. We have to address it and get it better and people have to realize that we're trying to get somewhere. It's nothing personal. If you don't want to win, you don't have to be here, point blank. So if you want to win, this is how we're going to have to do it. You've got to be the believer and you've got to go forward and you might have to do a little something extra. That's fine. By me doing something extra or by us doing something extra, [if that] gets us to the point we need to be, I'll do it 100 out of 100 times, point blank." According to Wilfork, if the Patriots can all get on the same page from the first day of training camp and move forward from there, New England will be tough to beat next year.
PATRIOTS NOSE TACKLE VINCE WILFORK CONFERENCE CALL March 10, 2010 Q: Now that the ink is drying and you have the new contract, is there anything you're going to buy? VW: No, I think I've got everything I want already. The only thing we're going to do, closer to the time of retirement, we're going to build a home. That's it. I'm not a big flashy guy. I've got my truck, but I'm just a normal dude. I don't need to go out and buy a Ferrari, or a Bentley or stuff like that. Even though I love to fish, it doesn't make any sense to buy a boat now because I can't enjoy it. I'm fine for now. Only thing we're looking forward to now is towards the end of my career, building my dream home. That's basically it right now. Q: Where would be the perfect location for that dream home? VW: Florida, of course. I already have some land down there that I'm in love with. I've had it for five years now. I can't wait to build it out there. Everything is set. It doesn't make sense to build a house now. That's why I said, it will be closer to retirement time, but that's about it. But it's definitely going to be in the sunshine state, somewhere with some good weather, so I can golf and fish every day. Q: Where in Florida is that? VW: I have a place in Lake Wales. It's between Orlando and Tampa. I'm 45 minutes from Tampa and 30 minutes from Orlando, so I'm basically in the middle of the state. Q: Would you consider having all the writers, who covered you throughout your career, down for a housewarming party? VW: Of course. You guys have got to get away from work. Q: On the deal, you are a big dude and you carry a lot of weight, was there anything in the contract that says you have to play at a particular weight? VW: I have a weight clause in my contract, but I've been having a weight clause. It wasn't in the contract, but it's a certain amount of weight that I have to meet anyways at 325 every year, which I never have a problem being at my weight. It's really not a big deal. Every big guy in the league that's a nose tackle/defensive lineman, that are bigger guys, all have this in their contract, so there's nothing in this contract that's unfair to me. I think with the contract, when the time presented itself, I think we both buckled down and we both worked hand in hand together to try to get this deal done, in which we did. There's nothing in this deal that I regret - not at all. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably just do it sooner. That's the only thing that threw me for a loop - the whole six years and then trying to do one, but it was well worth it. I got paid good money and that's one thing I said I wanted from the start. I just wanted to be played decent and I wanted to get paid fair, and I think I got paid fair. No grudges against no one. Like I said, when the time presented itself, especially with the tag - when it came to me - it was probably five minutes before we got on the phone and started talking. I think within those five minutes it was like, 'OK, are they going to trade me or what's going to happen now?' Once we talked and found out the tag was getting put on because we were trying to reach a long-term deal I was very positive a deal was going to get done. By that time, I just knew. There was something in me and my wife felt the same way and my agent felt the same way that a deal was going to get done. I didn't know it was going to be this quick, but I just knew it was going to get done. It was quick and, like I said, when we had that extra time, we had a chance to sit down and really go back and forth and get it knocked out. And we did and I'm happy to stay in New England. Q: Do you think this sends a message to the younger guys on the team that if you do your job and take care of your business that the franchise will take care of you eventually? VW: I think it does. This team goes through a lot every year with making decisions, what's best for this team and stuff like that, and I can only speak on my whole experience with this whole negotiation thing. Yes, there were ups and downs and there were times I was frustrated, there were times where I thought it was very close and something fell apart. There were times I thought it was going to be done earlier than it was. There were times where I thought it was going to get done. You have all types of mixed emotions toward the whole thing, but at the end of the day they kept their word to me. They kept their word to me that they were going to get me a good deal, a long-term deal. So I can't speak on anyone else that was in the past, I can't speak on anyone that's coming to the future, the only thing I can tell you is they kept it real with me. When they said they were going to do something, they did it. They said they were going to get a deal done and they did it, even though I knew at times it was like, 'Are we really going to get one done? Are you serious?' They did it. There is nothing to say negative toward the organization about this contract. Like I said, I just wished it was earlier, but everything has a way of working itself out and I'm glad it worked out the way it did. But going forward, guys can look at this situation - I'm sure the Patriots have been on the bullet a couple times, not playing with guys and all that. I handle my business how I handle my business and that's what's happy to me. It worked out for me. You can only believe and you can only trust in your circle, your camp and that's how you've got to approach it. However you approach it that's how you have to approach it. We always wanted to be here. We said this from day one. Even if I was to hit free agency and went out and got a deal, before I would've signed that deal I probably would have came back and see if the Patriots would want to match that deal because I didn't want to leave. I'm glad it's done. Now you can just focus on football now. My agent did a real good job. My wife did a great job. I sat back and let those two work, and I had to work sometimes and there were times where I talked with Mr. Kraft and we had some conversations. He was very positive with getting the deal done and he stuck to his word. I'm just happy it's all done and it works out. Q: There's no question you will be willing to step into a leadership void. Can you expand on that? How did that decision come about? VW: I'll tell you what. Ask players. We're going to have to start in the offseason training. Everybody has to be accountable. When you are on the field you have to give it 100 percent. The only way - you've got to weed out the bad seeds, point blank. If you can't give me what I'm giving you on the field, I don't need you on the field with me. That's how you win. You've got to build trust. Show me that I can count on you. I have no problem, if a guy's not giving me that, I have no problem telling that guy that I don't need him on the field and I have no problem telling Bill [Belichick] that I don't want him on the field. That's point blank. And that's how it's going to have to work and that's what we've got to do. At the end of the day, we're on the field together, we travel together, we play together, we camp together, we room together sometimes, we eat together, we have meetings together, sometimes we're together more than we're with our families. Sometimes, overnight we stay at hotels together. We need to build that bond, but in that bond you have to have some accountability. We need to trust one another when we're on the field. We need to compete at a high level every place. If you're tired that's why we have a guy who's a back up to come in, but there's no question we have that there, but we need to pull it out of the guys. I think this year it's going to be a huge change. Like I said, we have a bunch of leadership on this team. A lot of guys aren't used to seeing young leaders. The leaders we had were older guys like Rodney [Harrison], [Richard] Seymour, [Tedy] Bruschi, [Mike] Vrabel - you name it. They were older guys and they're not here anymore, but now you start to see younger guys becoming leaders early because they don't take seven, eight, nine years because we're such a young ball club, but these young players we have - [Jerod] Mayo, [Brandon] Meriweather, we've got [Leigh] Bodden, [Ty] Warren, myself, Tom [Brady], we have Randy [Moss], we've got Dan [Koppen] - we have guys in this locker room that know what it takes to win and you've just got to trust to it. We as players and as leaders on the team, we have to ask more of ourselves and we have to ask more out of our players, point blank. And I don't think it's coaches. Coaches coach [and] let the players play. You call the play and we're going to execute it. If that was the wrong play, then guess what, the coach is going to have to bite that bullet and we roll on. But we can't sit back and question a call from a coach or whatever, no. The coaches are going to try to put us in the best situation they can, but we have to still execute that play. So we all got to get on the same page. Like I said, let the coaches coach and the players play. If we play at a high level, there's no telling what we will do. There have been times where we've been on the road and won on the road. We've been in Pittsburgh before, we've been in Indy before. We've been on some tough road trips and came out with W's before. We've had some heartbreaking loses also, but when we lost do we settle for that or do we get back to work, regroup and try to come back the next week to do what we need to do. I think that's the level of competition and competing and the level of trust. I think that's where we need to raise our game. We won around here for a long time and a lot of teams sat back and watched us beat up on people. From the last year or two, teams wanted to play us because they thought we weren't the same. We've got to do something to change that because this year, I think it's going to have to start with the players. I think the leaders in this locker room, we're going to have to approach each other and approach the team and let it know this is how we've got to do the things if we want to be successful and go from there, but there's no question in my mind that we have the guys to do that. We've got the guys to compete, but we've just got to get that out of them. And that's no problem. Just because we have to work a little extra, that's not a big deal. If working a little extra gets us to where we need to be I'll take that 100 times. I'll take that 100 out of 100. I'm willing. I talked with some players and they feel the same way. Everybody's not happy with how we ended the season last year. But you know what? Last year is last year. What we've done in the past we've done in the past. Moving forward, this is how we've got to handle it. We've got to be accountable for one another. When you're on the field, give me your all. If you feel like you can't, get a little break, that's fine, but we need everybody working at that tempo and that's going to start in offseason training. Q: What are your impressions of the moves your team has made to retain guys on defense in Leigh Bodden, Tully Banta-Cain and yourself? Is that encouraging to you? VW: It is very encouraging. I'm telling you, Leigh's first year over here, last year, with us and he got a taste. He got a bad taste of what it's all about, but Tully's been around. Tully knows what a championship team is all about. He's been here before. Those two guys are definitely people that can help us, and the organization felt the same way and that's why they brought them back. It's no question that these guys can help us. I don't know what else they're going to do in free agency or whatever it may be. I don't know, but I'll tell you what, every move they make is to better our football team. It's to better our chances that we're getting done what we need to get done. So, as fans we need to trust that. What we have going into camp, that's what we have. You see people come and go all the time, but guess what whatever you have you've got to roll with. You've got to have faith and you've got to have trust in those guys, man. And like I said, the level of leadership, the level of consistency and the level of trust, we have to raise it because we have to start this thing up the right way. I think we can all get off on a good start if we can establish that level of trust from the get go and that starts with competing in the offseason. We work out together every day, four times a week through the offseason. A lot of the guys, we golf together, we fish together, whatever you do, it's tied in to competing. I think last year we just got beat sometimes because we weren't competitive enough, point blank. That's going to change. Like I said, that was last year. Moving forward, this is what we have to do to be a better football team. This is how we have to play to win balls games. This is what we have to do to be a better football team. With that being said, I'm excited about this season. I'm excited about getting back to work with my teammates. I'm excited about seeing my teammates, my coaches [and] actually getting back to football. I'm very excited about getting back to football. The business is over and now it's all about football. That's what I do best and let me do it. Let me get back to work and getting back to getting in shape and getting back and hitting some golf balls. Q: You talked about the whole leadership thing, are you in more of a position now than you have been in the past because some of the older guys aren't there anymore and now that your future is set and you know you're going to be there for the next five years you can be more vocal than you have been in the past? VW: Even if I didn't I'm going to have to, but I think Bill holds all of us ... There're some people that lead by example. Some people are vocal leaders. I led by example. I've said things when I had to say it, but now all of us have to rise. We have to raise our level of play. If something is wrong, we have to address it. We can't let it go on. We have to address it and get it better and people have to realize that we're trying to get somewhere. It's nothing personal. If you don't want to win, you don't have to be here, point blank. So if you want to win, this is how we're going to have to do it. You've got to be the believer and you've got to go forward and you might have to do a little something extra. That's fine. By me doing something extra or by us doing something extra, [if that] gets us to the point we need to be, I'll do it 100 out of 100 times, point blank. Q: You mentioned you had some conversations with Robert Kraft, is that unusual? Does that surprise you and can you elaborate on that? VW: There were times where I wanted to talk to him, general conversation. Sometimes it was about contract. Sometimes it was general conversation and he had no problem talking with me. He always returned my phone calls if I didn't reach him and that's how it goes from there. Our personal relationship is great, it's always been great. From day one until now, it's always been a great relationship between us and the Krafts. That's just how it was. There were times that I thought I needed to talk to him directly and I did. There was nothing wrong with it. He's my owner. I talk to him if he's passing in the locker room. So what difference does it make now? A lot of times it wasn't even about contract, it was just about general conversation and we handled business like that. Like I said, he told me we were going to get a deal done [and] we got a deal done. That's the only thing I asked. From whatever everybody else had to go through with him, I can only speak on our relationship and what I went through with him. They stuck with their guns. They told me this is what they were going to do and they did it. It's no big secret. They kept it real with me. I appreciate that big time. Q: You mentioned Bianca's counsel before, how important has she been in this process for you and what valuable role has she played? VW: Well, that's my agent/wife. She's tough. She doesn't want anything but the best for us. And you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world, to have a partner like that and to have a wife that's my partner and friend like she is, so business-minded. It's probably tough on business people because they're getting it from both ends, from my agent and now her. She's always been supportive. Ever since she came into my life she's been a huge supporter of me, football or no football. Sometimes, she wished I never played football because we could live a normal life. I thank her for what she does for me. She looks out for my best interest [and] for our life. She's just always supportive with whatever I chose to do. When I'm wrong, she tells me I'm wrong. She's not one of the ones that sits and agrees with me because I'm her husband. No, if I'm wrong, she's going to tell me I'm wrong. And I respect that, but she means a lot to me from a wife and a business partner. She's a very smart young lady and I'm happy to have such a special in my life like that. Q: You have a newborn, too? VW: Yeah, seven months now. Q: Boy or girl? VW: A boy. His name is David Dream-Angel Wilfork. Q: Is that your first? VW: No, I have three. I have a 12-year-old son, a 7-year-old daughter and a 7-month-old boy. Q: Not to get too melodramatic, but you went through some tragedies earlier in this decade when you were in Miami. In retrospect, I know how important your parents are to you, do you reflect on those life experiences when you go through what you went through the past few weeks and past few years and what you've accomplished? VW: There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my parents. A lot of people know about my parents, a lot of people don't know about them. But I lost my father when I was 20 -- June 5, a day before my mother's birthday and I lost my mother Dec. 16. I turned 21 in November, so after my 21st birthday, I lost my mother. I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and none of my parents ever got a chance to see my daughter or my baby son. Every day that goes by I reflect on that. I told my father when I was four what I wanted to be in life and that was a professional football player. And to this day it was like ... When I signed this deal as a rookie it was a special moment because physically they weren't here to see me do it and my father always believed in me and my mother believed in me. When I signed as a rookie it was, 'Man, I made it daddy' and 'I made it momma.' But now I'm looking at once I signed this deal it was like a whole different league now. It's like I've done [what I've] worked for in life, this is what I worked for and sometimes people take it for granted. I don't care how mad you are at your parents, your brother or your siblings, your friend, but don't take life for granted. That's something that I cherish every day. When I wake up and see my wife and kids, that's something I have to cherish every day because I know how quick it's here and how quick it can go. For my parents not to be here physically with me, to enjoy this moment with me, yeah, it bothered me. It definitely bothered me because my daddy was a big inspiration to my life. I have one other brother and we always talk about our parents and everything. My father made me who I am, from the athlete to the man, to the funny, to the loving person, it was all taken after my father. I always looked at him and I wanted to be like my father. I just wish he was here physically to enjoy this time with me. I know we'd probably be somewhere fishing because my dad was a big time fisherman and he was a bigger Pittsburgh Steelers fan. But by now he would have traded in his Pittsburgh Steelers jacket for a Patriots jacket, I'm pretty sure of that. But he was everything to me. He's the one that got me to this point. How hard I worked over the years to prove people wrong, people that I grew up with, from what I went through in my life, what I went through before I went to college and people said I would never go to college, I would never be anything, all that stuff drives me to this day. I can sit there and have the last laugh because the same people who doubted me want to pat me on my back. I don't forget about nothing. I don't forget. I remember everything. I forgive, but I never forget. That's how I live my life. I just cherish every day of it because you never know when it's gone. I definitely miss my parents and for all you out there who have parents and you're going through stuff with your family members, friends, whatever, just remember not every day isn't promised. You never know, one day you might wake up and something is gone from you and you really don't know how much it meant to you until when it's gone. That's what it is, man. Everything I worked for in life, it's here. I worked this hard and I'm going to continue to work harder. That's where we at right now. Q: I saw your truck in that Reebok ad you were in. What kind of truck do you have and when did you get it? VW: I got that truck last year - in February last year. It's a Freightliner. It's like a baby 18-wheeler. That's the car I wanted. I wanted that car for six years. When I was going to Indy one year or something and it was an International and I saw one and I was like, 'Man, I like that truck.' I always like big trucks but I never wanted to get a truck like everybody else. I don't want an F150 because everyone's got that, 350, everybody's got that. So I seen this truck and I told my wife then, 'I want that truck. That's my next truck.' I got it last year. It was in Florida last year. I got it out of the weather, but hopefully I'll be bringing it back up to enjoy this offseason.
FOXBORO -- Vince Wilfork just finished his telephone conference with the media, and he made one thing perfectly clear - he never wanted to leave the Patriots and that he wants to retire with the organization. Even if he had tested the waters of free agency, Wilfork said that he would have given the Patriots the opportunity to match any offer he got because he did not want to leave the organization. As it turns out, things didn't go that far. Wilfork reportedly signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the Patriots on Tuesday, which includes an $18 million signing bonus and $25 million of it is guaranteed. The contract makes him the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL. The Patriots initially placed the franchise tag on the 28-year-old Wilfork, which he said back in January that if that happened then he would equate that to a slap in-the-face. "Yes there were ups and downs," Wilfork said of his contract negotiations. "There were times where I was frustrated. There were times where I thought we were very close and something fell apart. There were times I thought it was going to get done earlier than what it was. There were times when I thought it wasn't going to get done. There were all types of mixed emotions toward the whole thing but at the end of the day they kept their word to me - that they were going to give me a long-term deal." The 6-foot-2, 325-pound Wilfork was upset when the Patriots "franchised" him, but he said he was later informed that the purpose of the tag was to buy more time to work out a long-term contract. "Are they going to trade me? What's going to happen now," Wilfork said as to what were his first thoughts about being "franchised." "But once we talked and I found out that the tag was getting put on because they were trying to reach a long-term deal, I was very positive that a long-term deal was going to get done...I'm happy to be in New England." Despite playing a position that calls for him to face persistent double teams, Wilfork has been one of the team's most durable players since being drafted by the Patriots in the first round (21st overall) in 2004 out of Miami. He served as a team captain last season and earned his second Pro Bowl selection after recording 43 tackles, two passes defensed and one forced fumble. The Patriots defense has ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in four of the six seasons that he has been with the team, and Wilfork is thankful that he didn't end up as another lost core member of the Pats defense when players like Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour and Asante Samuel, who were stalwarts of the Patriots' championship teams, have all either retired, left as free agents, or been traded in the last two years. New England's defense has suffered because of it, dropping from fourth in total defense in 2007 to 10th in 2008 to 11th in 2009. And it wasn't only their numbers that suffered. The Pats lost veteran leaders from their championship teams, and that showed last season. Wilfork's importance to the team goes beyond the numbers. His leadership in the locker room cannot be measured, especially considering that last season not all 53 players appeared to be on the same page. Wilfork said he will be taking his leadership role to another level this upcoming season. "Everybody has to be accountable," Wilfork said. "When you're on the field, you have to give me 100 percent. You have to weed out the bad seeds. If you can't give me what I'm giving you on the field, on don't need you on the field with me. That's point blank. That's how you win. You have to build trust." The Patriots only have eight players left under contract who won a Super Bowl with New England. If Kevin Faulk re-signs, he would make it nine. On the field, Wilfork's position with the Pats is as important as they come. Nose tackle is a key component of the 3-4 scheme because the player has to be able to occupy and fight off the center and guard on any given play. Last season Wilfork, the best player on New England's defensive line, showed his importance to the defense when he moved over to defensive end for part of the season and was forced to play out of position because that's what was needed of him.
34-year-old running back Kevin Faulk tells The Boston Herald that he has received a contract offer from the New England Patriots. Click here to read the story.
March 9
So Leigh Bodden's staying, and Jarvis Green is going, which means the Patriots arguably are slipping as we move deeper into the first week of free agency. Although there are no restrictions this year on the amount of money a team can spend on free agents, the Pats so far have been spending their money on retaining their own players -- nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who received a new, long-term contract after having been "franchised," and offensive guard Stephen Neal, in addition to Bodden. Those all are good signings. But the fact remains that the Pats weren't good enough last year, and clearly need to improve in several areas if they're to once again become a serious Super Bowl contender, as they were from 2001 through 2007. The versatile Green, a 9-year veteran who had some success rushing the passer -- he had 7.5 sacks in 2006 and 6.5 in 2007 -- signed with Denver, which former Pats assistant Josh McDaniels appears to be trying to turn into New England West as he heads into his second year as head coach in the Mile High City. By my count, Green becomes the eighth former Patriots player now on the Broncos' roster, joining wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, offensive linemen Russ Hochstein and Brandon Gorin, tight end (and former first-round draft choice) Daniel Graham, long snapper Lonie Paxton, defensive lineman LeKevin Smith, and veteran cornerback Ty Law.
NFL.com's Jason La Canfora says that Leigh Bodden's deal with the Patriots is for five years and $28.5 million, with $10 million guaranteed. Click here to read more.
The Denver Broncos have signed yet another former Patriot, adding ninth-year defensive lineman Jarvis Green today, the team announced. It is reportedly a four-year deal with $7 million in guaranteed money, with a maximum value of $20 million. Green played in 13 games last season, collecting 21 tackles, 15 assists and a sack. He had 7.5 sacks in 2006 and 6.5 sacks the following season.
The team did not disclose terms of the deal, which was announced Tuesday. The 6-foot-2, 305 pound Neal was drafted by the Patriots in 2001 out of Cal State-Bakersfield, where he was a championship wrestler and didn't play football. The Patriots waived him, then re-signed him in December 2001. By 2004, he was starting at right guard. In 2008, Neal started the final nine games on a Patriots team that set rushing records in yards, touchdowns and yards per carry. Last season, he was part of a line that allowed 18 sacks, the team's fewest since the league switched to a 16-game schedule in 1978.
March 8
ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reports that the Patriots have an agreement in principal with free-agent cornerback Leigh Bodden, who tied for the team lead with five interceptions last season and added 55 tackles. On his Twitter account, Bodden's agent, Alvin Keels, says that there is nothing official and would probably not be until tomorrow at the earliest, although "Leigh has always indicated his desire to return to New England." Bodden was in Houston today, visting with the Texans, and has also had contact with Pittsburgh and Seattle.
Tight end Alge Crumpler, a veteran who played on the Tennessee Titans last season, visited New England today, The Boston Globe reported. Crumpler had 27 catches for 222 yards and a touchdown last season. Crumpler, listed at 6-2, 262 pounds, had his best receiving seasons with the Atlanta Falcons in the Michael Vick era. He had a career-high 65 catches in 2005, and a career-high 780 receiving yards the following season. The 32-year-old North Carolina product could be an option for a Patriots team that has parted ways with Chris Baker and could also be losing Ben Watson.
How'd you like to be a Cardinals fan? Quarterback Kurt Warner has retired. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin has been traded to Baltimore. Gone, too, are unrestricted free agents Karlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle. Dansby, an inside linebacker, signed with the Dolphins. Rolle, a free safety, signed with the Giants. Now, fans in Arizona ought to resign themselves to Cardinals football the way it was for so many years -- not very good.
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