The Number of FA Corners Just Got Bigger

[T-post Tom]

He's no Brandon Carr, but maybe this will dilute the market a tiny bit:

Raiders release Stanford Routt

Well, here’s the first big surprising move of the offseason.

Oakland released cornerback Stanford Routt on Thursday, less than a year after the team gave him a “five-year, $54.5 million” contract. (It was originally a three-year, $31.5 million deal, then the team restructured the deal.)

It’s a surprising move because it was reported last year that Routt’s $5 million 2012 base salary was guaranteed. It’s possible it was only guaranteed if Routt was on the roster past a certain date. (Once again, even “guaranteed” money isn’t always guaranteed.)

Routt started last season well and enjoyed a fine 2010 season, but he struggled badly down the stretch. He got picked on often despite having the tag as Oakland’s top cornerback.

As a 28-year-old with a lot of starting experience, Routt figures to attract plenty of free agent interest. For Routt, free agency starts Friday.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...tanford-routt/

UPDATE

Raiders avoided $5 million guaranteed by cutting Routt now

So why did the Raiders dump cornerback Stanford Routt today?

Per a source with knowledge of his contract, Routt’s $5 million base salary for 2012 would have become fully guaranteed if he had been on the roster five days after the start of the 2012 waiver period.

Though Routt loses the $5 million, he gets more than a fair crack at free agency, hitting the market more than a month before the official launch of the spending spree.

Thus, either way, tying guaranteed payments to presence on the roster early in the waiver period provides maximum protection. Either the team keeps the player and incurs the full guarantee (as the Jets did with receiver Santonio Holmes) or the team cuts the cord and the player walks away free and clear.

In Routt’s case, he carries with him $10 million paid out in 2011, the first — and ultimately only — year of his contract.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ing-routt-now/

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Let Carr walk, sign him up!! lol

[tredadda]

If Carr hits the market, he will still get top dollar. Routt would be like a consolation prize at best.

[JoeyChuckles]

So did my girlfriend's ass. What a coincidence.

[Bump]

Carr is gonna get paid. I hope he stays here, but it's not "the Patriot Way" to resign a CB for top dollar. If I had to choose, I think I'd go with Bowe, he is a true #1 WR and has done a lot with shit QB's. Carr is gonna get an $80 mil contract, not sure if I'm comfortable giving him that.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Bump

Carr is gonna get paid. I hope he stays here, but it's not "the Patriot Way" to resign a CB for top dollar. If I had to choose, I think I'd go with Bowe, he is a true #1 WR and has done a lot with shit QB's. Carr is gonna get an $80 mil contract, not sure if I'm comfortable giving him that.

The Patriot Way means letting everyone not named Tom Brady walk when they are due big contracts. Hali, Charles, DJ, and Flowers all got paid. Flowers actually got top dollar, so we can see that when it comes to resigning a CB for top dollar, Pioli will do it.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by tredadda

The Patriot Way means letting everyone not named Tom Brady walk when they are due big contracts. Hali, Charles, DJ, and Flowers all got paid. Flowers actually got top dollar, so we can see that when it comes to resigning a CB for top dollar, Pioli will do it.

Seriously, alot of you guys throw around The Patriot Way as if you really understand it when you don't. You're right that the Patriots will definitely let players walk if they think they're too much money (Asante Samuel, Ty Law, Deion Branch, Richard Seymour), but there are plenty of examples of players who DID get top dollar because the Patriots determined that they WERE worth the money

Richard Seymour (2005 or whenever it was -- the first contract he got)
Randy Moss
Vince Wilfork
Logan Mankins

[TRR]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Seriously, alot of you guys throw around The Patriot Way as if you really understand it when you don't. You're right that the Patriots will definitely let players walk if they think they're too much money (Asante Samuel, Ty Law, Deion Branch, Richard Seymour), but there are plenty of examples of players who DID get top dollar because the Patriots determined that they WERE worth the money

Richard Seymour (2005 or whenever it was -- the first contract he got)
Randy Moss
Vince Wilfork
Logan Mankins

And you understand it because why? Your a fan of the team? You have no better idea than we do on how the Patriots conduct business inside their walls.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by TRR

And you understand it because why? Your a fan of the team? You have no better idea than we do on how the Patriots conduct business inside their walls.
Posted via Mobile Device

I don't pretend to have inside knowledge, but I certainly understand the general structure and the concept. Why? Because I've paid very close attention to it for 10+ years, including reading multiple books covering the Patriots as well as much as I can find in newspapers and periodicals.

But look at the statement I'm refuting. It's clearly and provably wrong, so I did prove it wrong.

The Patriot Way is misunderstood by most on here because they either hate the Patriots, Pioli, or being "Patriots lite" or because they're not willing to take the time to figure out how it works, to whatever degree we simple fans can.

Also note that the Patriots Way is not necessarily the Chiefs Way or the Falcons Way. BB would never have traded up for Julio Jones the way Dimitroff did in Atlanta, for example. Each GM is going to do what they think best, not mindlessly ask "what would Belichick do".

[Fritz88]

Originally Posted by Bump

Carr is gonna get paid. I hope he stays here, but it's not "the Patriot Way" to resign a CB for top dollar. If I had to choose, I think I'd go with Bowe, he is a true #1 WR and has done a lot with shit QB's. Carr is gonna get an $80 mil contract, not sure if I'm comfortable giving him that.

The reason the Pats lost the SB is because they didn't have good corners. I think Pioli noticed that.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

The reason the Pats lost the SB is because they didn't have good corners. I think Pioli noticed that.
Posted via Mobile Device

True, but he most assuredly had a hand in letting Asaunte Samuel walk.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

The reason the Pats lost the SB is because they didn't have good corners. I think Pioli noticed that.
Posted via Mobile Device

Why would he notice that?

He hasn't noticed Cassel sucks.

[rtmike]

I didn't pay much attention cause I only seen him playing special teams. Was that rookie CB Brown any good?


It'll be a shame if Carr leaves. I don't think he's missed any time with injury since day 1?
It's gotta be tough on Flowers not knowing. His best friend/team mate who he's started with from day 1 as rookies may depart, gotta suck.

[rtmike]

Originally Posted by Dave

Why would he notice that?

He hasn't noticed Cassel sucks.

true...selective eyesight

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

The reason the Pats lost the SB is because they didn't have good corners. I think Pioli noticed that.
Posted via Mobile Device

The entire loss was because of the cornerbacks? That's what you're saying? That's absurd. The Patriots lost because they got outplayed in the fourth quarter by the Giants across the board. If the Patriots, with the lead, could've done somethign on offense, then they could've won. If they could've gotten a key stop on defense, they could've won.

No idea how this all falls on the corners. Makes no sense.

I do agree that the Patriots are seriously short of "difference-makers" on defense, which certainly COULD be a corner.