Small sign of hope -- Longwell deal means Vinatieri may return
By John Tomase
Monday, March 13, 2006 - Updated: 06:27 AM EST
The market for kicker Adam Vinatieri is shrinking, which means his chances of re-signing with the Patriots are growing.
The five-year, $10 million deal Ryan Longwell signed Saturday with the Minnesota Vikings hurt Vinatieri twice. First, it removed Minnesota from the pool of teams competing for his services, and one prominent player agent believed the Vikings were contemplating a big offer for Vinatieri. Second, it established the going rate for top-tier kickers.
If Longwell’s worth $2 million a season with a $3 million signing bonus, then Vinatieri would seem to be looking at something between $2.5 million and $3 million annually.
According to league sources, only three teams in the market for a kicker can afford that price tag: the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Green Packers.
“They’re basically a love triangle right now, and they’ve all got something going for them,” said an agent representing a free agent kicker not named Vinatieri. “The best cap situation is Green Bay. The best personal situation would be New England. And the best kicking conditions are in Dallas.”
But by letting Longwell walk, the Packers signaled they won’t break the bank for a kicker. And with quarterback Brett Favre possibly retiring, a large chunk of the $30 million they have to spend could be earmarked toward a signal caller. Word out of Green Bay last night was that the Packers weren’t prepared to offer Vinatieri enough to convince him to leave the Patriots.
In Dallas, the Cowboys have never spent $1 million in a season on a kicker, let alone $3 million. But owner Jerry Jones is on record saying that the team will sign a veteran kicker after missed field goals cost the Cowboys a playoff berth in 2005. And there’s no underestimating the pull of head coach Bill Parcells, who gave Vinatieri his start as an undrafted free agent in New England a decade ago.
Two teams that appear to be out of the hunt are Atlanta and Indianapolis. The Falcons plan to augment rookie punter Michael Koenen, who also handles kickoffs, with a serviceable veteran to kick field goals. They’re also tight against the salary cap with other needs to fill.
The Colts, meanwhile, lost starting running back Edgerrin James to the Cardinals yesterday and have salary cap issues of their own. They’re about to lose kicker Mike Vanderjagt and likely would need to restructure existing contracts to sign Vinatieri. Plus, general manager Bill Polian recently told the Indianapolis Star that the team would sit out the first three weeks of free agency while waiting for prices to drop.
“As you know,” Polian said, “we are not a team that’s enamored of the free agent market.”
That leaves Vinatieri mulling offers in the $2.5 million range. Since the Patriots have already offered him more than $2 million a season, it would seem the two sides aren’t far apart. Vinatieri’s agent, Jonathan Hurst, did not return calls seeking comment.
Ken Harris represents free agent Paul Edinger, a potential replacement for Vinatieri, since he kicked well outdoors in Chicago for five years before moving to Minnesota last season. The Patriots and Harris have spoken, but tellingly, the team did not initiate contact with the kicker.
Monday, March 13, 2006 - Updated: 06:27 AM EST
The market for kicker Adam Vinatieri is shrinking, which means his chances of re-signing with the Patriots are growing.
The five-year, $10 million deal Ryan Longwell signed Saturday with the Minnesota Vikings hurt Vinatieri twice. First, it removed Minnesota from the pool of teams competing for his services, and one prominent player agent believed the Vikings were contemplating a big offer for Vinatieri. Second, it established the going rate for top-tier kickers.
If Longwell’s worth $2 million a season with a $3 million signing bonus, then Vinatieri would seem to be looking at something between $2.5 million and $3 million annually.
According to league sources, only three teams in the market for a kicker can afford that price tag: the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Green Packers.
“They’re basically a love triangle right now, and they’ve all got something going for them,” said an agent representing a free agent kicker not named Vinatieri. “The best cap situation is Green Bay. The best personal situation would be New England. And the best kicking conditions are in Dallas.”
But by letting Longwell walk, the Packers signaled they won’t break the bank for a kicker. And with quarterback Brett Favre possibly retiring, a large chunk of the $30 million they have to spend could be earmarked toward a signal caller. Word out of Green Bay last night was that the Packers weren’t prepared to offer Vinatieri enough to convince him to leave the Patriots.
In Dallas, the Cowboys have never spent $1 million in a season on a kicker, let alone $3 million. But owner Jerry Jones is on record saying that the team will sign a veteran kicker after missed field goals cost the Cowboys a playoff berth in 2005. And there’s no underestimating the pull of head coach Bill Parcells, who gave Vinatieri his start as an undrafted free agent in New England a decade ago.
Two teams that appear to be out of the hunt are Atlanta and Indianapolis. The Falcons plan to augment rookie punter Michael Koenen, who also handles kickoffs, with a serviceable veteran to kick field goals. They’re also tight against the salary cap with other needs to fill.
The Colts, meanwhile, lost starting running back Edgerrin James to the Cardinals yesterday and have salary cap issues of their own. They’re about to lose kicker Mike Vanderjagt and likely would need to restructure existing contracts to sign Vinatieri. Plus, general manager Bill Polian recently told the Indianapolis Star that the team would sit out the first three weeks of free agency while waiting for prices to drop.
“As you know,” Polian said, “we are not a team that’s enamored of the free agent market.”
That leaves Vinatieri mulling offers in the $2.5 million range. Since the Patriots have already offered him more than $2 million a season, it would seem the two sides aren’t far apart. Vinatieri’s agent, Jonathan Hurst, did not return calls seeking comment.
Ken Harris represents free agent Paul Edinger, a potential replacement for Vinatieri, since he kicked well outdoors in Chicago for five years before moving to Minnesota last season. The Patriots and Harris have spoken, but tellingly, the team did not initiate contact with the kicker.
posted by The Gryphon at 11:19 PM
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