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Vinatieri could give Pats the boot: Source: Kicker on way out
By Michael Felger
Boston Herald Patriots Beat Columnist
Sunday, March 12, 2006
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Is he staying or is he going? More than ever, that was the question surrounding Adam Vinatieri last night.
One agent who represents more than one available kicker said yesterday that, as he understood it, Vinatieri would sign with a team other than the Pats by the end of the weekend.
“My gut, my informed opinion, tells me Adam is gone,” said the agent, who requested anonymity. “Other teams just have a lot more money for him.”
On the other hand, there was a school of thought that the Pats had more than enough cap space (nearly $17 million) to match any offer for their Super Bowl hero and were considering doing so. Team vice chairman Jonathan Kraft, in an interview with ESPN Radio-Boston last week, admitted the Pats will have the opportunity to deal with Vinatieri once the offers are on the table.
“Bill (Belichick) and Scott (Pioli) will have the opportunity to determine if the (free agent offer) is the right value,” Kraft said. “It’s their call.”
Meanwhile, the Pats kept in close contact with the agent for David Givens yesterday, signaling the fact they were poised to give their free agent receiver a competitive offer.
Givens met with the Dolphins in the afternoon and was scheduled to be in Houston today.
The Pats were thought to be non-players for Givens, as they had no conversations with him for over a month after the playoffs, but given the paucity of quality free agent receivers and the amount of room they have under the cap, they have apparently decided to throw their hat in the ring.
As for the kicking situation, some chips started to fall into place yesterday, as Ryan Longwell signed with Minnesota and Matt Bryant re-signed with Tampa Bay. That would seem to leave only three or four destinations for Vinatieri, led by Dallas and Green Bay and followed by Atlanta and Indianapolis.
The anonymous agent felt Vinatieri would go to one of two teams but, even off the record, wouldn’t divulge who those teams were. [continue]
