Wilfork trying to remain patient with cautious Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Standout nose tackle Vince Wilfork admitted to a small group of reporters Sunday that there has been no progress in his bid for a new contract with the New England Patriots.

He noted that the Patriots have cited the NFL's labor uncertainty (the potential of lockout in 2011 and no salary cap in 2010) as a major reason for the holdup in negotiations.

Wilfork, who has been good natured and has avoided criticizing the Patriots over his contract, admitted that he was skeptical about such assertions.

"It has been frustrating. But you are hearing it from the horse's mouth, I have not heard anything from my agent which to me means there has been no progress," Wilfork said. "There are 31 other teams in this league and you see a lot of deals getting done. Matt Cassel, Eli Manning and Albert Haynesworth all got new contracts. The labor situation affects everybody, not just the Patriots.

"On the other hand, the Patriots have a lot of guys up at the end of the year, so they are in a tough position. I see both sides of the issue."

Wilfork's comments seem to confirm earlier sentiments from Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who said that the rules of the game had changed and the Patriots did not want to be at a competitive disadvantage in the future. He also warned that teams needed to be careful about additional expenditures because no one knows how things might turn out in the future. These comments were in response to questions about how the labor uncertainty affected long-term contracts.

The Patriots seem to have little doubt about Wilfork's ability. Earlier in training camp, Patriots coach Bill Belichick called him one of the best at his position in the league. Wilfork is the final year of a six-year contract and is scheduled to earn $2.2 million this season. Multiple agents, who did not want their names used because they did not want to seen as commenting on another player's negotiations, might have advised Wilfork to hold out if they were his agent. Drafted No. 21 overall in 2004, Wilfork signed a six-year deal, which is now prohibited under the 2006 collective bargaining agreement. Rookies drafted in the bottom half of the first round (17 to 32) cannot sign contracts longer than five years.

"It was probably a big mistake for him to sign that six-year deal," said one prominent NFL agent who is familiar with the situation. "You always want to sign a five-year deal because that will allow you to get to the second contract quicker, which is what agents and players live for."

The Patriots gave Wilfork a $2.5 million bonus for agreeing to the extra year. Agents, however, who have studied the issue argue that the added bonus fails to make up for the money that a player could have earned on the open market. This issue over a five- versus six-year deal was also true with tight end Ben Watson, the Patriots other 2004 first round pick who was represented by Tom Condon, one of the most successful agents in the NFL. Condon refused to let Watson sign a six-year contract and the Patriots refused to budge. Watson eventually found an agent who agreed to the six-year deal.

The Patriots have many important players who will be free agents at the end of this season including defensive lineman Richard Seymour, defensive lineman Jarvis Green, kicker Stephen Gostkowski, and guard Logan Mankins.

Wilfork, who turns 28 in November, says he wants to focus on football and avoid disappointing the teammates who depend on him.

"I try to stay away from the contract stuff, because if I think about it, it becomes very frustrating," Wilfork said. "What I am concerned about most is my family and they are still happy even with all that is going on. When they are no longer happy that is when I pack up my bags and leave."



(cbssports.com)