All of the fuss is about the Pats trading Vrabel, but the most underrated development yesterday is probably the Pats losing Lonie Paxton.
I've been watching football for a long time, and I don't think that I've ever seen a better long snapper. He's been on the Pats for what ...9 years now?....and I can't remember ever seeing a bad snap from him. Never a bounced snap to the holder, never a snap over the punter's head, always right on the numbers. He's played in rain, wind, snow, slop, and every condition imaginable, and never had a bad snap in 9 years.
I remember holding my breath in SB38, when Paxton was hurt, and that Kinchen (sp?) guy was bouncing snaps everywhere. You don't appreciate a guy like him, until he's gone, and the next guy loses you a game.
Paxton was making around $800K last season, and just signed with the Broncos for something like 5 years, at $5.3M. Is it worth losing a sure thing like Paxton over $300K or $400K a year? Hell, a long snapper can play until he's 40.
I've been watching football for a long time, and I don't think that I've ever seen a better long snapper. He's been on the Pats for what ...9 years now?....and I can't remember ever seeing a bad snap from him. Never a bounced snap to the holder, never a snap over the punter's head, always right on the numbers. He's played in rain, wind, snow, slop, and every condition imaginable, and never had a bad snap in 9 years.
I remember holding my breath in SB38, when Paxton was hurt, and that Kinchen (sp?) guy was bouncing snaps everywhere. You don't appreciate a guy like him, until he's gone, and the next guy loses you a game.
Paxton was making around $800K last season, and just signed with the Broncos for something like 5 years, at $5.3M. Is it worth losing a sure thing like Paxton over $300K or $400K a year? Hell, a long snapper can play until he's 40.
