APWhen listing the remaining holdouts on Sunday, I forgot one of them. Possibly because he’s not really a holdout.
Then again, it’s not clear what he is.
Veteran offensive lineman Brian Waters hasn’t shown up for training camp. Under contract through 2012 at a base salary of $1.4 million, Waters hasn’t retired. But he also hasn’t shown up.
And it’s unclear whether he will.
Coach Bill Belichick didn’t seem to be bothered by Waters’ failure to report, even though the team needs him, what with the retirement of left tackle Matt Light and left guard Logan Mankins injury and the more recent (and abrupt) decision of Robert Gallery to call it quits.
Waters has done nothing to indicate his plans for 2012. The Patriots have done nothing to indicate that they’ll be squeezing him to show up.
So maybe he’s a holdout. Maybe he isn’t. Soon enough, we’ll know whether he’s going to play.
We think.
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Wink n Nod agreement! What does Waters have to prove? BB can’t let the other players know 4 sure that Waters is excused.
People have short memories, a lot of players were given lead-way concerning training camp…
I’m pretty sure Belichick isn’t worried because he knows Waters is going to play this year.
He’s been doing this before he came to the Patriots this kind of situation happened in his latter years as a Chief. Last year he was signed what ten days before the first of the season and he stepped in week one and played great he then had an All Pro caliber season.
I’m thinking Belichick doesn’t care how much training camp he misses as long as he plays at the level he did last year.
I’d like to see him report or at minimum indicate what his intentions are. Either way, I think he’ll be back. My guess is at age 35, he’s simply not interested in a month long Training Camp.
And from what I understand it’s not the first time he’s done this.
I’m sure BB knows the plans for Brian Waters and since BB has said nothing about it, there will be a Brian Waters sighting after the Pats break camp in a couple of weeks. Even though they a short of healthy bodies in camp, Brian Waters would not be playing in the pre season games.
Waters didn’t show up until Sept. 4th last season and was a Pro-Bowler. Non-story
He will play he showed up a week before the season opener last year and Did very well not worried
Waters missed camp last season and played like a top-5 guard, so I’m not too worried if he shows up in a couple weeks for one last shot at a ring. Or if he chooses to retire, that’s certainly his right.
Either way, I don’t think the Pats interior line is a problem. From camp reports Gallery certainly wasn’t in line to start, or even beat out younger guys for a roster spot, so his retirement isn’t a big hit. The real wild card is right tackle — can Vollmer get/stay on the field and play at a high level? Marcus Cannon’s probably a better fit at guard long-term and there are no other tackles on the roster with NFL experience. And that’s assuming Solder holds it down at LT and stays healthy.
Saying he isn’t a ‘hold out’ when he hasn’t shown up for TC after two weeks seems to be an exercise in semantics.
If you think the situation for the Patriots OL isn’t anything to worry about, you’re delusional. The OL has been key to the Patriots (and Brady’s) success, and with more teams following the Giants lead going forward, that’s more critical than ever.
Half the current starters are rehabbing, have a injury history, or are mysteriously missing. True, Waters may play well if and when he returns, but the real issue will be continuity. But not just with the starters, as two backup OT’s left the field injured last night, further depleting weak depth.
At this point in the off-season, the options for backup depth are those F/A nobody wanted to sign (i.e. the bottom of the barrel), or cut down castoffs. Dante may well be the best OL coach in the league, but even he can’t make up lack of talent or make up for time lost working as a unit.
You’re free to be in denial if you choose, but the problem is obvious. Moreover, this problem not only effects offensive execution, but it puts the teams most valuable asset in jeopardy.
The offensive line they are fielding right now would get Brady killed. Mankins and Watters are needed.
I guess he is holding for better salary. He won’t show up for that ‘pity’ salary.