Pats Sign Baker
The Border War continues. Following in the line of countless players that have traveled between the Meadowlands and Foxboro, TE Chris Baker has agreed to a deal with the New England Patriots.
Earlier this month, the Jets released Baker rather than pay him the $9 million option bonus payment that was due to him in early March. At the time, the 29-year-old Baker said he was open to re-signing with the Jets and would like to return. But when New England called, and Baker heard the Patriots’ offer, he liked that idea better.
Well, so much for Baker returning to compliment Keller. You just have to wonder how much wanting to spurn the Jets played into Baker’s decision.
Oh, and the Pats are attempting to do it again — coming to terms with 30-plus-year old back Fred Taylor.
UPDATE: No word on whether Baker parked in Bob Kraft’s space this morning …
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man for as much as the pats hate us, they love our players? Baker, Vinny, bender,kyle brady,clement,cox,green thats just to name a few…. and i supposed we love their players too now that i think about it.
Didn’t they sign Hobson last year?Look how that turned out. I think Baker will be good for them though.
Who cares for Baker… Bart Scott will knock his head off… liked the guy, but couldn’t block for anything… not impressed with that signing nor the Fred Taylor won either… I’m more nervous for Tom Brady and the Randy Moss connection and the Dolphins getting better as a team, though they still don’t have the arm in Miami to get the ball deep.
http://www.thejetsblog.com/2008/06/06/daily-links-where-from-here-smiz/
Baker is a really good signing for them- Brady loves his TE’s in the red zone, and Baker has great hands. I put the over/under on his TD’s vs the Jets at 2.5…
dont forget he dropped every single critical catch that was thrown to him!
I would be curious to see the money on this deal.
if Brady could make Ben Watson look good, i think Baker will be fine over there. not worried, but they probably won’t be disappointed.
Baker couldn’t block??….that’s one of the main reasons we kept him here.Once some of you come off your emotinal high…you will then realize that this may come back to bite us on our @ss…I could picture baker being the benefactor of a close win for them between us and the pats….oh well
I’ll 2nd this– Who cares about Chris Baker..He caused a lot of friction last season with his contract issues– & now fans are upset he’s gone? He was replaced by Dustin Keller…now, all we need is a blocking TE…Who cares if the Pats signed him–
smizzy, thanks for the reminder of your called shot! :)
I can’t seem to forget about how WIDE OPEN Baker was in over time vs. the Raiders…when he tripped and fell on NOTHING and never made it to the perfect pass that would have led to a first down/field goal for the win. I hated him at that point!
And I should care about this why?? The guy is a nice player. Not a game changer or someone to worry about.
Worry about our team guys….
What do all think of the Pats signing Fred Taylor?
great. just great. Now, lets have laverneous go to miami and both can catch td’s to knock us out of the playoffs like chad did last year.
I really hope we can sign a reciever or draft a big name receiver. Our offense is going to suck otherwise. Teams are going to stack the line against TJ and Leon.
Stucky cant be the answer at wide reciever. Great 2nd or third option though.
Now, we need a blocking TE. Baker WAS a great blocker (for his size) and decent hands. In 2006 he did catch that pass against the brownies, we should have won that game.
Again, the sky is falling because a mediocre Jets castoff has signed with an AFC East rival. Baker’s a decent player, but Ben Watson is the Pats no. 1 TE and I thought they liked Dave Thomas, who is Baker’s size. Lots of folks predicted that Victor Hobson would blitz and take out the Jets QB or RB or waterboy. It’s all bunk. Baker’s a back up TE on the Pats and he would’ve been an overpaid backup TE on the Jets. Good luck, Chris, I’m sorry to see you go, but I’m also not trembling with fear to see you back in the Meadowlands.
Baker was average at best. not worried about playing him twice a year.
Who cares, Baker was an jerk!! The guy shows up to pratice in a fur coat, and parks his car in the bosses spot.
I hope he pulls that crap up in Boston. That would be the only time I can say I cheered for Big Bill, as he is kicking Backers ass!
Why is it that the patriots are signing Jets Players
is it that they want to get infromation from the Jets
AKA Drew,
The only game changer that we have is L Washington, your stsement is true, Baker was not a game changer, but who besides Leon is one on our team ?
Blocking TE + Fred Taylor = Brady with a play action threat? Uh oh!
Davo
Huh. I preferred my version of this story.
:oP
Davo, didn’t Brady already have a blocking TE and play action threat? Now, he has another undersized blocking TE and a 100 year old RB that’s never played in Northeast cold…yeah, I’m worried.
He didn’t have a decent blocking TE, and there was no commitment to the run, either way. The Patriots HAD to open up the run last year, to take the pressure off Cassel, and I just wonder if they are going to keep that mentality going forward. I’m actually surprised that the Jags gave Taylor up for nothing – especially when he was willing to re-negotiate his contract down.
Davo
Davo, you’re assuming that Baker is a better blocking TE than Dave Thomas and Taylor a more effective RB than Maroney or a healthy Lamont. Plus, Taylor’s never played in cold weather…he’s from Florida and played his entire career in Jax. Plus, he’s been somewhat injury prone. I’m just saying that it’s not like the Pats signed 2 flat out studs…these guys have warts.
Who can replace this guy now? Free agency or draft?
Free Agents:
LJ Smith
Dan Campbell(no please no)
Kleinsasser(i though hes a fulback?)
vinny – Campbell signed elsewhere already.
Kleinsasser is an HBack.
True Sackdance – I’d argue that Taylor is better than Maroney simply because Maroney is a season away from being an official bust. Thomas is an effective TE when he’s healthy, and I would expect Baker to challenge for the starting spot. Baker KILLED the Pats in the game at Foxboro last year.
Chris Baker is still listed as on the roster bassett…just giving you a heads up