Kraft interested in adding Jason Taylor

[TBrady]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/aro...urn=nfl,150318

Pats' Kraft open to idea of adding Taylor

By Jason Cole

DANA POINT, Calif. – While speculation grew last week as to whether the New England Patriots would attempt to trade for Panthers DE Julius Peppers, the club appears to have interest in fellow veteran pass rusher Jason Taylor.

"Great player," owner Robert Kraft said with a big smile while at the owners meetings. "I'm sure that can happen if he wants it."

Two sources close to Taylor indicated last weekend that the Patriots are his top choice. Taylor has spent most of the month with his family in South Florida since being cut by Washington and is in no drastic hurry to sign with a team.

However, Taylor sees his best opportunity to a win a title with the Patriots. In addition, New England coach Bill Belichick has developed a reputation of taking care of veteran players and not wearing them out. Taylor, who spent the first 11 years of his career with the Dolphins before being traded to the Redskins in July, can play both defensive end in a 4-3 scheme and linebacker in a 3-4, giving Belichick flexibility.

Agent Gary Wichard declined to discuss what teams are interested in Taylor at this point, other than to say he has heard from "numerous" teams. Wichard said he plans to meet with Taylor next week in South Florida, when Taylor holds a charity event to support his foundation in Miami.

[ganggreen76]

It's crazy how that team gets the players they want at the price they want with little competition.

Randy for a fourth and now Taylor. Defensive player of the year in 2006, 11 sacks in 2007 one bad year in 2008 and the Pats will get him dirt cheap.

You know he wants stick it to Parcells.

[ganggreen76]

I spoke too soon. Here comes Miami.

Where are the Jets? The last time I checked we run a 3-4 too.

www.profootballtalk.com

Taylor Launches Official Flirtation With Pats, Dolphins
Posted by Mike Florio on March 29, 2009, 10:08 p.m.

Amid increasing chatter that defensive end Jason Taylor could sign with the Patriots or reunite with the Dolphins, Taylor has semi-officially declared that both teams are possible destinations for him in 2009.

On Sunday night, Taylor was asked about recent comments from Pats owner Robert Kraft regarding the team’s interest in Taylor’s services.

“I did hear that. I can’t lie,” Taylor said, according to Tim Graham of ESPN.com. “I have not talked to Robert Kraft. We’ll leave it at that. Those things will sort themselves out, and hopefully in the near future so I can get back to work.

“But it’s great to be wanted. It’s great to be wanted. Sure, especially an organization like them or the Dolphins.”

Ah, yes. The Dolphins. It’s interesting how Taylor slipped that one in there.

So would he play for them again?

“Absolutely,” Taylor said. “There’s no reason I wouldn’t.”

It’s a far cry from a year ago, when Taylor wanted no part of a team that he regarded as a rag-tag bunch, mired in a protracted rebuilding effort. Now that the Fins are the defending AFC East champs, they look a lot better to the 2006 NFL defensive player of the year.

And if Taylor can get the Pats and the Fins to try to outdo each other in order to land him, Taylor will end up with a much better contract than he’d get if only one of the them were interested.

Taylor ultimately was traded by the Dolphins to the Redskins in July for a second-round pick. The ‘Skins cut him earlier this month after he refused to tie a portion of his 2008 pay to participation in offseason workouts.