SB Nation Boston - Aaron Schobel Announces Reitrement, Saying 'I Want To Be Done With It'https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2010-08-16T12:53:14-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13773822010-08-16T12:53:14-04:002010-08-16T12:53:14-04:00Aaron Schobel Announces Retirement, 'I Want To Be Done With It'
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<p>Aaron Schobel won't be signing with the Texans. Nor the Patriots. Instead, the free agent defensive end has decided to retire, according to the Houston Chronicle's <a href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL">John McLain</a>.</p>
<p>In a series of tweets early Monday afternoon, McLain details Schobel's decision, saying the veteran was "tired of dieting to weigh in the 240s when he's playing and wants to eat and weigh 270."</p>
<p><a href="http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/9/1613341/aaron-schobel-patriots-interest-bills-texans-nfl-free-agency?show_comments=true">Reports last week</a> had Schobel, a Texas native and former TCU player, as interested in the Texans, so he could play close to home, with head coach Gary Kubiak confirming he had talked to the free agent. But Schobel, who turns 33 soon, has apparently had enough, <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/2132532/aaron-schobel-says-he-will-retire">saying</a> he's "done with it."</p>
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<p>"Obviously, it would have been a great place to play, but at point of my career, I'm not going to sit here and tell you how I would have performed," Schobel told the Houston Chronicle when he was asked about posisbly playing in Houston. "I'm not saying I could or couldn't have played at my best, but I'm just not 100 percent sure.</p>
<p>"I want to be done with it. I'm going to leave it as is. I wasn't sure if I wanted to play, anyway. I'm going to be 33 in two weeks, and I'm leaving the game on my terms and nobody else's. I'm just going to leave it alone and retire."</p>
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<p>The Bills cut Schobel earlier this month when he did not show up to training camp. There had been reports that the Patriots were interested in the pass-rushing specialist.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/16/1625675/aaron-schobel-retires-bill-stexans-patriots-donw-with-itRyan Hudson2010-08-11T16:17:39-04:002010-08-11T16:17:39-04:00Aaron Schobel Talks With Texans' Coach Gary Kubiak
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<p>While new free agent Aaron Schobel contemplates retirement, he is also still considering his options regarding playing in 2010, reportedly eying the Texans. Earlier this week, he <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/11/gary-kubiak-met-with-aaron-schobel/">met with Gary Kubiak</a>, the head coach of his home-state team.</p>
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<p>"Nothing has changed with Aaron. I talked to him the other day, had a great visit with him," Kubiak said. "I think it's just a matter of what does Aaron want to do, where does he want to it."</p>
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<p>Two days before his release from the Bills, Schobel was quoted as saying, "If I were a free agent, and I could choose a team, it would be the Texans, without a doubt."</p>
<p>The Patriots are also <a href="http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/9/1613341/aaron-schobel-patriots-interest-bills-texans-nfl-free-agency?show_comments=true">reported</a> to have "strong interest" in the DE.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/11/1618159/aaron-schobel-patriots-texans-gary-kubiakRyan Hudson2010-08-09T15:23:54-04:002010-08-09T15:23:54-04:00Bill Belichick On Aaron Schobel: He 'Would Have Some Value To Different Teams'
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<p>With the weekend's news that the Patriots were showing "strong interest" in free agent DE Aaron Schobel, it was not surprising that his situation was addressed in Monday morning's press conference with Bill Belichick, thanks to the <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/08/belichick_on_aa.html">Globe's Albert Breer</a>.</p>
<p>Belichick was, as you'd expect, rather tight-lipped about it all.</p>
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<p>"Nick (Caserio) and the personnel staff look at all the players out there," Belichick said. "Any player that is not on the roster, we have evaluated and he has some kind of status with us, whatever the category (is), and there are a number of categories. That's what the personnel staff does: they look at all the players. The ones that are on other teams, we keep track of them and the ones that aren't on any team, we keep track of them."</p>
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<p>When asked what Schobel could offer at this point in his career, Belichick answered, "I'm sure he, depending on what his situation is, would have some value to different teams."</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/9/1613997/aaron-schobel-patriots-bill-belichick-bills-reactionRyan Hudson2010-08-09T10:44:23-04:002010-08-09T10:44:23-04:00Patriots Reportedly Have 'Strong Interest' In Aaron Schobel, But DE Is Eying Texans
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<p>Over the weekend, <a href="http://twitter.com/MikeGiardi/status/20627655191">CSNNE's Mike Giardi</a> reported that the Patriots have "strong interest" in free DE Aaron Schobel, the elite pass-rusher whom was <a href="http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/5/1607661/aaron-schobel-bills-release-patriots-rumors">cut by the Bills</a> last week after the 10-year veteran did not show up to camp (reportedly <a href="http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/2/1601394/aaron-schobel-bills-moving-on-patriots-rumors">contemplating retirement</a>).</p>
<p>New England's <a href="http://www.patspulpit.com/2010/8/8/1612124/rumor-patriots-have-strong">rumored interest makes sense</a>: they have a pass-rushing need to fill with LB Derrick Burgess playing his own will-he-or-won't-he retire dance, and Schobel has been one of those players the Patriots never had an answer for (no one has sacked Tom Brady more).</p>
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<p>Getting Schobel, who is certainly still capable of putting up double digit sack numbers, would be huge for the Patriots. While he has 3-4 outside linebacker size (6-4, 243), he would initially work in as a nickel/sub-package rusher for the Patriots off the edge. Like Derrick Burgess, as the season wore on, he could develop a slightly more traditional outside linebacker role for the Patriots.</p>
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<p>However, Aaron Schobel may not be interested in the Patriots.</p>
<p>According to Tom Curran, there are two major hurdles that would prevent him from signing with New England: his <a href="http://www.necn.com/08/08/10/Pats-want-Schobel-he-may-not-want-them/landing_sports.html?blockID=285893&feedID=3352">desire to play for his hometown Texans</a>, and, of course, money.</p>
<p>Indeed, two days before his release, Schobel was <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7138551.html">quoted as saying</a>, "If I were a free agent, and I could choose a team, it would be the Texans, without a doubt ... Houston would be the best spot for me." Schobel is from Columbus, Texas, and played his college ball at TCU.</p>
<p><a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4681134/sharing-some-more-schobel-opinion">ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss</a> does not think that it's "a slam dunk that Schobel lands in Houston," citing that it will probably come down to the second hurdle listed above: money. Reiss estimates Schobel will demand somewhere between $5-7 million, a price that could be too high for the Texans, and too costly for the Pats. Allow Curran to explain:</p>
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<p>... New England would likely have to get into an overpay situation to convince Schobel to come. With Logan Mankins stewing about his lack of a new deal and Tom Brady tapping his foot awaiting his own, throwing money at Schobel and a position that was supposed to be manned by The Reluctant End Derrick Burgess (obtained for a third and a fifth last year), would be messy business. Necessary business, perhaps, but messy all the same.</p>
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<p>The possibility of having to overpay for a veteran who is not keen to learning a new position (he'd be a pass-rushing linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4 defense as opposed to defensive end in the Bills' 4-3), and threatens to cause unrest in the locker room, may simply be asking too much of New England.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/9/2319070/patriots-reportedly-have-strong-interest-in-aaron-schobel-but-de-isRyan Hudson