Vince Wilfork just finished the final year of a six-year contract. (AP)

Vince Wilfork said Wednesday morning he played fair with the Patriots by honoring his outdated six-year rookie deal, but as both sides try and hammer out a new agreement, the Pro Bowl nose tackle said he’s not getting the same treatment from the franchise.

“I signed up for a six-year deal, and I honored it. I didn’t like the six-year deal, but I did honor my six-year deal,” he told WEEI (listen to the complete interview here). “And now that deal is up, it’s time for me to move forward. If that’s with the Patriots or without the Patriots.

“Like I said, I wouldn’t change what I’ve done. If I had to do it all over again, I’d do the same thing. I’d try for a five-year deal — which we tried but, you know, we didn’t get. That’s the only thing I’d change,” he added. “But like I said, I did everything the right way, the way it needed to be done. I want the same treatment. I want the same treatment, and that’s not happening right now.”

Wilfork, who just finished the final season of a six-year deal he signed as a rookie prior to the start of the 2004 season, said the two sides haven’t talked since before the start of the season.

“I’m not sitting by the phone waiting for them to call. Either they call or they don’t,” said Wilfork, who is home in South Florida preparing for his second Pro Bowl appearance Sunday. “Whenever they call, they call.”

Wilfork wants no part of a franchise tag, saying he desires long-term security.

“I want a long-term deal, or I want to be free. Point blank. And that’s how I’m looking at it,” he said. “That’s how my family is looking at it. It’s a short window of opportunity for me to go and make the type of money that I want to make. And hey, like I said, family comes first.

“Yeah, [the franchise tag is] decent money for most people out there. What I do, it’s OK,” he added. “But I don’t look at myself as an OK player. Like I said, it’s just basically a slap in my face and it’s insulting to me to tell me I’m an OK player.”

Wilfork, who was taken 21st overall in the 2004 draft, has risen to become one of the elite nose tackles in the league, an absolute necessity in a 3-4 defense, which the Patriots employ. His durability — a 51-game consecutive start streak that dated back to 2006 ended late in the 2009 season — and dependability make him one of the cornerstones of the New England defensive line. The 28-year-old was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2007, and was also a second-team All-Pro that same season.

However, while he did sit out voluntary team activities in the spring of 2009 as a sign of his unhappiness over his contract situation, he was present for the start of training camp. In addition, he continued to be a dominant presence in the middle all season long for the Patriots, maintaining his status as one of the best in the league at his position while flashing some positional versatility with an occasional move to end it the 3-4.

“I’m not selling my family short and definitely not selling myself short, just to stay back and stay to win and be part of a great organization,” he said. “That plays a big part in winning. Winning is a big part of sports. But a lot of teams win. A lot of teams win. We’ll see. We’ll see. Like I said, we’ll do what’s best for my family, but I would definitely not sell myself short of my ability. Not at all.”

He said it’s getting more difficult to stay positive about the situation, given the history of how the Patriots have operated in similar situations over the years.

“I’m trying not to be negative on it, because I can easily sit back and be negative and say, ‘They’re going to franchise me and they’re not going to give me the money’ because of all the good guys that we’ve lost over the years. Asante [Samuel], one of them, [Richard] Seymour, with the trade. [Adam] Vinatieri. [Deion] Branch. Daniel Graham. All these guys I’ve named were all great players for the Patriots, and they were in the same predicament as us. Somehow or another, they ended up with different teams. I don’t know how it played out, but it played out like that.

“I’m trying to keep it positive. That’s the only way I can really look at it. Try to look at it in a positive light, because if I look at it in a negative light, I’ll be really pissed.”

8 Comments for “Wilfork talks contract”

1. Patsfan Says:
   January 27th, 2010 at 2:18 pm

   Krafty Bob and Bill need to keep whatever talent and veteran presence they have in that locker room. Vince deserves $$ and so long as I’m paying bust out retail to attend games, I want to have good players on our side of the field.

2. bigdad12 Says:
   January 27th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

   pay him PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Asante Says:
   January 27th, 2010 at 8:52 pm

   Don’t you know Craft doesn’t actually reward “true patriots” with contracts. No, they get shown the door when it comes time to get big contract. Bill and Craft are tight A$$ES

4. Joe Says:
   January 27th, 2010 at 11:55 pm

   I understand the policy of being cheep. With one dimensional players like Samual I still see him wiffing on the game winning INT in the Superbowl against the Giants. uugh but Vince is a wall He did do the rite thing with his first contract not like a lot of others. He does deserve to be treated fairly,

   Sign Vince Sign Vince Sign Vince Sign Vince

5. Dennis Says:
   January 28th, 2010 at 12:04 am

   Wilfork has just “mouthed” his way out of NE. Wilfork the best? Hardly. According to research, he’s only made All-Pro twice since he’s been here—and that was as a second teamer. Besides, who runs that much anymore?
   I’d like to see the Pats franchise Wilfork, trade him for a #1, or more, than trade next year’s #1 Oakland pick for a #1 this year. That would give them 3 #1’s and three #2’s. That’s 6 picks in the top 60. That would certainly build up their team—and for about as much as it would have cost just to sign Wilfork.

6. Gordon Says:
   January 28th, 2010 at 5:49 am

   Wilfork and Maroney, what do they have in common? They both overrated themselves. Vince was bulldozed in the Ravens game play after play. I like the idea that Dennis put out there, franchise and trade. This team needs boatloads of fresh talent at all positions.

7. james Says:
   January 28th, 2010 at 7:03 am

   Based on what Vince said and the Patriots history of tough negotiating stances I’d have to say he’s gone. Good thing Michael Holley got to talk to him though i was about to send him a crying towel

8. patsfan Says:
   January 30th, 2010 at 8:19 am

   He said he only cares about the money. Once he gets it, his chief motivation will be gone.

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