Pats trade Hochstein to Broncos for seventh-round draft pick [merged] - Page 5 - New England Patriots Forums

***Gwedd*** · 08-25-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reckedtrek

I can't help but feel another deal is in the works and this was a piece of the puzzle... what's our biggest area of need right now? Meh- I'm probably just overthinking it- they were going to cut him anyway, so they took what they could get for him.

I have to agree with this. I think there is much more about to happen here.

Respects,

***ctpatsfan77*** · 08-25-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwedd

I have to agree with this. I think there is much more about to happen here.

Respects,

Well, on the one hand, there isn't much cap room left.

But, OTOH, the Patriots currently have three roster spots left (they have 77 active players).

efin98 · 08-25-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctpatsfan77

Well, on the one hand, there isn't much cap room left.

But, OTOH, the Patriots currently have three roster spots left (they have 77 active players).

$700,000 saved from yesterday from Kaczur's extension plus $50,000 from trading Hochstein...$750,000 that could be used towards bringing in someone else which may be what is being implied there.

jefmblrd · 08-25-2009, 02:12 PM

I was fairly surprised upon first reading this, but after some reflection it makes some sense. Hochstein was a solid backup here for a number of years. It makes sense to get younger and less expensive wherever a team can and picking up a draft pick is always a good thing. This bodes well for Wendell or possibly Connolly as the back up center and BB must be pleased with Ohrnberger's progress so far. I'm not a big fan of Yates, so I hope there is someone better than him on the 53.

***Gwedd*** · 08-25-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by efin98

$700,000 saved from yesterday from Kaczur's extension plus $50,000 from trading Hochstein...$750,000 that could be used towards bringing in someone else which may be what is being implied there.

Yup,

Not only saving money, but regaining draft picks for future trades, etc.
The rich get richer, as it were...

BPF · 08-25-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urgent

The big question right now is back-up center.

At the start of training camp, the team had Al Johnson and Russ Hochstein.
Both gone.

More evidence, I think, that Wendell is making the team.
He's the next back-up center.
He has been playing in rotation with the one's occasionally, and quite a bit with the two's.
He was picked up last year at the end of the season, and spent the entire off-season in their development program.

If not Wendell, I'm not sure who the back-up center is.
He is also versatile enough to play center-guard.

Wendell handled the backup center duties vs the Eagles and Dan Connolly was the backup center in the second preseason game vs the Bengals. They both can and have played guard, so it looks like Wendell and Connolly are competing for one center/guard roster spot.

Urgent · 08-25-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by efin98

$700,000 saved from yesterday from Kaczur's extension plus $50,000 from trading Hochstein...$750,000 that could be used towards bringing in someone else which may be what is being implied there.

I believe that Miguel is accounting for the Kaczur deal as about $600K in additional 2009 charges. I believe that it depends upon the date of the bonus - 2009 or 2010 - which is not clear.

However, the $50K in cap charges for trading Hochstein should be a cap cost - the dead money charge of his signing bonus - not a savings. Hochstein was a veteran minimum contract, so there isn't a lot to be saved by replacing his $517K of cap cost.
I guess replacing Hochstein with Wendell will save around $150K net total.

***jmt57*** · 08-25-2009, 02:41 PM

From the forum on the Broncos team web site, it sounds like Denver's OL backups have not played very well this preseason. If Ohrnberger and Wendell or Connolly are ready to go the trade is a win-win.

Broncos trade 2010 draft pick for - - Broncos Country Message Boards

Jimke · 08-25-2009, 02:44 PM

I hope Wendell actually weighs more than his listed roster weight

of 275 pounds. We complain Koppen is too small. Also, I remember

Connolly having some problems snapping (shotgun?) last year.

Patriot_in_NY · 08-25-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacecrime

????

Being offered for trade does not mean he was obviously a bubble guy.

Lots of guys are traded who would have made the team if not traded. Hochstein is one of them. Cassel is another.

Of course there are. I just mean that I don't believe it to be the case here. My take on this is that BB (for better or worse) was getting value out of someone he view as a cut.

Like everyone else here, it's a little perplexing to me, and I'm curious if it part of something else, or confidence in the young guys. The market value was probably a 7th on him (at this point). You or I may not think so, but it is what it is. In BB I trust.