2015 Trades a half way look

I am sure the percentages are high today by the stats folks that we will play 18 games this year. Just win game 19 baby.

Asante Cleveland, longest tenured member of the PS.

Michael Williams, been a solid contributor on offense as the massive tight end sending Cameron Flemming to the practice squad. Sure felt good knowing he was playing last few games.

Keshawn Martin, in the small sample set he looked explosive and to be in the right spot.

Jonathan Bostic, more of a special teams player but young with lots of tackles with the Bears. Mayo gets more defensive reps and even he doesn't get many.

Akiem Hicks, he has really started to show up. A difference maker. Defensive tackles are ferocious on this team and Hicks is the 4th athletic BIG MAN we can rotate in.

I think Bill is a great coach and having great players to coach has made all the difference. Clearly where the Patriots have dominated is improving the team through trades. Like in the draft we win in players acquired by trade. Having a dynasty all these 15 years allows us to cherry pick other teams cast offs as they shuffle about. The principal for players acquired by trade is same as the draft: identify players that win at their position and go for volume as a way of manipulating percentages. Our dynasty is due to Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and our ability to improve our team at the disadvantage of the rest of the league by trading. Reminds me of when I watched my older nephew trade Halloween candy with his younger brother. When you look at it after the trading is done there is a clear winner.

I believe we had a strong draft class this year, but adding 5 players to our Superbowl team via trade has been masterful. The bye came early and the Patriots sure took advantage of it. Adding 5 young explosive players to our Superbowl winning team could be the best Belichick play evah.

Branch, Casillas and Ayers last year weren't bad, either.

Was Branch a trade or a FA cut pickup?

PatsWickedPissah said:

Was Branch a trade or a FA cut pickup?

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FA pickup mid last year

Some comments on the comments:

1. It never fails to surprise me how much effort BB puts in looking for and acquiring TE's We already have the GOAT on the roster and he STILL keeps looking for more and more. He must really believe philosophically that they are key to the operation of the offense.

2. Was Cleveland brought in on a trade? I'm not sure. BTW- they must see something potentially special in this kid to keep him on this long. Clearly a developmental project, but interesting nonetheless. But then again they bring in Fauria, and what does that mean for Cleveland. Curiouser and a curiouser.

3. Williams has been, buy far, the most impactful player among those who were traded for over the first half of the season. He has already brought in far more value that anyone had a right to expect when the trade was made.

4. However, Martin and Hicks might both prove to be even more impactful over the 2nd half of the season.

5. Bostic is the the one player who could even remotely be considered a "disappointment". Most of us thought he'd have had a larger role on the defense by this time. Still he has carved out a nice role on ST's and his impact might be felt more next season

6. When you see the value that BB/Caserio manage to add to the team each and every year between trades and UDFA's that succeed in this system, losing our #1 becomes less of an urgent problem, not matter how painful and unjust it was.

patfanken said:

Some comments on the comments:

1. It never fails to surprise me how much effort BB puts in looking for and acquiring TE's We already have the GOAT on the roster and he STILL keeps looking for more and more. He must really believe philosophically that they are key to the operation of the offense.

2. Was Cleveland brought in on a trade? I'm not sure. BTW- they must see something potentially special in this kid to keep him on this long. Clearly a developmental project, but interesting nonetheless. But then again they bring in Fauria, and what does that mean for Cleveland. Curiouser and a curiouser.

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They got Cleveland in the trade that sent Jordan Devey to the 49ers..

patfanken said:

3. Williams has been, buy far, the most impactful player among those who were traded for over the first half of the season. He has already brought in far more value that anyone had a right to expect when the trade was made.

4. However, Martin and Hicks might both prove to be even more impactful over the 2nd half of the season.

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I'm loving the trade for Hicks. He's made several impactful plays in the limited time and he's basically ensured that Siliga's time with the Patriots is going to be minimized. Hicks may also make it so that Chris Jones is expendable, though Hicks could bring a nice comp pick next year..

patfanken said:

5. Bostic is the the one player who could even remotely be considered a "disappointment". Most of us thought he'd have had a larger role on the defense by this time. Still he has carved out a nice role on ST's and his impact might be felt more next season

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Not sure how he should have a larger role on the defense by now.. He's only been with the Pats for 4 weeks. I think he's a much longer term project for the Pats as a reserve ILB/MLB.

patfanken said:

6. When you see the value that BB/Caserio manage to add to the team each and every year between trades and UDFA's that succeed in this system, losing our #1 becomes less of an urgent problem, not matter how painful and unjust it was.

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Losing that #1 hurts and nothing off-sets that or makes it any less of an "urgent" problem. The league stole a potential superstar player from the Pats that could be signed for up to 5 years..

DaBruinz said:

Losing that #1 hurts and nothing off-sets that or makes it any less of an "urgent" problem. The league stole a potential superstar player from the Pats that could be signed for up to 5 years..

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Two Patriots players are clearly in the discussion for GOAT at their position. Neither was a 1st round pick.

Gost, Vollmer (as RT) and Collins are in the discussion for best at their position in the present day. None was a 1st round pick. Ditto Slater, actually.

The next tier actually is loaded with 1st rounders -- McCourty, Hightower, Jones. But "superstar" is a bit of a stretch.

That said -- a 1st round pick is at least as good as a 2nd-rounder, so I don't want to deny that the two stolen 1st-rounders are huge losses.

I had it in, but then took it out that Roger Rabbit has tried to make new policy to negate the Patriots competitive advantage by taking away picks. Belichick responds by trading for quality young players and then keeping the ones he can for next year with the savings. We are not a team in need of youth or much replacement next year.

I only want this for the satisfaction it would give not the competitive advantage it would provide, but as others have mentioned wouldn't it be great if the Superbowl champions traded out of every draft position with the other teams in 2016. Just don't even show up, but get players with a body of work in the NFL with 1 to 3 years remaining on their rookie deals. Then go win it again. I am sure spontaneous combustion would occur at the league office.

DaBruinz said:

Not sure how he should have a larger role on the defense by now.. He's only been with the Pats for 4 weeks. I think he's a much longer term project for the Pats as a reserve ILB/MLB. .

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Thats kind of how I viewed the Bostic trade as well. They saw him as a role player in 2015 with a chance at a bigger role in 2016 if Mayo were to move on.

BB also does a great job of bringing in UFAs. Here the 15-year "dynasty" helps as well. Don't forget that UFAs constitute the largest class of college players entering the NFL. Get the best UFAs and you are doing well indeed.

We have had a large number of very successful free agent players. And obviously they have helped us make it to the conference championship and beyond more years than not.

I don't really follow player development on other teams other than players that were mentioned highly on our draft board. So I am unsure how we compare to other teams with Undrafted Free Agents. Thought we were middle of the pack in terms of the numbers on our team.

Don't know the answer so it is a fair bet: I would bet money that the Patriots have more players on their roster acquired this year by trade than any other in the NFL.

amazinPats said:

BB also does a great job of bringing in UFAs. Here the 15-year "dynasty" helps as well. Don't forget that UFAs constitute the largest class of college players entering the NFL. Get the best UFAs and you are doing well indeed.

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I believe you mean UDFAs, Undrafted Free agents. UFAs are Unrestricted Free Agents and have already have 3 credited seasons in the league..

Texans game per Reiss:

Keshawn Martin – 50

Michael Williams – 37

Akiem Hicks – 24

Asante Cleaveland– 11

Jon Bostic – 2

Martin was a good number 3 receiver. Touchdown was great. The punt muff might have been him over hyping himself. The returns he had before the muff sure were dynamic and he gained good yardage.

Did not always notice Williams, but the offense line held up much better against the Texans and I am sure he was a big part of it.

Sure did notice Hicks. The heavies we got with the snap counts they play can just bring it and Hicks sure brought it against the Texans. Let's hope he continues to bring it because even with the lose of Easley I think our front line can absolutely dominate.

Cleveland is no longer on the practice squad and flashed cutting across as a blocker.

Did not notice that Bostic played D, but read in Reiss he was our starter. I read that as a way of Bill honoring the hard work he has put in despite not being the featured guy he was in Chicago. Props to whoever gave him the snap. Has played large number of ST snaps in the past.