Question about Seymour trade
 

Given that the NFL is now listing it an an official transaction, does that mean that there was no physical requirement clause and that the trade is complete? So if he doesn't report, it isn't a hold out on the Pats, it is a hold out on Oakland?

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

I think Seymour still has to pass a physical to complete the trade

but it is up to Oakland to pressure Seymour to report. Belichick

stated that the rights to Seymour belong to Oakland. As a last

resort, Oakland can present Seymour and his agent with an official

notice to report. Then, if Seymour does not report in 5 days, he

cannot play football in 2009. He would remain the property of

Oakland and not accrue a year of service.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

The trade is complete pending a physical. Its a standard clause in any trade where a physical have to be passed. Remember vrabel trade could not complete for 2 -3 days as he did not show up in KC a few months back or randy moss trade was not confirmed till moss took his physical in foxboro on draft night [remember].I am amazed that people refuse to remember this even while signing a FA passing a physical is a step...remember AD FA signing was being withheld till he passed the physical....dohh!!!!

Unless a special clause is added to exempt this but this was a standard trade.

so seymour does not show up in oakland the 5 day letter has to be send from NE as oakland never got his rights. he is still the property of Patriots as he never passed the physical and reported there.This in CBA to protect from teams trading injured players without disclosing their injury.

In the 5 letter day he will be asked to report to work[oakland] or placed under the non football list ending his year.

Here is the fun thing if seymour showsup in Foxboro with in 5 days the patriots can suspend him for insubordination which confirms he still with NE nullifying the trade or let him play for the patriots
either way what every BB and co put out the trade is not complete without a physical.

satz

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

This is what I have been saying as well. If he is still the property of the Patriots, the transaction is not complete. The draft pick is not in BB's pocket just yet.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

No, but it is if you play it out.

If Seymour doesn't report then the Patriots will send the 5 day letter telling him to report to Oakland.

If he reports to Oakland it's all good.

If he doesn't plan to report to Oakland then he will be made aware that the repercussions are the year without pay and no accrued year to FA. Although he doesn't HAVE to report to Oakland the consequences are too severe.

And that's a wrap.

The only slight wiggle room is if his agent claims he can report to NE to satisfy the 5 day letter but as the league has approved his trade to Oakland, pending his reporting and passing a physical, he would almost certainly lose that argument.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

Where are you getting this information from? This is completely contrary to everything I've ever heard or understood about trading a player. Once the league recognizes a trade, the transaction is complete but effectively held in "escrow". At this point, Seymour can not play, practice or represent the Patriots in any official capacity. What rights do the Patriots have?

The Raiders can petition the league to void the trade for any reason, but the league has to void it...Oakland can't. If Seymour fails a physical with Oakland, that doesn't void the trade but can be used as evidence to petition the league.

As for the 5-day report letter, I'm almost certain that will have to come from Oakland. Just as I'm almost certain that Seymour does not have the option of reporting back to the Patriots or that the Patriots could suspend him for insubordination or any other offense.

The deal is done. It would take an exceptional circumstance for the league to undo it. The only interesting part of this would be if the Patriots were looking to flip the #1 pick in another trade. The league would prevent this until Seymour passes a physical so the Pats are also being held hostage in this situation. They have an asset that they are prevented from using. Since I don't believe the Pats are looking to trade that #1, that point is probably moot.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

That's what would make sense to me, a lot of people think the Patriots would send the letter based on what PFT and Curran are saying. Who would send the letter, I don't know. But I agree with you on how it plays out, once the letter is send he has 5 days to report to the Raiders or be suspended for the season; which he almost certainly won't do. The uncertainty comes whether we get the trade done in the very unlikely scenario in which he actually does sit out the season.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

So there is a difference of opinion here as to whether Oakland has his rights and thus would send the 5 day letter, or whether the Patriots do and would.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

I see a lot of assumptions based on the standard way trades apear to happen. But those standard trades don't run into issues like this so the details are never made clear.

I think there is a possibility that trades are considered complete when the paperwork is done, and if the physical is failed then the trade is rescinded. But until the physical is failed and the trade is reversed the player's rights are under the control of the team he was traded to.

This is only an assumption on my part, but it especially makes sense to me after hearing BB say, when asked on WEEI about the trade, that he couldn't discuss it, Seymour is no longer under their control at all.

So to me there is a possibility a 5 day letter would come from the Raiders.

Re: question about Seymour trade
 

Tom curran was on last night on sports tonight only to answer this 1 question specifically.

He said he was able to get this from profootball talk which has camped out in the NFL office trying to find out what will happen going forward.He said from what they could find out NFL office this trade is at "trade pending physical" status .