Belichick to ESPN this morning: "We will not trade Graham this year. End of story."

[pats1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2485406&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

Updated: June 15, 2006, 11:23 AM ET
Belichick: Pats will not trade Daniel Graham

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Bill Belichick has heard all of the rumors of a trade involving tight end Daniel Graham, and read the reams of copy written about an alleged deal with the Denver Broncos, and has finally grown weary of mounting speculation surrounding the short-term future of the four-year veteran.

So just before the New England Patriots began their final day of minicamp on Thursday, their head coach offered a final word on the trade rumors.

Emphatically.

"We have not had a single discussion about trading Daniel Graham," Belichick told ESPN.com Thursday morning. "We will not trade Daniel Graham this year. End of story."

The rumors of a Graham deal surfaced shortly after a broadcast report that the Broncos were working on a three-team trade that would send disgruntled wide receiver Ashley Lelie elsewhere, and bring them a tight end as part of the package. Graham, who grew up in Denver, where his father once played for the Broncos, was never cited in the initial report. Somehow, though, his name became linked to the rumors, which have escalated in recent days.

Denver may well deal away Lelie, who has refused to report for any offseason activities, and who may be rendered superfluous on the Broncos' depth chart with the acquisition of Javon Walker from Green Bay. And the Broncos might trade Lelie in an arrangement that brings them a tight end, certainly an area of need. But that tight end, Belichick insisted, will not be Graham.

Belichick is the second head coach in the past week to insist that he is not trading a tight end to the Broncos. San Francisco coach Mike Nolan last week denied that veteran Eric Johnson, who missed the entire 2005 season with injuries, was part of trade discussions.

...

 

[Bostonian1962]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2485406&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

I told ya it was a bogus story. Pretty obvious, without having to hear it from BB. Thanks for the post.

 

[italian pat patriot]

i was sure 100% that this would have been the result...

 

[Richter]

Really, who the hell would want Lelie? And who would give up a solid all around TE who's an excellent blocker with a relatively cheap contract for him? This story was idiotic from the beginning, the ramblings of a lazy, unimaginative sports writer.

 

[DarrylS]

I had thought from the onset that this was an function of downtime & the internet in the NFL, I think Graham is too big a part of the plans for this team to just let him go.

 

[MrTibbs]

Really, who the hell would want Lelie? And who would give up a solid all around TE who's an excellent blocker with a relatively cheap contract for him? This story was idiotic from the beginning, the ramblings of a lazy, unimaginative sports writer.

Actually it wasn't made up. It was an offer to the Patriots from the Denver Broncos. The Patriots said "NO THANKS".

 

[Richter]

Actually it wasn't made up. It was an offer to the Patriots from the Denver Broncos. The Patriots said "NO THANKS".

It was made up. Writing that there's a possible three team trade implies interest by three teams. Just because the Broncos do something stupid and the Pats say no thanks, does not mean there were any real legs to the story.

 

[Willie55]

I told ya it was a bogus story. Pretty obvious, without having to hear it from BB. Thanks for the post.

What are you talking about. BB actually commenting on it and denying it means the trade is imminent.

 

[Keegs]

I knew we weren't trading him it was obvious. Not a player like that. I just can't believe that that many people were buying into it. several on here that i talked to made it sound lke they wanted him traded.
what a joke.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I guess the rumors were getting pretty loud... especially after San Francisco went out of their way to deny a trade but BB was silent.

I wasn't keen on the Lelie trade either but am surprised that BB would fully pull Graham off the table regardless of what the offer was

 

[PATSNUTme]

Does this mean we will not have anymore Daniel Graham trade threads?

We will probably have a few more.

 

[richpats]

I hope BB is fed up with the Denver Broncos at this point - I know I am. Lelie for Graham straight-up is an insult to us, Lelie for Graham and draft picks is insane.

I hope BB shows Denver how important Graham is to our team in September.

 

[SamBamsFan]

I guess the rumors were getting pretty loud... especially after San Francisco went out of their way to deny a trade but BB was silent.

I wasn't keen on the Lelie trade either but am surprised that BB would fully pull Graham off the table regardless of what the offer was

I was actually a little surprised that BB would even address this "trade". I agree w/ jspat here that he would "pull Graham off the table" doesn't really
seem like a BB move ("I thought that it would make the team better..."). What do I know?

 

[JoeSixPat]

Does this mean we will not have anymore Daniel Graham trade threads?

I suppose that all depends on whether the rumors stop. After all, nearly every player ultimately is available - if the price is right - no matter what the coach might say today.

And if the Denver Post publishes another Graham trade story - sorry - someone's going to talk about it.

Anytime you have a player who is in the last year of his contract, and local newspapers are speculating isn't going to be re-signed, you shouldn't be surprised to see trade rumors start.

 

[shakadave]

Really, who the hell would want Lelie? And who would give up a solid all around TE who's an excellent blocker with a relatively cheap contract for him? This story was idiotic from the beginning, the ramblings of a lazy, unimaginative sports writer.

I think the original story was what ended up on paper when the sportswriter thought, "Boy, Lelie sucks. And we don't have a good tight end. Daniel Graham is a very good tight end. I'd rather have him on the Broncos than Lelie. Oh, and it would be cool to have some more draft picks, too."

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

I think the original story was what ended up on paper when the sportswriter thought, "Boy, Lelie sucks. And we don't have a good tight end. Daniel Graham is a very good tight end. I'd rather have him on the Broncos than Lelie. Oh, and it would be cool to have some more draft picks, too."

Sounds likely...

 

[pats-blue]

Actually it wasn't made up. It was an offer to the Patriots from the Denver Broncos. The Patriots said "NO THANKS".

How I read BB's comments was there was NO discussion at all. That to me implies not even an offer from the Broncos as that is a form of "discussion"

 

[dhamz]

The Broncos were trying to pull the same game agents do for their clients around the draft.

You link the Pats to them to drum up interest. The Pats are considered elite talent evaluators and NEVER speak publicly. You throw the rumor out there, maybe some people buy it and start to think if the Pats want him maybe I should look closer, and since the Pats don't deny it there is no risk.

The only difference here is BB obviously got annoyed with it and decided to tell everyone the Broncos floated bogus info.

 

[spacecrime]

Come on guys, what are the key words in BB's comments?.....


This Year

I saw that, too, but I don't think it means a whole lot. BB would never lock himself into a corner by saying he would never, ever trade a player. I'm surprised he didn't just say, "at this time" but I think he was annoyed at all the goofy speculation that made zero sense.

 

[spacecrime]

Actually it wasn't made up. It was an offer to the Patriots from the Denver Broncos. The Patriots said "NO THANKS".

Re-read the article:

"We have not had a single discussion about trading Daniel Graham," Belichick told ESPN.com Thursday morning.

Replying to an offer, even in the negative, is still discussing it. Just ask Ty law and the Postons