Ben Volin: Patriots Trade For Lions OT Mike Williams

[RI Patriots fan]

From the Detroit Lions board:

"Not a fan(of this move)
Rather have the tackle depth. Very unlikely we’re gonna get a guy better than Williams in the 7th. He’s very good for a 7th rounder."



"But training camp reports/preseason games seem to indicate that he was at worst the 4th OT. Maybe the 3rd ahead of Lucas. So that’s the context from which I’m judging it."



"I hate this (trade)
Williams WAS a seventh round pick. We really gain nothing for all of his development. I thought he was going to be a solid tackle if not more…."



"hate this trade. TERRIBLE.

If Robinson was doing really well, I’d say ok, but the fact is, Robinson has been terrible. The last thing we need is a rotating tackle again because of injuries. We know Waddle hasn’t been able to stay healthy and neither has Lucas. Williams is the only decent replacement we have. What do we get? a 7th rounder, same as we used to draft him, plus we spent 2 years developing him into a decent player? UGGggg..

Now we are weak at tackle, and get basically nothing for him. I would not have done this trade unless we got a 4th round or better. Just not a fan of this trade at all."



"Looks like people are unhappy with this trade. Trading for a late pick isn’t any fun when the season is about to start, but you just gotta trust the Lions FO."


"If I were a betting man

I’d bet that Williams becomes a starter in New England. I really thought the kid could play."



http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208163/lions-trade-michael-williams-to-new-england

 

[TommyD4207]

From the Detroit Lions board:

"Not a fan(of this move)
Rather have the tackle depth. Very unlikely we’re gonna get a guy better than Williams in the 7th. He’s very good for a 7th rounder."



"But training camp reports/preseason games seem to indicate that he was at worst the 4th OT. Maybe the 3rd ahead of Lucas. So that’s the context from which I’m judging it."



"I hate this (trade)
Williams WAS a seventh round pick. We really gain nothing for all of his development. I thought he was going to be a solid tackle if not more…."



"hate this trade. TERRIBLE.

If Robinson was doing really well, I’d say ok, but the fact is, Robinson has been terrible. The last thing we need is a rotating tackle again because of injuries. We know Waddle hasn’t been able to stay healthy and neither has Lucas. Williams is the only decent replacement we have. What do we get? a 7th rounder, same as we used to draft him, plus we spent 2 years developing him into a decent player? UGGggg..

Now we are weak at tackle, and get basically nothing for him. I would not have done this trade unless we got a 4th round or better. Just not a fan of this trade at all."



"Looks like people are unhappy with this trade. Trading for a late pick isn’t any fun when the season is about to start, but you just gotta trust the Lions FO."



http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208163/lions-trade-michael-williams-to-new-england

Interesting. Similar to the quotes we heard about Cleveland from the 49ers fans.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

From the Detroit Lions board:

"Not a fan(of this move)
Rather have the tackle depth. Very unlikely we’re gonna get a guy better than Williams in the 7th. He’s very good for a 7th rounder."



"But training camp reports/preseason games seem to indicate that he was at worst the 4th OT. Maybe the 3rd ahead of Lucas. So that’s the context from which I’m judging it."



"I hate this (trade)
Williams WAS a seventh round pick. We really gain nothing for all of his development. I thought he was going to be a solid tackle if not more…."



"hate this trade. TERRIBLE.

If Robinson was doing really well, I’d say ok, but the fact is, Robinson has been terrible. The last thing we need is a rotating tackle again because of injuries. We know Waddle hasn’t been able to stay healthy and neither has Lucas. Williams is the only decent replacement we have. What do we get? a 7th rounder, same as we used to draft him, plus we spent 2 years developing him into a decent player? UGGggg..

Now we are weak at tackle, and get basically nothing for him. I would not have done this trade unless we got a 4th round or better. Just not a fan of this trade at all."



"Looks like people are unhappy with this trade. Trading for a late pick isn’t any fun when the season is about to start, but you just gotta trust the Lions FO."



http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208163/lions-trade-michael-williams-to-new-england

From the looks of it, I'm guessing this must've been a steal.... at least from the fans' perspective.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Interesting. Similar to the quotes we heard about Cleveland from the 49ers fans.

hmmm...interesting. Care to share a link to the 49ers fan forum?

 

[Aßßynormal]

This may mean Vollmer is being asked to restructure .... hopefully I'm wrong. If I am wrong then it appears we're going to play a smash mouth run game, I'd like that.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Hmmmmm, do we need any WR's at all in a formation or can they trot out this:

Gronk - Williams - Solder - Wendell - Stork - Jackson - Vollmer - Fleming - Chandler

with Brady and Cadet who can spread out wide or take a handoff out of the backfield.

 

[BradyFTW!]

From the Detroit Lions board:

"Not a fan(of this move)
Rather have the tackle depth. Very unlikely we’re gonna get a guy better than Williams in the 7th. He’s very good for a 7th rounder."



"But training camp reports/preseason games seem to indicate that he was at worst the 4th OT. Maybe the 3rd ahead of Lucas. So that’s the context from which I’m judging it."



"I hate this (trade)
Williams WAS a seventh round pick. We really gain nothing for all of his development. I thought he was going to be a solid tackle if not more…."



"hate this trade. TERRIBLE.

If Robinson was doing really well, I’d say ok, but the fact is, Robinson has been terrible. The last thing we need is a rotating tackle again because of injuries. We know Waddle hasn’t been able to stay healthy and neither has Lucas. Williams is the only decent replacement we have. What do we get? a 7th rounder, same as we used to draft him, plus we spent 2 years developing him into a decent player? UGGggg..

Now we are weak at tackle, and get basically nothing for him. I would not have done this trade unless we got a 4th round or better. Just not a fan of this trade at all."



"Looks like people are unhappy with this trade. Trading for a late pick isn’t any fun when the season is about to start, but you just gotta trust the Lions FO."


"If I were a betting man

I’d bet that Williams becomes a starter in New England. I really thought the kid could play."



http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208163/lions-trade-michael-williams-to-new-england

Very interesting perspectives, although a lot of them misunderstand the ways in which players "pay off", I think. If you draft a guy in the 7th round and eventually trade him for a 7th a couple years later, you didn't get nothing. You lose time value on the pick, and conversely you got the value that his service provided.

Maybe a better example: when the Pats traded Mallett, it wasn't equivalent to trading a 3rd for a 7th, because a 7th isn't the sum total of what the Pats got for him. They got a couple years of backup QB out of him for cheap, as well.

 

[Brady6]

I think they traded for him to be our blocking TE. He has decent hands so he can be a nice player for us because he is not just an extra OT. I think Hooman is the most effected by this.

 

[Jimke]

The Patriots like to use Fleming as an extra blocker on running plays. Maybe, Williams will
replace him and is a better blocker in this capacity.

 

[Brady6]

This may mean Vollmer is being asked to restructure .... hopefully I'm wrong. If I am wrong then it appears we're going to play a smash mouth run game, I'd like that.

Vollmer could be on the block. They like Cannon especially at RT. Vollmer for a CB maybe.

 

[TommyD4207]

Vollmer could be on the block. They like Cannon especially at RT. Vollmer for a CB maybe.

Dear god, I have no interest in ever seen this cluster**** again.

 

[Tuck]

Looks like Bill is loading up for a power run game this year. Makes a lot of sense now that you get 2 points if you can punch it in from the 2 after a TD.

 

[Marinlik]

Dear god, I have no interest in ever seen this cluster**** again.

He was bad last year. But I thought he did pretty well in 2013 when Vollmer went down.

 

[anditsgood]

Trick play coming....

Followed by a rule change......

 

[Ross12]

Vollmer could be on the block. They like Cannon especially at RT. Vollmer for a CB maybe.

That's not a bad point... Maybe not necessarily for just a CB, but I could certainly see that happening. Hey, trade him to the Lions, they're weak at T now lol. Vollmer for Ameer Abdullah?

 

[mgteich]

Vollmer could be on the block. They like Cannon especially at RT. Vollmer for a CB maybe.

Yup, using a 7th for a scrub convinced me.

 

[Gronkowski123]

Vollmer could be on the block. They like Cannon especially at RT. Vollmer for a CB maybe.

vollmer might be exiled like mankins..
but at least he won a ring so no hard feelings. i hope this is not true since vollmer is one of the top RT's..plus if solder goes down, who plays LT??

 

[Brady6]

Yup, using a 7th for a scrub convinced me.

Instead of just making a smug comment you should combine that with us drafting Fleming and extending Cannon last year. I said he "could" be on the block, which based on all the factors "could" be the case.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

From the Detroit Lions board:

"Not a fan(of this move)
Rather have the tackle depth. Very unlikely we’re gonna get a guy better than Williams in the 7th. He’s very good for a 7th rounder."



"But training camp reports/preseason games seem to indicate that he was at worst the 4th OT. Maybe the 3rd ahead of Lucas. So that’s the context from which I’m judging it."



"I hate this (trade)
Williams WAS a seventh round pick. We really gain nothing for all of his development. I thought he was going to be a solid tackle if not more…."



"hate this trade. TERRIBLE.

If Robinson was doing really well, I’d say ok, but the fact is, Robinson has been terrible. The last thing we need is a rotating tackle again because of injuries. We know Waddle hasn’t been able to stay healthy and neither has Lucas. Williams is the only decent replacement we have. What do we get? a 7th rounder, same as we used to draft him, plus we spent 2 years developing him into a decent player? UGGggg..

Now we are weak at tackle, and get basically nothing for him. I would not have done this trade unless we got a 4th round or better. Just not a fan of this trade at all."



"Looks like people are unhappy with this trade. Trading for a late pick isn’t any fun when the season is about to start, but you just gotta trust the Lions FO."


"If I were a betting man

I’d bet that Williams becomes a starter in New England. I really thought the kid could play."



http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208163/lions-trade-michael-williams-to-new-england

Two things, first- the Lions have a fan board?

Second, in fairness to their fans if they bet every move the Lions made would be a disaster than they would be right 99.999% of the time so they're just playing the odds.

 

[captain stone]

I was really hoping he'd be a bit better of an athlete than Fleming, but looking at his pro day results, he's only marginally better, which with all the added weight probably is moot by now.

Yeah those athletic #s are actually quite pathetic, especially for somebody who was a college TE.

If this guy can't play a serviceable backup LT (we have PLENTY of RG/RT blobs), then this trade
was less than useless, because the goddamn donkeys were signing Evan Mathis right under Bill's nose.