Did Oakland almost screw up the trade with the Patriots that brought us Gronk?

[TealSox]

There must be a red phone sitting on Al Davis' desk that goes directly to Belichick and vice versa.

Interesting story though given the Ravens needed a tight end and might had got burnt by the NFL by not allow them to get their pick in, if they even had the name on the card. I doubt they did, but it goes to show that you should always have the card with the name on it in case the clock runs down.

On a different plot line...

With the talk of the Pats never being interested in Dez Bryant, does anyone think the Pats (while kicking the tires) were getting some background on Zac Robinson?

 

[Deus Irae]

There must be a red phone sitting on Al Davis' desk that goes directly to Belichick and vice versa.

One of the stations did a tour of a war room. During that tour, I saw a telephone that had what looked like a dedicated line (marked with team emblem) for every other team in the league. There was a separate phone to call the league.

 

[efin98]

Oakland's guys screwed up by not getting the notice to the NFL in time making the Commissioner look like an idiot for declaring Baltimore was on the clock then then saying the Patriots were after the trade...this is probably the crux of the whining by the Baltimore fans.

Baltimore was on the clock rightfully and held the right to select whomever they wanted that was available there before the Patriots, but chose someone else making the issue null and void and over before it ever started. They never wanted Gronk, BB and the Patriots never stole him- the Ravens wanted Kindle the whole time. Gronk may have been on their radar for later rounds but he wasn't their target that round.

Draft notes: Rob Gronkowski overjoyed to be a Patriot - USATODAY.com


And this isn't the worst time this has happened...

Each team has its representatives attend the draft. During the draft, one team is always "on the clock." In Round 1, teams have 10 minutes to make their choice (previously 15). The decision time drops to 7 minutes (previously 10) in the second round and 5 minutes in Rounds 3-7. If a team doesn't make a decision within its allotted time, the team still can submit its selection at any time after its time is up, but the next team can pick before it, thus possibly stealing a player the late team may have been eyeing. This occurred in the 2003 draft, when the Minnesota Vikings, with the 7th overall pick, were late with their selection. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted quarterback Byron Leftwich and the Carolina Panthers drafted offensive tackle Jordan Gross before the Vikings were able to submit their selection of defensive tackle Kevin Williams.

As bad as screwing up in the second round is, screwing up selections early in the first round is much worse!

 

[italia44]

Where do you get this stuff? It's a known fact that BB was targeting McCourty all the way through. Bryant was never on their radar.

Of course he would say that,but I believe and so does Mike Reiss that Kareem Jackson was the better pick(he's a really good cover corner.The same thing would have happened.BB would of had,both Jackson and McCourty in his pocket to choose after the Dallas deal went down and myself and others think the choice would have been the higher rated Kareem Jackson.

 

[jeffbiologist]

playing "Checker"(s)-(plural) with Bobby Fischer is irony......ever get it?

Actually,BB would have taken Kareem Jackson,if the chargers hadn't moved up and grabbed the RB that Houston wanted at #19.The point is.once Balt.realized that BB had a stranglehold on Dez Bryant,they made a nice trade for themselves to get out of the 1st rd.......kudos to them for maling a nice trade on the fly.

BTW.....Mc Daniels would never have made that deal for Tebow with BB.........Why?......Ego.It would have made him look like a schoolboy chasing after the principle.As it was,Josh kind of had premature ejaculation,by pulling the trigger(pun) on Tebow like that.............think Sunset Boulevard......."I'm ready for my close-up,Mr DeMille":singing:

That makes no sense. McDaniels made that deal BEFORE the pats pick on purpose! "Some other team" had given Tebow assurance that if he was there at the bottom of the first they would take him. I am not alone to suggest that BB and McDaniels covet the same type of player/QB. That was either the student getting one over on the teacher or an over-reaction to a BB smoke screen. I suggest look at the type of person Tebow is, I dont think any team wants to put that guy in a spot where he had to lie. Do I think that BB and every other GM lies like a rug all throughout the draft process? Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?

 

[jeffbiologist]

Where do you get this stuff? It's a known fact that BB was targeting McCourty all the way through. Bryant was never on their radar.

And you know this how?? I used the line yesterday and I'll use it again: PINOCHIO could walk through any of those teams' war rooms unnoticed....BB doesnt want to say "Well, we traded back to pick player X but when he wasnt there we picked player Y". No one would ever say that, and its true 90% of the time...

 

[efin98]

That makes no sense. McDaniels made that deal BEFORE the pats pick on purpose! "Some other team" had given Tebow assurance that if he was there at the bottom of the first they would take him. I am not alone to suggest that BB and McDaniels covet the same type of player/QB. That was either the student getting one over on the teacher or an over-reaction to a BB smoke screen. I suggest look at the type of person Tebow is, I dont think any team wants to put that guy in a spot where he had to lie. Do I think that BB and every other GM lies like a rug all throughout the draft process? Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?

That other team- Minnesota perhaps? There were reports of their interest in him during the first round and seems too coincidental that they dropped out of the first round after he goes to Denver.

 

[italia44]

That makes no sense. McDaniels made that deal BEFORE the pats pick on purpose! "Some other team" had given Tebow assurance that if he was there at the bottom of the first they would take him. I am not alone to suggest that BB and McDaniels covet the same type of player/QB. That was either the student getting one over on the teacher or an over-reaction to a BB smoke screen. I suggest look at the type of person Tebow is, I dont think any team wants to put that guy in a spot where he had to lie. Do I think that BB and every other GM lies like a rug all throughout the draft process? Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?

First....the bear sh-ts in the woods....the pope sh-ts in his hat.Now,back to spy school with Rudolph Abel.McDaniel knew that BB was making the Dez Bryant deal with Dallas......How? Because BB would have told him who he was after,during the 1st trade...............Now after BB,went to 27,as Josh knew he would,he easily could have done the Tebow dance with BB......but didn't for the reasons in my post........it's,so tricky...it's simple.

 

[italia44]

That other team- Minnesota perhaps? There were reports of their interest in him during the first round and seems too coincidental that they dropped out of the first round after he goes to Denver.

If it was Minnesota,you're making my arguement for me.At #30,all Josh had to do is deal with NJ at #29 0r the Pats.If you're saying Arizona picking #26 was the other team,then maybe you have a point.However,no one I heard repeated that the Cardinals might jump for Tebow in the 1st rd.

Not with the DT Dan Williams dropped into their lap,imo

 

[Badluck]

The best part of that was that it was (I believe) the only pick of ours in which our pick was in right after the previous pick was announced. BB was clearly telling the Jets that they did not take a player we wanted.

i think you are all reading into this a bit too much

 

[italia44]

i think you are all reading into this a bit too much

Not when it's between the Hatfields and the McCoys

 

[unoriginal]

If it was Minnesota,you're making my arguement for me.At #30,all Josh had to do is deal with NJ at #29 0r the Pats.If you're saying Arizona picking #26 was the other team,then maybe you have a point.However,no one I heard repeated that the Cardinals might jump for Tebow in the 1st rd.

The other possibility, of course, is that NJ et al did not want to trade.

 

[BradyFTW!]

As bad as screwing up in the second round is, screwing up selections early in the first round is much worse!

Given how overpaid guys are up at the top, it actually might not be a bad strategy in some cases. If you know that the team after you isn't targeting your guy, might as well run over and make them pick their guy, then you make your pick one spot later. When it comes time for contract negotiations, I'm sure that the guy's agent would make an issue out of it, but at the end of the day the guy gets drafted where he gets drafted.

 

[Bostonian1962]

The best part of that was that it was (I believe) the only pick of ours in which our pick was in right after the previous pick was announced. BB was clearly telling the Jets that they did not take a player we wanted.

Great point! I hadn't thought of that. In other words, "that oft-injured, 192 LB running back that you jumped in front of us to take was of no interest to us."

 

[italia44]

Great point! I hadn't thought of that. In other words, "that oft-injured, 192 LB running back that you jumped in front of us to take was of no interest to us."

Rumored to be a big Ganja-Man,too!......for "medicinal" purposes,only,of course.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

That's what lots of smaller and insignificant regional bodies are like aren't they. The world is out to get me. I just know it. I do. That big bad NFL commissioner is out to get me and my Ravens.

That's just stupid. Goodell has much bigger things to think about, like destroying the whole league.

 

[bucky]

playing "Checker"(s)-(plural) with Bobby Fischer is irony......ever get it?

definition of irony - the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

I will just tell you that your attempt at irony was ironic in and of itself.

Actually,BB would have taken Kareem Jackson,if the chargers hadn't moved up and grabbed the RB that Houston wanted at #19.The point is.once Balt.realized that BB had a stranglehold on Dez Bryant,they made a nice trade for themselves to get out of the 1st rd.......kudos to them for maling a nice trade on the fly.

BTW.....Mc Daniels would never have made that deal for Tebow with BB.........Why?......Ego.It would have made him look like a schoolboy chasing after the principle.As it was,Josh kind of had premature ejaculation,by pulling the trigger(pun) on Tebow like that.............think Sunset Boulevard......."I'm ready for my close-up,Mr DeMille":singing:

I don't think you can be sure that Jackson was rated higher by the Pats. Certainly Reiss' opinion doesn't justify anything. Could they have Jackson rater higher? Absolutely. Did they? Who knows.

As for the McDaniels thing, I think this is where you're starting to sound ironic. BB actually knew that Tebow was going to come off the board between 24 and 27. He practically said so in the press conference. So I'm sure he knew Denver wanted Tebow and was trying to get in there. It's possible the bills were trying to get in there as well, but Denver outbid them.

Bill Belichick Press Conference - 4/22/2010

 

[patchick]

It's a known fact that BB was targeting McCourty all the way through.

"Known fact"? Of course BB said "we wanted him all along," but that's what every coach says, every time.

IMO it's likelier that, per the Mike Reiss prediction, that McCourty was behind Kareem Jackson (a very similar player) on the Pats' board. When Jackson unexpectedly went at #20, they traded down. Or perhaps they did plan to trade down all along and take the best remaining corner, but my money's on Jackson as the #1 option.

EDIT: just to be clear, "corner all the way" does seem far likelier than Bryant or Tebow as a target, given that they passed on both!

 

[bucky]

That makes no sense. McDaniels made that deal BEFORE the pats pick on purpose! "Some other team" had given Tebow assurance that if he was there at the bottom of the first they would take him. I am not alone to suggest that BB and McDaniels covet the same type of player/QB. That was either the student getting one over on the teacher or an over-reaction to a BB smoke screen. I suggest look at the type of person Tebow is, I dont think any team wants to put that guy in a spot where he had to lie. Do I think that BB and every other GM lies like a rug all throughout the draft process? Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?

Look at BB's press conference from Thurs. night. He pretty much says he knew Tebow was coming off the board before 27. Why do I believe him? Because I'm sure both Denver and Buffalo tried to trade up to 24. If he really wanted Tebow in the 1st he would have taken him right there.

Bill Belichick Press Conference - 4/22/2010

 

[bucky]

"Known fact"? Of course BB said "we wanted him all along," but that's what every coach says, every time.

IMO it's likelier that, per the Mike Reiss prediction, that McCourty was behind Kareem Jackson (a very similar player) on the Pats' board. When Jackson unexpectedly went at #20, they traded down. Or perhaps they did plan to trade down all along and take the best remaining corner, but my money's on Jackson as the #1 option.

EDIT: just to be clear, "corner all the way" does seem far likelier than Bryant or Tebow as a target, given that they passed on both!

Well I'm sure McCourty wasn't the #1 player on their board. But I do believe they would have taken McCourty at 22. I think they may have had Jackson and Ryan Mathews ahead of him, along with probably a few of the top 10 picks like Haden, Suh, McCoy, Berry, maybe Earl Thomas. Spiller? I'm curious how they had him rated. Doubt he would have been the pick even if he was there at 22. Morgan is the other curiosity for me.