Remember how Atlanta moved a second string QB named Schaubb for two second round (I believe) draft choices and the swapping of the firsts? Did not Schaubb start only one game (against the Pats)? Don't the Falcons wish they had him now? With all do respect, and I might not be as knowledgeable as you appear, Gutierrez happens to be better than any QB on the board this year (in 08) other than Ryan. Is that a fair statement? Every QB has an issue this year. Remember, Dimitroff likes Gutierrez.
Gutierrez is a UDFA who has shown nothing. There's no way he's comparable to Schaub, who was actually getting a bit of hype on Sportscenter when he did well in a starting role. Gutierrez' trade value is a 7th round pick at the highest. Let's be realistic.
I said not to trade for Hall if he is stuck on $10mm. I think Kaczur might go to guard this year but he is certainly replaceable. I believe O'Callahan is a much better pass blocker (see Strahan in game #17). A very early second rounder is more CAP friendly and brings us more weapons.
Kaczur is the only one among the bunch you mentioned that has any real trade value, but again you wildly overestimate what he's worth. He's going to be a 3rd round pick at best, not an early 2nd rounder which most teams value nearly as much as late 1st rounders.
I appreciate your comments and I was saying this was my venture, not to be confused with Pioli or BB. Can you honestly say you would take any CB in this years draft over Hall? Of course not.
Considering that I can trade down to the teens, and pay much LESS than 10M per year, there are 3 or 4 corners in this draft I'd rather have over Hall, YES. Let's see McKelvin, DRC, Cason, Jenkins to name a few.
Would you take any Safety in this years draft over Huff? Of course not. At least give me that much credit. Can they be had? Absolutely, but with an eye toward the CAP and money considerations. Brooking would work in our scheme and he might be a CAP casualty anyway.
The safeties in this draft suck. But frankly I don't see the attachment to Huff. He came into the league and struggled mightily. Whitner in Buffalo looks to be a much better safety. Maybe it's the system that is causing Huff trouble? If so, how could he possibly handle the Pats complex schemes? Again I don't buy the hype in Huff. What were you planning to pay for him anyways, a box of donuts and a 7th round pick? I doubt the Raiders are ready to give up on him for no real compensation. They'll be twice as wary to give him up after the Randy Moss ripoff... err trade. The other factor against a Huff trade - SALARY. He's got a 6 year 43M dollar contract. So whatever team picks him up is going to have to pay 5-6M per for an unproven safety who has been a bust so far. I don't think the Pats are looking to pay any safety that much, unless his name is Ed Reed, a proven all pro safety.
Do we have any young LB with the upside of Carpenter? Nope! Can he be had? Yep!
Why are we collecting other teams' busts again? How did the Bethel Johnson for Sullivan swap work out? Guys are busts for a reason. You don't give up picks for busts, it's generally not how you improve your team.
I wouldn't want to give our #7 for Hall, although when you look at it it probably makes sense. If we take DRC at the seventh pick we have to guarantee him what.... $6.5mm? Does that seem smarter than picking up a guy who can start day one, was on a terrible team and still had his best year to date and he's only 24 years old? You tell me. Yep he has faults. We can pick apart everyone out there. Our Assante had 44 tackles and 6 picks. Let's face it, he was not a physical CB. Hall had 70 tackles and 5 pics. Samuel got like $9.5mm. Is DRC or Jenkins going to have 70 tackles next year and five picks? Will Teddy and Rodney let this kid run his mouth off in 08? You know the answer. If you get him to agree to the low to mid eights with some incentives he would be a reasonable addition.
Hall is all about the money. He wants big money and he's a team cancer. If he were a team cancer and were willing to take less pay, he might be a consideration, as the Pats have turned around guys like Corey Dillon. But team cancer + wants big bucks + we need to trade a high 1st round pick = NO DEAL. I don't see what Asante has to do with this, but good job bashing him on his way out the door...
Weakens the team? I disagree. Hall, Huff, Brooking and Carpenter can be done and we would be very much better than 07. Draft choices are now way too expensive and no resume. Until they fix it, why gamble? Does anyone get what I am saying?
DW Toys
You destroy depth on the right side of the offensive line, you attempt to pick up contracts for busts that would overload the Pats salary cap, and you want to trade for a team cancer that wants 10M per year. So overall yes, those moves would weaken the Patriots. Just trading for big names is not how you build a good team. Thats the Snyder way of team building. And look how BAD the Redskins are each year. Barely good enough to make the playoffs, only to be dismissed in the 1st round the years that they do make it.
I prefer to see the Patriots in the hunt for the SB championship each year. That means smart trades and smart cap management. Not knee jerk trades for "big names" the moment a "big name" comes available. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but when you add up those moves, they don't make sense for the Patriots.
