Perfect time to trade Daniel Graham (merged)

[Slagathor]

Re: Perfect time to trade Daniel Graham

we have depth at LB..i mean we got a lot of young guys but not experienced as starters and stuff..its hard to learn 3-4

What?!

We have NO depth at LB.

Let me provide you a scenario.

Bruschi's wrist injury extends to the the 5th or 6th game of the season and let's say Colvin "reaggravates" his hip injury.

How does that depth look now?

Defensively the only depth we have is at DL.

 

[Remix 6]

yea im sure hes going to reaggrivate an injury that happened soooo long ago.

and Bruschi should be fine by week 2 at latest..if not he can def. play with a cast on for last few weeks of rehab

u heard BB..depth is not what u have at camp..its what u have during the SEASON

 

[Jacky Roberts]

yea im sure hes going to reaggrivate an injury that happened soooo long ago.

and Bruschi should be fine by week 2 at latest..if not he can def. play with a cast on for last few weeks of rehab

u heard BB..depth is not what u have at camp..its what u have during the SEASON

So not only are you in Bill Belichick's staff meetings, but you are also a doctor/soothsayer, too? Colvin hasn't been at 100% since his injury, its not unreasonable to think he could be hurt again.

How can you have depth in the season and NOT have depth in the preseason? Do you think the Pats are going to make a big "trade line deadline" deal or something???????

 

[Remix 6]

So not only are you in Bill Belichick's staff meetings, but you are also a doctor/soothsayer, too? Colvin hasn't been at 100% since his injury, its not unreasonable to think he could be hurt again.

How can you have depth in the season and NOT have depth in the preseason? Do you think the Pats are going to make a big "trade line deadline" deal or something???????

he wasnt a 100% last season was he? Im pretty sure he was as close as hes going to get. you dont carry 20 lbs on the roster because all of your starters might get hurt possibly..

 

[Slagathor]

yea im sure hes going to reaggrivate an injury that happened soooo long ago.

and Bruschi should be fine by week 2 at latest..if not he can def. play with a cast on for last few weeks of rehab

u heard BB..depth is not what u have at camp..its what u have during the SEASON

So let's say that every LB on our current camp roster stays healthy the whole season.

Bruschi, Vrabel and Colvin don't miss a game.

Other than these three, where do you see depth?

Don Davis, Beisel,Banta Cain,Klecko and Brown have been in the system a while now.

I don't see anybody having a breakout camp as yet.

I'll give the first year guys benefit of the doubt. But the others, it's time to show something.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

he wasnt a 100% last season was he? Im pretty sure he was as close as hes going to get. you dont carry 20 lbs on the roster because all of your starters might get hurt possibly..

No, but when you are starting thin, you are really rolling the dice by not having depth at that position, ESPECIALLY in a 3-4. If one of the front four go down (God forbid Seymour), teams will be running at will on this team in the fourth quarter because they will be on the field the entire game.

Who asked for 20? I want one quality veteran added to that position to strengthen the overall LB corps. What aren't you getting here, friend?

 

[Remix 6]

okay but if BB really wanted quality..theres a few in FA..we missed out on Posey..Claiborne and Ruff are possiblities..why trade Graham who can make the running game that much better to get a LB that your not sure might fit with us. So if you take the chance..this is possible:

Grahams departure leaves young RT to play against some of the best and fastest DE..it affects the running game and passing game and could be a huge problem until the young guys get the experience and learn to be dominant

While on otherside of ball..the guy comes in and is a Beisel or Chad Brown..cant really cut it yet..shame

so then what? you lost a great blocker that could of tremendously helped that year and gained what? Just another body at LB that cant do it in a 3-4

 

[gomezcat]

Trading Graham seems like a big gamble with little upside. He is integral to the running game, gives us all sorts of options in the passing game and knows the offence inside out. Having two starting quality TEs can really present a headache for DCs.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Trading Graham seems like a big gamble with little upside. He is integral to the running game, gives us all sorts of options in the passing game and knows the offence inside out. Having two starting quality TEs can really present a headache for DCs.

Well the upside is that we take care of a need at LB or WR - though no one can say who that would be.

The gamble is that we only have 3 TEs going into the season given the fact that both Thomas and Mills have been very impressive along with Watson.

But BB was VERY clear in stating his intention not to trade Graham - and I don't think he'll go back on that now, so while I'd welcome trade talks myself, I'm not going to second guess BB

 

[jimmyjames]

We could probably add some depth to the WR corps through some other teams cuts and castoffs since the offense is built around 7-8 different people catching passes per game and would not be looking for a real number 1 type to come in now.

So WR depth does not justify a trade

As for LB, I just don't think people understand that you can't just add an ILB to this system and expect that person to perform with any kind of success.
There are what? maybe 5-6 teams that play some variation of the 3-4 so that means that Pats aside there are maybe 10 starting caliber 3-4 ILB's in the league and maybe another 10 quality backups. well, I hate to break it to everyone, but no 3-4 team is going to trade away any of those guys two weeks before the season starts. And to offer up a key offensive component (who is also injured by the way - ie: could probably not pass another team's physical) is just not worth the risk of trying to bring a second tier LB in and try to get them up to speed. Even if Graham ends up leaving after thsi season, we will have got this season out of him, plus a compensatory draft pick, which I think we can all agree this FO does a pretty good job of converting to actual playing time.

Lastly, in regards to whole depth issue: it's true we could be deeper at some positions, but what team is stacked at every key position? Look at the schedule this year.
AFC East: Miami may be tougher, but at worst that's a 1-1 split. BUF and NYJ did not improve in off season (5 wins in Div)
AFC South: Indy and Jax will be tough, but Houston and Tennessee should be wins (3 0f 4 wins in this div is realistic)
NFC North? Please (4 wins)
Then there is Cinci, Denver and Pitt and each of those teams have problems of their own, call that at worst 1-2.

I think we are looking conservativley at 12 wins, if not more and 11 would probably still be enough for a WC spot

If there was ever a year when we can allow some of the young guys to get some actual on the job experience where their inevitable growing pains are not going to kill the team this is the year. I'd rather do this than renting risky veterans one year at a time that take a roster spot away from someone who is going benefit form practicing with the team every day and getting molded entirely in the Patriot Way.

 

[Julius]

Theres no way I would trade this guy. Paired with Watson and with a healthy O-line Graham will be key to the Pats offense.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Re: Perfect time to trade Daniel Graham

I guess it would depend on who they got back.

Well, earlier, in the Lelie for Graham rumors, we found that that sly stealer-of-candy-from-6-year-olds, Mike Shanahan, offered up Lelie for Graham and a 2nd rounder. After mightily supressing an attack of uncontrollable giggles, BB immediately said, "No thanks!"

This, for a receiver who has gotten zero interest from around the league.

If Shanahan had proposed something more in line with reality, like Lelie and a first rounder for Graham, maybe talks might have happened. Who knows?

There are, apparently, still too many people out there who think that when they deal with the Pats they're still dealing with Bucko Kilroy or Bobby Grier.

Those days, thankfully, are now well past.

Graham has value, yes, but unless something was offered up that they simply couldn't refuse, it is apparent that Graham's greatest value is to this team.

Let's put this "trade Graham" stuff where it belongs - in the trash can.

 

[shakadave]

Graham will get a nice 4-year extension next year using some of that Branch money.