PFT: "Booger" McFarland traded to Colts

[pats1]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 4:59 p.m. EDT, October 17, 2006
BUCS BUMP BOOGER

Our pal Steve "the Big Dog" Duemig of WDAE radio in Tampa is reporting that the Buccaneers have traded defensive tackle Anthony "Booger" McFarland to the Colts.

Though there's no information as to what the Buccaneers have received in exchange, speculation is that safety Mike Doss has been shipped to Tampa.

The move reunites Booger with former Bucs coach Tony Dungy, and it helps to shore up a porous run defense in Indy.

McFarland is signed through 2008. He's making $4.5 million in base salary his year, and his base pay for 2007 and 2008 is $5.5 million and $6.85 million, respectively.

 

[Richter]

McFarland hasn't been great this season, but he's better than anything the Colts had, by far. If the Bucs took Doss in exchange for him, they're idiots. Doss is a no-talent midget at the safety position (kind of like most of the Colts defensive players).

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Lets hope this is the Bucs dumping a guy on the backside of his career.

 

[pats1]

John Clayton reports it's for a 2007 2nd rounder.

 

[broadwayjoe]

John Clayton reports it's for a 2007 2nd rounder.

Thats true and here's the link.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2629943

 

[letekro]

Nice pick-up. Wish we could've improved our team b/f the deadline as well...

 

[zippo59]

Nice pick-up. Wish we could've improved our team b/f the deadline as well...

We would have if he had a weakness as glaring as the Colts run D.

 

[pats1]

Nice pick-up. Wish we could've improved our team b/f the deadline as well...

McFarland for a 2nd rounder? That was an asinine move out of complete desperation by the Colts.

This isn't baseball's trading deadline. As Tom Curran said on WEEI today, there's been (now 7) trades in the past 4 or so trading deadlines. One was for Cleo Lemon, in exchange for A.J. Feely. Another was for Toniu Fonoti.

Just blockbusters those were.

 

[zippo59]

This could be great for the Colts, but then again apparently McFarland has been playing very poorly this season.

 

[Oswlek]

McFarland for a 2nd rounder? That was an asinine move out of complete desperation by the Colts.

This isn't baseball's trading deadline. As Tom Curran said on WEEI today, there's been (now 7) trades in the past 4 or so trading deadlines. One was for Cleo Lemon.

The Cleo Lemon?

Wow.

 

[Oswlek]

This move can't hurt, but the Colts have bigger problems on defense than McFarland alone can fix. Their entire front seven is undersized and will be pushed around even with this new addition. Without Sanders, their secondary is not very good at tackling either.

To add insult to injury, their vaunted pass rush has fallen hard, and without it their corners are easily beaten.

I know that I use the "the team will improve" excuse for NE, but there is precedent to believe this. There is not precedent to believe that Indy will improve their issues. If anything, the Colts usually worsen as the season goes on.

 

[RyanTheColtsFan]

A late second round selection is an ok risk for a guy who can make more of an impact on the DL than anyone currently on the roster or wire.

I predicted the deal and it came through. The Colts had NO shot at beating anyone in January without a little help stopping the run. They atleast tried.

 

[RyanTheColtsFan]

I know that I use the "the team will improve" excuse for NE, but there is precedent to believe this. There is not precedent to believe that Indy will improve their issues. If anything, the Colts usually worsen as the season goes on.

Right. But look how bad they've played so far. Maybe this season they improve as the season goes on.

 

[mgcolby]

This could be great for the Colts, but then again apparently McFarland has been playing very poorly this season.

I hope so because if they sure up that run D then they become a scary team. Manning has changed up his play calling this year and has shown the willingness to not go deep on a third and 4 or 5. He is actually looking to throw it to the guy underneath. If he continues down that path, they could look different come playoff time. I don't think McFarland will be the end all but him and the return of Sanders can only improve that run D. They paid a hefty price for him, but if he can play well, I don't think their fans will care about that second round pick.

 

[RayClay]

Not a lot of crying on the Bucs board. They're saying he's been washed up for awhile and they got rid of a big salary.

Low 2nd pick though and it'd hard to get a decent DL when you need one. Plus Dungy knows him.

 

[Oswlek]

A late second round selection is an ok risk for a guy who can make more of an impact on the DL than anyone currently on the roster or wire.

I predicted the deal and it came through. The Colts had NO shot at beating anyone in January without a little help stopping the run. They atleast tried.

Anything is worth the risk right now, but if it doesn't pay in the form of a solid playoff run, is it ultimately worth it?

I don't mean that to say that winning the SB is the only victory, but the Colts are a sure bet for the playoffs right now. If McFarland does not extend the run, it will ultimately be a cost without benefit. The needed to do something, though. The offense can only carry that D so far.

Right. But look how bad they've played so far. Maybe this season they improve as the season goes on.

Agreed. They did need to do something. When is Sanders coming back? And what is wrong with Freeney?

 

[pats1]

A late second round selection is an ok risk for a guy who can make more of an impact on the DL than anyone currently on the roster or wire.

I predicted the deal and it came through. The Colts had NO shot at beating anyone in January without a little help stopping the run. They atleast tried.

Exactly - the goal is to win now over there. You need the run defense. But any other day of the week McFarland for a 2nd rounder is a bad trade.

 

[workhorse]

From a Colts' fans' point of view, it can't hurt. It's nice to see them do something to address the run defense. He ran in the same system in Tampa and Tony knows him. Putting him in the middle helps the ends. You can't double them nearly as much when there is a big guy in the middle as Simon showed last season. Plus, if/when Simon comes back next season, then the Colts actually have two big bodies that they can rotate in and out. Their defense didn't get worse with the trade.

 

[workhorse]

Agreed. They did need to do something. When is Sanders coming back? And what is wrong with Freeney?

They will know Wednesday if Sanders will be back this week or next. He had his knee scoped a few weeks back and tested it the other day, but was still unsure about this weekend. There are two issues with Freeney. First, he is recovering from a strained muscle in his butt. Jokes aside, for a speed guy any lower body muscle problems are an issue. Second, with no big bodies inside, Simon's injury and Tripplet to FA, teams can send more blockers his way. When you can single block the tackles, it makes it a lot easier to double the ends.

 

[dhamz]

It won't hurt them this season. It probably won't help either but they had to try someting.

It will hurt a lot down down the road as a #2 pick is a huge price to pay for what he has brought to the table the last couple years. Also with the colts philosophy on spending big on a select few, they need those good draft picks to be the high performing lower paid players on the roster.