From Kenneth Sims:
Here's a hypothetical scenario:
You're Bill Belichick. You have an all-time great QB who's still near the top of his game, and you believe will continue to be for the next two seasons at least before father time starts to take his inevitable toll. You also have a young QB in Ryan Mallett who after working with him on and off the practice field for two years you think will be an excellent NFL QB capable of consistently quarterbacking his team into the playoffs and winning a championship with a good enough team around him.
Your old employee, Mike Lombardi, calls looking to acquire Mallett to be the Browns next QB. Given how highly you value Mallett, you reject his offer of the Browns 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft and a conditional high pick in the 2014 draft. You counter offer by asking for the Browns 6th overall pick this year. Lombardi counters that he could not sell that trade to his owner or the Browns fanbase. Heck, he jokes "could I get Brady for that pick". Before ending the conversation, you jokingly respond that it would take "much more than that" to acquire Brady.
Lombardi recounts the conversation to the Browns new owner and a light goes off in both of their minds. Why not go for it! Both their team and city are desperate for a championship and star power.
The next day Lombardi is calling you again. He offers you Cleveland's 1st and 2nd round picks in both the 2013 and 2014 drafts for Tom Brady.
Stunned by the unexpected offer, you tell Lombardi that you need 24 hours to think about it and that if any of it leaks to the media it's no deal and you'll deny it was ever discussed.
You call Bob Kraft who swallows hard but says it's your decision. You're Bill Belichick. You have the cache, confidence and courage to make this trade. Would you make this trade?
It's been a couple of days since this crazy scenario first crossed my mind, and I still can't make up my mind whether I'd do it or not. Sometimes, it seems almost sacrilegious to even consider it, but then, it seems to very practical to forsake a little of the present to secure the future.
Cons: 1. Duh! You would go from having Tom Brady as your QB to someone who has never taken a meaningful snap in the NFL. 2. All of Brady's bonus amortization would accelerate into your 2013 cap.
Pros: 1. Even with the dead money you'd add to your 2013 cap and an early extension of Mallett's contract, you would still have $30 million more to extend the good, young nucleus of your team. 2. You would be able to add 2 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders to that nucleus over the next 2 drafts. 3. If your assessment of Mallett proves correct and he has good health, you have your QB for the next 12 years of so.
So, I ask you wise and intelligent members of this forum. Would you make this trade?
