If any "Patriots staffers" were "stunned and confused", they must know far less about how the cap works than many posters on this forum.
Brissett was traded for a WR (Dorsett) after it was clear that the Pats' #1 and #3 WRs (Edelman, Mitchell) from the end of last season wouldn't be playing this season. It's highly unlikely that this was some arbitrary, impulsive decision that BB made on his own. It's far more likely that Caserio and the entire pro-scouting department were involved and that the trade was based on one of their many contingency plans. It's very likely that there were other WRs and trade scenarios under consideration that fell within the constraints of "trade ammunition" in terms of players and future draft picks, and 2017 cap hit.
This is how most pro-personnel scouting departments work. BB's "genius" when it comes to acquiring players to fill in is having the smarts to employ one of the sharpest and hardest-working pro-personnel department in the league.
The trade that actually occurred - Brissett for Dorsett - was simply the first one they attempted and was probably the most affordable.
This is speculation based on unconfirmed rumor being submitted as fact. IOW, pure ********.
An opinion based on the above ********.
At the eleventh hour, the Pats (again, NOT some arbitrary, impulsive decision that BB made on his own) were able to get a pick for JG that would likely fall in the top-40, instead of a Comp pick that would likely have been outside the top-100. Nearly a two-round difference. And it was their last opportunity to get that much. It should also be noted that, prior to that trade, the Pats were entering the 2018 draft with five total picks.
But the most important factual context being ignored is that, before the start of Camp ...
- Nink hadn't retired
- Rivers hadn't gotten injured
- McClellin hadn't gotten injured
- Cy Jones hadn't gotten injured
- Edelman hadn't gotten injured
- Mitchell had yet to suffer the injury that sent him to IR
- Valentine had yet to suffer the injury that sent him to IR
- Langi, Hightower, Ebner, Cannon ....
- Bennett (and his cap hit) had yet to be claimed (happened after Hogan was injured)
--- and the Pats had ~$25M in cap space, most of which might have been rolled over into 2018 ... and helped to cover a potential Franchise tag for JG that would have bought the Pats more time to make a final decision for the long term future of the team - outside the distraction and pressure of a season already underway.
The Pats now have less than $3M in cap space available to roll over - due to the roster moves that needed to be made to compensate for all those missing players. By the time the trade deadline rolled around, their financial opportunity to retain JG for one more off-season on the FT had completely evaporated. It was down to either letting JG walk in FA for a 3rd-round Comp, or trying to get something more.
At that point, which do you trade? JG? Or the veteran who has you sitting at 6-2 while completing 68% of his throws for 2540 yards, 16 TDs (vs two INTs) despite a passing attack that had to be re-engineered at the last minute due to critical injuries? Also note that Hogan - yet another critical passing attack weapon - was known to be seriously injured before the trade. Given those circumstances, which of the two QBs do you think would have the best chance of getting the team to the playoffs and at least a shot at another Superbowl this season?
I have to say, though, that Wickersham has done a bang-up job of combining a willful ignorance of all this with speculation about the meaning of the Guerrero ******** and cartoonish characterizations of Brady, Belichick, Kraft and the entire organization to successfully appeal to the sub-90 IQ level of what remains of ESPN's audience.
**** ESPN. **** Wickersham. And **** all those other assholes in media like him who, with every word they write or utter, make our country dumber.
