Was It A Mistake To Not Trade For Joe Thuney (Poll)?

[signbabybrady]

I think it looks like a mistake right now but that may not remain the case. Thuney has a high salary which would have meant they may not have signed one of their other acquisitions this year. And, ultimately, Wilson may be solid at LG. No matter who they put at LG, the fact is that C will still be bad. A good LG helps but I generally favor giving time to a promising young player over a solid but old vet. Hard to say how many good years Thuney has left

Easy with hindsight and we'd still have a center issue but Thuney instead of Bradbury doesn't necessarily cover Thuney's full salary but easily covers the scenario of going after one interior linemen over another and why not make it a better one with a history here.

If Brown winds up starting over Bradbury then that's a double evaluation fail. Wolf would have failed to recognize Brown could improve while getting Bradbury wrong too. And it could have cost them the flexibility to have gone guard or center.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I wanted pat mekhari in free agency for his versatility and to shore up the interior.

Didn’t think it was a huge miss on him or thuney at the time but the fo like me probably didn’t expect strange’s apparent demise. This has backfired

 

[Thunderhead]

I think it looks like a mistake right now but that may not remain the case. Thuney has a high salary which would have meant they may not have signed one of their other acquisitions this year. And, ultimately, Wilson may be solid at LG. No matter who they put at LG, the fact is that C will still be bad. A good LG helps but I generally favor giving time to a promising young player over a solid but old vet. Hard to say how many good years Thuney has left

If that's true, it's only because the Pats are cheap. They're still sitting on the most cap space in the NFL.

 

[203Pat]

I think it was. Trade compensation was cheap and I don't care about the cap or any implications to taking on his salary. We could have had the two guard spots solidified with guys who know the offense and protections and could have helped guide the new guy to each side of them.

 

[jmt57]

At the time there were multiple resaons to not trade for Thuney:

- Coming off his pec injury
- At 32 would Thuney still be an effective starter 2-3 years down the road, when a rebuilding team becomes a serious contender?
- Large salary/cap hit. This can have a ripple effect, with other players expecting contracts to be renegotiated.
- That said, the Patriots still have more cap space ($59-60 million) right now than any other team, so it's not a genuine issue.
- At the time it felt as if the Pats were okay at LG between the multiple options: Wes Schweitzer, Cole Strange, Sidy Sow, Jake Andrews, Layden Robinson, perhaps Caeden Wallace; somebody from that group was bound to emerge.

With the benefit of hindsight, a 4th round pick one year removed (considered to be an equivalent value of a 5th in the current year) would have been nothing to give up for Thuney.

 

[Ross12]

If that's true, it's only because the Pats are cheap. They're still sitting on the most cap space in the NFL.

I think that’s a bit short-sighted, because while they do have $60M+ this year left, they basically have no cap space next year. For a rebuilding team, there’s some wisdom in carrying over a decent amount of cap into 2026 so they can still go after some of the top of market/middle market FAs next year.

 

[rkarp1]

No, I don't complete that trade for a 4th.

If you have a total lack of confidence in your front office, it might make sense.

But if you're trading a 4th for a 32 year old guard who showed deterioration last year, you have basically given up on football.

Most teams should be able to find a starting guard in the 4th round.

I know that's not the Patriots based on recent drafting (Sow, Wallace, Robinson, Andrews, etc.).

But that just means we have much much bigger problems.

deterioration?
look at his snap count and his AP1 nod.

 

[Pape]

I voted NO because I'm originally from New Hampshire, the Granite State, and if you ain't free, you die, plus I'm not registered to vote here so my vote doesn't count anyway. We love Joe Thuney! Go Granite State! Yeah!

 

[Pape]

I think that’s a bit short-sighted, because while they do have $60M+ this year left, they basically have no cap space next year. For a rebuilding team, there’s some wisdom in carrying over a decent amount of cap into 2026 so they can still go after some of the top of market/middle market FAs next year.

the lack of cap space next year is cap shenanigans that can be easily resolved by converting large base salaries to bonuses or out right cutting contracts

onwenu & dugger, and i use these two because there is no guaranteed money left on their deals. alone can clear 25m if released before 6/1, or more if the contracts convert salary to bonuses... though at this point i am not sure dugger is going to be here this year, let alone next...

 

[TheRainMaker]

I voted no. Already paid Owenu a bunch a money I see them parting ways with after this season. Signed old man Mosses at RT. Need to build back the O-line though the draft.

 

[rkarp1]

the lack of cap space next year is cap shenanigans that can be easily resolved by converting large base salaries to bonuses or out right cutting contracts

onwenu & dugger, and i use these two because there is no guaranteed money left on their deals. alone can clear 25m if released before 6/1, or more if the contracts convert salary to bonuses... though at this point i am not sure dugger is going to be here this year, let alone next...

the cap is crap
those who cannot see that must be taking a nap

 

[Thunderhead]

the cap is crap
those who cannot see that must be taking a nap

I tend to agree given some of the creative accounting/contract structuring/etc we've seen around the league recently. Owner has to be willing to open up the bank account year after year - hopefully Kraft gets to that point when the team is closer to being a contender, but it would be out of character for him.

 

[rkarp1]

I tend to agree given some of the creative accounting/contract structuring/etc we've seen around the league recently. Owner has to be willing to open up the bank account year after year - hopefully Kraft gets to that point when the team is closer to being a contender, but it would be out of character for him.

they spent wildly this year on players and staff
I assume they will again on players next season

 

[Pape]

the cap is crap
those who cannot see that must be taking a nap

it serves its purpose.

it can be manipulated, but eventually the bill comes due

 

[rkarp1]

it serves its purpose.

it can be manipulated, but eventually the bill comes due

as long as the cap keeps rising, and player contracts are not guaranteed, the bill usually does not come due

 

[Pape]

as long as the cap keeps rising, and player contracts are not guaranteed, the bill usually does not come due

Ask the saints about that.

 

[imahobgoblin]

How do you know if the Chiefs even contacted the Pats about Thuney and we were in on the talks? If we didn't know he was for sale, how would it be a mistake for not trading for him? You guys act like every team is in of these trades and the highest bidder gets the player. That is so far from reality. Rather than fielding 31 phones calls, the Chiefs may have just made a couple calls and did the easiest thing. These execs are friends and keep their cads close. Or they asked Thuney his preference out of the teams they had called and he picked Chicago.

 

[rkarp1]

Ask the saints about that.

sure, there is an exception to every circumstance
the Saints were in cap hell forever, yet still won a lot, until Payton left

 

[upstater1]

deterioration?
look at his snap count and his AP1 nod.

He wasn't moving well.

He has one of those reputations that make him a perennial nominee especially among those who don't watch that closely.

The Chiefs traded him for good reason.

But he was not the same Thuney with his lateral movements.

 

[Pape]

sure, there is an exception to every circumstance
the Saints were in cap hell forever, yet still won a lot, until Payton left

Brees was why they won games, but also why they were so upside down on the cap, they never won but the one sb...

so i understand the thought behind the saying the cap is crap, but the truth is if you dont manage it properly,it bites you in the ass and slams windows shut

my ¢2 ... ymmv