General football question: Does doing players a favor in trades ever make a difference?

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I'm sure there's nothing I can add to the Boutte thread that hasn't already been said, and I feel like this is more of a general football topic, not just specifically the Pats or this one trade.

I did see someone say early in the other thread that the team did Boutte a favor. I have no idea if that's what happened today, but that's something that has been said often over the years, by fans and reporters. Team A did someone a favor by trading him to Team B when Team C offered more. Or a team cutting a guy early is seen as respectful by giving him a better chance to land somewhere before final cut downs.

My question, from a purely business standpoint, is there any proof whatsoever that those kinds of moves actually benefit a team long term? Has there ever been an agent say he recommended a specific team to his clients because they have always treated his guys so well when they were moving on? Has any former players said they've told guys to sign with a team because the team was kind enough to cut him early in camp and he was able to sign with someone else before week 1?

Again, so often some trades and specific cuts are treated as some kind of good karma, but I've yet to see any real data that the karma ever comes. Has anyone else?

 

[TommyD4207]

I'm sure there's nothing I can add to the Boutte thread that hasn't already been said, and I feel like this is more of a general football topic, not just specifically the Pats or this one trade.

I did see someone say early in the other thread that the team did Boutte a favor. I have no idea if that's what happened today, but that's something that has been said often over the years, by fans and reporters. Team A did someone a favor by trading him to Team B when Team C offered more. Or a team cutting a guy early is seen as respectful by giving him a better chance to land somewhere before final cut downs.

My question, from a purely business standpoint, is there any proof whatsoever that those kinds of moves actually benefit a team long term? Has there ever been an agent say he recommended a specific team to his clients because they have always treated his guys so well when they were moving on? Has any former players said they've told guys to sign with a team because the team was kind enough to cut him early in camp and he was able to sign with someone else before week 1?

Again, so often some trades and specific cuts are treated as some kind of good karma, but I've yet to see any real data that the karma ever comes. Has anyone else?

Doing a player a favor may or may not have long-lasting returns - but NOT doing a player a favor absolutely does.

 

[patfanken]

No, I doubt ANY trade is done as a favor to the player. Boutte was simply a redundant talent in a deep WR room, who was on an expiring contract. The TEAM deemed it was time to get something for him, rather than the nothing they would have gotten next season, plus open up some playing time to younger and developing players with higher ceilings.

Now you can argue that we traded for the wrong position, or didn't get enough, or should have waited til the trade deadline, but I would argue that this trade WASN'T done to do Boutte a favor.

 

[silentone]

Players, agents, coaches, owners and gms are all human beings. Have to think that good will (and bad will) is often created over the years. Have no proof off the top of my head but guessing that information is out there.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Upon further review I'm going to predict that the Patriots will win this trade over the long run. Boutte will play well for the Texans this season but it's a one year rental, they won't meet his contract demands and he will leave Houston after one season. Reed will contribute on special teams and as safety depth, as well as working into a big nickel safety role for them, will resign with the Patriots and will end up as their big nickel safety for the foreseeable future.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Yes. BB did Jimmy G a favor and put him in a good situation in SF.

 

[farn]

Feel like BB almost always left things in good terms. Trades were made which could’ve been considered favours at times. But - my point - good / decent feels sometimes paid off as players like D Branch & P Chung returned. Having players willing to return and help the team is positive imo.

 

[Ring 6]

Never happens. These are multi billion dollar corporations who pay over 50 million dollars a year to some players. The person in charge has a responsibility to get he most hr can out of every situation. There is no way in the world a gm goes to an owner and says I traded the guy we don’t want any more but I liked him so I got less in return for him because I thought he would rather play on that other team instead.
It’s like telling the owner of your company I paid more for the exact same product or service because the salesman complemented me

 

[n1997y]

Feel like BB almost always left things in good terms. Trades were made which could’ve been considered favours at times. But - my point - good / decent feels sometimes paid off as players like D Branch & P Chung returned. Having players willing to return and help the team is positive imo.

Yes, that’s the hidden problem with players who shoot their way out of town. Plus it sends a message to their potential/future employers.

You never know who you’ll have to do business with in the future. Reputations matter.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Doing a player a favor may or may not have long-lasting returns - but NOT doing a player a favor absolutely does.

Wasn't it the Cardinals a few years ago that charged a player the Fedex costs of mailing him a check for several million dollars? Gives the reputation as a cheapskate organization

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Doesn't he charge them for lunch?

 

[imahobgoblin]

All I know is that Foxboro was a place that no one wanted anything to do with a short time ago. Bill had slipped and no one wanted to come here. Mayo was a idiot and no one wanted to come here. Vrabel has turned it around and we are a premier destination again. Does doing Boutte a favor, if that is what happened, help that? I have no idea, but it does not hurt it.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Upon further review I'm going to predict that the Patriots will win this trade over the long run. Boutte will play well for the Texans this season but it's a one year rental, they won't meet his contract demands and he will leave Houston after one season. Reed will contribute on special teams and as safety depth, as well as working into a big nickel safety role for them, will resign with the Patriots and will end up as their big nickel safety for the foreseeable future.

That is not far fetched. Also I do not think Boutte will look great playing with CJ Stroud.

 

[doesntmatter1]

Its not like we are sending guys to hell on earth(the Jets).

 

[Gumby]

. ……Again, so often some trades and specific cuts are treated as some kind of good karma, but I've yet to see any real data that the karma ever comes. Has anyone else?

 

[PatsFan2]

That is not far fetched. Also I do not think Boutte will look great playing with CJ Stroud.

CJ Stroud will be on a short leash: they have a good back up in Davis Mills. We know that Houston wins with that Elite Defense: who keeps them in every game.

 

[Wozzy]

If two teams are offering the same, or close to the same compensation, and said player has done everything the right way and been a good soldier… sending him to the best situation is smart.

Your other players and free agents see these moves and these players are often friends. You want to create a culture of trust in the locker room. You want to be perceived as a good organization.

That being said, the team is not turning down a substantially better offer. If the compensation can dramatically help their franchise there’s no way they’re turning it down.

The notion that Bill turned down a first round pick for JimmyG or Matt Cassel is the stupidest idea ever… haterade fever dreams. JimmyG sat on the trade block for 3 months prior to the 2017 season. If someone was going to give them a first, it would have happened then. Nobody did, and the market sets the price.

Teams will try to send players they respect or believe can hurt them later to the other conference. There’s also cases like Jamie Collins where BB respected his skills greatly, but Collins was a disruptive AHole on his way out the door… so Bill sent him to the Browns. As good as Collins was, he couldn’t turn the Browns around all on his own. The Browns weren’t going to the playoffs.

Boutte was a good soldier, did everything he was asked to do. He deserved to be sent to a playoff contender willing to pay him. The Texans also had a need.

And not for nothing, but Boutte doesn’t scare anyone as a receiver. Despite the truthers here insisting he is better than AJ Brown because his “efficiency stats” were better. That’s just dumb…

 

[Thelonious]

Not a very satisfying answer, but the right answer: it depends.

...on any number of factors.

In the case of Boutte, I think that it does. His prospects of demonstrating that he is worthy of a life-changing contract are better in Houston than they were here. Will he actually benefit in this way? It depends.

 

[Thelonious]

If two teams are offering the same, or close to the same compensation, and said player has done everything the right way and been a good soldier… sending him to the best situation is smart.

Your other players and free agents see these moves and these players are often friends. You want to create a culture of trust in the locker room. You want to be perceived as a good organization.

That being said, the team is not turning down a substantially better offer. If the compensation can dramatically help their franchise there’s no way they’re turning it down.

The notion that Bill turned down a first round pick for JimmyG or Matt Cassel is the stupidest idea ever… haterade fever dreams. JimmyG sat on the trade block for 3 months prior to the 2017 season. If someone was going to give them a first, it would have happened then. Nobody did, and the market sets the price.

Teams will try to send players they respect or believe can hurt them later to the other conference. There’s also cases like Jamie Collins where BB respected his skills greatly, but Collins was a disruptive AHole on his way out the door… so Bill sent him to the Browns. As good as Collins was, he couldn’t turn the Browns around all on his own. The Browns weren’t going to the playoffs.

Boutte was a good soldier, did everything he was asked to do. He deserved to be sent to a playoff contender willing to pay him. The Texans also had a need.

And not for nothing, but Boutte doesn’t scare anyone as a receiver. Despite the truthers here insisting he is better than AJ Brown because his “efficiency stats” were better. That’s just dumb…

I don't recall that there was much of a tendency to assert that Boutte is a better receiver than AJB. He is "better" in some respects - age, future upside, cost, etc., but to take note of that is not to assert is is a "better player." If anyone has claimed so, I agree with you: that would be dumb.

 

[DC Patriots]

Getting a reputation as a place that does right by players is never a bad thing.

Pats had zero leverage in the trade. Sorry to see Boutte go. Glad he’s going someplace good. I agree he and Stroud are not a great fit.