Steven Ridley. Stay or Go?

After looking over the FA market and draft class for the RB position it seems pretty clear it looks like a very thin off season for anyone looking for a RB. Draftscout doesn't have a single RB projected to go in the first and there is nothing even close to a starting RB on the FA market.

I know what you guys are going to say. Why trade off a starting caliber RB if there is nothing good to replace him with? Understandable. But Ridley is a FA after this season and has some flaws. Fumbles, not a receiving threat. If BB has lost faith in Ridley and feels he may not get over his fumble issues is this the off season to trade him by taking advantage of the weak draft and FA market? And this would obviously require the Pats to sign Blount. But if the Pats did resign Blount to say a 3 year deal, they have 2 RBs on the FA market next season (Vereen/Ridley). Are the willing to tie up all 3?

So should the Pats trade him and what would be the asking price if they did?

stevedogc said:

After looking over the FA market and draft class for the RB position it seems pretty clear it looks like a very thin off season for anyone looking for a RB. Draftscout doesn't have a single RB projected to go in the first and there is nothing even close to a starting RB on the FA market.

I know what you guys are going to say. Why trade off a starting caliber RB if there is nothing good to replace him with? Understandable. But Ridley is a FA after this season and has some flaws. Fumbles, not a receiving threat. If BB has lost faith in Ridley and feels he may not get over his fumble issues is this the off season to trade him by taking advantage of the weak draft and FA market? And this would obviously require the Pats to sign Blount. But if the Pats did resign Blount to say a 3 year deal, they have 2 RBs on the FA market next season (Vereen/Ridley). Are the willing to tie up all 3?

So should the Pats trade him and what would be the asking price if they did?

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I wouldn’t trade Ridley unless someone was stupid and offered a 1st round pick, what do we really gain we spent a 3rd rounder on him and he is very productive. I know people fell in love with Blount but Ridley still led this team in rushing yards, rushing first downs, rushing TD (tied), and total yards by a RB.

this is tough call, Ridley is talented and can be an elite back, but he's a 2-down back with a fumbling issue. It seems like we're going with Blount and Vereen. If so, we should trade him and try and get a quick (lightning type backup rb)

Brady6 said:

I wouldn’t trade Ridley unless someone was stupid and offered a 1st round pick, what do we really gain we spent a 3rd rounder on him and he is very productive. I know people fell in love with Blount but Ridley still led this team in rushing yards, rushing first downs, rushing TD (tied), and total yards by a RB.

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Cousins, Correct me if I am wrong but he is in the last year of his rookie contract? He goes next year anyway because BB will not spend large on a guy he...well ...might not really trust. I think the "FOR SALE" sign should be attached to the windshield. Why?

As our Thread starter has so eloquently stated, the RBs in this Draft class are weak. If Ridley was there in this class, he might be the first back taken.

He has rented BB's dog house way too many times the last few years. 8 fumbles in three years is not a way to a reprieve.

His total yards and even slightly his YPC were down, BUT.........there are Teams desperate for a RB such as the Giants who might have something we want, more later in the post, the Titans who save $4 million by cutting Johnson, and with a new coach, a clean sheet might be needed, the Browns, who do not have a RB to speak of and the Dolphins who BB would be reluctant to help (see Bledsoe and the Bills though). Even the Broncos' after last night, might be a trade partner. Moreno is a FA with back problems and Ball is mediocre. McFadden might be the Pats biggest competition in the RB market and he is not a world beater.

People talk of Ridley and Blount (whom I would definitely sign), but forget Brandon Bolden. He doubled Ridley's number in the passing game and his YPC was about the same. Blount, Vareen and Bolden are not that bad of a mix. By the way Bolden's fumbles="0".

Blount can take over a game. I don't think Ridley can and BB loved Corey Dillon for that.

So I think Ridley is "wampum" and we need to cash in if we can.

Back to the Giants.Desperate! The Giants had a huge loss pre-season with S Stevie Brown. With the high CAP number on the 31 year old Antrel Rolle, who by the way had an all pro year, they need to choose. Either would help the Pats, but if Rolle would be offered for Ridley and an extension was in the works, would not Rolle be the answer to work with McCourty? He had 98 tackles, two sacks and six interceptions. At 31 Rolle is about the same age Harrison was when he arrived. The Giants can't keep Rolle and the younger Brown (FA) both.

An actual NFL Trade might be the order of the day!

If not, I can't see a Team not offering the Pats at least a second rounder prior to the Draft if Richardson was a first round value.

Ridley has a ceiling of value now. We have the parts to replace him. Blount should want to stay (who knows) but that might be the preamble to any trade for Ridley.

I think Teams game plan for Blount now (perceived or not). Ridley...not so much.

DW Toys

stevedogc said:

After looking over the FA market and draft class for the RB position it seems pretty clear it looks like a very thin off season for anyone looking for a RB. Draftscout doesn't have a single RB projected to go in the first and there is nothing even close to a starting RB on the FA market.

I know what you guys are going to say. Why trade off a starting caliber RB if there is nothing good to replace him with? Understandable. But Ridley is a FA after this season and has some flaws. Fumbles, not a receiving threat. If BB has lost faith in Ridley and feels he may not get over his fumble issues is this the off season to trade him by taking advantage of the weak draft and FA market? And this would obviously require the Pats to sign Blount. But if the Pats did resign Blount to say a 3 year deal, they have 2 RBs on the FA market next season (Vereen/Ridley). Are the willing to tie up all 3?

So should the Pats trade him and what would be the asking price if they did?

Click to expand...

There's already a thread on this subject and no, they shouldn't trade Ridley. Ridley's the better RB, under contract and younger. Blount's a free agent who will be looking to cash in on his 3 game production. Not to mention your claim there's nothing in FA or the draft that will help, although if they were going to sign a FA RB, I would target Ben Tate

A good running game is all about the attitude of the team. You need a running back sure, but you need a talented OL that revels in mauling people, you need TE's who can hold the edge, you need WR's who are at least willing to block, and you need a QB that either is willing to take a backseat or is smart enough to make the run checks at the line. If you have all of those things, I think you can plug just about anyone at RB.

Also, RB's decline FAST. Arian Foster went from the best in the league to an average runner. Same with Chris Johnson, Shaun Alexander, on and on and on. Unless you have a transcendent talent like Peterson, you don't hold onto a RB if you can get something for him.

That said, I wouldn't trade him for peanuts. But if some team wants to pull an Indy/Richardson brainfart and offer a pick in the top half of the 2nd round for Ridley, pack his bags because that's more than a soon to be overpaid RB is worth.

Go, the trade value imho is a 4th. Considering the info about the market and draft class at RB, maybe more. But the fumble issues and the fact that BB lost confidence in him will lower his price a lot.

He's still a good RB though, but he's overrated, don't forget defenses playing against Brady are always more worried with the pass. I'm not sure Ridley can produce with his own legs playing with an average QB.

The team could consider this after Blount were signed to a long-term deal, after extending Vereen and IF they had faith in Bolden.

Even then, the team would need to find another running back. We need four running backs that can play.

So, this makes little sense as Blount's backup. Bolden is Vereen's backup, no more.

It's "Stevan Ridley".

It is going to be a really long offseason.

I don't think BB likes Ridley on a personal level. He puts him in the doghouse and just leaves him there sometimes, even when it is obvious that he could help.