What's your least favorite transaction of the BB era?

The criteria can be anything type of transaction here, from choosing to pass up on a player in the draft, to signing a guy who ended up being a bum. The good news is that there are far and few between moves to discuss here, but even BB is human... Though barely.

For me, and likely for several here, it's gotta be the Mankins move. Because it caused multiple consequences:

-It kept Mankins from winning a ring with us, a ring that he deserves as much as anybody on this roster.

-But it also ended up having consequences to the team. While Mankins returned to Pro Bowl level for Tampa in '15, our line play was miserable. I am absolutely convinced that we beat Denver with Mankins on that O-line. Brady would've then at least actually had a chance in that game, which is all he would have needed. (Can you say 3-peat?)

While yes, one of the picks did wind up being Flowers, I have a hard time thinking we couldn't have drafted him four spots earlier at that 97 spot where Grissom was selected. So I'm not going to say we traded Mankins for Flowers.

Oh and I forgot about Tim Wright being in that trade. The dude sucked.

Hindsight's 20/20, but I always found that move notable because it was probably the one time BB sent off an aging/disgruntled vet where I feel that it didn't end up being the right move.

Any other moves?

Albert Haynesworth.

goheels22002 said:

Albert Haynesworth.

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Definitely a close second. Fortunately we cut bait with him pretty fast, and didn't really give up anything to get him.

Then again, sending a bag of Funyuns over to Washington would've been a steal for them.

Tom Brady.

We became cheaters and arrogant. Not to mention our bandwagon fans.

Gawd, I hate these "least favorite" and "worst of" threads.

Let's dredge up negativity and bad memories about ... something! Huzzah!

The Mankins trade should be enshrined in the Pats Hall of Fame. Good return for a guy now out of football. Cap space to sign the likes of McCourty. Textbook Belichick. If Mankins could block the Giants' D-line he'd have two rings, so no tears shed for him.

slam said:

The Mankins trade should be enshrined in the Pats Hall of Fame. Good return for a guy now out of football. Cap space to sign the likes of McCourty. Textbook Belichick. If Mankins could block the Giants' D-line he'd have two rings, so no tears shed for him.

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But does Mankins not retire so soon if he stays in New England? Remember, when he retired he was still playing at a high level. Very debatable.

Releasing L.Milloy, even though it worked out great with R.Harrison.

I'm biased, but I never liked how the Moss situation was handled.

Tunescribe said:

Gawd, I hate these "least favorite" and "worst of" threads.

Let's dredge up negativity and bad memories about ... something! Huzzah!

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You sir are too sensitive...

I really get annoyed when people do this. You read the thread title, plug your ears, and go "La la la!! I'm not listening! Dislike OP!"

I gave BB his due, and only stated a fact that even he is human. Not every move works out, and there's also some we won't all agree with.

It's the offseason, it's fun to discuss these things in the mean time.

So please don't go and turn this into a thread into one of those type of threads when it really, really, really doesn't need to be. Alright? Good talk

Trading Moss.

He has been in training camps with the Patriots after retirement, has a good friendship with Brady, and even that year he exchanged hugs with Tom and BB after the game with the Vikings so the impression is that there was no bad blood at all so BB could have handled that situation internally I think. The Pats spent years suffering trying to find a replacement and never worked out, actually the hope is that Brandin Cooks can be that guy who can stretch the field.

varjao said:

Trading Moss.

He has been in training camps with the Patriots after retirement, has a good friendship with Brady, and even that year he exchanged hugs with Tom and BB after the game with the Vikings so the impression is that there was no bad blood at all so BB could have handled that situation internally I think. The Pats spent years suffering trying to find a replacement and never worked out, actually the hope is that Brandin Cooks can be that guy who can stretch the field.

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I always remember his interview after that game where he came back to play us, you could just see it in his eyes how much he regretted leaving the way he did.

goheels22002 said:

Albert Haynesworth.

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Took the words right out of my mouth.

For me it's a tie:

- entering the 2011 season with no free safeties (they cut Meriweather and others and ended up playing guys like Josh Barrett as starters that year).

- not so much trading Deion Branch but entering the 2006 season with no receivers (leaning on the likes of Reche Caldwell).

slam said:

The Mankins trade should be enshrined in the Pats Hall of Fame. Good return for a guy now out of football. Cap space to sign the likes of McCourty. Textbook Belichick. If Mankins could block the Giants' D-line he'd have two rings, so no tears shed for him.

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You understand that he played with an acl tear first time against the giants.

Keith Traylor- regardles of having Vince, I never got letting him go.
Then - Assante Samuel.
And #1 mistake was misjudging the market with talib.

slash83 said:

Releasing L.Milloy, even though it worked out great with R.Harrison.

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That's mine as well. I was legitamately pissed.

Funny. I see football in a completely different light than I did back then. BB has taught all of us many things. One of them is to understand that it's a business and the player better earn what they are being paid. In hindsight , Lawyer didn't earn his pay in 2002

Too many to mention, just kidding guys calm down. There are a few non signings after bringing guys in that I feel would've worked out for us if we signed them. These guys went on to be pretty good to really good with the teams that eventually signed them.

For instance, WR Kenny Britt came in for a tryout and we didn't sign him. Became a pretty good receiver for the Rams. I REALLY liked WR Terrelle Pryor, and thought he'd be a great weapon for the Pats. 6'5" 225 with sub 4.4 speed. And he turned out to be a really good receiver.

A few more signings I didn't like, like Ochostinko and Tebow. But otherwise, who can argue with the legendary results Belichick has had ?

Don Kipines said:

For me it's a tie:

- not so much trading Deion Branch but entering the 2006 season with no receivers (leaning on the likes of Reche Caldwell).

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The entire 2006 draft (except for Gostowski) counts as mine. Didn't see the big deal with Maroney, hated trading up for Jackson when there was such mid wround depth at WR, taking 2 TEs made no sense to me.

Oh yeah, drafting Bethel Johnson instead of Anquan Boldin. That one hurt, and I knew it was a huge mistake when it happened.