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Today in Patriots History
Ted Washington
Ted Washington
On August 19, 2003, the Chicago Bears rid themselves of a player (and salary) they did not want, trading Ted Washington to the New England Patriots.
In my amateur opinion, the Pats do not rebound from missing the playoff to winning Super Bowl 38 without Big Ted.
The biggest problem with the 2002 Patriots was their run defense, which ranked 31st in the NFL. Up to this point the coaching staff wasn't sure who their nose tackle would be. They experimented with second-year player Jarvis Green, who was a fine player - at defensive end. Veteran Rick Lyle was a DE with little left in the tank, who never played nose tackle. Undrafted rookie Dan Klecko was given an opportunity during the offseason and early in training camp, but despite the family pedigree he was never going to be an impactful NFL player. Seventh round draft pick Ethan Kelley was another defensive tackle that you wanted to develop, not count on in any serious, meaningful way as a rookie. After that there was Ken Kocher, a 2002 practice squad player who ended up spending most of his pro football career in the Arena Football League.
Better late than never, Bill Belichick sent one of his three 2004 fourth round draft picks to the Bears for 6-5, 375-pound, 35-year old Ted Washington. At the time Chicago was gleeful, able to unload the $1.5 million salary. The Bears had signed Washington to a big free agent contract in 2001, and it initially paid off: Big Ted was a first team All-Pro run stuffer, and the Bears turned around from 5-11 to 13-3, while also allowing MLB Brian Urlacher to roam free and make plays. But in week two of 2002, Washington suffered a broken left fibula and torn Lis franc ligament in his left foot. Given his age, salary, and seriousness of that type of injury, the Bears were more than happy to move on.
As it turned out, Chicago surely had a large dose of seller's remorse. The trade turned out to become an absolute steal for the Patriots. 'Mount Washington' was superb, and a key element of that incredible defense that led the Patriots to their second NFL championship. That 2003 performance and his Super Bowl ring led to a nice free agent payday for himself with the Oakland Raiders. Despite the abbreviated stay, Ted Washington was an excellent short-term rental.
Patriots trade for nose tackle
The New England Patriots dealt a 2004 draft choice to the Bears for nose tackle Ted Washington.
www.patriots.com
Press Release: Patriots Acquire For Four-Time Pro Bowl NT Ted Washington
The New England Patriots acquired four-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Ted Washington from the Chicago Bears today for an undisclosed draft choice.
www.patriots.com
Patriots obtain DT Washington from Bears
BOSTON (AP) – The Chicago Bears traded veteran nose tackle Ted Washington to the New England Patriots on Tuesday for a fourth-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft.Washington, 35, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection. He has 852 career tackles and 29 sacks in 12 seasons with San Francisco, Denver...
www.sunjournal.com
Pats add beef
Sign DT Ted Washington and lineman Corbin Lacina BOSTON -- The Chicago Bears traded veteran nose tackle Ted Washington to the New England Patriots on Tuesday for a fourth-round pick in the 2004 NFL…
www.southcoasttoday.com
Washington crunched out of Chicago
Why would the Bears trade Ted Washington? GM Jerry Angelo shed some light on the trade.
www.patriots.com
Washington to Pats; Staley on the way?
While Bears fans waited for a Duce to be dealt Tuesday, Jerry Angelo played a wild card he had up his sleeve. The Bears surprised many by trading defensive tackle Ted Washington to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick in…
www.chicagotribune.com
I didn't fully buy into his hype at the time given who porous the previous season's defense was, but as it turned out the Crypt-keeper did make some valid, albeit guarded predictions.
Patriots trade pick for DT Washington -- John Clayton
The Patriots and Dolphins have played a game of trying to top each other throughout the offseason. The Patriots signed sackmaster linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. The Dolphins traded for Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau.
Tuesday's trade for Bears defensive tackle Ted Washington might be the deal that could put the Patriots over the top. For a fourth-round choice next season, the Patriots acquired the missing piece to their 3-4 defense, an immovable 375-pound defensive tackle who will draw double-team blocking.
For the Bears, it was a move to free up playing time for younger defensive tackles such Ernest Grant and Alfonso Boone. For the Patriots, this trade made them a potentially dominating 3-4.
From the ends, the Patriots can attack with powerful young defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Ty Warren, two former tackles who have decent quickness. Washington moves ahead of Rick Lyle and promising young nose tackle Jarvis Green as the run-stopper and space eater.
Washington needed a little salesmanship, though, to accept the trade. A 12-year veteran that's moved around, Washington initially was reluctant to accept the trade. The Patriots had to call him and tell him their plans, and once that happened, he accepted the proposal and will report.
This will be Washington's fifth team, and he's helped three different franchises make the playoffs -- San Francisco, Buffalo and Chicago. Washington has been to the playoffs in seven of his 12 years.
Patriots Tackle Big Problem In Big Way
The Patriots succeeded in getting younger and faster in the offseason. Two days ago, the Patriots got bigger and stronger.
www.patsfans.com
Patriot Nation is hoping Washington can make a big splash on his opponents this year. Washington fills the one remaining void in the Patriot defense (unless nobody can play centerfield in the secondary), and gives the base 3-4 defense a massive presence in obvious run situations.
Washington comes with some caveats, despite all the euphoria over landing this distinguished veteran. He is 35, and missed all but two games last year with the Bears due to a foot injury. Old, possibly damaged goods, and he's needed to do the work of someone about six years younger. These issues cannot be ignored, though most everyone loyal to the Patriots would love to.
If you ask Washington, he'll tell you that everything is fine. He held a press conference shortly after his acquisition, and other than trying his best to convey to you how inconvenienced he was in being traded at this time, he did his level best to show you that he is indeed good to go.
Washington bluntly answered health questions by saying that he is "one hundred percent" and that he will play in Friday's preseason game at Philadelphia. He went on to say that he has vast experience in the 3-4 set (which everyone around here should know from his days in Buffalo), and that all he needs is to dig into the playbook so that he can "go over the plays and get the little kinks out and line back up in the two-gap position."
If Washington has anything left from his best days as a Bill, this is a terrific acquisition for the Patriots, costing them only a 2004 fourth-round draft pick. Washington has the size of a Gilbert Brown or a William Perry. But his age will probably limit Washington to only certain situations, mostly rushing plays. In other words, he will not be an every-down lineman. Will that be enough to make the right impact on the Patriot defense?
This is pretty much predicated upon Bill Belichick and Romeo Crennel guessing right on rushing downs. What the Patriots will ask Washington to do, which Washington needs no primping on, is to tie up blockers at the line of scrimmage. This will enable Ted Johnson, Roman Phifer and Tedy Bruschi to make more tackles. It also might help Richard Seymour and Bobby Hamilton, or whoever plays at the end position, shed blockers better on their way to the opposing quarterback.
Another side benefit of Washington working out at the nose tackle position will be the development of top draft pick Ty Warren. Washington, who will likely be a "mentor" to young linemen like Warren, Jarvis Green, Ethan Kelley, Dan Klecko and possibly even Seymour, might expedite the progress of Warren to the point where he can excel at the end position, which is his natural position versus the nose. If Warren isn't needed to spend a great deal of time during the 2003 season trying to learn a new position, his development at end could be crucial to this season, as well as the next several seasons.
At six-foot-six and 375 pounds, Washington won't have too much trouble getting the attention of the aforementioned young and aspiring down linemen.
The biggest question marks surrounding Washington, if he is to be believed on the health issue, will be how well he plays at age 35. Phifer and Anthony Pleasant are that same age. How much gas does Washington have left in the tank?
Size ought not to be a huge factor, pardon the pun. NFL Films has a great feature on notoriously fat players, with former Ram Bill Bain as their poster boy. Being big and fat more often than not means nothing at all, as guys of that ilk who make it to the NFL often times are stronger than all get out and can make those huge frames move like Gale Sayers and hit like Ronnie Lott.
You might see him tomorrow night, if the Patriots have a uniform big enough to fit him. He is a veteran and knows the 3-4 like the back of his head. He'll have done his job if the Eagles cannot get a sustained ground game going and if a linebacker leads the team in tackles. As for Donovan McNabb, talk to Washington's old Bear Bud Rosevelt Colvin or Mike Vrabel. Outside containment will be an issue, albeit on a vanilla basis as, once again, the Patriots will see this team again in about a month.
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