Anything that makes long term deals with Collins and Hightower closer to reality, I'm on board.
The cap profile of the youngish team that won the SB two years ago is getting high, as the kids are coming into their big money contract years. This is precisely a Richard Seymour / Vince Wilfork decision, on an even bigger scale.
I don't think the shirtless episode with the police triggered this trade, but I do think it removed any uncertainty there might have been around whether to find the cap space to resign Jones to a max deal.
Trust BB to always navigate the roster situation for the long run. I'm sure he had lots of good offers for Jones, in a "sell-high" mindset. Adding Cooper, for me, is a "buy-low" cherry on top of a deal that needed to be made anyway.
The 2nd round pick is sorely needed with the lost 1st, in a draft that will have good players available in the 2nd. I think its very unlikely that BB will package them to move back into the first. If anything, more likely is that he'll take a later round pick to move higher in the 2nd to land someone he liked in the 1st who has drifted into the 40s. BB made that move for Gronkowski.
Having Sheard and Long take the floor out of the risk for the Pats in this trade for this year.
The thing that gives this trade real context is that, even without considering Sheard, Jones, Cooper, Ninkovich or Long onto the depth chart, none of whom are certain to be on the team after 2016, the team has Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason, Gino Grissom, Rufus Johnson and Trey Flowers-- young and affordable ballers with experience in the system and serious upside, who will only get better with more snaps-- plus 11 draft selections upcoming, who will need roster space.
