Scratch Moulds Off The List

[IcyPatriot]

http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20060328_28patsjo.d99a913.html

"It's not going to work out [with New England]," said Johnson. "The timing's not right. The only way it would get done now is if it falls apart with these other teams, and I don't see that happening.

"I know it would take longer to get it done in New England and these other teams want to know [Moulds' plans] and want to get it done quickly. I've got be honest with you, we'll most likely get it done in the next 48 hours."

The Patriots directly expressed interest in the Bills wide receiver. And the veteran Moulds, who's forcing his way out of a bleak situation in Buffalo, said he'd like to play for the Pats. But the Bills surely would have made it expensive for the Pats to acquire him -- far more pricy than the fourth-round pick they're reportedly willing to accept from Houston.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

No big deal. Moulds thinks he's 26 and in the prime of his career. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

 

[BelichickFan]

Reading the article I wouldn't quite scratch him off the list . . . but it doesn't look like he'll be a Patriot next year.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Why not, seems like nobody else wants to be a Pat... Did not want moulds anyway.... but the wr market is very thin....

 

[dryheat44]

Reading the article I wouldn't quite scratch him off the list . . . but it doesn't look like he'll be a Patriot next year.

And that looks by design of Moulds and/or his agent. If so inclined, Moulds could force himself into free agency by refusing to renegotiate his contract.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Moulds will be a Eagle by Thursday..., just a prediction..

 

[DarrylS]

I don't see this happening either, too much of a cap hit for an older player, unless there are major concessions it does not seem to fit our team's philosophy.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I've always felt it was unlikely the Bills would let him go to a division rival - and that they'd make their asking price so high as to prevent that from happening.

If Moulds were cut that would be a different story

 

[italian pat patriot]

i think, too, very difficult he will become a Patriot
but - let's see what will happens

 

[Tunescribe]

I've always felt it was unlikely the Bills would let him go to a division rival - and that they'd make their asking price so high as to prevent that from happening.

If Moulds were cut that would be a different story

Exactly. That's a no-brainer.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I've always felt it was unlikely the Bills would let him go to a division rival - and that they'd make their asking price so high as to prevent that from happening.

If Moulds were cut that would be a different story

Yes, we are just in the picture to keep the asking price at least a 4th. If it was a 4th for us the other teams would offer a 5th...they know the trading in division game.

 

[DefenseRules]

These are the current WRs on the roster:
Deion Branch
Troy Brown
Reche Caldwell
Brandon Childress
Bethel Johnson
Michael Mcgrew
John Stone

Deion is clearly #1 on that list.
But who is a #2 WR on that list? Troy? Caldwell? Childress?

My cup of Kool-aid is half empty.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

A contract re-do BEFORE a trade is also an advantage for the player's original team because otherwise the team is hit with the nearly the player's full value. So Moulds refusing to re-do his contract would not only make him less desireable to the new team but less likely to be traded period since the Bills would be stuck for millions while Moulds plays for someone else.

I'm sure someone here knows the details on cap hits for a trade but I as recall, the player's original team takes the full hit of whatever that player was on the books for, the cap hit is not just wiped away because the player is now gone.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Trading doesn't change a thing - the only money the trading team absorbs is the dead cap hit from existing amortization. That stays with them whether they cut him or trade him. That's why there are so few trades in the NFL. Teams only trade for the player if they want to ensure only they get him and he doesn't hit the open market when he is inevitable cut.

Schefter said last night that it doesn't look like a trade will be worked out (reporting from the Owners Meeting). But they will cut him anyway to save the $7M cap hit his 2006 salary would constitite if they don't. And it sounds like his agent is close to terms with either Houston or Philly as a result of the trade talks.

I'm sure they would still consider us, but it would take an uncomplicated trumping of whatever Houston and Philly are already bidding against each other to offer, and he seems to be saying that it unlikely. I agree. We'd have to overpay and likely on a pretty straight forward deal to get him to risk alienating the two he's already apparently got on the hook. And apparently whatever early talks they had with us told the agent the gap in what we were willing to offer and what the others are already offering is too wide to close in a hurry, if at all.

 

[Newtonian]

Bills shouldn't worry about trading within the division. After all, trading Bledsoe and essentially letting Lawyer go to Buffalo didn't cause Pats any problems.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Trade reform

I have said for a couple of seasons that the League needs to reform the trade rules. Simply letting a team amortize a cap hit over two seasons like they do if he is cut would reinvigorate the player movement made possible by trades. MLB gets lots of discussion in the "Hot Stove League" via trades and I would think the NFL would want the publicity and increased controlled palyer movement made thsu possible.

To accelerate the trade route they could let a team amortize the cap over three years and trades would become very common once again.

 

[arrellbee]

These are the current WRs on the roster:
Deion Branch
Troy Brown
Reche Caldwell
Brandon Childress
Bethel Johnson
Michael Mcgrew
John Stone

Deion is clearly #1 on that list.
But who is a #2 WR on that list? Troy? Caldwell? Childress?

My cup of Kool-aid is half empty.

I think, unless I missed something which is very possible, that there are two other receivers:
Zuriel Smith signed 02-10
Rich Musinski (in NFLE)

 

[dryheat44]

I think, unless I missed something which is very possible, that there are two other receivers:
Zuriel Smith signed 02-10
Rich Musinski (in NFLE)

And I thought we released McGrew, not too long ago.

 

[Brick]

These are the current WRs on the roster:
Deion Branch
Troy Brown
Reche Caldwell
Brandon Childress
Bethel Johnson
Michael Mcgrew
John Stone

Deion is clearly #1 on that list.
But who is a #2 WR on that list? Troy? Caldwell? Childress?

My cup of Kool-aid is half empty.

Amen- good post. There is NO real #2 yet. The Pats plan evidently requires a lot of patience on our part but Moulds is pretty much the only marquee WR that's still available. What are the Pats waiting for??? They should make their last/best offer if they have not already done so.

Who knows maybe they plan to use Watson as a hybrid wideout of sorts because Bethel and Troy sure as hell don't equal Givens production.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Amen- good post. There is NO real #2 yet.

Not only is there no real #2 but the WR's on the roster aren't exactly ironman worthy. Gawd forbid if Branch were ever to get hurt