Art Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11607-2002Apr18.html Redskins, Trotter Have Deal In Works By Mark Maske Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, April 19, 2002; Page D1 The Washington Redskins were close to completing a contract agreement with free agent middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter yesterday. The two sides were working last night to apply the finishing touches to the deal and, barring a last-minute breakdown in negotiations, believed they were likely to have an agreement before this weekend's college draft, sources close to the situation said. The Redskins also were contemplating possible trades with at least three teams with top 10 selections in Saturday's first round of the draft, NFL sources said. The Redskins are considering a trade to put themselves in position to choose Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington. But, according to sources, some club officials prefer to keep the 18th overall pick or perhaps trade down in the draft order and select Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey or a player at a position of more pressing need – a defensive lineman, guard or wide receiver. The Trotter negotiations were in the late stages yesterday. There still appeared to be a possibility that talks could break down, but both sides seemed hopeful of completing a deal. It appeared likely that Trotter, 25, would sign a five- to seven-year contract worth at least $4 million per season, with a signing bonus of $5 million to $7 million. Trotter, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, became an unrestricted free agent two weeks ago when the Philadelphia Eagles removed their franchise-player designation from him. He also was pursued by the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers, and the Minnesota Vikings expressed exploratory interest at one point this week. But the Redskins, after first expressing interest in Trotter last week, became Trotter's most aggressive suitor. Trotter and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, visited the Washington area on Sunday night and Monday, and Trotter expressed hope then that a deal could be completed. The Redskins nearly signed Trotter before he left town Monday afternoon, but some team officials were concerned about the salary cap implications of the deal. The Redskins, though, were eager to add Trotter to play alongside their two Pro Bowl outside linebackers, LaVar Arrington and Jessie Armstead. Kevin Mitchell, the Redskins' starting middle linebacker last season, would be supplanted from the starting lineup unless defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis opts to play a three-lineman, four-linebacker alignment. Lewis said recently he was likely to stick with a 4-3 setup, however. The club only is about $2 million under next season's $71.1 million salary cap but plans to clear cap space by negotiating a new contract with tailback Stephen Davis and reworking the deals of veteran defensive ends Bruce Smith and Marco Coleman. The Redskins also could release a player or two. Coleman would be released in June if he refuses to renegotiate his contract, sources have said. According to NFL sources, the Redskins were pondering potential trades with the Kansas City Chiefs (who have the No. 8 overall pick), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 9) and Cincinnati Bengals (No. 10). Any of those deals could cost the Redskins their first- and second-round selections. They already are without a third-rounder. The Detroit Lions, who have the No. 3 overall choice, apparently were giving renewed consideration to selecting Harrington, possibly making the Redskins' trade deliberations meaningless. Some team officials apparently favor trading down to gain additional picks later in the draft. Many NFL executives project Ramsey as a late first-round to early second-round choice. The Redskins may be leaning toward Colorado's Andre Gurode over Nebraska's Toniu Fonoti if they use their first-round pick on a guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddha Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 GEESH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Good deal. If we can get him for a 6 mill bonus over 5 years at 3.5 -4 mil per it will be a hell of a deal. Now, subtract one old azz Defensive End and add a DT and young DE and we're talkin top 5 Defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rat_Boy Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 I find the draft info more interesting. Looks like we tried to trade up despite SOME club officials thinking we should trade down or stay put. Well, if Snyder is indeed the tie breaker in the organization, then we know what should be coming: "....And with the (insert top 10 pick # here), the Washington Redskins select Oregon Quarterback Joey Harrington." Oh the speculation is maddening. Two days to go. :hammer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacky Ralph Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Sigh. Sure... let's renegotiate with older vets like Bruce Smith & Marco Coleman, just to sign an expensive player who really doesn't fit as a major "need". That's a wonderful strategy for managing the salary cap. It worked great with the Cowboys, Ravens, and Jaguars. If Trotter was the final piece to the Superbowl puzzle, than fine. But he's not. We'll eventually need to spend millions upgrading the DT position and QB position. Bye Bye money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OBXBrave Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 So.....The Skins DON'T have a deal with Trotter yet....is the way I read it!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddha Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 How about a 7 year, $26.025 million deal with a $6 million bonus??? 2002-- $525K 2003-- $1.5M 2004-- $2M 2005-- $2M 2006-- $4M 2007-- $4M 2008-- $5M 1/7 of the $6 million bonus, or $857K would be applied to the cap number each year. $1 million in performance incentives and escalators can be offered each year to bring the deal to the maximum $26 million. His 2002 cap number would be $1.382 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 Ralph, Come on brother. We do absolutely have a need at middle linebacker. We don't yet know what Trotter will get for a contract, but we can't deny that we don't have a very strong middle linebacker. Yes, he's a very passable player. But, we still have a weakness here. There is really very little down side to signing a 25-year-old Pro Bowl player who fits an absolute need for your team. Obviously, if he gets hurt or fat and sassy, it'll be a problem. But, put those backers on the field together and let them harm some people for a while. You'll come over to my way of thinking. And I won't even have to hold a beef taco to tempt you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yomar Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 I think it is important to Trotter to average 4 mil a year, so jack that up by 2 mil and you may be close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RySkins Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 To tell you the truth, 4 million per season sounds like a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yomar Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 it is, but now the Skins won;t be able to sign any more big ticket FAs, so now the Front Office has to come through with good value... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yomar Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 and also you probably need to put that extra 2 mil in the first three years since ESPN said Sexton wanted 12 mil of guaranteed money in the first 3 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 A $4 million average salary, including the bonus, is not outrageous for Trotter today and it certainly isn't outrageous in the future. However, let me throw this suggestion out at you. 2002 -- $500,000 2003 -- $1,000,000 2004 -- $1,500,000 This contract will be seven years with a $7 million bonus. The first three years then have to have a base compensation of $3 million, or the pro-rated value of the signing bonus. Now, here's where I get into some very vivid dreaming. 2005 -- $550,000 2006 -- $550,000 2007 -- $17,500,000 2008 -- $550,000 Yes, I know this isn't real, but, there's an uncapped year coming up supposedly and I would not be surprised to see some major base salaries thrust into that year. This is a very big and wild make believe scenario, but, watch for the contract value to see if the team is playing and planning for that uncapped year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VoR Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 If MLB was such a "glaring" need, shouldn't we've at least looked at players such as London Fletcher, Sam Cowart, Jason Gildon, or Earl Holmes? It only became a "need" when Trotter became available. Of course, it seems we were the only team seriously interested in his services. Doesn't this raise any red flags? Unless we sign Trotter at a bargain basement price, he's nothing but a poison pill to our cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 VoR, my guess is the team didn't view Holmes, Cowart or Fletcher as especially huge upgrades over Mitchell and in looking to manage cost it wasn't a value the team may have felt necessary. The moment Trotter came available, there must have been a great deal of amazement because now, suddenly, there is value and that value is a 25-year-old who is among the league's best. You say he's a poison pill against the cap? At the rumored numbers, that's hardly the case. If we actually front load the contract a bit to guarantee that $12 million over the first three years, it'll be even more nice down the road. But, Trotter is no more a poison pill against the cap than Arrington or Samuels are. You get a young stud player at a position, and they aren't posion pills against the cap. They're building blocks for the future. And, personally, I don't like you bad mouthing Arrington and Samuels like this . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacky Ralph Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Originally posted by Art Ralph, Come on brother. We do absolutely have a need at middle linebacker. We don't yet know what Trotter will get for a contract, but we can't deny that we don't have a very strong middle linebacker. Yes, he's a very passable player. But, we still have a weakness here. There is really very little down side to signing a 25-year-old Pro Bowl player who fits an absolute need for your team. Obviously, if he gets hurt or fat and sassy, it'll be a problem. But, put those backers on the field together and let them harm some people for a while. You'll come over to my way of thinking. And I won't even have to hold a beef taco to tempt you . Well, it wouldn't HURT to tempt me with a beef taco, now would it??? Especially if you add lots of cheese and onions. And then pull my finger in a crowded elevator. Here's my fear, and you can tell me why I'm wrong: 1) We're renegotiating contracts with veteran players like Coleman & B. Smith-- contracts they probably won't see the end of. This results in dead money. 2) In a short period of time, we're gonna be tying up lots of money in several of our younger players, who are still playing out the contracts they originally signed as rookies. Most of these guys will expect an increase in pay. 3) While Trotter is a very good MLB, with the two Pro Bowl OLBs we have, we don't NEED a 4 million-a-year guy in the middle to make big plays. 4) Spurrier is a smart guy, and he'll quickly learn that we're not gonna win a Superbowel with Danny Wonderful and his Gator buddies tossing up air-balls. We'll need to sign a solid, proven veteran-- and solid, proven veteran QBs cost alot of money. 5) We still have a gaping hole at DT, and I don't agree with the idea, "Wellll, just stick a fat guy in there to clog up the middle! That's all we need!" Eventually, you get what you pay for. And in my mind, I'd rather spend 4 million on a Pro Bowl DT & 1 million on a MLB than the reverse. So.....we load up at LB, because Danny Snyder can't say no to a big name Free Agent. We still have holes in other positions that prevent us from reaching the playoffs in 2002, particularly in Spurrier's first year, 'cause he'll need to adjust to the NFL. In 2003, we'll look for more quick-fixes with big name FAs, probably at QB. By 2004, Smith, Coleman, and the rest of the older vets we've renegotiated with to generate money RIGHT NOW are off the team, leaving us with a ton of dead money. This formula just doesn't work. Not over the long term. I'm not a fan of following the Jerry Jones Model For Cap Management, 1994-2001. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Everyone except the Ravens, Bears, and Steelers NEED a 25 year old 2 time Pro Bowler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacky Ralph Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Originally posted by VoR If MLB was such a "glaring" need, shouldn't we've at least looked at players such as London Fletcher, Sam Cowart, Jason Gildon, or Earl Holmes? It only became a "need" when Trotter became available. Of course, it seems we were the only team seriously interested in his services. Doesn't this raise any red flags? Unless we sign Trotter at a bargain basement price, he's nothing but a poison pill to our cap. AMEN, BRUTHA!!!! Wack him good!!! Just like a young Ludvig Borga!!! Clearly, Trotter was an impulse buy. Upgrading the MLB position wasn't something that was viewed as a priority UNTIL Snyder started getting a chubby over the prospects of landing a "name". This is the recipe for making some big headlines during the offseason. It's also the recipe for cap-suicide over the long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VoR Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Still haven't answered the main question, Art. If Trotter is so great, if Trotter is so young and has such a bright future ahead of him, why are we the only ones in the bidding? Why aren't the Vikings seriously pursuing him? They have $10m in cap space. They lost their starting MLB, Kailee Wong, to free agency. Why aren't the Texans challenging us? He seems to be a player Cassserly wants (Pro Bowler, under 30), yet they're showing only marginal interest at best. Lastly, why aren't the Cowboys, a team Trotter has destroyed, not made a play for him? They, out of all the 31 other teams, would seem to be the perfect fit for him. Instead, they signed their pedestrian MLB, Dat Nguyen, to a 6-year extension and didn't even look Trotter's way! Unless there's mass stupidity among the NFL's front offices, I can only come to these conclusions: 1. Trotter is overrrated. 2. MLB as a position is not as important as the line or secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 Reply within.... "Well, it wouldn't HURT to tempt me with a beef taco, now would it??? Especially if you add lots of cheese and onions. And then pull my finger in a crowded elevator. " I'll pull your finger, but, only after hitting all the floor buttons and hoping off so I don't have to be there . "Here's my fear, and you can tell me why I'm wrong:" Ok. "1) We're renegotiating contracts with veteran players like Coleman & B. Smith-- contracts they probably won't see the end of. This results in dead money. " Well, the only way we'll not owe Smith and Coleman dead money against the cap is if they both play until 2006 then retire before the uncapped year. That's not likely to me. At present, they are still contributing players. I'd like to start limiting what Smith is going to cost us to shed, but, with Coleman, we have a guy who probably has three pretty good years left in him. So, the question is, do we take dead money now by cutting either or both and losing them, or do we keep them contributing on the roster now and only cut them when we feel they are no longer able to do so. In either case we'll owe dead money and in the case we restructure them, it's not really going to cost us a ton more dead money down the road than it does now. "2) In a short period of time, we're gonna be tying up lots of money in several of our younger players, who are still playing out the contracts they originally signed as rookies. Most of these guys will expect an increase in pay. " Yes, that's true. But, we have two seasons left before we have to worry about Arrington or Samuels and even then, that may be early to worry. We have at least until next year before concerning ourselves with Bailey. I'd like to address Smoot today, but, after the season is fine. These are all areas we'll have to address as time goes on. Absolutely. That's why you balance and time your contracts in such a way so as to do this and remember that during this period, you'll continue changing players around so that the money is always adjusting where the hits come from. But, as long as these guys are young and performing, it isn't harmful to sign them and stretch the cap hit over the young years like we'll have to do. "3) While Trotter is a very good MLB, with the two Pro Bowl OLBs we have, we don't NEED a 4 million-a-year guy in the middle to make big plays. " Trotter is an elite MLB and Pro Bowl player. Marvin Lewis has been known to run a scheme that tends to make the middle linebacking position more important than in other schemes. Trotter will increase our ability to be a better defense and he'll do so for years after Armstead, Smith and Coleman are gone. "4) Spurrier is a smart guy, and he'll quickly learn that we're not gonna win a Superbowel with Danny Wonderful and his Gator buddies tossing up air-balls. We'll need to sign a solid, proven veteran-- and solid, proven veteran QBs cost alot of money." Again, I'll give Spurrier a season pass on this until he shows he made a mistake. I tend to think we should have a better QB. But, a solid, veteran QB doesn't really have to cost a lot. We could have had Chandler right now for pretty cheap and we'd have had a very bright outlook for the four or five games Chandler could play before he got hurt . We may need a QB soon, though, I don't disagree. I just think we have to have some faith that Spurrier must know better than us what it takes to perform in his offense. And he has the chance to see his offense perform against a very solid defense every day the team practices. "5) We still have a gaping hole at DT, and I don't agree with the idea, "Wellll, just stick a fat guy in there to clog up the middle! That's all we need!" Eventually, you get what you pay for. And in my mind, I'd rather spend 4 million on a Pro Bowl DT & 1 million on a MLB than the reverse. " As I've said, I don't think Lewis wants a fat guy to stick in the middle and clog it up. This is why I don't think Adams is an ideal fit, because Adams has been at his best playing the fat guy who clogs up the middle and does little else. I don't think Wilkinson is the proper pairing for that deployment of talent and the team will seek out guys with a little to lot less size, but with good feet. We do have a hole at DT. Just like last year. We have approximate talent at the spot this year as opposed to last. We made it through with it. Perhaps we won't again. But, again, perhaps we'll actually do something else at this spot before we can fully understand where we are. "So.....we load up at LB, because Danny Snyder can't say no to a big name Free Agent." How big a name is Trotter? Really, is he even household? Is he even really recognized fully? We've heard people here say he's no better than Holmes or Fletcher, so, I'm going to tell you Trotter isn't really a big name in free agency. He is the best player in free agency and if the Danny can't avoid the best player in free agency every year, well, I'll have to say that's ok with me. And as a fan, you should be jumping for joy that the Redskins are in position to add a young proven player at a position of need who happens to be the best free agent on in this year's total free agent class. And, remember, Snyder had so much success with selecting really big name free agents in 2000. Those moves improved the defense some 26 spots overall to validate the positive consequences of adding talented players. Here's to hoping Snyder can never say no to best of class players. "We still have holes in other positions that prevent us from reaching the playoffs in 2002, particularly in Spurrier's first year, 'cause he'll need to adjust to the NFL." Perhaps. But, you do know it's April, right? In April, we do have other positional holes that we might be more concerned with in, say, August. As for missing the playoffs, I don't disagree. I think Spurrier will take time to figure things out. But, let's say a positive thing here. Last year we were 8-8 with a solid defense and a putrid offense. What if we have a defense that is substantially better than last year and an offense that averages just 330 yards a game? I'm not writing it off considering where we were and where we are now. "In 2003, we'll look for more quick-fixes with big name FAs, probably at QB. By 2004, Smith, Coleman, and the rest of the older vets we've renegotiated with to generate money RIGHT NOW are off the team, leaving us with a ton of dead money." Not sure what the future will bring. But, if it brings a 25-year-old Pro Bowl QB then, I'll take my chances. Is McNabb or Culpepper available? I already answered the Coleman and Smith thing I think. There'll be dead money no matter how you cut it with them. If you are really concerned for the future of the young guys here you have to then consider cutting both of these players right after June 1 so you can get that dead money off after next year. I don't think this is an awful idea if you are writing the season off. I don't think we're writing the season off. "This formula just doesn't work. Not over the long term. " Actually, the formula that provides 25-year-old Pro Bowl players does work. And it provides players who will work over the long term. That's just what it does . "I'm not a fan of following the Jerry Jones Model For Cap Management, 1994-2001." Cash solves cap. If we're sinking cash in the form of bonus dollars to young players, we'll be fine. If we do a major move again with an aging player that will guarantee dead money, we won't be. So far we've avoided doing that this offseason. That's a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 VoR, reply within. "Still haven't answer the main question, Art." VoR, there's not a question before me. There's some statement based seemingly in the ether of one's imagination that somehow the Redskins were the only team after Trotter and that somehow we should be worried about that. But, let's try to see if you understand what's happened here. "If Trotter is so great, if Trotter is so young and has such a bright future ahead of him, why are we the only ones in the bidding?" We aren't the only one's bidding. In fact, we weren't even the first team to meet with Trotter. We were, however, the team that showed the most ardor for Trotter and that may have gone a long way to winning him, if he's won. Further, when was Trotter made a free agent? Sometime in APRIL. The Eagles burned him. They removed the tag to punish Trotter after many teams had already allocated their dollars elsewhere. Only a handful of teams had dollars left to pursue him. We were one of those teams and the team with the most ability to actually pursue him and I'll tell you why in a moment. "Why aren't the Vikings seriously pursuing him? They have $10m in cap space. They lost their starting MLB, Kailee Wong, to free agency." Do you know anything of the Vikings? I live in Minnesota so if you don't, you might take my word for it. McCombs got rid of Denny Green and rumor had it he was going to bring in Mack Brown. But, Red has altered his strategy with the Vikings. He is cost cutting and looking to ultimately cut the city if he doesn't get a stadium. When he went for Tice he actually tried to get Tice to agree to only have eight coaches for the year instead of the normal 16 or so. He got the cheapest guy he could find and set a very firm budget for the team. The Vikings may have cap room for a guy like Trotter, but, they don't have an owner willing to pay the money or capable of paying the money for a guy like Trotter. So, they backed away once it was clear Trotter wouldn't fit into the $1.5 million slot they were alloted by their forced budget. "Why aren't the Texans challenging us? He seems to be a player Cassserly wants (Pro Bowler, under 30), yet they're showing only marginal interest at best." Houston has to keep around $7 million set aside for the rookie pool dollars. And, Houston is running a 3-4 where a true middle backer is less important than an inside linebacker. Trotter wasn't a great fit there, though, Houston was involved in the conversation. If we were running a 3-4, I don't know that I'd want to spend the money on Trotter either. But, we're not. At least we're not on the bulk of our plays. "Lastly, why aren't the Cowboys, a team Trotter has destroyed, not made a play for him? They, out of all the 31 other teams, would seem to be the perfect fit for him. Instead, they signed their pedestrian MLB, Dat Nguyen, to a 6-year extension and didn't even look Trotter's way!" Dat had a contract in the works for some time. Dat also fits what Dallas runs better than Trotter. Dat is a very quick and fast player. Dallas ran a scheme that pulled the linebackers back a little and had them make plays by running to the ball using their very good speed. Trotter is a fine athlete, but, he's a bruiser who attacks a hole. He woudln't fit what they were doing, and, honestly, Jerry has a different weight on linebackers traditionally. Marvin Lewis, traditionally, has a very heavy weight on them. "Unless there's mass stupidity among the NFL's front offices, I can only come to these conclusions: 1. Trotter is overrrated. 2. MLB as a position is not as important as the line or secondary." Now that you know the rest of the story a bit better, what do you say? MLB may not be as important a position in some defenses. It may be in others. It certainly is more important to the Bears and Ravens than it is to the Cowboys and Texans. It is probably going to be very important to us if Lewis shows the same tendencies to use his linebackers in various havoc creating roles. Again, Trotter was made free after teams had more than a month to make budgets and spend money. Most teams have already shot their wads in the offseason. The Redskins saw a player who came free that fits in very well with what the defensive coordinator traditionally likes. And at 25 and a two-time Pro Bowler, he's hardly overrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VoR Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 The main question was--"Doesn't this raise any red flags since we're, ostensibly, are the only one's bidding"? We are the only ones making serious offers to Trotter. I don't see any Minnesota newspapers stating, "Trotter deal in the works." I don't see Green Bay Gazettes saying, "Trotter offered an initial contract by the Pack." I haven't once seen a Houston fishwrap say, "We've laid out an offer for Trotter." It's only in DC do I see tangible figures. If that doesn't qualify as "the only ones in the bidding", I don't know what is. Red McCombs cheap? Didn't he fork out a $75m contract with an $18m signing bonus to Moss? Why wouldn't he shell out a quarter of that for a "25 year-old 2-time Pro bowl Middle Linebacker"? It's not as if Minnesota has been totally dormant in FA. In fact, they've spent more money than us in FA; they've signed Lorenzo Bromel, Corey Chavous, Kenny Mixon, & Henri Crockett. Texans have $7m in their rookie pool? What about our rookie pool? Are we just gonna ignore ours? (especially if we're thinking about trading up to get a QB--the most expensive of all the positions). Dallas ignoring Trotter because he plays a different scheme? Uh, Marvin Lewis' scheme is a lot different from Jim Johnson's. Marvin Lewis' expects his MLB to read & react (and I have serious reservations about Trotter's ability to "read & react" effectively), as well as cover; Jim Johnson basically has his front seven attacking the QB. In Marvin's defense, Trotter has to go from sideline to sideline. In Johnson's system, he went straight forward. If Dallas thinks it'll be too difficult for Trotter to adjust to a new system, we're in for a rude awakening if we think he can adapt to ours; & it seems to me by your description that Dat Nguyen would be a better linebacker for Marvin's defense. Addendum-- This 2-time Pro-Bowler thing is overstated. Trotter was never picked to start a Pro Bowl, and in fact, in many people's opinions, he didn't deserve to go this year; London Fletcher should have been the choice to back up Urlacher. Speaking of Pro-Bowlers, Stephen Boyd is a free agent (he was picked ahead of Trotter as a starter last year). We'd probably could snag him at 1/10th the price of Trotter. Unless Trotter's gonna make this defense 10x better than Boyd, why aren't we looking at him (while Houston is seriously giving him consideration)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 With both moves, Trotter and moving up in the darft to get Harrington, I see an owner trying to placate his 2 high vis coaches. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, I hope losing our 2nd round pick doesn't happen. I'm hoping to get a starting OG and a DT out of rounds one and two of the draft. I think we need a quality DT. That will make the Trotter aquisition even mo betta; maximize the impact of the acquisition, in other words. On the offemsive side, the O-line is critical. We are going to have to rely on Stephen Davis yet again until the downfield game comes together. I just hope it doesn't take until game 5 for the coaching staff to realize what they have, like it did last year. As for QB, I'm hoping we either trade for Mathews or one of the guys we already have turns out to be ALOT better than everybody thinks. Personally, I have a feeling/wish that Sage turns out to be the real deal. As the man said, "Hope is not a method", but that seems to be were we are these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor The Invincible Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 OT question- When was the last time anyone had 3 Pro Bowl LBs? The answer, as I suspect, is never. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCS:BraveCaringSoul Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Originally posted by Skeletor The Invincible OT question- When was the last time anyone had 3 Pro Bowl LBs? The answer, as I suspect, is never. I'm not sure but didn't the 70's Steelers do it one year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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