Time to trade Tom Brady?

**steelerhater** · 01-27-2013, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by CincyCat

I think the writer intended the emphasis to be on getting a high return for Brady while his value is still high. Then restock the team quickly. It's definitely not an absurd idea.

The problem with this line of thinking is that Al Davis isn't around anymore, so the only owner who would give up everything for a player is Jerry Jones. They could probably wait 5 more years and then trade Brady to the Cowboys for their 1st and 2nd round picks for 3 years. Jerry Jones is that dumb!

**akashicrecorder** · 01-27-2013, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

When Brady is done, I bet the 'genius' head coach conveniently retires.

I have ALWAYS thought this, too.

**Uli2001** · 01-28-2013, 12:00 AM

I believed what happened to the Patriots is that up to and including 2007 they were this unstoppable offense with a paper-thin defense. They would basically outscore all the opponents. But then they were upset in the SB and everyone blamed the defense. Since then they have been trying to bolster the defense and forgot their bread and butter, the offense. Now they have an improved, but still mediocre defense and a much less powerful offense, and can't win.

**alien bird** · 01-28-2013, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Uli2001

I believed what happened to the Patriots is that up to and including 2007 they were this unstoppable offense with a paper-thin defense. They would basically outscore all the opponents. But then they were upset in the SB and everyone blamed the defense. Since then they have been trying to bolster the defense and forgot their bread and butter, the offense. Now they have an improved, but still mediocre defense and a much less powerful offense, and can't win.

I think the reason they have "fallen off", so to speak, is not because they have an improved defense at all. They have fallen off because their defense is no longer hard hitting, and they have tried to become a finesse team. Finesse teams get punched in the mouth in the playoffs.

**ActualSpamBot** · 01-28-2013, 12:47 AM

They won their rings with a good to great defense and a ball control, highly efficient offense.

The dynasty died when they abandoned the D to a bunch of over the hill vets and put all their chips into building an "unstoppable "offense for Tom Brady. The problem was New York exposed how easy it is to rattle Tommy's cage.

Tom Brady is a lot like Matt Ryan, he can win, and put up huge numbers doing so, but pressure makes him nervous and without a defense to keep them in the game, he starts firing the ball out to avoid getting hit and that's when you can start forcing errors.

They need to get their D back up to par and scale Tommy's role back down to a Flacco or Shuab level. Complement your run game and occasionally strike deep.

**alien bird** · 01-28-2013, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

They won their rings with a good to great defense and a ball control, highly efficient offense.

The dynasty died when they abandoned the D to a bunch of over the hill vets and put all their chips into building an "unstoppable "offense for Tom Brady. The problem was New York exposed how easy it is to rattle Tommy's cage.

Tom Brady is a lot like Matt Ryan, he can win, and put up huge numbers doing so, but pressure makes him nervous and without a defense to keep them in the game, he starts firing the ball out to avoid getting hit and that's when you can start forcing errors.

They need to get their D back up to par and scale Tommy's role back down to a Flacco or Shuab level. Complement your run game and occasionally strike deep.

I agree. If you look at their Super Bowl winning seasons, they had a defense that just didn't give up a lot of points. It's only in the past few years that they've been a team that has completely dropped it in Brady's lap and tried to win simply by outscoring everyone.

**leachisabeast** · 01-28-2013, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

They won their rings with a good to great defense and a ball control, highly efficient offense.

The dynasty died when they abandoned the D to a bunch of over the hill vets and put all their chips into building an "unstoppable "offense for Tom Brady. The problem was New York exposed how easy it is to rattle Tommy's cage.

Tom Brady is a lot like Matt Ryan, he can win, and put up huge numbers doing so, but pressure makes him nervous and without a defense to keep them in the game, he starts firing the ball out to avoid getting hit and that's when you can start forcing errors.

They need to get their D back up to par and scale Tommy's role back down to a Flacco or Shuab level. Complement your run game and occasionally strike deep.

Yeah, totally agree with this. The Giants and our selves seem to be the best teams at rattling Brady in the big games. I also think that this is why we should continue to keep the defense elite by continuing to draft elite defensive players, and signing solid FA's, instead of investing all of our draft picks/cap room on building "an unstoppable" offense, nobody has won a SB lately without a talented defense.

**leachisabeast** · 01-28-2013, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by alien bird

I agree. If you look at their Super Bowl winning seasons, they had a defense that just didn't give up a lot of points. It's only in the past few years that they've been a team that has completely dropped it in Brady's lap and tried to win simply by outscoring everyone.

Works against Miami and Buffalo in the regular season, not so much in the play offs....

**kelsey59** · 01-28-2013, 01:16 AM

Brady is the most over rated QB in the NFL. He has always played in a weak division and is nothing but a ding and dung passer.

**ActualSpamBot** · 01-28-2013, 01:37 AM

The thing about "unstoppable" offenses is that any offense is stoppable. What we need to do is exactly what we've been doing since Harbaugh got here. Work to maintain a balance between offense and defense so that you have your talent distributed evenly enough that you can rely on either one, or both in conjunction, to win games.

Run into a saw mill of a d? We can win a field position field goal battle. Run into a team like Denver who puts up 21 in the first half? So can we. We can run behind Ray and Pierce. We can air it out. We can hold you to field goals instead of TDs or keep up with you in a shoot out.

That wins championships because there aren't many teams who can take away everything we can do.

**Captain Silver** · 01-28-2013, 04:43 AM

I'd also like to throw out that Brady has looked far more mortal now that he doesn't know the defensive play signals anymore. When Bob Kraft asked Belicheck how much of an advantage did the Patriots gain from taping signals, Bill said 1%. In the NFL, a game of inches, sometimes that 1% makes the difference in a completion, a first down, or a touchdown and even ultimately the game.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that not only has their defense been less than stellar, physical, and foolish by letting players like Seymoour go, additionally they play in a weak division; BUT THEY DON'T CHEAT ANYMORE.

**GOTA** · 01-28-2013, 04:50 AM

I do wonder what the Pats really could get for Brady. Manning coming off an injury was worth nothing to the Colts but then cleaned up in free agency. Brady is signed for the next 3 years at a pretty reasonable rate. He only received $20 million guaranteed over 5 years. His base salary is under $10 million a year. If a team could get Brady at that price they'd be willing to trade some picks. Not a draft like the author suggests but more than a 1st round pick.

**Captain Silver** · 01-28-2013, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

I do wonder what the Pats really could get for Brady. Manning coming off an injury was worth nothing to the Colts but then cleaned up in free agency. Brady is signed for the next 3 years at a pretty reasonable rate. He only received $20 million guaranteed over 5 years. His base salary is under $10 million a year. If a team could get Brady at that price they'd be willing to trade some picks. Not a draft like the author suggests but more than a 1st round pick.

Kraft would never okay that. Elite QB's are at a premium, a 1st rounder is still an unknown. They just need to put a better team around him, especially on defense, but they need to stop putting the entire game on him, and it looks like they are moving that direction with a greater emphasis on running the ball. Belicheck will evolve the team, he knows why they have been bounced by the Ravens and the Giants and is working on changing the team, but it is going to take another draft and some savvy free agent pickups like Ozzie has pulled off.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 05:33 AM

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Pats make a run at Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, or maybe Brian Hartline if the Dolphins don't re-sign him.

**Captain Silver** · 01-28-2013, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Pats make a run at Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, or maybe Brian Hartline if the Dolphins don't re-sign him.

One of their message boards was going on and on that was the big problem with the offense. No true#1 wide receiver. Too many small or dated WR. Nothing to either stretch the field. They pointed to us having Torrey and Jacoby who have mad speed and then just a beast in Q. The were clamoring for Bowe. I thought it was a mistake for them to dump Moss, I think they should have worked harder to make up with him rather than Patriotway his ass to the curb.

**leachisabeast** · 01-28-2013, 05:55 AM

I wonder if the Pats would make a move for Boldin or Jacoby, could offer us a solid draft pick for either. We wont be able to keep Jacoby and Boldin next season, its one or the other.

The pats are just lacking talent in key positions. They have a decent front 7 now, but their secondary is still woeful even with Talib (who might not even be with the Pats next year), and they have no real weapons out side of Grontkowski, Hernandez is good, but he isn't a game changing TE that commands double teams, I'd rather have Dennis Pitta than Hernandez.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 06:01 AM

I would be really pissed to see Boldin in a Pats uniform.

**leachisabeast** · 01-28-2013, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I would be really pissed to see Boldin in a Pats uniform.

Yes, he'd be a beast in that offense, but if the Pats offered a 4th or a 5th, maybe even a 3rd, it would relieve us of a large cap hit, and give us even more picks to work with in the draft. I'd rather trade away Jacoby for a 6th rounder, because I love Boldin.

**pslholder96** · 01-28-2013, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Yes, he'd be a beast in that offense, but if the Pats offered a 4th or a 5th, maybe even a 3rd, it would relieve us of a large cap hit, and give us even more picks to work with in the draft. I'd rather trade away Jacoby for a 6th rounder, because I love Boldin.

That's not worth it to me. Down the stretch we've seen Boldin's leadership come forth and his production increase under Caldwell's offense. Frankly the Patriots do not make a good trade partner at all

**Captain Silver** · 01-28-2013, 06:25 AM

Pat's don't want Boldin. They want a field stretcher. No offense, Boldin is a monster possession receiver. But they have a Gronkowski as that type of player already. They need someone with wheels, and Boldin isn't exactly young either, sooner or later his production is going to decline. My bet is he figures a way out to stay here.

Everything here hinges on Flacco's contract. If he signs, we will have a lot of room to do things. If he's tagged, the team will be forced to part with keys that contributed to Flacco's success. Williams and Doss are a loss at this point. Fuckers couldn't catch a cold.