Patriots trading Vrabel to Chiefs???

[Cman]

This move doesnt make sense to me.

Sure the cap space is nice, but Vrable was the ideal/typical patriot.

Unless he was looking for more cash, or unless there was something behind the scenes we dont know about, I dont understand moving him.

I hear you.  Vrabel seemed to be such a Patriots guy.  Versatile, tough...

[Cman]

Gasper confirms the trade after emailing Vrabel: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2009/02/vrabel_trade_co.html

[Stu]

There better be something else big coming with this.  Otherwise, BB is going to have some serious explaining to do.

[Cman]

The only thing I can think of is that Pats are clearing space for D. Brooks?

[GroverTheClover]

I like the move. I love Vrabel, but we desperately need some youth in the LB corps.

The Celtics need youth at PF...but no one is advocating trading KG to get a pick that may become that.

It doesnt make sense...

Is Vrabel a top 5 LB? No. There's more wear and tear on a 33 year old in football than there is with a 33 year old in basketball. You're comparing apples to oranges.

[yall hate]

I like the move. I love Vrabel, but we desperately need some youth in the LB corps.

The Celtics need youth at PF...but no one is advocating trading KG to get a pick that may become that.

It doesnt make sense...

Is Vrabel a top 5 LB? No. There's more wear and tear on a 33 year old in football than there is with a 33 year old in basketball. You're comparing apples to oranges.

The point was, you dont trade a starter who is still performing at a high level, who epitomizes everything your team stands for, just to get 'youth'.  If Vrable couldnt still perform at a high level, then I understand, but he is one season removed from double digit sack totals.  and any 'youth' at the position would be brought along slowly, not being thrown to the wolves (Mayo was a rare rare exception). 

[MBz]

I like the move. I love Vrabel, but we desperately need some youth in the LB corps.

The Celtics need youth at PF...but no one is advocating trading KG to get a pick that may become that.

It doesnt make sense...

Is Vrabel a top 5 LB? No. There's more wear and tear on a 33 year old in football than there is with a 33 year old in basketball. You're comparing apples to oranges.

The point was, you dont trade a starter who is still performing at a high level, who epitomizes everything your team stands for, just to get 'youth'.  If Vrable couldnt still perform at a high level, then I understand, but he is one season removed from double digit sack totals.  and any 'youth' at the position would be brought along slowly, not being thrown to the wolves (Mayo was a rare rare exception). 

He wasn't performing at a high level.  He only had 62 tackles this year and he's already 33.  He's not a freak like Ray Lewis.  He's lost a step and is too slow.  One of the biggest issues with the defense was him and Bruschi.  They're just too old now, they've lost a step, and it's time to move on and find more options.  A [dang] good linebacker is going to be available for them in the first round of the draft and I hope that's where they go.  They should be able to get Brian Cushing or James Laurinitis, both have the ability to come in right away and play.  They need to clear cap space because if they cannot trade Cassell, they're giving him and Brady a whole lot of money between the two which is going to hurt them.  I think people are interested in Cassell's talent, but I don't think they really like the price tag of him right now.

[steve]

If it was part of something bigger with the Cheifs, why wouldn't they do the entire deal?  Seems like the pats needed a pick in order to trade with someone else or it was simply a salary cut.  I want to go on the record as saying Ocho Cinco will be a Patriot next year.    

[Mean Gerald Green]

If it was part of something bigger with the Cheifs, why wouldn't they do the entire deal?  Seems like the pats needed a pick in order to trade with someone else or it was simply a salary cut.  I want to go on the record as saying Ocho Cinco will be a Patriot next year.    

Maybe Cassell's on his way to Carolina for Julius Peppers...

[the_Bird]

If it was part of something bigger with the Cheifs, why wouldn't they do the entire deal?  Seems like the pats needed a pick in order to trade with someone else or it was simply a salary cut.  I want to go on the record as saying Ocho Cinco will be a Patriot next year.    

I was thinking that Ocho Cinco would be a Pat as well, but I'm not so sure now.  Really, the two areas that need the least amount of work for the Pats are the QB and WR spots.  Chaz Johnson I think would end up fitting right in and do a great job, but I really would much rather that they commit whatever dollars they do have free to shoring up the linebacking corps and the defensive backfield.  I'd feel a lot better about the team, even if Brady comes back 100%, if I was confident they'll be able to stop teams more consistently.

[Chris]

This looks like a clear cap move to me.  I have to believe they would only make it if they already have plans for that cap space to be used on a linebacker, but it was all about the cap space.

[Toine43]

This is when I forget that this trade might make logical sense, and the fan(atic) in me is sad to see Vrabel go. Thanks for your great years as a Patriot, Mike.

By the way, with a hat tip to someone on twitter, the Broncos signed Lonnie Paxton: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_11800829

[SShorefan 4.0]

anyone else notice that SI in their ratings of the top 25 free agents has none other than Chris Canty at #6.  

Chris Canty the sixth rated free agent?  yikes.

[SShorefan 4.0]

This is when I forget that this trade might make logical sense, and the fan(atic) in me is sad to see Vrabel go. Thanks for your great years as a Patriot, Mike.

By the way, with a hat tip to someone on twitter, the Broncos signed Lonnie Paxton: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_11800829

Lots of snow in Denver for snow angels and a coach he knows pretty well.

[Jeff]

If it was part of something bigger with the Cheifs, why wouldn't they do the entire deal?  Seems like the pats needed a pick in order to trade with someone else or it was simply a salary cut.  I want to go on the record as saying Ocho Cinco will be a Patriot next year.    

Maybe Cassell's on his way to Carolina for Julius Peppers...

The NFL is screwy with trades.  You seldom see anyone traded player for player (the last one I remember was Champ Bailey for Clinton Portis).  There are a lot of trades for picks that are sometimes flipped to other teams for players.  Could be what we'll see here.