The Football Fan Spot

I woke up today to the news that my favorite member of the Pats’ defense, Richard Seymour, was now a member of the Oakland Raiders. In a surprise deal, Bill Belicheck agreed to send well rounded defensive lineman Richard Seymour to the Raiders for a 2011 first round pick. This is the 2nd deal between Bill Belicheck and the Raiders’ senile owner Al Davis this offseason, the first coming when Davis sent aged defensive end Derrick Burgess to the Pats for 2 mid round picks. Seymour is in his contract year, as is Pro-Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork. Odds were that the Pats would not be able to retain both of their superstar defensive linemen, so they made the decision early and got what, assuming the Raiders don’t turn it around any time soon, should be a top 10 pick in 2011. However, this really hurts the Pats this year. I believed that it would be Wilfork they would get rid of because they drafted a nose tackle in Ron Brace in the 2009 draft. They do not have a successor for Seymour at 3-4 end, which hurts, unless…

            …The rumors about the Pats switching back to a 4-3 are true. If they played 4-3, 3-4 defensive end Ty Warren could move inside and play under tackle next to Wilfork, with Adalius Thomas and Derrick Burgess moving up to play 4-3 defensive end. That would fix their problems on the line, and eliminate their weakness at 4-3 middle linebacker, which was created by the sudden retirement of Tedy Bruski. Mayo could remain at middle linebacker and the only places they would be weak at would be the outside linebacker position, which is one of the least important positions on a defense. They would still have a fairly solid defense and they would not have to worry about losing Seymour for nothing. This gives them financial security to resign Wilfork and give Tom Brady an extension this offseason. And they get what’s likely a future top 10 pick, which, if history is any indication, Bill Belicheck will try to turn into 5 2nd round picks, succeed in doing so, and then about 3 of those 5 players will become future stars in the NFL. Or he could just keep it and take a young franchise cornerstone.

            As for the Raiders, I just don’t get this. They get an aged veteran, however good, who they have little shot at resigning this offseason. And they give up which could have been a future cornerstone…I mean, future track star wide receiver that can’t catch, in return. The Raiders are at a point where they should want good young players that they can have under contract for a longtime to build for the future. Seymour is the opposite of that. I don’t get it…of course you could say the same thing about half of what the Raiders do. How’s Darrius Heyward Bey working out? How ‘bout that Russell guy? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

            Bottom line, it hurts to see Seymour go and have to endure a losing season in Oakland, but I trust Bill Belicheck’s trading ability and I have even more confidence in the move seeing as its Al Davis on the other end.