On Screwing The Patriots

by Ron From NM on Feb 22, 2010 3:41 PM EST

The Pats just slapped Vince Wilfork with the franchise tag. It would cost Buffalo two first rounders, not to mention a boatload of money, to pry him away from Belicheat. Let's assume that Buffalo is willing to shell out the kind of cash it would take to sign Wilfork to a deal the Pats won't match (4 years/$60 million?) and that Nix is a creature of pure malevolence.

The first move isn't to fax Wilfork an offer sheet.

Instead, the first move is to identify a team with a late first round pick who would like to move up to 9. Since it will cost Buffalo the 2010 and 2011 first rounders to sign Wilfork it would be a good idea to work with a team who will likely be in the playoffs in 2011. Next, the Bills need to package an offer that simply couldn't be refused. My first call would be to Philly.

The Bills could offer to send the Eagles #9 and their 2011 1st rounder (likely a top 15 pick) in exchange for #24, #56, #88, 2011 1st rounder and 2011 second rounder. In 2010 Buffalo would have #41, #56 ,#73, #88 and #109. The Bills would have an extra second round (though no first rounder) pick in 2011. Basically, the Bills give up 2 first rounders but get Wilfork, two second rounders (one in 2011) and a third rounder.

Philly has the picks to burn and Reid is a man who likes to make deals. Philly would have 9, 71, and 134 (plus a likely comp pick) in 2010, an early first rounder in 2011 along with their entire draft from the 3rd round to 7th. Philly gets to move up to the top 15 (and quite possibly top 10) in two seasons in which their Super Bowl window is still open. The value is there for the Eagles and this doesn't cripple either their 2010 or 2011 drafts.

Belicheat would get #24 in 2010 and, effecitvely, the Eagles first round pick in 2011....which figures to be in the high 20s.

Naturally, this is all moot if Buffalo doesn't blow Wilfork away with just stupid money. For the sake of conversation, as stated above, let's assume that Wilson is willing to shell out cash that New England just won't match.

Poll

Would you do it?

Yes. Wilfork, 2 seconds, 1 third and the chance to stick it to the Pats is too good to pass up.

39 votes

No. The two first rounders are more valuable than Wilfork and the picks.

170 votes

No, the concept is fine but OBD is incapable of getting the stars to align just right and the risk of failure is too high.

50 votes

259 votes | Poll has closed

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Comments

i like it but just dont have any faith that ralph would let this happen..I mean, he will look at the list and decide that he doesnt know Wilfork or Reid and thus will no pull the trigger

How You Say...Wha Wha!

by Stabby Mcshank on Feb 22, 2010 3:45 PM EST reply actions

I voted for the third option, by the way. I can just see the Bills getting the first half of the equation out of the way only to fail to offer substantially Wilfork more than the Pats are willing to pay.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Feb 22, 2010 3:46 PM EST reply actions

I just dont’ want to give the Pats anything. not even the dirt off of the cleats that we use in Miami

Hello - thanks for reading my signature. It's very interesting. Bye

by J2 on Feb 22, 2010 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

It’s simply not worth it. We need all the draftpicks we can get and chances are we’ll have a good shot at landing either Dan Williams or Mount Cody.

"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Feb 22, 2010 3:46 PM EST reply actions

I agree

I really want Cody in the 2nd for a platoon with Kyle Williams, I think the two of them in a platoon, solves our NT problem for now, until we get an every down player there down the road, and still take a quality OT in the first this year.

There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.

by The Buffalo Kid on Feb 24, 2010 1:09 AM EST up reply actions

Cody on first and second down and Williams on third down makes a lot of sense.

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by MattRichWarren on Feb 24, 2010 9:08 PM EST up reply actions

To me, we ought to try and trade Kyle, if we can get solid value, which I think we can given the nature of the free agency market or lack thereof this year. A team like the Giants, who’s always on the lockout for depth at DT, or the Texans, who lack a guy to play effectively next to Amobi Okoye.

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Feb 25, 2010 8:49 AM EST up reply actions

um......Ron you hitting the sauce today or what?

I dont know about this post.

-Buffalo Rumblings resident Chan Gailey basher-

by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 22, 2010 3:56 PM EST reply actions

you think someone on the sauce could come up with something like this? he’s sober – for sure

Hello - thanks for reading my signature. It's very interesting. Bye

by J2 on Feb 22, 2010 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

I love this idea

If I i I knew Buddy Nix’s email address I would totally email him the link to this article.

by mob16151 on Feb 22, 2010 4:02 PM EST reply actions

so here it is

buddy.the.elf@whatsyourfavoritecolor.com

by freddyjj on Feb 22, 2010 4:07 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

That was funny

Rec’d

by mob16151 on Feb 22, 2010 4:20 PM EST reply actions

I’m all for screwing the pats, but aren’t teams required to give up their own picks as compensation? I think I remember that being a problem with somebody trying to sign an RFA.

by tm on Feb 22, 2010 4:21 PM EST reply actions

That's the NHL rule.

Not sure about the NFL.

All your tshirt needs.

by twoeightnine on Feb 22, 2010 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

I think you’re right.

by tm on Feb 22, 2010 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

I always figured you dreamed about guns and aliens when you laid your head down at night

Now I am convinced draft trade ideas dance through your head while you sleep.

There is absolutely no chance a trade like this ever happens.

First, the Bills are going to stink this year. There’s a very, very good chance they will finish the season with a top 5 draft pick. Why would the Bills potentially give that away, and maybe a franchise QB, in order to do something so expensive and questionable like this?

Second, $15M a season for Wilfork? No thank you. I’d love to have him on the Bills, but that amount is ridiculous. And only 4 years? When the Bills might finally be ready to compete in 2012 or so, Wilfork will only have a year or two left on his deal. Is that worth all this?

Third, if you are doing this to screw the Patriots, they will happily accept the trade and use the two picks to not only replace Wilfork, but to build even more depth and quality.

Fourth, there is no way the NFL allows a trade like this. Obviously something would be up if the Bills and Eagles are trading draft picks in early to mid March. They would have already had to talk with and agree to the deal with Wilfork, and it’s extremely unlikely in this day and age that that would remain a secret. Manipulating the system like this wouldn’t be something the NFL is too fond of.

Fifth, do you actually think the Bills would offer that much money, and Wilfork would actually want to play in Buffalo?

Sixth, why in the world would Philly make this trade? I really don’t see them giving up their top 3 picks this year to move into the top 10. That just doesn’t seem likely. And what good does the trading of 2011 picks do them? What if McNabb gets hurt, Kolb gets hurt or stinks it up and they have a terrible season finishing with a top 10 draft pick, and Buffalo manages to somehow put together an unpredictable run to the playoffs??? They’ll have given up their top 10 pick, and a pick in the 30’s for a 1st round in the 20’s. The chances of that happening aren’t very high, but I really can’t see any team risking it.

This is just crazy talk Ron. You’ve come up with some trade doozies before, but I think this one takes the cake!!

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Feb 22, 2010 4:56 PM EST reply actions 5 recs

Rec'd.........

for this part alone!

but I think this one takes the cake!!

yum.

-Buffalo Rumblings resident Chan Gailey basher-

by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 22, 2010 5:23 PM EST up reply actions

Ha. Very Homer Simpson of you!

a.k.a. Undee

by Undee on Feb 22, 2010 6:42 PM EST up reply actions

my fascination with cake goes far beyond any Homer Simpson comparsion....

as many on this blog will attest too.

-Buffalo Rumblings resident Chan Gailey basher-

by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 22, 2010 7:07 PM EST up reply actions

Included for you

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Feb 22, 2010 11:22 PM EST up reply actions

you're too kind to me

-Buffalo Rumblings resident Chan Gailey basher-

by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 23, 2010 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

Brilliantly put Kurupt

What can I say? What can I add…………………………………………….
Nothing whatsoever I think you covered everything to a T!
With all due respect Ron, I think this scenario is as likely to happen as Ralph welcoming back Dick Jauron!

by Kill_Bill on Feb 22, 2010 7:49 PM EST up reply actions

The only thing I'd add to K's post is.....

Ron, you’re nuts!

I know you hate the Patriots, and most of the people on this blog does as well, but this is still crazy talk :)

Bills fan half way around the world

by moncheri on Feb 23, 2010 7:06 AM EST up reply actions

The point wasn’t the parameters of the deal with Wilfork (though it would have to be enormous) but rather the mental exercise of getting something Buffalo needs (an effective NT) while depriving a division rival of a very good player. True, the Pats would have two extra (late) first rounders with which to try to replace Wilfork. Here’s the thing, though; Wilfork is a known commodity while draft picks are unknowns.

You may be right about the league. If there’s no rule against it already there would be one immediately after the Pats raised a stink. As for Philly, they are a team with a closing window of opportunity and not a lot of glaring needs….needs they can most easily fill with picks in the top half of the draft.

So it is crazy or just the best I could come up with during lunch? Maybe both. More likely, it was just a quick reaction to the Pats not slapping Wilfork with the exclusive rights franchise tag

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Feb 22, 2010 11:39 PM EST up reply actions

Acutally, the Patriots tend to prefer late first/ early seconds. They are the best bang for the buck picks (see Levitre, Andy and Byrd, Jairus).

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by MattRichWarren on Feb 23, 2010 10:37 AM EST up reply actions

exactly, The Pats would probably prefer to have the later picks then the high ones. If you wanted to screw them, make them pick twice in the top ten and pay those guys….

No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.

by sireric on Feb 23, 2010 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

Why do we want to give the Pats 2 top ten picks again???????

Kraft is smart, not cheap. I am sure the Pats would welcome being able to draft 2 impact players. Even if they didn’t want those picks, knowing the Pats, they would trade out and clean up in the second and third rounds.

If we end up with Vick, T.O., Richie I., and Porter….that is really pushing the dbag density limit for one team.

by Joe P. on Feb 23, 2010 8:18 PM EST up reply actions

It's subjective Joe.

I don’t want to give the Patriots two first round picks at all……..even if it means getting Wilfolk.

No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.

by sireric on Feb 24, 2010 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

LOL. I like where your head’s at. I might not agree but I like it.

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by MattRichWarren on Feb 24, 2010 9:08 PM EST up reply actions

How ironic

“It’s a long time between now and the 2010 NFL Draft. During that time, any number of stories and FanPosts will appear on this blog in which the authors propose one trade or another. It seemed to be a good idea to take a look at the current draft day trade possibilities, and then make judgments as to which are realistic and which are not.”
- From Ron’s recent article on what draft picks each team has.

I really appreciate the out-of-the-box thinking on this one, but I gotta label it “unrealistic”.

Not so much because the picks don’t work (although, they may not, I haven’t really gotten that far) but good lord, I think if the Bills pulled off something like this I would immediately withdraw my life savings and get some blow and hookers, since the world would obviously be ending any minute…..

by StroudFanClub on Feb 22, 2010 7:01 PM EST reply actions

If I thought it were either realistic or plausible I probably wouldn’t have voted for the third option in my own poll.

And, yeah, if the Bills were even capable of swinging a deal like this off I think I’d have to sit down and figure out if the rest of my life has been a Shutter Island mirage, too.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Feb 22, 2010 11:29 PM EST up reply actions

I love the twisted mind of Ron from NM!

"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny

by poz on Feb 22, 2010 7:49 PM EST reply actions

K stole my thunder........

So I won’t repeat anthing except we would not be screwing the Patsies, we would be screwing ourselves.
Stop smokin’ the wacky tabbaci brother.

"A failure becomes just one time at bat if you refuse to let it defeat you." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Feb 22, 2010 7:49 PM EST reply actions

Yes, screwing ourselves into one of the best NTs in the league while depriving a division foe of the very same.

It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.

by Ron From NM on Feb 22, 2010 11:29 PM EST up reply actions

I’d honestly rather have the 2 first rounders. If we could drive the price up on the Pats to keep Wilfork without actually doing a deal, I’d be psyched. However, I doubt that’s very realistic. I’d rather have 2 first-round picks than Vince Wilfork crippling our cap number, talented though he may be.

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.

by WhyBillsWhy on Feb 23, 2010 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

i would love it, but there’s no way in hell it’d ever happen.

too bad. this would be comedy gold. i’d probably cry myself to sleep if it happened, though, because it would mean wilfork was on his way to breaking his legs off or something and we’d never get him in a bills uni.

EDWARDS THE NEW PISTOL , OWENS THE BAD SLAYER , EVANS THE FLYING METEOR AND COMING SOON THE BEAST MODE THIS IS SPARBUFONIA - abayarde

by the_prophet on Feb 22, 2010 9:46 PM EST reply actions

At the very least I love the title

On screwing the patriots…. is that like a Dave Grossman book coming out soon…following On combat..?

I love taking away from the pats…but I think the picks are more valuable at this point when you consider who you could take, and what they will cost. I think I would like this idea better if we were any kind of a contender but we aren’t and Wilfork won’t be able to change that alone.

"I lost my mind three months ago when I woke up married to a pineapple, an ugly pineapple... I still love her though."

by Seattlite on Feb 23, 2010 12:14 AM EST reply actions