2009 Trades Articles
Richard Seymour Goes to the Patriots
Was the decision to move five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour another in a long line of
better trades for the New England Patriots? Or is this one time where wily ol' Al Davis got the better end
of the deal? While that answer probably won't become obvious for years to come, there's no doubt that the
decision to move Seymour sent shock waves through professional football.
2009 NFL's Better Trades
Several high-profile players will have a new home for the 2009 season after being traded to another organization. The immediate effect on whether the deal counts as one of the club's better trades isn't likely to be seen until the conclusion of the season. But these trades are expected to make a big impact on the team and could rank as one of the better trades in the team's history. If the move helps a team reach the Super Bowl it would certainly rank as a bettertrade all-timer.
Kansas City has struggled the last two years and saw the need to find a new quarterback. The Chiefs went out and obtained Matt Cassell from the New England Patriots. Cassell handled himself admirable last year after Tom Brady was lost for the year with a knee injury. The Patriots missed the playoffs, but still won nine games. Cassell was affordable for the Chiefs to make a better trade since Brady had successful surgery and was expected to return for 2009. The Chiefs can use all the help they can get; Kansas City won only two games in 2008, a record for futility surpassed only by Detroit's winless season. Cassell seems to have the ability and the mental acumen to handle the job, but he won't have a lot of help. When you consider Kansas City also got linebacker Mike Vrabel in the deal, it certainly sounds like one of the Chiefs' better trades.
Atlanta hopes it made a better trade with the Chiefs when it obtained All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez in a trade for a second-round draft choice. Gonzalez was the face of the Kansas City franchise for years, but his desire to play for a winning team left him open for a trade. The Chiefs were willing to move him to Atlanta to clear salary and add a draft pick. The Falcons hope this is one of their better trades, since it gives them a legitimate tight end (something the club lacked in its 11-win playoff season of 2008) and will hasten the development of quarterback Matt Ryan. This could be one of the all-time better trades for Atlanta if Gonzalez can stay healthy and catch his quota of passes.
The biggest trade was that between Chicago and Denver, which sent quarterback Jay Cutler to the Bears. Cutler had been trying to get out of Denver since word leaked out that the organization was attempting to acquire Matt Cassell. Who made the better trade? The Bears got a legitimate starting quarterback, but one who has been unable to take his team to the playoffs the last two seasons. The Broncos got two first-round draft choices and a third-round pick, but left a large hole in their lineup.
