Only a year removed from the disputeddecision to keep then-unimpressive QB Matt Cassel on their roster, the Patriots are once again testing our faith in their brand. In a totally non-anticipated move, the Pats have traded five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders, getting a 2011 first-round draft pick, which, if the next two years are anything like the last six, is likely to be a good one.
The Pats are deep on the defensive line, with Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, and a few new faces holding down the fort, but the trade of Seymour certainly depletes an already questionable defense. And while our brethren in the AFC East have been reliably rolling over in key situations, their new heartthrob has become quite the sensation, and it won't be long before he starts to be a problem.
(And of course, if he doesn't pan out, the Jets now have their own backup plan.)
But this move is about keeping a dynasty alive for another five or even ten years, rebuilding while still being the Las Vegas favorite to win the Super Bowl. We've seen what the alternative can look like. Throw in the fact that the NFL may have a rookie salary cap in place by 2011, and the value of this trade makes more and more sense. Sure, it's a gamble, but as Seymour's productivity begins to decline, it makes sense to move him for the optimum value. It's the surprises like this that keep Belichick ahead of the pack, and everyone else trying to catch up.
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