Chock this one up to, "Ya never know." Like the Mike Vrabel trade, It hurts. It hurts to see a guy who was a part of all three Super Bowl teams traded away to Oakland. Richard Seymour has been digging dirt on the outside of the defensive line since 2001 and he's become a fixture on this team. However, there is always a good reason for these things to happen. As fans, we get attached to players. We wear their jerseys and watch every move they make. But, in the business of the NFL, they are product. It's the unfortunate reality. This team is the most successful team of the decade because of the hard decisions and moves they will make to win. If you love our winning franchise, you need to accept the harsh reality that comes with it.
It hurts but it makes perfect business sense, and here's why:
- Last year of his contract, $3.685 million in cap space is freed up
- Raider's hand us a 2011 first round draft pick
- The Patriots have been working a 4-3 alignment that may not be a good fit for Seymour; hybrid DE/LB's Derrick Burgess and Tully Banta-Caine fit the 4-3 DE mold
- Rookie Ron Brace and recently acquired Myron Pryor add significant depth
This, in essence, brings us to a 52 man roster. What position do we go after? Add QB depth? Fire away.
Check out Mike Reiss's analysis. Props to bforce3 for this fanpost.