Espn; NFL trades that should happen

[chrbal]

Link to full article

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... e-deadline

Lions related;
Lions/49ers is their game of the week. A year ago no one would've guessed that.
Then their trade

Secondary issue in Detroit
The Lions have a weakness at safety, and it needs to be addressed if they're going to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Detroit finds a trading partner in the Jets. New York carries 10 defensive backs on its roster and can afford to deal safety Brodney Pool. In return, the Jets get Nate Burleson, who would become the third receiver with Mason now in Houston.

Titus Young has shown he's ready for more action and would replace Burleson. Pool gives the Lions a solid safety to go alongside Louis Delmas.

I realize its a nice trade. I can see the benefit to the trade, but I think our 3 WR set is the best fit we've had since....well a really long time.

[Lionlifer]

I'd pass, I like what Nate brings to the table in terms of intangibles, and I think Spievy has room to improve next to Delmas.

[Blkbrd671]

Burleson for hillis?

[ajaX82]

Burleson for hillis?

You're killin me. They're going to trade a young-ish starting RB for our over-30 slot receiver? Would you do that?

[Piston Pete]

I'd definitely pass on a Burleson/Pool deal.

Do we need to trade for a S? How long is Speivey going to be out? I didn't think it was too serious.

The only player on our roster who stands out as expendable, IMO, is Fluellen - especially now that Fairley is playing. Maybe we pick up another S with Fluellen as trade bait?

[Lionlifer]

I'd definitely pass on a Burleson/Pool deal.

Do we need to trade for a S? How long is Speivey going to be out? I didn't think it was too serious.

The only player on our roster who stands out as expendable, IMO, is Fluellen - especially now that Fairley is playing. Maybe we pick up another S with Fluellen as trade bait?

I love it, either a S or some young OL castaway worth a shot.

[TSE]

I'd be most interested in getting extra first round picks in the next 2 drafts by trading expendable players and consolidating packages of low draft picks. We don't need quantity of low profile depth players, now's the time to color up and get a small number of premium prospects.

[chrbal]

The only way we would get extra 1st round picks would be to trade key players. "expendable players" get expendable draft picks. Think mid-rounds.

[Todd3]

We need to trade for Hillis. Word is CLE might take a 2nd rounder for him, but no team is willing to give up that much. The Lions should do it.

As bad as our run game is, I wouldnt just rely on a rookie coming off a season ending injury to be the only answer next year.

We NEED to add a Hillis, along with Mikel, just to be a good running team. Thats how bad we are at running. I dont think a rookie in Mikel and Best alone is enough next year and could have the same problems again.

Maybe this loss will be a blessing in disguise, as Mayhew can now fully see the effect of being one-dimensional, and the need to pursue a guy like Hillis.

When you have to throw 50 times, you can't expect any O-Line to be able to hold up that long. No team can prepare an O-Line to go into a game to pass protect 50 times, without having issues protecting eventually. And the same goes for Stafford. Cant expect any QB to throw 50 times and be very successful.

The problem isn't the O-Line pass protecting, its no every down north/south running back. Hillis would solve a lot of issues.

Thats why I'm not interested in holding onto draft picks to draft O-Linman, if we can get talent right now at RB.

That's the glaring weakness right now. The O-line isn't great but they are at least average. Our run game is arguable worst in the league and needs to be addressed ASAP.

[Todd3]

Update on Hillis - Just noticed he had only 6 rushes into the 3rd Qtr of the Browns/Raiders game. Then left the game with a Hamstring.

Either he' injured which could hinder a trade. Or, as he''s been accused of faking being sick because he's unhappy with his contract. I wonder if he faked a Hamstring because of lack of touches.

If so, that would bode well for the chances of CLE trading him.

[Piston Pete]

I'd like to add Hillis (the player), just not sure I like where he is mentally right now. Factor in he also wants a new, big deal, and my interest falls even lower....

I'm wondering if there is any way possible we could go after Jonathan Stewart (Carolina). He's third on their team in rushing attempts (behind both Cam and DeAngelo) and could be viewed as expendable if they got the right assets in return for him. I think he'd fit in here perfectly. Possibly wishful thinking on my part.

[TSE]

Raiders won but Jason Campbell is on IR out for the year. Time to trade them Shaun Hill!

[Blkbrd671]

Word has it, Choice from dallas is on the block, any interest in him? After todays game we clearly need that N/S back.

[Todd3]

Word has it, Choice from dallas is on the block, any interest in him? After todays game we clearly need that N/S back.

Sure, but not willing to give much for him, maybe a 6th or 7th rounder. But we definitely need to add somebody that can get us interior yards. Had we had that player today, when we were up 19-15 at midfield with 7 min left, after that big CJ catch, we could've ran most of the clock out and got at least a FG.

[Todd3]

I'd like to add Hillis (the player), just not sure I like where he is mentally right now. Factor in he also wants a new, big deal, and my interest falls even lower....

I'm wondering if there is any way possible we could go after Jonathan Stewart (Carolina). He's third on their team in rushing attempts (behind both Cam and DeAngelo) and could be viewed as expendable if they got the right assets in return for him. I think he'd fit in here perfectly. Possibly wishful thinking on my part.

I'd like Stewart as well, though hard to guage how good he still is if he's 3rd string on a 1-4 team.

My take on Hillis is if he is traded, esp to a winning team, all that stuff will go away and he will go back to focusing on football. If the Lions traded for him, it would likely be with the intent of siging him to a long-term deal that he would be happy with. So I think he would be a different person here and just glad to be out of CLE.

There's also the non-guaranteed contract thing. I say sign him to the big deal he wants, or one close to it. If he proves to be one of the best RB's in the league, its a good deal. If not, just release him. Its not like the NBA where it would hamper them long-term in the salary cap.

Teams have until Tuesday to make deals so we'll find out soon enough if the Lions are interested. But it just makes too much sense to me. Our only real glaring weakness is the run game, and one of the most productive backs in the league is suddenly potentially available in a trade.

[Piston Pete]

Best with another concussion = another reason we should look at trading for a RB.

My short list of possibilities:

Stewart (Carolina)
Hillis (Cleveland)
Bush (Oakland)
Gerhart (Minnesota)
Taiwan Jones (Oakland)

[Todd3]

Best with another concussion = another reason we should look at trading for a RB.

My short list of possibilities:

Stewart (Carolina)
Hillis (Cleveland)
Bush (Oakland)
Gerhart (Minnesota)
Taiwan Jones (Oakland)

It was bound to happen running him exclusively up the middle. Its like the equivalent of if thePistons played Daye exclusively at Center against Shaq in his prime, lol

Mind-boggling how a RB with that much speed is rarely ever used on the outside. And even more so how a RB with much lack of power is ever used inside at all.

I get the plan was to draft Mikel to use Best exclusively outside, but when Mikel was out, doesnt mean Best is suddenly any more capable of playing inside.

By this logic, its like they lost both. Because they lost Mikel on his own, but then took Jahvid out of his role on purpose, and he became useless as well. Just because Mikel is out doesn't mean you have to take Best out of his role as well.

It would've been more effective to use Jerome/Keiland inside, even if they only got the same production as Best, but at least then Best would be outside and could still produce there.

[Todd3]

btw, I would've given up a 6th round pick for Lloyd. You can never have too many complimentary receivers to draw attention away from Calvin.

NFL trades make no sense to me. How does a good player get traded for a 6th round pick?

You would think some team would at least offer a 5th rounder, which is about equally useless in the draft, outbid the other team and instead get a proven player.

[chrbal]

Hey Matt Millen, how have you been? He was a decent WR for the 49ers, did nothing in Washington, did nothing in Chicago, and had one blip year that kept him from doing nothing in Denver. A 5th or 6th round pick isn't bad, but I don't think he could outlplay Titus for the 3rd receiver spot.

[Icness]

Best with another concussion = another reason we should look at trading for a RB.

My short list of possibilities:

Stewart (Carolina)
Hillis (Cleveland)
Bush (Oakland)
Gerhart (Minnesota)
Taiwan Jones (Oakland)

Not one of those guys is available, sorry Pete. There is really no trade market for anything in the NFL.

Two reasons why trades almost never happen:
--most contracts have trade accelerators in them that guarantee more money even if the player leaves after the season. Teams don't want to risk the potential cap hit when they can use the draft pick they would trade as a cheaper replacement next spring.
--coaches are very arrogant and protective of their systems. If a guy from another team can come rihgt in and make a huge impact, it shows the coach's system is too simple or that he's been doing something wrong with the other guys. That of course isn't really true but that is the way coaches think and they whack most trade potential because of it.

I have heard nothing on the trade front with the Lions. Houston has RBs coming out their arse but as of 3PM CDT today they had not received a call from Detroit. Get used to Mo Morris and Jerome Harrison, wtih Keiland Williams getting short yardage looks. I suspect they will add a practice squad guy with speed.