O'Connell traded to Jets

why wouldn't they just pick him up off waivers in the first place? Boneheads...

Based on the way O'Connell was handling the Pats' offense toward the end, I'd say any tips he provides the Jets will be like money in the bank.

For the Patriots.

Was waiting on this other shoe to drop, to see if the Patriots lost an opportunity to recoup something/anything for O'Connell. I viewed a number of comments after the Lions' quick claim, various place on-line, including boston.com, deriding the Lions move, but once it came to light, the number of teams that had placed a claim, I wondered if this was part of their end game towards taking advantage of their waiver claim priority advantage, and curious why the Patriots couldn't have returned some value for O'Connell, themselves.

Makes no sense. The Jets have been happy with Ainge's progress, and it seems that they're going to keep Clemens because he's the only vet on the roster. I don't buy that they'd use a draft pick just to pick his brain about the Pats offense. That's really just a relatively minor advantage.

The only thing I can think of is that they're dealing Clemens.

Classy move by Ryan. He'll bring in O'Connell, squeeze him for information, and then cut him.

Belichick is going to take care of business on September 20th. Count on it.

So why couldn't we get anything for him?

Mike, I'm sure you're ridiculousl busy, but I had a few questions:

1) With Wheatley struggling, O'Connell cut, Crable on IR two years in a row, and the entire 2007 draft (besides Meriweather) being a bust, have the Pats "lost their touch" recently? Obviously Mayo was a stud so that's taken into consideration as well.
2) Do you think that all of this trade activity with 2011 picks is solely because of the labor uncertainty? It's surprising that they didn't look for 2010, especially since they gave up 3rd- and 5th-rounders for Burgess.
3) Do you think that Belichick is "cleansing" the defense and skewing younger, with Bruschi, Vrabel, Hobbs, Harrison, and now Seymour all gone? They obviously were a huge disappointment last year.
4) Who becomes the starting RDE? I'd think that this means they're happy with Burgess' progress.

While it may be a short-term downgrade, trading Seymour (who's past his prime, a free agent next year, hasn't been a difference-maker since 2004, was somewhat injury-prone, and wasn't going to sign with the team) for a first-round pick is a great, savvy move (in my opinion). Thanks Mike!

O'Connell couldn't learn the offensive scheme well enough to stick here and the Jets think he can help them with game planning?? That's why they are the Jets I guess.

Now they have 4 QB's and unless a trade is in the works they will have to cut Ainge. Think BB might bring him in for a day or two of brainstorming?

That he might be looking for some inside information on the Pats is an interesting angle.

My initial thought was that Ryan is looking for a guy to backup Mark Sanchez over the long term, because Clemens never struck me as a very smart QB; he's turnover-prone and doesn't have the big-play arm to make up for it.

Rex is smarter than some Pats fans give him credit for, but I think he's going to be in for a rude awakening in week 2.

I feel sorry for O'Connell. Going Detroit was bad enough, but having to look at yourself in that green uniform. Yikes! Of course your right in that the Jets probably traded for O'Connell to pick his brain about the Patriots' offensive. Fortunately for him they'll probably cut him loose right after they loose on Sept. 20, too.

Sanchez is no better than O'Connelly. The Jets have another QB battle on there hands.

It's okay, O'Connell doesn't know the system anyway.

Wow. Miami won the division last year yet it seems like all the teams in the AFC east makes moves with the sole intention of how to beat BB. I guess Ryan did not get the memo which stated the reason O'Connell was release was because he had difficulty with the offense, hence there is not much he can tell about the offense.
Hey Rex, i dont know if you notice but you dont yet have a WR to catch the ball deep regardless of who is the QB; just a thought

Is it standard practice for a player to spill his guts about his former team?

NFL.com just reported that the Eagles released A.J. Feeley. What are the chances that the Pats pick him up?

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!! Why didnt we get something for him? The sky is falling!!

Well AJ Feely has been cut by the Eagles. Look for him to land with Pats and for them to cut one of the OL(Wendel?) and then try and sneak that guy onto Practice Squad.

Slackfarmer,
For real? The NFL is a business. Sentiment has no place. Do you hold out on a new employer because you have feelings for your old one?

#7 Jobin, Mike is busy so I'll help you out.

1. Unfortunately, yes, but it has as much to do with the Patriots refusal to pay huge money to rookies and trading down from where the real talent is as it does with losing "their touch". Something we hope will stop happening when the league institutes a rookie salary cap.

2. Absolutely

3. Undoubtedly, except for Hobbs, who just couldn't handle the big recievers.

4. Jarvis Green, who has 27 career sacks to Seymours 39 in about one-fifth the playing time. He's faster, more aggressive, less expensive and plays hard every down (not just in contract years), and we should have the money to resign him next year.

Hope that helps! :)

This offseason just gets more interesting. I feel sort of bad for O'Connell, I honestly thought he had a future with the Patriots.

And as for Ryan trying to squeeze info out of him, I highly doubt O'Connell knows much anyways. He didn't get the system.

I have not enjoyed this offseason at all. But, I won't put any doubt on this team until I see them play during the opener.

If the Jets got him solely for pats info than this was a ridiculous move. If they plan on packaging Clemens in a deal to pull Brandon Marshall then I would be ecstatic!

Mike:

I thought that there was a rule that a player claimed on waivers had to be

kept on the roster a minimum of three games?

We couldn't get anything for O'Connell because we didn't want to trade w/the Jets or Broncos, and Detroit wouldn't give us anything since they had waiver priority.

On the other hand, the Jets just lost something for the right to pick the brain of our quarterback who apparently didn't know what we were doing anyways.

Actually seems like Detroit was being clever on this one.

every team signs players to try and gain competitive edge against opponents. why is this any surprise? if nothing else, I appreciate that Ryan wants to keep this a rivalry. cheers!

I can't believe you guys are not seeing this clearly. The Jets basically decided that it was worth spending a 7th (probably) to get a guy that was our backup last year. Even if he couldn't translate his knowledge of the pats offense to field, he knows it. All Rex Ryan wants it's know our signals, formation etc, he will be cut by the end of they year.

The pats just have to change things up when the play the jets.

Rotoworld just posted Rex Ryan as saying Clemens suffered an injury to his throwing elbow in the last Baltimore game.

why would oconnell volunteer info to the jets anyways? couldnt he just say 'no, im not telling you'

Just adding more fire to to he rivaraly, we should have even more fun running the score up on rex's jets.

Jets looking for information. So typical.

the jets could have got oconnel to package for b edwards or b marshall. both denver and cleveland put in bids for him

Yeah, looks like O'Connell is headed to Denver via NY.

Again, I'm going to argue that O'Connell knowing the Pats system is a minor part of this trade. The Jets are stupid, but not stupid enough to give up a draft pick for the offensive signals of one opponent. That's something you can pick up on film, anyway.

As someone just mentioned, Clemens is injured. Also, Ryan didn't draft Clemens and I suspect that he doesn't like him; Clemens is a poor decision maker, the kind of guy who likes to throw into double and triple coverage because he doesn't know what else to do. The lack of controversy--even in New York--over Sanchez, a rookie, being named the starter over a three year veteran should tell you something about the distance in ability between the two.

The Jets figure they are still getting possible 3rd round value for what is likely a 7th round pick. O'Connell is only a second year player, and perhaps they believe they can correct whatever has gone wrong with him over the past year. Perhaps they think he's a better fit for their system than ours.

I guess we'll see how long he lasts. I think the Jets are searching for a guy they can develop into a reliable backup behind Sanchez for the long term, similar to the Pats' selection of Cassel, and they are taking a look at O'Connell as part of the process; after all, he was drafted by a team that has a reputation for finding good quarterbacks. Why not take the risk? You aren't going to find too many legit prospects at this point in the year.

#19, you forgot "and can't stop the run".

It's not terribly difficult to find a situational interior pass rusher. But to find one that can play every spot on the line, stop the run, and rush the passer? Much more difficult. Seymour can do all those things. Green can't. In fact, nobody on this team (except maybe Warren) can do ALL of those things well.

I know it's customary for sports fans to throw players under the bus after they leave their favorite team, but Seymour was an integral part of three championships, so I think some of you should show some restraint.

An NFL team doesn't give up a draft pick in exchange for "information."

"why wouldn't they just pick him up off waivers in the first place? Boneheads..."
"waivers" are kind of like the draft, except no picks. Cut players with four or fewer accrued seasons as they are cut go through the process with each team getting the opportunity to make a claim, with the team with the worst record among those making a claim winning the contest. In this case, since Detroit had made a claim, and no one had a worse record, they got to take him.

I have newfound respect for Rex Ryan - he really wants to beat NE, and is willing to put the money where his mouth is. Say he gave up a 7th round 2011 pick to get Kevin O'Connell - it's worth the edge he gets from it for the two games he plays the Pats.

I DONT THINK ANYBODY IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE BIG PIC FOR THIS YEAR , (SEPT. 20 AND PLAYOFFS POSS.).........PICKING UP OCONNELL IS NO HELP........BECAUSE.......OCONNELL HAS HAD 2 CAMPS, AND ONE SEASON BOTH CAMPS, A BIT UNUSUAL..........HIS FIRST AND THE 2ND WITH BRADY COMING BACK ............HIS WHOLE FIRST SEASON WAS BEHIND MATT CASSEL.............SO WHERE DOES OCONNELL GET THE KNOWLEDGE TO HELP, HE HAS NOT SEEN WHAT THE PATS STRATEGY IS WITH TOM IN UNDER CENTER IN A SEASON GAME AT HAND , AND HOW DIFFERENTLY IT WILL PLAY OUT WITH THOMAS AT THE HELM.......THINK ABOUT IT.

I ALSO THINK THAT LETTING OCONNELL GO WAS AND IS A REGRET.......HE HAD 12 MOS. TO BECOME FLUENT ...........C'MON MOST GUYS WITH LESS VALUE GET LOTS MORE OPPORTUNITY..........MANY FEEL THE SAME WAY, HE WAS ON MANY TEAMS FIRST AND SECOND ROUND BOARDS IN 08.......HE HAS THE SKILLS, TOOLS, CYCLONE OF AN ARM. I THINK BEING THE BACKUP TO T.B. SQUEEZED HIM RIGHT OUT OF HIS OWN JOB, HE HAD NOT LEARNED ANY OF THE GAME SKILLS AS HE GOT PRETTY MUCH ZERO PLAYING TIME.......DID HE GET ANY PRESEASON STARTS IN 2 PRESEASONS ....NO!! HOYER PLAYED THE WHOLE GAME A FEW NITES BACK AND DID WELL, DOES NOT MEAN HES THE NEXT T.B.

TIME ALWAYS TELLS THE TALE.....WE WILL SEE FOR ALL !!

I DONT THINK ANYBODY IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE BIG PIC FOR THIS YEAR , (SEPT. 20 AND PLAYOFFS POSS.).........PICKING UP OCONNELL IS NO HELP........BECAUSE.......OCONNELL HAS HAD 2 CAMPS, AND ONE SEASON BOTH CAMPS, A BIT UNUSUAL..........HIS FIRST AND THE 2ND WITH BRADY COMING BACK ............HIS WHOLE FIRST SEASON WAS BEHIND MATT CASSEL.............SO WHERE DOES OCONNELL GET THE KNOWLEDGE TO HELP, HE HAS NOT SEEN WHAT THE PATS STRATEGY IS WITH TOM IN UNDER CENTER IN A SEASON GAME AT HAND , AND HOW DIFFERENTLY IT WILL PLAY OUT WITH THOMAS AT THE HELM.......THINK ABOUT IT.

I ALSO THINK THAT LETTING OCONNELL GO WAS AND IS A REGRET.......HE HAD 12 MOS. TO BECOME FLUENT ...........C'MON MOST GUYS WITH LESS VALUE GET LOTS MORE OPPORTUNITY..........MANY FEEL THE SAME WAY, HE WAS ON MANY TEAMS FIRST AND SECOND ROUND BOARDS IN 08.......HE HAS THE SKILLS, TOOLS, CYCLONE OF AN ARM. I THINK BEING THE BACKUP TO T.B. SQUEEZED HIM RIGHT OUT OF HIS OWN JOB, HE HAD NOT LEARNED ANY OF THE GAME SKILLS AS HE GOT PRETTY MUCH ZERO PLAYING TIME.......DID HE GET ANY PRESEASON STARTS IN 2 PRESEASONS ....NO!! HOYER PLAYED THE WHOLE GAME A FEW NITES BACK AND DID WELL, DOES NOT MEAN HES THE NEXT T.B.

TIME ALWAYS TELLS THE TALE.....WE WILL SEE FOR ALL !!