Originally Posted by DaWolf (Post 5533986)

It's really funny, I think that Herm actually Hermified a lot of the fans, and we've come to the conclusion that if a guy is over 30, he's worthless.

I found this comment in the Vrabel thread on Pats Planet to be striking in the difference of mentality between the fan bases right now:

Originally Posted by Bowser (Post 5533961)

Like OTW said - anything we traded to get a 34 year old declining vet is too much. Maybe Vrabel's play this year will make Pioli look like an actual genious (cps).

Originally Posted by BradyFTW! (Post 5534004)

If I had to guess, I'd say that it was either a 3rd/4th rounder

Originally Posted by keg in kc (Post 5533945)

Depends on what we traded.

Originally Posted by BradyFTW! (Post 5534004)

Patriots fan here, just thought I'd stop by and give my 2 cents on Vrabel.

First off, he's one of my favorite Pats. He was a key defender on all 3 of the SB runs, and he's a high-intelligence, high-work ethic guy. He struggled a lot last year, but his shoulder was injured pretty much all season. FWIW, I don't think that Pioli would trade for him without knowing that it was going to heal fine. Assuming that, I don't think he'll come back at his 2007 level (12.5 sacks, 77 tackles, mostly in the first 2/3rds of the season), but you should expect closer to 2007 than 2008.

A lot of us had projected that Tedy Bruschi would be gone, and Vrabel would move inside to take his place. Vrabel has played quite a bit of ILB in the past (in 2005, when Bruschi had his stroke before the season, Vrabel moved inside for pretty much the whole year). I wouldn't assume that he was signed to be an OLB in a 3-4, because he's definitely a hybrid and can play either way. He's also by all accounts a leader in the locker room. I've been following the Chiefs a bit since Pioli left, and I do want him to succeed in KC (just not at the Pats' expense ;P). Anyways, depending on what you guys actually gave up, I think that it could be a good move. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was either a 3rd/4th rounder, or maybe part of a larger trade with some swaps in draft position.

I'm not psyched with the move as a Pats fan in of itself. I like Vrabel, and think that he could continue to contribute for us. I'm encouraged, though, in that I think that it's either setting up a big move or it means that our young guys are progressing well.

Originally Posted by BradyFTW! (Post 5534004)

Patriots fan here, just thought I'd stop by and give my 2 cents on Vrabel.

First off, he's one of my favorite Pats. He was a key defender on all 3 of the SB runs, and he's a high-intelligence, high-work ethic guy. He struggled a lot last year, but his shoulder was injured pretty much all season. FWIW, I don't think that Pioli would trade for him without knowing that it was going to heal fine. Assuming that, I don't think he'll come back at his 2007 level (12.5 sacks, 77 tackles, mostly in the first 2/3rds of the season), but you should expect closer to 2007 than 2008.

A lot of us had projected that Tedy Bruschi would be gone, and Vrabel would move inside to take his place. Vrabel has played quite a bit of ILB in the past (in 2005, when Bruschi had his stroke before the season, Vrabel moved inside for pretty much the whole year). I wouldn't assume that he was signed to be an OLB in a 3-4, because he's definitely a hybrid and can play either way. He's also by all accounts a leader in the locker room. I've been following the Chiefs a bit since Pioli left, and I do want him to succeed in KC (just not at the Pats' expense ;P). Anyways, depending on what you guys actually gave up, I think that it could be a good move. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was either a 3rd/4th rounder, or maybe part of a larger trade with some swaps in draft position.

I'm not psyched with the move as a Pats fan in of itself. I like Vrabel, and think that he could continue to contribute for us. I'm encouraged, though, in that I think that it's either setting up a big move or it means that our young guys are progressing well.

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5534018)

Originally Posted by Hootie (Post 5533931)

ROFL

THE DRAFTURBATORS!!!

IF HE AIN'T 25, HE AIN'T WORTH IT!

You guys are seriously uninformed.

You need veterans like Vrabel and Gonzalez and Waters etc... to be a good football team.

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5534018)

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins (Post 5533974)

Believing in the system is exactly the problem.

Systems don't win games. Players do.

Originally Posted by keg in kc (Post 5534013)

Conditional 7th round picks are made for shit like this. I mean, sure, we might miss out on Mike Merritt or Jeremy Parquet or Kevin Sampson or Montique Sharpe or Willie Pile or Maurice Rodriguez or Shaunard Harts or Desmond Kitchings or Eric King or Ernest Blackwell or Nathan Parks, guys who form the foundation of a franchise.