The New England Patriots are no outsiders to draft-day transactions in the Bill Belichick generation. This year, the Patriots might be looking to trade away a player that has been a significant part of their running game since being drafted in the third round in in the year 2011: RB Stevan Ridley.
There are a few reasons why the Patriots could look to move Ridley through the draft. The first has to do with ball security difficulties. As anyone that has followed Ridley’s career with the Patriots certainly knows these days, he has had a major problem with fumbles. Given that entering the league in 2011, he has fumbled the football nine times, losing six of them. The team responded to the problems by demoting Ridley to third-string running reverse at the latter part of the 2013 season.
Given the fact that the Patriots preach ball security with all of their running backs and offensive players in most cases, the probability that they would extend Ridley long-term once he can cough the football up at any minute seems improbable. He is actually talented, however in today’s NFL, the running back position is deemphasized. You can typically discover running backs with a similar skillset to Ridley who is able to actually hold on to the football.
Another reason why the draft would be the best time to transfer him is because the majority of good players in free organization have been claimed. Teams around the league still have gaps to fill up and also at this point, they are most likely pulling their options between only a few good players at each and every position. To be frank, teams may find a proven commodity in Ridley more appealing than a newcomer running back who has never taken a snap in an NFL match.
Possibly the most crucial reason why the Patriots may opt to move him at some point throughout the draft is due to economical reasons. With Ridley set to become a free agent at the end of this upcoming season, he may possibly be seeking a huge pay increase regardless of his fumbling concerns. One team out there with a significant need at the placement will likely allow him that pay raise.
Will the Patriots be looking to offer a player who was demoted to third string much less than 1 year ago a long-term deal for much more money? My guess would be no. The team will probably want to get anything in return by trading him now instead of losing him for nothing in free agency.
Having said that, the Patriots must be looking to add a running back or 2 in the draft. Maintaining Ridley might not be in the cards for a team that prides itself on getting the job done. For a running back, that job is grasping onto the football. Two teams that could have desire for a purchase for Ridley are the Tennessee Titans along with the Cleveland Browns. Both of the teams need a running back with Chris Johnson gone from the Titans, and the injury-prone Ben Tate combined with getting old running back Willis McGahee at the position for the Browns.
In any event, a prospective Ridley trade is one thing to keep close track of perhaps during the 2nd or even third day of the 2014 NFL draft.Do you want to find out more about the new england patriots or perhaps their participants? heade over to our website and find out more! This article is copyright protected.