I was talking with some guys the other day about how perfectly set the Pats are. For years they built a base of role players and then last year, they went out and added superstar talent to the mix, particularly on offense. Now all they have to do each year is add a player or two and they can maintain this level of excellence for years. For 2008, their target will be defense. The only chink in their armor right now, is their aging LB core (Bruschi, Seau, and Colvin), which can quickly be addressed through the draft or FA. I know that Belichick coveted Vilma (so reports said the year he was drafted), and he would've taken him had he been available (but he ended up with Wilfork--so he make out alright.) Obviously, the Jets would never deal Vilma or anybody to the Pats, but suppose (here comes the paranoi part), Belichick laid a trap with somebody in NFC (reportedly Mangini has made a few enemies of opposing coaching staffs with the spygate report). I could see Beli making a plan to send a draft pick or player to an NFC squad that would in-turn try to get Vilma from the Jets for picks or a player. Tannenbaum falls into the trap, sends Vilma to Detroit (for example) for a 3rd round pick. Belichick sends his 2nd round pick to Detroit for Vilma. With strong interior linemen protecting him, J'Ville returns to Pro Bowl caliber play for our greatest nemesis. Like I said, paranoid. But I wouldn't put past Belichick to try it and I wouldn't put it past Tangini to fall for it.
If this is premeditated between the two teams then its collusion and its illegal. Not that I would put it past Bellichick. But it seems a little far fetched to me.
It would have to be a close ally of Belichick, but they could work it out to erase the collusion. Who knows...I guess Belichick can just go out and draft himself a LB or wait for some free agent who's hungry for a ring. Just a matter of how much he wants to tweak Mangini.
Ask champ. Vima is a third rate LB who only makes tackles 5 yrds down the field. Nothing to worry about.
Kraft probably has more allies in the league than Beli, so if this were to ever happen, it would be decided from high up.
With the pick they have from the niners this year they will def'n be able to get a young LB to groom behind the current core.
I'm not sure if this team has any allies with the way they are running up the score, I know some coaches say they have no problem with it, but I'm not sure if I believe it (see Joe Gibbs). In regards to the original post for this thread if the PATS got Vilma from another team the league would almost certainly step in. The only way that scenario could occur is if all three teams are involved from the beginning of the trade.
Holy smokes U must have nothing else to do but think up scenarios like this? I would say way far fetched because if the NEPs wind as the CHAMPs who would want to assist them become the CHAMPs again next year even though I think JV would not IMHO being any better in the NEPs system then he was in ours. My own opinion is most on this board are way, way over evulating JV talents plain & simple
WoW. I was sitting there, just reading along, thinking, hmm, yeah, this is pretty true, and could even be plausable. Then I got to this point and began laughing my ass off... Paranoid isn't exactly the word I would use here.
I can't worry about Vilma, but I do think we are going to get a good old fashioned butt kicking when we see NE again in 11 days. They will want pay-back.
It wouldn't worry me in the slightest that Vilma could go to the Pats. Worry about what you can control. If the Pats want him ,and Vilma wants it too , put him up for trade. Who wants a team full of players that want to be elswhere anyway? Lets suppose he does go to the Pats. Is he really going to halt our Superbowl run , in say 3-4 years time? Of course the day he leaves the Jets we will revert back to the 4-3 :lol:
I am confused....when does Vilma become a free agent? I think this sort of trade is highly improbable. As for drafting a LB, the Pats probably will draft one or two, but BB likes veteran LB's that don't have to be taught the ins and outs of defense, and can use their intelligence to defend, so he'll be looking for veterans, and use rookies as depth.
Then nothing to worry about --- as much as I love the guy's motor, Vilma is totally undersized for the 3-4 -- no matter what D-line he has in front of him. He thrives in a 4-3 D in which he utilizes the best part of his game, reading defenses, instincts and sideline to sideline speed pursuit. I dont remember watching him shed an O-line blocker when the JETS employed the 4-3......I just remember him constantly chasing down plays unblocked. His game dropped off a lot when Jason Ferguson left for the Cowboys. I remember seeing him getting into an argument on the field w/Ferguson's DT replacement James Reed (who was much much smaller - about 280lbs tops) about Reed's inability to keep the blockers off Vilma. So even entertaining the idea that he COULD go to the PATS, I dont think Belichicken wants him today.
you know,i love football. I have been a Jet fan since the early 80s. But to think that deeply into something like that seems just really unhealthy.
