Are the Patriots the modern day Raiders?

Back in the day the Raiders built a dynasty making one sided trades and picking up disgruntled, troubled, old or dirty players. It seems like the Patriots are doing the same these days.

The Patriots hate early first round draft picks because they don't want to pay max money to a player in need of on the job training. They don't like to sign players to long term deals and they seem to be batting 1,000 when it comes to bringing in problem or presumed over the hill players.

Just this year the traded Randy Moss who cost them a 4th round pick used his talents for a few years and traded him for a 3rd round pick. Then they trade Deion Branch for a low first round draft pick only to get him back for a 4th rounder.

The Pats also believe that their players are only good because the coaching schemes and allows them to be successful so they have no problem letting a player sit out or freeze them out of the gameplan. Raiders used to do the same crap back in the 70's and 80's.

I just wonder how long a team can be successful in the long run by undervaluing their veteran players and not paying them but yet consistently signing veterans from other teams and plugging them in. You would have to think the agents at some point are going to steer players away from the Patriots because of the GM and ownership stingy business practices.

Don't tell that to Tom Brady who has signed a four-year extension that makes him the NFL's highest paid player.
The extension for the New England Patriots quarterback begins in 2011 at an average of $18 million per year with a total of $48.5 million ALL guaranteed, injured, ineffective or All Pro he gets the entire $48.5 Million.

Football is a business with teams doing the hiring and the players selling their services to the highest bidder. Look at the entire league as of opening day:

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=670 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>American Football Conference (AFC)

</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=660 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>AFC Team</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Key Losses</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Key Additions</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Baltimore Ravens</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Kelley Washington
TE L.J. Smith

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Anquan Boldin
WR Donte Stallworth
DT Terrence Cody*
DE Sergio Kindle*


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Terrell Owens

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB C.J. Spiller*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Cincinnati Bengals</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Laveranues Coles
RB Larry Johnson

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Terrell Owens
WR Antonio Bryant
WR Matt Jones
TE Jermaine Gresham*
K Dave Rayner


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Cleveland Browns</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Jamal Lewis
QB Brady Quinn
QB Derek Anderson
WR Donte Stallworth

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Jake Delhomme
QB Seneca Wallace
CB Joe Haden*
RB Montario Hardesty*
RB Peyton Hillis
CB Sheldon Brown


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Denver Broncos</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Brandon Marshall
TE Tony Scheffler
RB Peyton Hillis
RB LaMont Jordan
C Casey Wiegmann
QB Chris Simms


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Demaryius Thomas*
QB Brady Quinn
QB Tim Tebow*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Houston Texans</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB Chris Brown
QB Rex Grossman
CB Dunta Robinson


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Ben Tate*
K Neil Rackers

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Indianapolis Colts</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Jim Sorgi
CB Marlin Jackson


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>DE Jerry Hughes*</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Torry Holt
T Tra Thomas


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Kassim Osgood
DE Tyson Alualu*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Kansas City Chiefs</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>G Mike Goff
G Wade Smith

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB Thomas Jones
WR Dexter McCluster*
S Eric Berry*
C Casey Wiegmann
G Ryan Lilja
WR Jerheme Urban


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Miami Dolphins</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
LB Joey Porter
LB Jason Taylor


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Brandon Marshall
LB Karlos Dansby

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>New England Patriots</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Joey Galloway
TE Chris Baker
TE Ben Watson
LB Junior Seau

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Tory Holt
WR David Patten
TE Alge Crumpler


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>New York Jets</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Thomas Jones
CB Lito Sheppard
S Kerry Rhodes

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
WR Santonio Holmes
LB Jason Taylor
K Nick Folk
CB Kyle Wilson*


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Oakland Raiders</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Justin Fargas
QB JaMarcus Russell

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Jason Campbell
QB Kyle Boller
LB Rolando McClain*
RB Rock Cartwright
RB Michael Bennett


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Pittsburgh Steelers</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Santonio Holmes
RB Willie Parker


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
T Flozell Adams
QB Byron Leftwich
WR Antwaan Randle El


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
RB Michael Bennett
WR Kassim Osgood


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Ryan Mathews*
CB Nathan Vasher

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Tennessee Titans</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB LenDale White
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch
DE Jevon Kearse
TE Alge Crumpler


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Damian Williams*
DE Derrick Morgan*

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!--END ARTICLE--><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=670 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>National Football Conference (NFC)

</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=660 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#000099 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>NFC Team</TD><TD bgColor=#000099 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Key Losses</TD><TD bgColor=#000099 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Key Additions</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Arizona Cardinals</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Kurt Warner
WR Anquan Boldin
K Neil Rackers
S Antrel Rolle
LB Karlos Dansby


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>QB Derek Anderson
LB Joey Porter
DT Dan Williams*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Atlanta Falcons</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Marty Booker
CB Chris Houston

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
CB Dunta Robinson
LB Sean Weatherspoon*


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Carolina Panthers</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
DE Julius Peppers
QB Jake Delhomme
QB A.J. Feeley
WR Muhsin Muhammad
RB Brad Hoover


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>QB Jimmy Clausen*
QB Tony Pike*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Chicago Bears</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
T Orlando Pace
RB Kevin Jones
DE Alex Brown


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Chester Taylor
DE Julius Peppers
TE Brandon Manumaleuna

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Dallas Cowboys</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
T Flozell Adams
K Nick Folk
K Shaun Suisham
S Ken Hamlin


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Dez Bryant*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Detroit Lions</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>LB Ernie Sims

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Nate Burleson
RB Jahvid Best*
TE Tony Scheffler
DT Ndamukong Suh*
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Green Bay Packers</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
DE Aaron Kampman
RB Ahman Green


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>T Bryan Bulaga*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Minnesota Vikings</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Chester Taylor

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB Toby Gerhart*
CB Lito Sheppard


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>New Orleans Saints</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
RB Mike Bell
WR David Patten


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>DE Alex Brown</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>New York Giants</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>QB David Carr
LB Antonio Pierce

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Jim Sorgi
S Antrel Rolle
DE Jason Pierre-Paul*


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Philadelphia Eagles</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Donovan McNabb
RB Brian Westbrook
WR Reggie Brown


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>RB Mike Bell
WR Hank Baskett
DE Brandon Graham*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Saint Louis Rams</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Mark Bulger
QB Kyle Boller


</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>QB Sam Bradford*
QB A.J. Feeley

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Arnaz Battle</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
QB David Carr
T Anthony Davis*


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Seattle Seahawks</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>WR Nate Burleson
QB Seneca Wallace
DE Patrick Kerney

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Golden Tate*
WR Mike Williams
RB Quinton Ganther
TE Chris Baker
QB J.P. Losman
QB Charlie Whitehurst


</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Tampa Bay Buccaneers</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
WR Antonio Bryant
QB Byron Leftwich


</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>DT Gerald McCoy*

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>Washington Redskins</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>T Chris Samuels
QB Jason Campbell
RB Ladell Betts
RB Rock Cartwright
RB Quinton Ganther
WR Antwaan Randle El

</TD><TD bgColor=#f2f2f2 height=35 vAlign=center width=220 align=middle>
QB Donovan McNabb
QB Rex Grossman
RB Larry Johnson
RB Willie Parker
RB Ryan Torian
WR Joey Galloway
T Trent Williams*

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

If any team is Raiderlike from years past take a look at The Redskins.
* - Denotes player acquired through trade during 2010 NFL Draft



wil.

I can't think of any bad trade by Belichick. He really is amazing when it comes to trading away players. The only mistake he made has been not resigning Asante Samuel. That's it.

Everytime I criticize Theo in Boston about the Sox trades, I get a "well, you win some and you lose some"

With Belichick, ALL trades are winners.

... now if he would just stop trading down in the draft, I would have nothing to criticize. Once Bill Belichick starts drafting well, the Patriots will REALLY be something else.

no the raiders are the modern day raiders, duh!

I think the Patriots have excellent coaching all the way around. When was the last time they lost a trap game? They always beat the teams they are supposed to beat. They don't go down to Cleveland and just lay an egg.

They also know how to showcase a player like there is no tomorrow. While at the same time not letting their players become bigheaded stars that think they are bigger than the franchise. Watching that team operate it reminds me of North Dallas Forty.

Phil Elliott: I scored 5 TD's coming off the bench. That's pretty serious!!!

Coach Strothers: You scored 5 TD's? Don't you know that WE worked for those? We planned for them. We let you score those touchdowns!!!

Later in the movie...

Phil Elliott: We're not the team! They're the team! We're the equipment! And they just depreciate us. Take us off their damn tax returns.