Mort (ESPN): On Shelton/Henry Trade

[Walter Mitchell]

Chris Mortensen of ESPN just reported from the Owners' Meetings in Maui that he thinks the Travis Henry for L.J. Shelton trade will happen, but probably not until draft day. The sticking point right now is that Buffalo wants to switch 2nd rounders as a part of the deal.

The Cardinals should not switch 2nd rounders with Buffalo...no way...especially when some good running backs should still be on the board at that point (#44).

Mort said the trade would free up Dennis Green to take a CB in the first round....which is true, but it would seem DG is going to take a CB at #8 regardless...unless QB Alex Smith is available. Carlos Rogers may very well be Green's first choice as several of you have astutely predicted, because Rogers is the most natural athlete to do what today's CBs need to do within the new no contact rules. Plus...DG seems enamored with the Auburn program...and who can blame him.

 

[Syracusecards]

Chris Mortensen of ESPN just reported from the Owners' Meetings in Maui that he thinks the Travis Henry for L.J. Shelton trade will happen, but probably not until draft day. The sticking point right now is that Buffalo wants to switch 2nd rounders as a part of the deal.

The Cardinals should not switch 2nd rounders with Buffalo...no way...especially when some good running backs should still be on the board at that point (#44).

Mort said the trade would free up Dennis Green to take a CB in the first round....which is true, but it would seem DG is going to take a CB at #8 regardless...unless QB Alex Smith is available. Carlos Rogers may very well be Green's first choice as several of you have astutely predicted, because Rogers is the most natural athlete to do what today's CBs need to do within the new no contact rules. Plus...DG seems enamored with the Auburn program...and who can blame him.

Completely agree. The Bills are out of their mind. They have no leverage at all! Their O-line is a mess right now and Shelton is a player they need at an affordable price. We can pick up a RB in the draft very easily so they've got to be kidding thinking we'd do that.

 

[Renz]

With Henry publicly stating he will not play for Buffalo again, coupled with the loss of Jonas Jennings, the Bills' GM is NUTS not to make the Henry-for-Shelton deal!

Who is going to make Buffalo a better offer, especially considering that Alexander and Edgerrin James could be had for less than a first rounder?

 

[joeshmo]

This just tells me it is one of two things going on.

1. The Cards want to wait to see if Wiliams or Brown fall to us first, then make the deal.

or

2. The bills are trying to go into a pissing contest with us on getting us to switch 2nd rounders of which the Cards will not loss.

As for us switching 2nd rounders it is only dropping 11 spots in the 2nd round not all that big but if Buffalo really wants us to do that they are going to have to throw in a conditional pick in 2006 or a give us a pick in this years draft as well to even make Green and Graves budge.

 

[Russ Smith]

Right now NFL teams are refusing to cave in they want their deal or nothing else. Shanahan said today that rumors are wrong and that Denver will not trade Trevor Pryce for less than a first rounder(rumors were 2nd rounder). Who is going to trade a first round pick for a guy with a back injury and a huge contract that he doesn't want to restructure to help Denver?

Great player, for a 2nd rounder I'd have done it in a nanosecond, but now it's clear why Denver is getting so little interest.

Apparently BUffalo is doing the same thing they're not high enough on Henry to play him, but consider him too good to trade for Shelton?

 

[Ryanwb]

No swapping of 2nd round picks

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[D-Dogg]

This just tells me it is one of two things going on.

1. The Cards want to wait to see if Wiliams or Brown fall to us first, then make the deal.

I think this would be the case.

 

[arthurracoon]

No swapping of 2nd round picks

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[CardinalLaw]

Would you guys swap next years seconds. I would do it in a heartbeat, I think we would get the lower of the 2. Since the Cards will finish better then the Bills next season.

 

[Chainthroer]

No way - (1) we should also be getting their third round pick (maybe 2nd) and (2) or, we need to have a longer term contract solidified with Henry. An eleven pick difference can be the difference between a posible starter and not. I'd just as soon keep Shelton and let him and Ross fight it out as to who is better at RT or RG. Whoever is going to play at RG is kind of unsettled, unless we draft a RG in the 2nd or 3rd round.

 

[kerouac9]

Great player [Trevor Pryce], for a 2nd rounder I'd have done it in a nanosecond, but now it's clear why Denver is getting so little interest.

Are you on the sauce? Pryce is only going to be good for MAYBE two more years--maybe, and at 10X the cost that a second-round pick will be (who can contribute for five years or more. Pryce, with a massive contract, and a troubling back injury, is no better than a low-third round pick to me. He's just not an impact player anymore.

 

[az jam]

Seems to me that it pays for the Cardinals to do nothing and be in a position to make moves on draft day if its in their best interest. Additionally, I would not have a problem with the Cards taking Benson at the #8 spot.

 

[black]

Give the Bills a #6 next year and LJ. We need Henry guys now com'on. I'd rather have this situation resolved than having to gamble in the draft. If we were to get any RB in the draft, I'd take Benson, he's nfl ready IMO

 

[WildBB]

Racco on

 

[WildBB]

No way - (1) we should also be getting their third round pick (maybe 2nd) and (2) or, we need to have a longer term contract solidified with Henry. An eleven pick difference can be the difference between a posible starter and not. I'd just as soon keep Shelton and let him and Ross fight it out as to who is better at RT or RG. Whoever is going to play at RG is kind of unsettled, unless we draft a RG in the 2nd or 3rd round.

I think the RT spot belongs to Ross. The RG spot is a BIG vulnerability spot.

 

[Russ Smith]

Are you on the sauce? Pryce is only going to be good for MAYBE two more years--maybe, and at 10X the cost that a second-round pick will be (who can contribute for five years or more. Pryce, with a massive contract, and a troubling back injury, is no better than a low-third round pick to me. He's just not an impact player anymore.

Sorry, 2nd rounder with Pryce restructuring, nobody in their right mind would take him at his current salary. That's what everyone assumed was the holdup, Pryce not wanting to restructure, now it's clear that it's been Denver asking for a first round pick.

 

[WildBB]

Are you on the sauce? Pryce is only going to be good for MAYBE two more years--maybe, and at 10X the cost that a second-round pick will be (who can contribute for five years or more. Pryce, with a massive contract, and a troubling back injury, is no better than a low-third round pick to me. He's just not an impact player anymore.

And we don't need him anyway.

 

[azdad1978]

No swapping of 2nd round picks

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I wouldn't swap it either. I'll take my chances with Benson,Brown and Caddy falling at #8th spot.

 

[Redsz]

The Bills are on crack if they think they have ANY leverage in this trade. They certainly aren't in a postion to demand that we swap 2nd round picks.

You would hope that it is the Cards waiting to see who is avaliable at #8 and not Buffalo being morons.

 

[joeshmo]

More an Henry/Buffalo/AZ/Trade.

The article as a whole is pretty good on the RB situation in the NFL for teams looking for a RB but here is the part about Henry:

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8320920

James and Alexander are premier backs available to the highest bidder -- only there hasn't been a bidder. So you look at what else is out there, and you find Buffalo's Travis Henry, who vowed never to return to the Bills. That's fine, except Buffalo must first find a motivated shopper, and team sources said the only club to express serious interest was Arizona.

But its offer of offensive lineman L.J. Shelton fell short, and the Bills haven't heard much on the Henry front for weeks.

We are the only team to express any interest and Buffalo wants to play hardball.

 

[ajcardfan]

We are the only team to express any interest and Buffalo wants to play hardball.

I guess there really is no rush to get a deal done, from their point of view, until closer to the draft.

 

[moklerman]

Apparently Shelton is somewhat expendable to the Cardinals at this point but I wouldn't trade a quality o-lineman for an average rb with an attitude problem. Henry's put up decent numbers for Buffalo but that is due in large part to him getting a ton of carries. His ypc is nothing special and he costs a lot of money. I would think that taking a chance on one of the studs coming up in the draft is a lot wiser course of action at this point for the Cardinals.

 

[Shane]

Apparently Shelton is somewhat expendable to the Cardinals at this point but I wouldn't trade a quality o-lineman for an average rb with an attitude problem. Henry's put up decent numbers for Buffalo but that is due in large part to him getting a ton of carries. His ypc is nothing special and he costs a lot of money. I would think that taking a chance on one of the studs coming up in the draft is a lot wiser course of action at this point for the Cardinals.

Att 854 Yds 3,461 Avg 4.1 Long 64 Tds 27

Thosre are pretty impressive three year numbers. Not at all related to an inflated amopunt of carries.

 

[AntSports Steve]

I just don't like Henry all that much. I'd rather draft a CB at #8, get a RB in round 2 and live with the new rookie and the RBs that are on the team.

Then have Shelton and Ross battle it out for RT and move the other to RG. Or just have Ross play RG as he's played it before and keep Shelton at RT. That's a pretty solid OL.

Shelton wants to play LT and I'm sure the Cards will try to trade him for fair value, but... He's got a big bonus from Arizona and is under contract for 3 more years. With little to no leverage to hold out. As the Cards will just let him sit and not pay him and save the money.

Screw Bufalo, they should be giving the Cards more value for Shelton. If Buf doesn't get somebody on their OL, that young QB is going to get killed.

Or, the Cards could just go get Alexander.

 

[PlummerNEZ]

If the Bills will agree to the Shelton for Henry trade straight up, I'm all for it. If they keep asking for a swap of 2nd rounders, forget it. The trade is fair the way it is. If they ask for draft picks, we need to just pull out. Besides, we can trade Shelton for the Bears 2nd round pick, pick up another player there, and get JJ Arrington with our 2nd rounder.