CHANGE
Oct
14
Written by:
10/14/2009 11:26 PM
Winston Churchill once said, “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” Watching the Monday night game between the Jets and Dolphins and Braylon Edwards performance on the field, it made me think about change in the NFL. Edwards was labeled by many as a bad-apple, malcontent, flop ( you get the picture) in his last few months with the Browns. After watching Edwards’ performance Monday, I was thinking, maybe all he needed was a change. After being the 3rd overall pick in the 2005 draft, the Browns have had one winning season during his time in Cleveland. Factor in the unstable quarterback situation and general unrest in the Brown’s franchise, it is easy to understand why a player could fall into a rut. He is now with a franchise that seems to have a strong leader, up-and-coming team, and had a hole for him to fill imperfectly. Hopefully, Edwards understands the chance he has been given and will take full advantage of the opportunity.
While I am at it, look at a few trades and free agent signings that have happened the last few years:
Randy Moss was traded from Oakland for a 4th round pick to New England. This should let you know everything you need to know about the Raider’s franchise.
Kris Jenkins, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was traded to the Jets for a third- and fifth-round pick to the Panthers. I know it is easy to look at things now and say why, but that question is fair here. Many said he was becoming a nuisance in the locker room, but how much would the Panthers like to have that giant in the middle? He seems to be doing a pretty great job with the Jets and everyone seems to rave about his performance. One of the things I heard about Jenkins was that he didn’t like that he could not blend into a crowd in Charlotte, but that has not been an issue in New York City.
Jay Cutler and a 5th round pick was traded to the Bears for 2 1st round picks, a 3rd round pick and Kyle Orton going to the Broncos. When this trade was announced, many thought the Bears were going to be the big winners in this trade. The Bears are 3-1 and not doing bad in any respect, but the Broncos are 5-0. Both teams will be on national television this week (Bears Sunday night, Broncos Monday) so we should be able to make our own decisions on this trade this weekend. The Broncos are the leaders out of the gate.
The Dallas Cowboys (my team) gave up a first-round pick in 2009, plus a third- and sixth-rounder that year for Roy Williams and a seventh-round pick in 2010 to the Lions. So far, he Lions have been the winners in this trade. Williams has not proven that he is a #1 receiver, which was the thought in releasing T.O. Everything the Cowboys gave up to acquire Williams, he needs to be a standout stud, not the dud he has been so far.
T.O. to Buffalo is also not working out as some envisioned. The 1-4 Bills have recently been mentioned as possibly ending this experiment with the awful offense and placing Owens on the trading block. Owens has to know he is nearing the end of his career and determine if personal accolades are more important to him than winning a championship, as many perceive. How would he look in a Vikings uniform?
Albert Haynesworth to Washington is also not looking as promising as Daniel Snider envisioned entering the 7 year $100 million dollar contract he signed prior to this season. He is in a situation very similar to Julius Peppers with the Panthers in that no matter what he does, good, bad, or indifferent, he will be scrutinized.
Obviously, not all of these guys have gone in the right direction. Players, as many individuals do, sometimes second-guess the decisions they make. One former NFL player told me he went to a team that paid him a “little more” than another team was willing to do. The team he ultimately signed with remained at the bottom of the league during his tenure while the team he passed on, went on to win multiple World Championships. Many people have said that money should not be the ultimate factor in deciding on a job. Athletes need to look and decide if the change they are willing to make will be in the right direction. Greener grass does not always have to signal more money. Sometimes winning makes your grass grow in the right direction and the perfect shade of green.