Shockey to the Saints

[onnestabe]

Apparently, the Vilma trade can net the Jets a 2nd rounder based on performance. I had thought it was only a 3rd rounder. Anyway, if that happens, the Giants get New Orleans 1st round pick per the NY Daily News.

It's not just based on performance. In order for it to become a second rounder for Vilma, he has to play at least 85% of the defensive snaps, and the Saints have to sign him to a contract extension. I can't tell when the extension has to be signed in order to trigger the second round pick, but the easy solution would be to franshise him after the season (if he plays that much, he will almost certainly be worth it) rather than sign an extension, thereby retaining the first round pick. I also just listened to an audio clip of Mickey Loomis, Saints' GM, saying that if they have to give anything higher than the fourth rounder to the Jets, the Jets have to give a fourth rounder back to the Saints.

So the best case scenario (and most likely in my opinion) for the Saints is that Vilma meets the performance goals, but doesn't get extended, so that they only swap a thrid round pick for a fourth round pick (and that will be a pretty even switch when the Saints win the SB and the Jets have a crappy year ). Then the Saints will have their first, fourth, fifth, and seventh round picks, and the Jets' fourth round pick in next year's draft (the Saints traded their 2009 sixth round pick to the Packers to move back up into the seventh this year to draft Adrian Arrington).

So that's the Saints' draft pick picture as it stands right now.

[Amazinz]

I think the likelier scenario is the Vilma does not play 85% of the snaps. Even if it gets close to that, we'd have to expect NO to rest him enough to avoid triggering the clause. Franchise tag is possible but highly unlikely IMHO. The tag on DE next year will be in excess of $9M. In the unlikely event that it does happen, it would be the 2010 pick.

[stomperrob]

With Jeremy Shockey gone, Steve Smith and others receive shot
BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


As distracting as Jeremy Shockey could be, members of the Giants organization were sorry to see him go on Monday. In fact, one person called it "a sad day" around Giants.

But there is life after Shockey. And the Giants know from experience that it can be good.

So the Giants will begin the post-Shockey era Thursday with a considerable amount of optimism when they report for training camp at the University at Albany. They got a taste of it in the winter, when they played six games and won a Super Bowl without the enigmatic tight end.

And in his absence, they got a good look at what tight end Kevin Boss - and perhaps more importantly, third receiver Steve Smith - can do.

"It's a good thing that we had some young receivers (and tight ends when Shockey got hurt)," offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said at minicamp last month. "I think our young receivers had a chance to grow up. You never know how they're going to respond when they're given an opportunity and it was nice to see them do that."

con't...

rest of article: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/footb ... h_and.html

The Giants always wanted to get a first-round pick in return for Jeremy Shockey. They still might.

When the Saints traded a second- and fifth-round pick in the 2009 draft to the Giants on Monday for the disgruntled tight end, they used the second-round pick that they might have to send to the Jets as part of their trade for linebacker Jonathan Vilma. If that happens, then the Saints' deal with the Giants would change and they would have to give them a 2010 first-rounder.

Vilma was traded to the Saints in February for a fourth-round pick in 2008 and a conditional pick in 2009 that could be in the second or third round. It would be in the second if Vilma plays in at least 85% of the defensive plays this season and signs a contract extension before the end of the season. Of course, those are two things the Saints control.

source: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/footb ... h_and.html

[onnestabe]

I think the likelier scenario is the Vilma does not play 85% of the snaps. Even if it gets close to that, we'd have to expect NO to rest him enough to avoid triggering the clause. Franchise tag is possible but highly unlikely IMHO. The tag on DE next year will be in excess of $9M. In the unlikely event that it does happen, it would be the 2010 pick.

You may be right. I just crunched some numbers. Assuming that each game has the same number of snaps, if he misses two games and doesn't miss a play in the rest of the game, that will be 87% of the snaps. I don't think it would be that hard to limit his snaps enough to make sure he comes in under that line. I also don't think they need to consciously think about that throughout the season, though.

Not that he is the only factor at play, but I think that if he stays healthy for the first 12-14 weeks, the Saints might be in a position to rest him and a few more starters in the last couple of weeks of the season. He's that important to the success of the defense. [/homerism]

[JasonSeahorn]

I think the likelier scenario is the Vilma does not play 85% of the snaps. Even if it gets close to that, we'd have to expect NO to rest him enough to avoid triggering the clause. Franchise tag is possible but highly unlikely IMHO. The tag on DE next year will be in excess of $9M. In the unlikely event that it does happen, it would be the 2010 pick.

You may be right. I just crunched some numbers. Assuming that each game has the same number of snaps, if he misses two games and doesn't miss a play in the rest of the game, that will be 87% of the snaps. I don't think it would be that hard to limit his snaps enough to make sure he comes in under that line. I also don't think they need to consciously think about that throughout the season, though.

Not that he is the only factor at play, but I think that if he stays healthy for the first 12-14 weeks, the Saints might be in a position to rest him and a few more starters in the last couple of weeks of the season. He's that important to the success of the defense. [/homerism]

This is the NFL! They will definitely make sure Vilma plays 1 less snap than needed to trigger the clause.