This shocked me! At first I was scratching my head, but after tuning into sports radio it makes sense, I guess.
Wilfork, Seymour and Brady are all up for contracts at the end of the year. Who was going to be the odd man out? Ob not Brady, and Wilfork is a guy that you have to keep. Ron Brace has been stellar so far and I think the pats are going to run a 4/3 this year to allow Mayo to shine even more. Sey is a BEAST, but has been hurt a lot over the last few years. You have to keep Wilfork over Sey if you have to make the call. Not to mention, what trade value does say have at the end of the year when he's going to be a free agent anyway? Not much.
As for the pick, I was wondering why they went for a 2011 first rounder. Next year will be an uncapped year, and all the rookies coming out are going to want huge contracts, because in 2011 the owners have stated that their will be a set salary for all rookies who are drafted. Clearly this makes a 2011 pick more valuable than a 2010 pick, because if all rookies have a set salary, they can't hold out and demand huge money. Lets face it, this pick will be a top 10 pick because it's the raiders and they suck, and the pats never want to draft in the top 10 because if the prospect is a bust you are totally fucked from a cap standpoint.
Belichick has always been very good with trading and moving picks, so I cant really figure out anything wrong with this move. I'd rather have Wilfork than Sey. If we didn't have Brace, Greene and Titus I'd be pissed.
We'll see what happens!