After Patriots Nation spent most of the day on Wednesday complaining about how boring their team’s approach to the offseason was, the New England Patriots had an unexpectedly busy day on Thursday.
And it definitely wasn’t boring.
First, they shocked everyone by trading a 5th-round pick in 2013 to the Washington Redskins for Albert Haynesworth.
Then, while everyone was still trying to wrap their head around the Haynesworth deal, they traded a 5th-round pick in 2012 and a 6th-round pick in 2013 to the Cincinnati Bengals for Chad Ochocinco.
Chad Ochocinco is not a reclamation project. Ochocinco is still a quality wide receiver, he’s just been stuck on a terrible, terrible team.
Ochocinco may not put up Moss-in-2007 numbers, but his career is going to be revitalized in a similar fashion. Ochocinco can still catch, he can still get open, and he still loves to play the game. Pair him with Tom Brady and the sky’s the limit for the outspoken and generally entertaining wide receiver.
Ochocinco’s been decent even with the declining Carson Palmer throwing him the ball over the last couple of seasons. In the last two seasons, Ochocinco has 139 receptions, 1878 yards, and 13 touchdowns.
The Bengals offense has been bad, so people just assume everyone on it is bad. Truth is, the quarterback play was erratic at best and the coaching staff is an abomination. Ochocinco did as good as could be expected given the situation.
Bill Belichick and Chad Ochocinco have had a good relationship going back to the 2007 Pro Bowl. They’ve both openly discussed their good relationship in the past. Now they can see if that good relationship can translate into winning football.
The Patriots are definitely a more talented football team than they were 24 hours ago. They’re definitely a more interesting football team. It remains to be seen whether they're a BETTER football team.
But they're definitely not a boring football team….
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