How do you explain the NFL and some of the front office decisions that are made?  Some teams seem to operating on Mars while others seem to operating on Venus, if you know what I mean.
On Sunday night the Pittsburgh Steelers traded away a talented and troubled young wide receiver, Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets for a fifth round draft pick.
Troubled is definitely the word for Holmes.¬† He will miss the first four games of the season because he violated the league substance abuse policy.¬† In addition he’s being sued by a young lady who said threw a glass in her face at a night club recently.
These aren’t the first times he has been in trouble and they probably won’t be the last.¬† The Steelers grew tired of him and his act, plus some say he was the lamb sacrificed, so that Pittsburgh could get a pass for hanging onto trouble signal caller Ben Roethlisberger.
Holmes’ talent is undeniable and his habit of getting into trouble is just as undeniable, but how could he be worth only a fifth-round draft pick.¬† Did they bother calling the Dolphins or the Seahawks who were in pursuit of a top wide receiver?
Nobody in their right mind can look me in the face and tell me that the Steelers couldn’t have gotten much more for a guy, who caught over 70 passes this past season for over 1200 yards.
He also happens to have a Super Bowl MVP award on his resume, and is just entering his prime at 26 years of age.
This morning which was only three days after the trade of Holmes, the Denver Broncos had those two teams beating down their door and making offers for another talented and troubled young wide receiver by the name of  Brandon Marshall.
Yes you could make a good argument that Marshall is more talented than Holmes, but you could also make a good argument that he’s also more troubled.¬† The truth is that Holmes and Marshall are very close to each other in terms of talent and trouble.
Bill Parcells who is respected around the league as a no-nonsense, master team builder, gave the Broncos two second-round draft picks for Marshall, who has had domestic violence and drunken driving arrests.
He has challenged the authority of the Broncos coaching staff on numerous occassions which is something that Holmes has never done.
Marshall was also suspended prior to the most important game of the season in the 2009-10 campaign. The Broncos had a game against a horrible Kansas City Chiefs team, which could have helped them make the playoffs.
He missed the game and they missed the playoffs.  Still Parcells and his Dolphins as well as the Seattle Seahawks were all lined up and ready to bend over backwards to acquire him.
Miami has now signed him to a contract which will make him the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history.  He gets a four year extension worth $47.5 million dollars with $24 million of it being guaranteed.
Holmes will miss the first four games of the season, Marshall is one mistake away from the same outcome.
How could Holmes be viewed as such a risk, while the Dolphins put all of that money on the line for somebody as erratic as Marshall?
The point I’m trying to make is why weren’t these teams aware of the availability of Holmes.¬† If they were willing to give up two second draft picks for Marshall, giving up one for Holmes would be a bargain.
I think somebody dropped the ball.
Either it was the Steelers front office, which made an emotional decision without talking to enough GM’s around the league.¬† Or some of the GM’s haven’t been spending enough time on the phone and they were left out of the loop.
And why weren’t the Eagles involved in trade talks for Holmes or Marshall. I know WR isn’t a need but c’mon Marshall is 6’4 and Maclin is 6’1. Can’t teach size. I’d take Marshall over Maclin any day of the week. Now onto Holmes, a 5th round pick, we could of rented him for a year at that price, thats a steal. This is the difference between this team being competitive and winning championships. Sometimes you have to take risks. Who cares about Holmes missing the first 4 games of the season if he is there the last 4 games of the season and wins the bowl. Eagles management has irked me the wrong way.
G – you’re ignoring the point that Pittsburgh has a huge PR mess in a city that worships the steelers. They were about to release Holmes, because one more crack and he’s suspended for the season, and he’s a legal mess. Marshall isn’t a legal mess, and not at risk for being suspended all year. Why don’t you get that? The Steelers had no leverage. The Broncos did.
If you bring another team aboard that wants Holmes, you wind up with at least a second round pick for him or more. If they had made a call to the Seahawks or the Dolphins and the Jets, they would have gotten more for him. That suit which Holmes was facing is going away because another guy admitted he threw the drink in the lady’s face. How long do you think it’s going to take for Marshall to get in trouble with all that money in Miami?
What gets me guys is the Steelers rival the Ravens have gotten stronger this year with Boldin and Stallworth you cant tell me that for one second they didnt stop and think oh crap they just signed a bunch of WR and we are getting rid of ours! Steeles do not make the playoffs this year. I think this is a chance for the Texans to slip in for the first time.
Schiller hit the nail on the head. Also, looking at the fallout in contract terms since the T.O. incident in Philadelphia “…Actions deemed detrimental to the team” I can assure you that there is a menagerie of conditions that Marshall will have to meet that could probably erase the “Guaranteed” status away from Marshall’s contract. You do recall the fact that Parcells drafted Keyshawn Johnson and defended many of his ridiculous comments right?
Don’t you all think Bill Parcells has a lot to do with making a difference here with Marshall? This is the same guy (Parcells) who put up with AND made Lawrence Taylor a HOF’ r. Marshall is a bad boy, with a world of talent. Parcells will take his talent and don’t be surprised at the difference in Marshall. I’m not implying a complete turn around, but Parcells remains a major influence and is a great football guy who commands respect.
Yup- Holmes with his smaller size is not a Parcel’s kid of player. Marshall on the other had is a physical freak of nature and very much a Parcel’s style player.
I think these guys make enough money to hire a full time driver and security force and should never ever ever be in the trouble they are in. Yo Player throw me 50K a year I will drive you anywhere you need to be and provide physical security.
Actually G, How would I get in touch with players agent’s. I would seriously be interested in putting a security package together for their clients or maybe for the eagles as a benefit for their guys. What do you think?
G, I definitely don’t agree with you on a lot of things…. but this is dead-on, 100% correct. This makes no sense how these two players got traded at such different values. Holmes for a 5th? There isn’t a team in the league who wouldn’t make that deal. How the hell did the Jets get away with that? That should have been a federal offense.
I clearly remember seeing Marshall make a few plays last year, fighting off defenders, that were nothing short of highlight reels. As a receiver, he can dominate like few others, although Fitzgerald is up to the task.
Before we all jump to conclusions,
Their may be more to the story on S Holmes off the field issues..
A good friend of mine in (from PIttsburgh) stated that there were some other incidences of Holmes erractic behavior and potentially a possiblity of some criminal charges that may come down the pike.. Steelers don’t keep these type of players and probably wanted to move him asap…and if Big-Ben doesn’t straighten up quick, he’ll be out the door also in Pittsburgh…
As far as the Eagles go in pursuing these type of players, it just doesn’t happen, they are now going to recruit guys that have had off-the-field issues into the Eagles Organization (which I am glad they don’t)