BITE THE BULLITT

by PaytonMenning on Oct 5, 2009 3:56 AM EDT

PaytonMenning here back to pull a Jonathon Swift and stir up some controversy. Here's my less than modest proposal: We should trade Bob Sanders for a skill position player or a draft pick.

Now I know what you're saying - you're saying "Menning, you've gone crazy!". Follow me for a little bit here. It's pretty clear that Melvin has really elevated his game this season. The goal line hit at Arizona really stood out for me, and made me notice Melvin in the secondary. Going back to watch the tape, he's all over the field making tackles left and right. Indeed, Melvin is on the books for 21 tackles in 4 games this season. In contrast, so far this season Bob Sanders has zero tackles. Melvin also appears to be able to play at a high level and keep himself healthy. Bob on the other hand, has missed about half his starts as a Colt due to injury. Melvin is not a big name (yet), and as such has a small veteran contract. Bob has a huge one. As I see it, this argument distills down to: up and coming safety vs. injury prone pro bowler with a huge contract.

Now, this is where I think it gets interesting. Bob is widely viewed as a difference maker on defense. I think that the Colts could probably extract some fairly decent value for a trade. Perhaps a team would take a flyer for a good-to-great OG, or maybe even a draft choice next year. For the sake of argument, let's assume we could upgrade a hole on the team and/or receive a first round draft pick for next year for Bob. Which would you prefer? A pro bowl safety on the bench or a solid, developing player on the field AND a first round draft pick?

So there you have it - should the Colts bite the Bullitt? Discuss amongst yourselves, I'm getting a little verklempt.

Poll

Should we bite the Bullitt?

Yes, Melvin and a draft pick/player trade makes sense.

39 votes

No, Bob is too important to the team

61 votes

100 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

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Comments

If Polian thought....

Bobzilla wasn’t worth his paycheck he would have already let him go. Reference: Marvin Harrison. IN POLIAN WE TRUST!!!

Pressure is somethig you feel when you don't know what you're doing!
-Chuck Knoll

by thefrozz on Oct 5, 2009 4:26 AM EDT reply actions

If you were to say

who youre trading for, and with what team and what draft pick…….I’d think about it.

I know if i was a fan of another team, and unfamiliar with Bobby……I’d be wondering what the F the team was thinking bringing in Mr. Glass

Hopefully he comes back and reminds us why most of us love him so much when he’s on the field.

by MARVININDY on Oct 5, 2009 6:47 AM EDT reply actions

You want Bob

on the Titans?

by wcwills on Oct 5, 2009 7:18 AM EDT reply actions

Absolutely. Trade Bob for a draft pick or several. Or just cut him outright if it will free up space to retain more valuable players on our roster. I don’t question that Bob is a valuable player when healthy, but that’s one hell of a qualifier. So far the guy’s lived off of the 2006 postseason and the 2007 regular season, where we saw the defense play well and assumed that it was Bob’s mere presence that cause it. By now we’ve seen the defense play very well without him, and even seen Bob’s replacement turn in to a hell of a player. I’m not saying this to question Bob’s ability as a player, but rather to point out that the benefit of having him on the field no longer outweighs the cost of keeping him on the roster while he’s hurt – which is constantly.

by Maedhros on Oct 5, 2009 7:53 AM EDT reply actions

trade

As much as I hate to say it if the right trade presented itself I might take it.

IN POLIAN I TRUST

by colt44 on Oct 5, 2009 8:10 AM EDT reply actions

No.

We’ll need him for the playoffs. Polian knows what he’s doing.

"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino

by Indy Lori on Oct 5, 2009 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

Bullitt and Bethea are in contract years

Bullitt will be an RFA this offseason and if the cap comes off (likely) Bethea will be restricted as well. So they are either going to walk, get signed away or get more expensive.

   * $1.101 million = original draft pick compensation (but a second-rounder if the player was a 1st-round pick)
    * $1.684 million = second-round pick
    * $2.396 million = first-round pick
    * $3.043 million = first- and third-round picks

Also if the cap comes off the prorated portions of signing bonus (including Bob’s) don’t count in the team budget any more. The actual money was already paid out and without a cap it no longer matters to the team.

Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.

by shake n bake on Oct 5, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

Hell no

Bullitt is a great player, but theres no way I would prefer him over Bob. Bobzilla’s presence alone makes our D better. You saw what happened in the 06 playoffs, you think if it had been Bullitt, the Colts wouldve gotten that good all of a sudden?

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 5, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

Bob will remind us

When Bobzilla returns, he will make everyone remember just how good he is.

That being said, this is definitely a make or break year for Bob. If he plays the remainder of the year and stays healthy and especially if the Colts win the Superbowl with him, they will probably keep him. If he suffers another injury this year that keeps him out for an extended period of time, especially if the Colts lose early in the postseason, he is probably done with the Colts. They just can’t continue to pay him that kind of money if he doesn’t play. I hope we are able to keep him and he is able to stay healthy, b/c I would hate to lose him.

The Shogun of Harlem

by shonuff on Oct 5, 2009 11:13 AM EDT reply actions

Not ready for that yet.........

I’ll withhold judgement until I see what he finally gets done this year.

by tim55 on Oct 5, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

I hope Bob plays against the Titans

and puts this discussion to bed.

by Ayrshire on Oct 5, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

The draft is such a gamble.

I’d only trade him for a draft pick if was during the draft and we knew who we would get with the pick.

by shoein on Oct 5, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

Hindsight

Bob was a non-factor (IMO) in last year’s playoff loss. He sat out the majority of last season and very well may do the same this season also.

In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to try to trade him for more reliable talent a couple years ago. But, his trade value is likely substantially lower now than it was after the 07 season and with the salary cap being removed after this season I just don’t see why a team would trade for him.

We made our bed and now we have to sleep in it.

"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

by AceOfSpades on Oct 5, 2009 2:22 PM EDT reply actions