FanPost

Devil's Advocate- AQ Trade

This is my first fan post, but this idea has been in my head for as long as I've been a member here. Throughout the sports world, many things are painted black or white/ right or wrong. Individuals get too much blame/ credit for the outcomes of games, and GM moves get too much blame/ credit before we see how transactions play out. At my core I believe that most people want be good at their job, and therefore, they will try to make logical choices. Additionally, most (emphasis on most) people that are in position to make newsworthy decisions are intelligent enough to have a logical reason for why they made a particular choice. In my "Devil's Advocate" posts, I may not necessarily agree with what I am typing, but will try to deliver another perspective by combining facts and other's analysis with my deduction and a boat load of speculation.

Today's topic: The A.Q. Shipley Trade:

Facts about A.Q. Shipley:
He was signed in 2012 after being a seventh Round draft pick in 2009 by the Steelers. In July of last year, Shipley and Mike McGlynn were battling for the back-up role behind starter Samson Satele. In September Shipley was released and resigned to the practice squad. In October he was promoted from the practice squad when Satele was battling injury and started 6 days later. He ended up starting in 5 games including the 3 final regular season games. Then he was traded for a conditional 7th round pick.

Facts about Samson Satele:
He was a second round pick in 2007. We signed him to a 3 year deal in 2012. He had a couple injuries last year that limited him to 11 starts. He started at least 15 games in 4 of his 6 years in the league.

Other's Analysis:
- Most people would say Shipley out performed Satele in pass blocking during his starts. Same article also mentions that Satele was good in run blocking.
- Although Satele was more than banged up last year, the guy does have potential.
- Shipley has never been given much thought as a prospect

Deduction and Speculation:
The facts about Shipley illustrate that he 1) has a small sample size from which to judge his "superior" performance and 2) has not been highly regarded while in the league which could provide more doubt that those five starts are not indicative of the player he might be with more consistent playing time.

On the other hand, Satele has been mentioned as a player with potential and 85 career starts. He has some inconsistency issues, but was not able to fully develop last year due to injury. He could play much better in Pep's new offensive system with shorter time holding pass blocks and using his run blocking skills more often.

Devil's Advocate's Take:
This was a good trade because the Colts were able to retain an experienced center (to help groom Khaled Holmes) that still has untapped potential which will be easier to reach now that Satele is healthy and will likely stay that way given his injury history. They saw more in Satele than Shipley, and they would rather have a conditional 7th round pick than Shipley as their 3rd string center. Satele is also a better fit for the shorter pass routes and more run blocking that will come with Pep's new offensive system.

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.