The Tony Gonzalez Trade Buzz
So, with less than 24 hours to the 2008 NFL Season trade deadline, here’s what we’re hearing…
The Bills are now reportedly offering up a third for Tony Gonzalez. – Arrowhead Pride
Larry Johnson is now also being discussed in trade talks. – FOX Sports
Even Damon Huard might need to back his bags tonight just in case he gets dealt, too. – Arrowhead Pride
Was Monday Tony’s last practice donning the Red and Gold? – Associated Press
Should Brett Favre campaign for Gonzo in green? – FanHouse
Here is what some of our FSB brothers and sisters in blog had to say about their team potentially landing Gonzo (after the jump):
"The Eagles desperately need better production from the tight end position. L.J. Smith was franchised in the off season, but he has had a really poor year. Smith has been busy leading the team in dropped passes, and missing games from injuries. Smith is the best blocking tight end on the team, but he is still average at best at it. Brent Celek has shown some signs of being a good player, but it only comes in flashes. Celek’s biggest issue is blocking. He is a very poor blocker, and he needs a lot of work in that department. Last and definitely least is Matt Schobel. Schobel can not block, and can not catch the ball. There is no reason for him to even be on this team. Schobel just flat out sucks.If Tony Gonzalez is available the Eagles front office should be interested. Gonzalez is a first ballot hall of fame tight end, who changes games with his receiving ability. His blocking was poor early in his career, but he has worked hard at being solid in that department. McNabb needs a tight end to be a reliable safety valve, which Gonzalez could be. Gonzo has great hands, and uses his body so well to shield off defenders. He could be a player that McNabb could trust on third downs, and he could help the team get back in this NFC East division race.Gonzalez may not be a long term factor, as he is already 32 years old. I think he could be an immediate impact this year, and possibly next year as well. He has 3 years left on his current contract.I am a Tony Gonzalez fan, and I would love to see him in midnight green. If the Eagles really want to go for it all this year, then they need to jump on this opportunity."
(Agreed. I’d actually love to see Gonzo play alongside No. 5 and Westy.)
"While the Bucs are 4-2 and atop the NFC South, an explosive playmaker is something we are lacking on the offensive side of the ball. Joey Galloway is normally our field stretcher, but he has been out for a few weeks, and until I see him on the field healthy again, I can’t believe he is back.Free agent WR acquisition Antonio Bryant has been steadily improving, and showed he was Jeff Garcia’s favorite target this past weekend in our demolishing of the then division leading Panthers. TE is not a position that we are lacking depth at with Alex Smith, Jerramy Stevens and John Gilmore. If NFL legend Tony Gonzalez, who trade rumors are running rampant about is available though, we have to have interest. He is a huge upgrade over any of the Tight Ends currently on our roster. Not only is Tony arguably the best receiving TE in the history of the league, he is a willing and able blocker. Alex Smith is a good receiver and an average blocker. Jerramy Stevens is used primarily as a receiver and John Gilmore is used primarily as a blocker. While adding a player like Gonzalez to the offense might seem like overkill, the options that Gruden would have at his disposal would get really interesting.Our offensive line has looked dominant at times; in 3 games this season we have rushed for over 140 yards and allowed 0 sacks. We are showing teams so far this season that we are going to be tough to handle in the running game. Throwing another TE on the field to augment that already strong unit gets me a little giddy. I imagine a lot of formations featuring Antonio Bryant at WR, TE’s John Gilmore and Tony Gonzalez and featuring FB Ernest Graham and RB Warrick Dunn. The mismatches that lineup has the potential to cause, are endless.Tony’s contract the next few years is probably not something Bruce Allen would be happy swallowing (about 15 mil over 3 years) but, the Bucs currently have the 2nd most available cap space in the league (right now sitting at about 20 mil under the cap). If Gonzalez is available for a 4th round pick and a conditional pick, we would have to look at a trade for him as a serious consideration."
(I think Tampa would be a pretty good fit for Gonzo. I think they could even split him out a lot.)
"If there is one thing the Packers need, it is consistency in the tight end position. Favre had Mark Chmura, and Bubba Franks was always there for Favre, and we saw how good Favre made Donald Lee look last year. Lee is a good tight end, I will give him that, but he lacks the consistency Rodgers craves and Gonzalez would provide. If he had 99 catches with Croyle and Huard last year, what can he do with Rodgers? He’ll always be over the middle for whoever is at quarterback. The Pack has extra draft picks to throw around and salary cap space. He is a real possibility for Green Bay and would be welcomed with open arms. He is an automatic upgrade over Lee, although I could see McCarthy incorporating two tight end sets into the offense, and Tory Humphery and Jermichael Finley are nowhere near ready to contribute right now, which is that the Packers need."
(One of the few realists of the group. I wouldn’t mind seeing Tony G. team up with fellow Cal grad Rodgers up in Packland.)
"The Jags would be dumb to trade away picks for Tony Gonzalez. We have more TEs than we need and we have more WRs than we need. We have plenty of people to catch passes. If you want to offer us an awesome lineman then we’ll talk."
(Obviously Jeanne hasn’t seen us play this year with that “awesome lineman” comment.)
"Oh geeze, 3 years left on a $35 M deal? No one in their freakin’ mind would take him for anything. The Redskins will take Gonzalez and pay the rest of his contract if you throw in your first rounder. We’ll throw back an autographed picture of Tom Cruise and a copy of the first season of Dawson’s Creek on DVD."
(Dave is obviously unaware that Gonzalez had 99 catches to Chris “I Didn’t Mean To” Cooley‘s 66 last year.)
"The Panthers would be interested if they didn’t already have Jeff “False Start” King and Dante “Tip Drill” Rosario."
(This is John’s way of getting on his knees and saying please.)
"The Dallas Cowboys already have the top tight end in the league who will likely become the best tight end the NFL has ever seen when it is all said and done. Tony G. would be a downgrade for the ‘Boys."
(Delusional Cowboys fans. To quote Big Ern, that will happen “the day my hair starts falling out.” Both my grandfathers passed with pretty full heads of hair for their age, I might add.)