[QUOTE=FRPLG]I honestly don't remember the specifics of the entire situation but plain and simple the market set the price for Trotter at the time. We may have overpaid in hindsight but I am sure we didn't pay him some assanine amount more than he would have gotten from another team. Talent just isn't as big a factor for most teams in the league. They all make decisions based on market versus need. This what we have been doing ever since the Dan bought the team. The successful teams, the ones you list, make their decisions based on talent versus value. Hopefully with free agent plays like Washington last year and letting Smoot go this year the Skins have laerned about the talent versus value strategy.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you completely.

[QUOTE=FRPLG]I honestly don't remember the specifics of the entire situation but plain and simple the market set the price for Trotter at the time. We may have overpaid in hindsight but I am sure we didn't pay him some assanine amount more than he would have gotten from another team. Talent just isn't as big a factor for most teams in the league. They all make decisions based on market versus need. This what we have been doing ever since the Dan bought the team. The successful teams, the ones you list, make their decisions based on talent versus value. Hopefully with free agent plays like Washington last year and letting Smoot go this year the Skins have laerned about the talent versus value strategy.[/QUOTE]

I don't particularly remember the specifics either. But I think that Trotter was a young two-time all-pro from a division rival who led his team in tackles for three straight years and didn't miss a game since he entered the starting lineup his second year in the league. It didn't work out, what with him busting his knee, but I really don't think it was a bad signing at the time.

At this point in both of their careers I think I'd take Trotter over Lewis. Lewis's career is on the backslope, and if you use Trotter correctly he can be a real force!

Mistakes and busts will happen in football, if you could forsee them all there would be a lot less drama.