The New England Patriots on Tuesday traded running back Laurence Maroney and their 2011 sixth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for their fourth-round pick in 2011, team sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Maroney, who was limited by a thigh injury of late, was inactive for the team's season-opening win. Yet even upon his return to health, he might have remained inactive. He was expected to be in the mix for the starting role heading into the season, but had fallen down the Patriots' running back depth chart in training camp and the preseason.
The 34-year-old Fred Taylor had wrestled the No. 1 spot away from him and Sammy Morris had also leapfrogged him because of his added value as a lead-blocking fullback and on special teams units. And with Kevin Faulk entrenched as the team's third-down back, that left Maroney fighting for the No. 4 spot with BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Because coaches look for special teams value in that spot, Green-Ellis seemed to be a better fit than Maroney.
Basically, the Patriots traded a talented insurance policy at running back in exchange for a two-round jump in the 2011 draft. Maroney was also in the final year of his contract, so this is a sign that the Patriots didn't expect him to be back in 2011.
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=5572724
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
