As NFL trades go into hibernation until March, it’s important to remember something the next time players may be sent from one team to another.
Teams pass a lot of BS to the media – and the media often passes it on without scrutiny.
Case in point: the internally inconsistent claim made by ESPN on Saturday, no doubt based on information coming directly from the Raiders.
“As of this weekend,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “the Raiders had not received any trade inquiries regarding starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, they are also not interested in treating itaccording to league sources. They plan to stick with him until they believe their No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, is ready.
So the Raiders hadn’t received any trade requests, but they weren’t interested in the trade requests they hadn’t received? RIGHT.
In a press conference with reporters Tuesday, Raiders general manager John Spytek explained how it all happened.
“I never called Kirk Cousins,” Spytek said. “And I’ve gotten a few phone calls. But a real one this morning.”
The “real” ultimately involved getting a third-round pick for Cousins. Which further highlights how stupid it is for a team to claim – and for the media to share – the idea that “WE ARE NOT INTERESTED”.
Everyone is interested in a trade offer for all but a small handful of players across the league. Everything else is just posturing. And, as is often the case when it comes to NFL reporting, insiders allow themselves to become extensions of the team’s public relations department in an effort to send a given message.
The Raiders weren’t interested, until they were. And it didn’t take much to make them give up on their starting quarterback.
It was easier to make the decision as they were surely considering when to bench him for rookie Fernando Mendoza. And it surely made it easier for Cousins to accept the trade, considering he’s now able to continue playing for a team that has a chance to make the playoffs and make some noise in January.
Gn sports
