Richard Seymour situation gets weird...

[packers11]

pft.com

Belichick monitoring Bills, not Seymour
Posted by Tom Curran on September 9, 2009 11:25 AM ET

Asked this morning if he was "monitoring" the ongoing Richard Seymour situation, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick responded by saying, "Right now, we're monitoring the Buffalo Bills very closely. There's a lot of work to do with that."

Seymour, traded to the Raiders on Sunday in exchange for a 2011 first-round pick has so far failed to report to Oakland (or maybe he's just taking a five-day weekend).

If Seymour fails to report and take a physical with the Raiders, he likely will remain the property of the Patriots, depending on the specific terms of the trade. And it then would be on them to send the dreaded "five-day letter," which says the player must report within five days or be put on the "reserve/left club" list.

The unusual aspect to this is that the Patriots would be compelling him to report not to the Patriots, but to the Raiders.

Asked if Belichick was concerned about the eventuality that Seymour remains their problem, he answered, "Right now, we're concerned about Buffalo. That's what we're concerned about. We'll deal with whatever happens when it happens whether that's next week, next month, next year."

Our money is on next week, if not sooner.

My guess is that he holds out until the trade is void and he is sent back to the Patriots... That would be such an awkward situation though, him walking right back into that locker room right after being traded... Seymour has a lot of leverage here because if he doesn't show up, the Pats will be forced to take him back (which they don't want to)...

Thoughts? I've never seen this happen before, has it?

[Lurker64]

I believe the only way he could be sent back to New England is if he fails his physical, as most trades are contingent on that.

If he's healthy and just doesn't show up to Oakland, really the only thing the Raiders can do is put him on the reserve/left squad squad list. They have to give him five days of notification before they do so, but if the Raiders do put Seymour on the reserve/left squad list he will be unable to play (for anybody) this year and this year will not count towards his contract (so he won't be a free agent after this season).

Seymour's only really good options are "retire" or "play for Oakland", but he's likely trying to finagle either some money for nothing from New England or a guarantee from Oakland that he won't be franchised.

[KYPack]

TO didn't do a great job of reporting to the Ravens when Philly traded him (Mighta been SF).

Every once in awhile, players "vote with their feet", and fail to report to the team they are traded to.

Duane Thomas did it a couple times way back when.

[Lurker64]

I forgot to mention that Oakland probably does not want to put Seymour on the reserve/left squad list, as that means they lose him for the season and they want him desperately to shore up an awful run defense. What Oakland likely wants is for Seymour to play this year and to convince him to stay longer, which is something they'll need luck to accomplish as Seymour looks to want no part of the bay area.

[packers11]

pft.com

If Seymour doesn't report, Raiders will want their pick back
Posted by Mike Florio on September 9, 2009 12:01 PM ET
Wisely, the New England Patriots are taking the "nothing to see here" approach regarding defensive lineman Richard Seymour. In their view, Seymour is now a Raider and the Raiders' first-round pick in 2011 has been tucked away into the cavernous vault beneath Gillette Stadium.

But despite reports suggesting that Seymour is now the Raiders' problem, a league source tells us that the Raiders will want to retrieve their draft pick, if Seymour doesn't show.

The trade hinges on Seymour reporting for work and passing a physical. If he doesn't show up and then pass a physical, he doesn't become the property of the Raiders.

The Patriots likely would take a different view of the situation, claiming that once the trade is accomplished getting Seymour to show up becomes the Raiders' problem.

Still, we think the Raiders are right on this one. How can they be expected to pay for something that they never get?

Meanwhile, we're told that the Raiders still don't know whether or not Seymour will show up, more than three days after the trade was announced.

[mraynrand]

pft.com: "Still, we think the Raiders are right on this one. How can they be expected to pay for something that they never get?"

Because they made the deal. Shoulda had some idea of whether the guy would play for you. Still Seymour is being an asshat, but not showing is the only leverage he has.

Meanwhile, Bill Belichick is focused on Buffalo.

[Guiness]

As mentioned above, TO got away with it, but that had something to do with paperwork...I can't remember if TO or the team forgot to file it. Anyways, it ended up being a technicality. He should've been a free agent.

I don't recall this sort of a situation before. It will be interesting.

[bobblehead]

Not sure how its Oakland's problem. He has to pass a physical or the trade is null. If he refuses to TAKE a physical the trade is null as he isn't passing one. Just my opinion.

[Freak Out]

Would he be a better fit for our D now than Kampy is?

[Lurker64]

Would he be a better fit for our D now than Kampy is?

He would play 5-technique DE in our defense, not OLB. They're not really comparable positions.

But yes, for his career, he's been one of the best 3-4 DEs in the history of the game.

[hoosier]

I forgot to mention that Oakland probably does not want to put Seymour on the reserve/left squad list, as that means they lose him for the season and they want him desperately to shore up an awful run defense. What Oakland likely wants is for Seymour to play this year and to convince him to stay longer, which is something they'll need luck to accomplish as Seymour looks to want no part of the bay area.

So they can finish 2-14 instead of 1-15. I'm not saying you're wrong about the Raiders thinking, just that the thinking doesn't impress me as being especially solid. But who am I to second-guess Al Davis....

[KYPack]

Read on PFT that Seymour thought he was getting a new deal from NE. The Pats got back to him and told him he was dealt to the Raiders. Some think his agent was puffing about the new deal and NE had very little intention of getting one done.

This one should be a first class screw-up.

[Cheesehead Craig]

See what happens when you have poor pad level, you get sent to Da Raiders.

[SkinBasket]

Al Davis can't even fuck up a trade right. Trading a 1st round (most likely top 8) pick for 1 year of service from an aging lineman seemed comically absurd. The fact that they can't even consummate the trade is nothing short of a cosmic tragedy.

If the trade goes through, I for one cannot wait to watch the Patriots enter another draft stacked with high picks.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Seymour just wants more cash. Simple as that.