TRADE 12: Too Many Kooks

We had a health based trade go down, as the undefeated Finest were able to move a few healthy bodies to Savannah in exchange for their more skilled, but less able bodies. A linebacker and a wide receiver went in both directions, so lets examine the immediate and long term ramifications:

NEW YORK ACQUIRES:
LB Luke Kuechly
WR Stevie Johnson

SAVANNAH ACQUIRES:
LB Daryl Smith
WR Jermaine Kearse

The impetus for this move was the Petes' need for a WR this week, as Steve Johnson is unlikely to lace up the cleats due to a lingering hamstring issue. They send the gimpy route running ace to New York for Jermaine Kearse, a physical weapon that finds way to put points on the board. Disregarding a goose egg in week two, Kearse has put up 11.5-12.5 points on a weekly basis in his other four turns. Johnson's role had dwindled each week before the injury, so while this is a marginal upgrade for Savannah, it has been rendered the undercard of the transaction.

Savannah is sending away the best player in the deal, Luke Kuechly. When right, he is perhaps the best linebacker in the game- last year he ranked second at the position. But he's been out of action for a month after suffering a concussion in week one, limiting Savannah's bench. Cleared to play and probable for Week 6, The Finest are buying low after skipping the wait time.

The Petes thought they were making linebacker a strength drafting Kook and 2014's top linebacker Deandre Levy back to back in the fourth and fifth rounds. Unfortunately, Levy struggled to make the field before immediately aggravating a hip injury that will now require surgery and keep him from scoring a point in 2015. Along with the now departed Kuechly, the team had expected Jadeveon Clowney to play a major role this year- however, an ankle injury has hindered him and ultimately the 2-3 Petes have run out of patience. Veteran Daryl Smith will team with Derrick Johnson as Savannah tries to get on a roll- Connor Barwin steps in for Clowney. It's not the linebacking trio the team hoped to roll out, but it's healthy, and already fighting for their playoff lives, that is more important.

The Finest deal from a position of great depth, moving one of their many capable WRs to upgrade the strongest LB unit in the league. Sophomore Brandon Mosley has seen his battery mates upgraded by Jamie Collins and now Luke Kuechly, three of 2014's top nine linebackers. While we have seen how the best laid plans can go awry, right now the only team that can claim to even approach such pedigree is Saskatoon, with Lavonte David, D'Qwell Jackson, and Julius Peppers all in last year's top fourteen.