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We've recently discussed some of the potential trade values of some of our players, particularly Matt Schaub and Peerless Price. But I don't think either player's trade value is really as high as some here want to believe, particularly Schaub.

I believe Schaub is very far down on many team's wishlists right now in terms of acquiring young talent at the QB position. In a few years, he could begin to move up, but it's doubtful any team really has him above other young QBs like David Garrard, Josh McCown, Billy Volek, Mike McMahon who all have starting experience in this league and all offer the physical gifts that teams prefer in starting QBs (arm strength and/or mobility). Not to mention other young QBs that haven't proven much, but most believe too are better suited for the NFL game such as Philip Rivers, Chris Simms and Drew Henson. And if a team was really hurting for a veteran QB, whouldn't they turn to a guy like JOn Kitna, Todd Bouman, Brad Johnson, Anthony Wright, Vinny Testaverde, or Jeff Blake before they called the Falcons about Schaub?

As for Price, he does offer some trade value, but at this point, he is considered damaged goods by the rest of the league, so the Falcons would probably be lucky to get a single 4th round pick for him, and that's from a team that desperately needs some veteran speed at the WR position. Although his off-season trade value may go up over the next few months, right now Price's trade value is probably the lowest it ever will be.

Really, the only players that I consider to have good trade value on this roster is T.J. Duckett and maybe Brian Finneran. A team like Jacksonville could probably give up a #3 or #4 for Duckett. Finneran has value because he's a steady veteran that can contribute on special teams. Probably a #5 or #6 could be worthy of him. The other players that I really seeing having trade value that the Falcons could viably offer to other teams are possibly some of hte backups we have at DT (particuarly Antwan Lake) and safety (Coady, Heard, Pruitt), all of whom may be worth conditional 7th round picks (meaning the Falcons would get nothing if they didn't make the roster of the team they were traded to). Or maybe the loser of the Ike/Demo battle would have good trade value, like a #5 or so to another team, particuarly Williams having a bit higher value due to upside.

But trading players this season doesn't seem like really a strong option for the Falcons. Maybe the team might be able to pull some off-season trades, but although trades offering some interest possibilities, I think they are even bigger long shots this summer than they have been in the past.

Excellent thoughts on trade value of some of our players. I don't entirely agree that Finneran has any trade value at all. Typically a team could probably find a similar veteran vai free agency even at the midway point of the regular season. I also think it is stretch that any of our backup safeties or defensive tackles have any trade value. Perhaps a contidional 7th or 6th round pick but nothing more.

I do agree that our strongest trade candidates are T.J. Duckett and Peerless Price. Price would be hard to move simply because of the cancerous mass known as his contract. Few teams would be willing to take on his salary. One could even add Warrick Dunn to possible trade now that his contract has been re-configured to a degree. Beyond these players We could likely move Shaffer or Weiner for a pick somewhere between the 4th and 2nd round if need be.

I would hate to make any trades beyond that of Peerless Price, however, Price seems to have embraced his demotion and is performing well thus far.

When talking about Finneran I always have something to say. I think Dirty is right in that Finn has very little value to other clubs. He was a favorite of Reeves and like Jimmy Farris and Cole Magner works his tail of on special teams, but unlike them is tall. What he brings to the Falcons is his real worth, that being his willingness and size in the upfield blocking for Vick and his ability to not give up on plays as Vick will often find him (and looks for him) when a play breaks down. Vick and Finn have grown together in four years and I think that is his worth. Also, other teams (and Falcon fans) will get on Finn for his drops of balls a fifth grader could catch, but for evey wide open touchdown pass at Green Bay that he has missed, he has given us many, MANY much needed first downs on catches when he was getting his head taken off. The guy is a great fit for us right now, but I don't think he has trade value on the open market.

Me thinks we should give Finn a new nickname: Clutchy Butterfingers

I agree complete with MF on his Finneran comments and couldn't have put it better myself. Finneran has a nitch here in Atlanta that few other teams really need.

I love that! Clutchy Butterfingers it is Dirty. I knew someone out there must agree with me, I can't always be the crazy one...

I completely agree... Finneran has always been clutch when we needed a first down on 3rd and 18 but for some reason he can't grab that clutch TD pass or a 1st and 10.

Finneran is an asset for our team for so many other reasons other than his play. I think Clutcy Butterfingers is a appropriate name. He does drop the easiest passes and then snags the impossible ones. He is a locker room favorite though. He's the only WR on out team that has any real chemistry with Vick. I think we'll manage to keep him around for a while. His work on ST and the fact that all the players love him should assure that. I agree that our only realistic trade bait option is Price/Duckett but I don't see us trading either on of them. Were probably just gonna cut Price at the end of the season unless he surprises everyone and earns his money. As far as TJ goes I don't think there are many teams willing to go after him. We all saw how little value RB's had with the Travis Henry/Alexander/James saga over the off season. If they can't fetch a pick then I doubt we'd get anything higher than a 5th for TJ. Shaub has potential but he has to do something in the regular season first. Once he plays in a "real" game and does well then we can talk about him having trade value, until then he doesn't have a whole lot. Like a previous post said there are a lot of other back-ups that are better than him. Voleck is the first one to come to mind, with Garrard runnig a close second.

The biggest difference between Volek/Garrard and Schuab is one thing: age.

Volek: 29
Garrard: 27
Schuab: 24

I really like David Garrard. IMO he's probably the QB that most closely resembles Michael Vick and in an offense geared similarly he could be a really valuable starting QB. But like Vick, there aren't going to be too many 250-yard and 3 TD passing games. So he has to play on a run-first team. But if I was a team like Chicago, I would definitely take him over Schaub. Age is a factor, but if I'm the Bears I might not be looking for anybody right now. It's hard to fathom, but right now they are in a good position to get the #1 overall pick next year, and can get Matt Leinart. Investing a draft pick already in another QB like Schaub, may hurt them more in the long run.

As for Finneran, I've always been a fan of his, dating from his days in NFL Europe where he and Lawrence Phillips were the best RB-WR combo for the Barcelona Dragons one spring (oddly I don't think they won the World Bowl that year). But I also don't pretend to believe FInneran is a top receiver. He's a quality #3 guy, but he's not a consistent starter which seems to be the problem that plagues all our receivers.

I agree that Finn is quite valuable from the good nickname you came up with. But I wonder if the team is grooming Magner to take his place. All I've seen of him and all the talk about him makes him seem like a smaller version of Finneran (only be 3 inches). Finneran's contract runs out in the near future, and I wonder if the team is thinking about extending him, or hoping that Magner can fill his niche.

I have always been a closet Finneran fan . Heck he's been one of our most consistent receivers for the last few years. But he is 32 I believe and not too far away from 33. He doesn't have the wear most NFL receivers have but something tells me if he doesn't take the veteran minimum he won't be a Falcon any more.

Some food for thought:

Finneran's best year as a Falcon: 868 Yards Receiving, 6 Touchdowns (the only year as our #1 receiver and he wasn't bad)

Price's best year as a Falcon: 838 Yards Receiving, 3 Touchdowns[/quote]