Bethel Johnson Traded!!

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Bethel Johnson Traded

From Michael Felger

Pats trade Bethel Johnson
By Michael Felger
Boston Herald Patriots Beat Columnist

Monday, June 5, 2006 - Updated: 03:07 PM EST

The Patriots today traded disappointing fourth-year receiver Bethel Johnson to the New Orleans Saints for veteran defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan, the No. 6 overall pick in 2003, according to sources.

Like Johnson, the Pats’ second-round pick in 2003, Sullivan came into the league with big expectations but never panned out for the Saints. Last year he had 34 tackles and one sack in 14 games. He has just 1.5 sacks for his career. The Saints moved up to select Sullivan (6-foot-3, 315 pounds) in 2003, giving up their two first-rounders to move to the sixth spot.

Johnson lived up to his promise as one of the fastest players Bill Belichick has ever coached, but durability and toughness issues dogged him.

He had just four catches in 11 games last season.
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Holy Shit.

I'm sorry, I got nothing else right now.



EDIT...

Here a Sullivan's contract numbers. He is signed through 2009:

2003 849000.00
2004 394583.00
2005 476833.00
2006 689083.00
2007 901333.00
2008 1243583.00
2009 1455829.00


What does this mean? 4-3? Warren? Wilfork?
 
Undertaker #59 said:
Holy Shit.

I'm sorry, I got nothing else right now.



EDIT...

Here a Sullivan's contract numbers. He is signed through 2009:

2003 849000.00
2004 394583.00
2005 476833.00
2006 689083.00
2007 901333.00
2008 1243583.00
2009 1455829.00


What does this mean? 4-3? Warren? Wilfork?
Click to expand...

OMFG!! Man I didn't see this one coming. :eek: I knew that they were trying to trade him, but I didn't think that they would get anything for him.
 
The most recent news on Sullivan via KFFL:

http://www.kffl.com/player/5943/NFL
Saints | J. Sullivan on watch again
Sun, 4 Jun 2006 08:59:56 -0700

Mike Triplett, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports New Orleans Saints DT Johnathan Sullivan's progress is a big topic around Saints camp every year, but this is probably the most critical offseason yet for Sullivan, a former first-round draft pick. With a new coaching staff that has already replaced several veterans, Sullivan will have to earn his place based on merit. Sullivan seems optimistic about his chances, saying he reported at 328 pounds to this weekend's minicamp, compared to 350 or 355 in years past, and that coaches have told him to be below 318 by training camp. He showed some fatigue during the first set of two-a-day practices in the summer heat Friday, June 2, and head coach Sean Payton didn't seem pleased with it, but the jury is still out. "It's not a big topic for me," Payton said. "I mean, I expect from him like I would anyone else, the same expectation level we have for anyone on this team. When it becomes a big topic, then it's a problem, probably."

----------------------------------------------

Seems like a guy that may be suffering from a lack of motivation.....sound familiar?
 
Official

http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=19431&pcid=41

One of the oldest clichés regarding underachieving players involves a change of scenery. With that in mind, the Patriots and the New Orleans Saints decided to exchange one disappointment for another Monday afternoon when wide receiver Bethel Johnson was shipped to the Saints for defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan.

The trade is pending league approval, which could happen as early Tuesday. According to Patriots executive director of media relations Stacey James, an official press release will be issued once the deal is approved.

Both players were selected in 2003 – Sullivan in the first round (sixth overall) and Johnson in the second – and neither has lived up to his billing. The Saints actually traded up to get Sullivan, who was a teammate of Richard Seymour at Georgia, but the 6-3, 328-pounder has been ineffective during his three seasons.

The Saints have been upset with his poor conditioning in the past, and during their recently completed mini-camp he struggled with the heat despite being 20 pounds lighter than previous offseasons. In 2004, he was inactive for seven of New Orleans’ final eight games despite being healthy. In 36 career games, Sullivan managed just 1.5 sacks and 77 tackles.

The seven-year deal Sullivan signed as a rookie has four years remaining – roughly $689,000 for 2006, $901,000 in 2007, $1.24 million in 2008 and $1.45 million in 2009. However, several of the trades the Patriots have made in recent seasons have involved renegotiations, which could alter some of those dollar amounts.

Johnson, the Patriots second-round pick in 2003, came into the league with worlds of talent but never put it together in New England. He burst on the scene as a dynamic kick returner as a rookie, leading the AFC with a 28.2-yard average that included a 92-yard touchdown and several other big returns.

But he never cracked the receiving rotation during his three years. His world-class speed evidently couldn’t overcome his lack of polish as a route-runner and his seeming unwillingness to adapt to the different receiver spots. He was a healthy scratch three times last year and once in 2004.

In his three seasons, Johnson had just 30 catches for 450 yards and four touchdowns, but 16 of those receptions came in his rookie season. Johnson spoke recently about his inability to establish himself in Bill Belichick’s offense.

“It probably has to be that way,” Johnson said when asked if the end of his time here could be near. “It probably had to be that way, I don’t know. I don’t know if that will be the case, but I don’t know. That’s the thing in this business, you never know.”
 
Bethel Johnson traded??!!

I feel as though my nether-region has been rent asunder.

Mo, Larry, The Cheese!

curly39et.gif
 
WOW.

I'm in the camp of "I thought we might trade him, but expected nothing but a bag of footballs and some Gatorade". Disappointment or not, I think there's probably a little more upside to Johnathan Sullivan than there is to Bethel at this point.

Playing with the Patriots, coached by Belichick, and taught defense by Belichick, perhaps Sullivan can blossom.

Hell, even if he only "blossoms" into a suitable backup, it's more than we were getting with Bethel.

And I'm not worried about the numbers; we know Pioli will rework things, because I'm sure Sullivan knows he won't be getting a free ride at Foxboro.

As Colonel Clink said, "Veeeedy intereshtink..."
 
I believe the contrat situation is fairly simple.

Pats eat any unamortized bonus left for Bethel, Saints for Sullivan.

Motivation should not be a problem for either player since there is no cap cost for the team to cut him. No Playee, no payee
 
What Saints fans are saying.

That's just a step up from a bag of soiled jock straps and 2 worn kicker balls. What an insulting trade for Sully. Oh well, he asked for it.


Finally. What a joke this guy has been.


You'd think NE would have more sense.


i knew this was the year sully would break out. too bad it'll be with the patsies.


and so begins Sullivan's All-Pro career...


 
Well, this all means that Sullivan will either get cut prior to the start of the season or he'll end up being an all-pro. Let's hope it's the latter.

Bethel, we hardly knew ye. Good luck in N.O......you'll need it.
 
Classic Saints fans responses UT...

Let's hope that he can turn his career around up here, but who the hell really knows.

Oh well, more Kool-Aid for me!
 
Dirtywater said:
Let's hope that he can turn his career around up here, but who the hell really knows.
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Who knows, but I still like the trade. The guy's been in the league for only three years. He's a 1st round pick with raw talent. A disappointing WR for a disappointing DT. If it pans out, it could be a huge steal. :) If not, nothing lost.
 
This is a shocker. I had to read the email my buddy sent me like 5 times because it just didn't make sense to me. BJ for Sullivan?

To me, this is a no-brainer.

Hell, screw the trade. I would have bought BJ's one-way ticket out of town myself.

For those that questioned using the 2nd round pick on him from the get go, I will eat some crow here. I thought the Pats might have known something. But in the end, the kid was nothing but a bust.

Even if the trade turns out to be a swap of bust pics, I will take the guy who had 34 tackles last season over the guy that had 4 catches. Like I said, absolute no brainer.
 
I wonder if Seymour had anything to do with this, being a former Sullivan teammate and all.

So we just added some depth to the DL. Did we need that? I think BJ would have been cut anyway, so it was a nothing ventured, maybe something significant gained deal for the Pats.
 
There was a TON of speculation that the Pats coveted Sullivan in that Draft. I guess they got him eventually...
 
Adding depth to the DL, I like the move. Wonder if this signals a switch to the 4-3 defense? Good news is now we won't have to wonder if Bethel is dressed this week or not.

One semi-off topic thought: who the hell returns kickoffs & punts? This is a glaring weakness that I can't seem to figure out. Does Maroney return kickoffs? Chad Jackson? Ellis Hobbs III? Does HotDogMan have to come out of retirement and go back deep?
 
Apparently the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party now occurs in Foxborough, MA.

UGA:

Patrick Pass
Richard Seymour
Ben Watson
Jonathan Sullivan

UF:

Reche Caldwell
Gus Scott
Vernell Brown
Randy Hand
Jarvis Herring
Chad Jackson
Jeremy Mincey
 
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