I was just thinking last night that the Patriots had been pretty quiet this offseason. Belichick is always willing to take a chance on a player at the right price. We’ve seen it with Randy Moss and Corey Dillon, and we saw them surprise with the selection of Ryan Mallett when he slipped out of the top two rounds with character concerns. The price for a star defensive lineman with a poor attitude of a 5th round pick and reasonable base salary for the next two years was enough to offset the risk.

For Washington, the Haynesworth era was a complete disaster. I mean, when you’re with a team for two years and have a Top Ten Worst Moments list (they are all legitimately funny), you were doing some work. Actually, “doing some work” isn’t the right collection of words for what that blob did in Washington. At least Redskins fans shouldn’t complain about the team never having draft picks anymore, as the philosophy now has shifted to signing bad contracts and then flipping them at the nadir of their value for future late picks. However, it had to be done – not doing this trade would have just been avoiding sunk costs, and they did save a cap hit.

In New England, Haynesworth will be going to the type of defense that he professed to hate, the 3-4, though when he actually tried in Washington on those rare occasions, he did fine. The Patriots will use him in four man fronts in passing situations, and they play with the lead enough that he should get opportunities in both. Still, he’s going to have to toe the 3-4 line in New England.

I suspect that New England gets one good year out of Albert, but the guy just seems like an odd dude and I’m not sure he can avoid being a problem for more than that. I am guessing he won’t just be laying around for long in New England.

Previously: Albert Haynesworth Doesn’t “Even Like Black Girls”
Previously: Here’s a photo of Albert Haynesworth at Hooters

[photo via Getty]