Trade Dispute: Willie Parker for Matt Ryan

Q:   The trade: Team 1:  Matt Ryan;  Team 2:  Willie Parker

Team 2 has “personal reasons” for wanting Matt Ryan.  We have 1 starting QB in our 12-team league.  Team 2 does not currently have a backup QB, though guys such as Jeff Garcia and Trent Edwards are currently free agents.  Team 2’s other RBs are Frank Gore, Lendale White, and Rudi Johnson.  Team 1 has Tomlinson but not much else at RB.  Parker was the 13th overall selection, while Ryan went 144th.

As you can imagine, the trade was immediately vetoed.  But several owners are in favor of letting it go through, so long as the two owners entered into it honestly, which they apparently did.  Should the trade go through?

P.S.  It may be changed to Lendale White.  Should that trade go through either?

 A:  Hi Jordan.  While this trade may have been made ‘honestly’, the owners in your league still have a responsibility to manage their teams in a logical fashion.   Otherwise, they will throw off the balance of the league.   The veto should stand.   If you begin to allow uneven trades in your league for ‘personal reasons’, you’ll never be able to argue collusion on an equally unfair trade down the road that may have more dishonest intentions.

Of course, your league owners should absolutely be allowed to let personal biases influence their roster.   But that needs to be taken care of in the draft, where all other owners can benefit equally from, say, picking Matt Ryan at 20th overall.

Parker could still be a top 10 back, especially if Mendenhall refuses to hold on to the football, while Ryan could easily be replaced by a waiver wire QBs.

There are a lot of concerns about White this season but he’s going on average 60th overall on ESPN drafts, while Ryan isn’t even listed in the top 200 (Parker is 20th by the way).  That trade isn’t fair either.

Hope this helps.  Enjoy opening day!