Too early for trades??

The 2006 NFL season has yet to start, and already I have had two trade offers.

The first trade offer was a large-scale, deal-breaking, convoluted trade offer (involving 6 total players ) that I automatically rejected. I have learned the hard way that these trades usually don't bode well for me and my teams, especially early-on. Generally, trades involving more than 4 total players are not win-win situations.

The second trade offer was simple: I would get Mushin Muhammed and the other owner would get Donte Stallworth. Tempting, really, but I have a gut feeling Stallworth will do well in Philly. I'm hanging onto him for now.



However, it wasn't really the players involved that bothered me or the number of players. I think making trades before the season starts is, about 95% of the time, really stupid. I can only think of 2 exceptions to this rule:

1. You drafted a player who subsequently gets injured in a pre-season game and will be out for at least 4 regular-season weeks. You want to pawn him off on someone else who thinks he has potential later down the line.

2. Your league employs an auto-draft, and you ended up with a mix of players that is insane (3 kickers, 4 QB's, etc).

In my case, neither of the above applied. All players involved are very healthy, and our league had a live draft. One of the trade requests was submitted roughly a week after the draft. I politely rejected it, but wanted to scream "If you didn't want that player, then why the hell did you draft him?"

Making a trade request during the preseason indicates a lack of draft-day preparedness in my opinion. If in week 3 or 4, you need a player I have and Muhammed is the best you have to offer, then we can talk.

Agree or disagree? Let me know.