The trade deadline for ESPN standard leagues is later this month, the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, and while that might seem to be a long ways away, it's really not. (I fully understand there are leagues in which the deadline might be sooner or there might not be one at all.) Regardless, there does come a time for those in keeper leagues to start wondering whether their 2-6 team just won't be making a playoff run and they should start looking at 2010.
I received a few e-mails from friends Friday in which exactly that topic was broached. I stress never giving up, even when all is hopeless, because one should never negatively affect others in the race. However, I certainly have been in situations -- deny it if you want, but it happens to the best of us -- in which I knew a team flat-out stunk. You can feel it. When others start making offers to pick your carcass clean, deals that you know will make a difference in 2010, you have to consider them. Today, I advised one owner and his 3-5 team to absolutely keep Chris Johnson, not move him to patch holes at quarterback and tight end, even if it costs him points. What he had at quarterback, plus picking a free-agent tight end, would be the smarter move. Another guy ended up trading Tom Brady for Brett Favre, Knowshon Moreno and draft picks. It doesn't really kill you for this season, and you'll remember the trade fondly in August.
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Eric Karabell
