Though it’s easy to criticize the Lions (and fun, too) whenever something involving the team goes wrong, it’s only fair to point out that, as it relates to the failed trade for former Bills (and now Redskins) guard Derrick Dockery, the Lions didn’t screw it up.
Our buddy Howard Balzer of The Sports Xchange explained the situation to us.
To facilitate the trade, Dockery was going to delay by five days a $4.5 million roster bonus due on February 27, the first day of the 2009 league year. But the Bills failed to get the paperwork regarding the roster bonus — not regarding the trade — submitted by 4:00 p.m. EST on February 26.
As we pointed out earlier, the trade couldn’t have occurred until the next day at the earliest.
If the roster bonus had been delayed by five days, then the two sides would have had ample time to get the trade accomplished.
So, in this case, the Lions didn’t screw the thing up. For a change.