Those people appear to be right.
On Sunday morning, the Patriots finalized a deal that will send the defensive lineman to Oakland in exchange for a 2011 first-round draft pick.
The eight-year veteran has been a part of each of the Patriots' Super Bowl teams. Throughout his career, he has played in 111 games, registering 227 tackles, six recovered fumbles, two interceptions and one touchdown. Last season, he played in 15 games for New England and racked up 34 tackles.
"From nearly the day he arrived in 2001, Richard Seymour established himself as one of our premier players for nearly a decade," head coach Bill Belichick said in a statement. "His presence has been felt as a force on the field, a respected man off it and a multi-year champion.
"Any transaction we make is with the goal of what is best for our team and, as difficult as it is to part ways with a player of Richard's stature, many factors were taken into account when we considered this trade. As an organization, we feel the trade with Oakland brings sufficient value and is in the long-term interest of the club. We are extremely grateful for the huge impact Richard's elite level of performance had on our success and we wish him the very best during the rest of his career."
New England acquired Seymour with the sixth overall pick in the 2001 draft.
