As I was walking in to work this morning, I was stunned to read a tweet from Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton. Apparently, Ted Thompson has been wheeling and dealing this weekend, and not just with Aaron Rodgers:
I would like to thank the Cowboys for this opportunity. Never thought I would get traded this early in my career but I am excited for this!!
— josh sitton (@jsitton71) April 1, 2013
Then, about a half hour later, fellow starting guard T.J. Lang confirmed the news with this tweet:
Not too sure how to feel today.. Heading down to Dallas with @jsitton71 this season to start a new chapter.. Still can't believe it.
— TJ Lang (@TJLang70) April 1, 2013
Holy crap. I sure hope that Ted got a nice haul of draft picks in this trade, because offensive guard suddenly became the biggest need on the team. This is reminiscent of the departure of Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera before the 2005 off-season, when the Packers replaced those two veterans in the same season. This may open up an opportunity for Derek Sherrod at left guard and Don Barclay on the right side, and in that case tackle would also become a need.
We'll have more on this developing story as details come out, but April 1, 2013 may go down as the day that the Packers got rid of their best offensive lineman and two of their most entertaining characters.
UPDATE: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO, TED, WHY?!
@tjlang70 hopefully that 7th rounder they got for both of us will be worth it for the Packers!
— josh sitton (@jsitton71) April 1, 2013
As you have no doubt realized, this was a ridiculous April Fool's joke played by Sitton and Lang, and we were more than happy to pick up on it and have a little fun along with them. Ted Thompson has not traded the Packers' two starting guards to a rival for a 7th-round draft pick, as far as we know.