Bill Belichick sent shock waves throughout New England on Sunday morning when he announced a trade that sent five-time Pro Bowler Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for first round draft pick in 2011.

“From nearly the day he arrived in 2001, Richard Seymour established himself as one of our premier players for nearly a decade,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “His presence has been felt as a force on the field, a respected man off it and a multiyear champion.”

When the trade become public, many Patriots fans were left wondering, why? But Belichick promises he has a plan.

“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,” Belichick said.

It’s nearly impossible to predict why Belichick decided to get rid of one of his best players, but it would be hard for us to second guess one of the greatest coaches to ever live. It’s possible Seymour wasn’t acting like a team player during practice, or they may just want to clear up some cap space so they have room to give defensive tackle Vince Wilfork a long-term deal.