With the inability to trade players before the NFL draft, many franchises are scrambling to fill roster positions with adequate personnel. Some are trying to accumulate more picks while others will try to address the need with the very best players available in the draft. With no agreement on the next CBA, the 2011 NFL draft could be one of the most unpredictable in history.
I get the feeling that we may see some movement in the first round, despite many of the experts saying there isn’t enough value in the draft to warrant teams giving up picks to move up a few spots. I disagree. Value is added to certain players just because of the position they play and the inability of teams to address certain needs before the draft. I think fans should hold on tight.
I believe there will be at least two, maybe more, trades during the first round.
I believe there will be at least two, maybe more, trades during the first round. Some teams will want to move up, and plenty of teams will be looking to move back. Here is a look at five possible moves that could be made in the first round and why.
1. The Rams (14th overall) trade up to the Cowboys spot (9th overall).
Dallas has made it pretty clear that they are willing to move back in the draft. It’s possible they could still land Prince Amukamara with the 14th pick, or Tyron Smith, a tackle prospect they are now known to covet. Even if both players are off the board, the Cowboys could still land Cameron Jordan who is a perfect fit for their 3-4 defensive scheme.
As for the Rams, it is no secret that the Rams desperately want an elite receiver to help their young quarterback, Sam Bradford. If A.J. Green doesn’t come off the board until the Browns pick (6th overall), then the Rams will have a chance to move up to the 9th overall pick and get Julio Jones before the Redskins get a shot with the 10th pick. It will be interesting to see if the Rams are willing to part with an additional pick in the middle of the draft to move up to get a guy they covet.
2. The Chiefs (21st overall) trade up to the Redskins spot (10th overall).
Scott Pioli is no doubt looking for a nose tackle. If Nick Fairley falls out of the top seven or eight picks as some are now predicting, the Chiefs may move up to this pick and grab him. The effort concerns are well-documented, but so is his talent. The Chiefs do have six picks in the first five rounds, so they should have enough firepower to move up to the 10th spot, especially since the Redskins have all but put the 10th pick on the open market.
The Redskins are wanting to move back, and it’s pretty obvious as to why. The Redskins don’t have a pick in either the 3rd or 4th round. Shanahan would love to change that by trading back. Washington’s two biggest needs are quarterback and wide receiver, but the Redskins will probably feel that no player at those two positions represents appropriate value for a top 10 pick. If the Redskins trade back to 21, they might be able to land any quarterback they would be targeting at pick 10 and then a receiver such as Leonard Hankerson of Miami or a quality regional pick like Torrey Smith out of Maryland.
3. The Eagles (24th overall) trade up to the Vikings spot (12th overall).
Philadelphia has a lot of room to maneuver. The Eagles have 10 picks in the 2011 draft, so they have a ton of ammunition. The Eagles have some serious needs, perhaps none more obvious than corner. The Eagles were burnt time and time again, and it’s an area they must address this offseason. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Eagles moved up to the Vikings spot if Prince Amukamara is still on the board. With so many picks to trade, the Eagles could trade up to 12, and theoretically trade back into the first round to get an interior offensive lineman or a linebacker.
The Vikings would probably love to trade back. The Vikings understand they will have to draft a quarterback at some point in the first couple of rounds, but with Gabbert and Newton likely off the board, Minnesota may feel that no quarterback represents the type of value that should come with a top 15 pick. If the Vikings could move back while accumulating more draft picks (they already have nine), they could get a Jake Locker or Ryan Mallett. They are also a team with enough picks at their disposal to trade back into the first round. The Vikings have a ton of needs, so if they could move back to accumulate more picks while still getting the quarterback they desire, then they would win in all directions. They can’t trade down past pick 25 where the Seahawks currently sit, however. If Locker or Mallett is still on the board, Seattle may gobble one of them up.
4. The Ravens (26th overall) trade up to the Dolphins spot (15th overall).
The Ravens are another team that has a multitude of picks (9 in all) going into the NFL draft. Ozzie Newsome is not afraid to wheel and deal on draft day either. He has moved up, and he’s moved back in the past. He’s a pretty unpredictable cat. He will move up if there is a player they like on their board that happens to be dropping. There could be several players that fit that bill by pick 15. Prince Amukamara, Nick Fairley, and possibly Tyron Smith are players that the Ravens would move up to pick 15 if they were still on the board. All three players hit an area of need for the Ravens.
The Dolphins have already stated they would like to trade back if there was interest. The Dolphins have a lot of interest in Ryan Mallett, and I think it’s become clear that the flashy, star-studded ownership of the Dolphins wants to make an offensive splash. They may not like Mallett’s value at pick 15, and if they feel they can trade back late in the first and still land their quarterback, they may do just that.
5. Tennessee Titans (39th overall) trade back into round one up to the Patriots spot in round one (28th overall).
If Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton are both drafted before the Tennessee Titans draft with their 8th overall pick, there is a very good chance that the Titans do not draft a quarterback in the first round. The Titans must draft one with their second pick, as Rusty Smith is the only quarterback on the roster. The Titans have some leverage with five picks in the first four rounds. There is almost no chance that Locker or Mallett reach the 39th overall pick. I don’t think that the Titans would feel comfortable drafting Colin Kaepernick or Christian Ponder as the future signal caller for the Titans. They will need to jump back into the first round before teams like the Bills, Bengals, 49ers, and Cardinals get a second chance at landing one of the quarterbacks the Titans like.
New England moving back is almost a certainty, isn’t it? Belichick loves to move back in the draft, and trading the 17th overall pick isn’t out of the question. However, I feel that if Akeem Ayers or Cam Heyward is on the board with their first pick in the first round, they will go ahead and draft their man. The 28th pick should have lots of bidders, especially if a Mallett or Locker is still floating around. The first fifteen picks in both the first and second round are loaded with teams that are looking to draft a quarterback. If New England really wants to move this pick, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
