Back when he was the Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jimmy Johnson created a revolutionary trade value chart for every draft pick. It assigned a specific point value to every pick in every round in an attempt to make sure a trade was fairly equitable for his team.
The point values have changed over time with the changes to the CBA more historical data on the expected outcome of draft slots. But Johnson’s basic chart remains a fixture for NFL teams and the media alike.
[lawrence-related id=36771]
These values are more of a guideline than a hard rule. If a team really wants to make a deal for a specific player, they might look past not earning the matching amount of return compensation.
As an example, let’s say the Los Angeles Chargers want to trade up with the Lions for the No. 3 pick. The Chargers have the No. 6 pick, which is valued at 1600. Their second-round pick is valued at 530, which totals shy of the 2200 value the Lions’ pick has with the third pick. Los Angeles’ 4th round pick spans the gap at 70 points.
