Tag: trade down

With ’19 to 21′ first round grades, could Colts look to trade down in NFL draft?

With 19 to 21 first round grades in the upcoming NFL draft, could the Colts look to trade down from the 15th overall pick?

The Colts very well could end up being a prime candidate to trade down during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

When GM Chris Ballard was speaking with reporters on Friday as part of his pre-draft press conference, he was asked how many first-round grades the Colts had on prospects. Ballard mentioned that there were “19 to 21,” which in many draft classes can be considered a high number.

Recently, Matt Miller of ESPN pointed out that 15 prospects with first-round grades is a typical number.

So the fact that the Colts could be picking with four to six players still on the board that they deem first round caliber, could be a big factor in whether or not they trade down, with of course, there being other variables in play, such as which positions those remaining prospects play.

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But also contributing to the liklihood that we could see the Colts move down is that in Ballard’s tenure as GM, when making moves around the draft board, he has been much more willing to trade down to acculumate additional draft capital.

With only seven picks in this year’s draft – only four teams have fewer – it’s not as if the Colts are swimming in draft capital either, and currently rank 21st in total draft capital value.

“I just go off history,” said Ballard about trading down. “The more picks you have the better chance you have to hit. Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you a better chance to hit.”

Two of the biggest positional needs that the Colts have to tackle in this draft -and preferably early on – are cornerback and wide receiver, which also happen to be two of the deeper position groups in this year’s class.

At pick 15, we already know the Colts won’t land one of the top three wide receivers and it’s possible that both Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell are off the board. This is a realistic scenario that could lead to the Colts trading down, with the depth of the draft at these positions still allowing them to address either position, with players like Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Brian Thomas Jr., Adonai Mitchell, or Xavier Worthy.

I recently ran through five different trade down scenarios for the Colts, trying to get an idea of what they could accumulate using the trade value chart. Beginning with pick 18 from Cincinnati, the Colts could potentially add a top-100 pick to what they already have.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently went through all 32 NFL teams, deciding whether they should trade up, stay put, or trade down. For what it’s worth, he thought the Colts best course of action in the first round was to trade down.

What Packers should do in first round of 2023 draft: Top 4 options

Highlighting the top four options for the Packers in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers are going into the first round of the 2023 NFL draft with the No. 13 overall pick and many different available options for how to use it.

Who knows how the first 12 picks will pan out, and who will be available. But in assessing the draft class and the likely options, some paths look better and far more likely than others.

What should the Packers do in the first round on Thursday night? Here are the top four options:

Packers interested in trading down before targeting tight end in first round?

Trading down from No. 13 in the first round could pave the way for the Packers to select a tight end on Thursday night.

The Green Bay Packers might see trading down in the first round as the solution to the problem of taking a tight end so early in the 2023 NFL draft.

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Packers are a team that “would consider moving back” during Thursday night’s first round, with the thinking that a tight end such as Michael Mayer of Notre Dame or Dalton Kincaid of Utah would be the target after trading down from No. 13 overall.

“I’ve heard Green Bay linked to both of the top tight ends in the class – Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid – and 13 would probably be a tad high for either of them,” Breer wrote.

Breer also mentioned the Philadelphia Eagles – who hold the No. 10 pick – as another team interested in trading down.

In most cases, especially in the middle of the first round, trading down can make good sense. Teams only have a certain amount of players with blue-chip or first-round grades, and the best players at premium positions usually fly off the board early. Moving back creates extra draft capital. But a team trading down needs to find a team willing to trade up, and that can be the challenge.

Is there a team willing to aggressively move up to No. 13? It’s possible a team picking in the late teens or 20s would be interested in moving up for a quarterback, cornerback or edge rusher in this draft class.

The Packers, with holes to address all over the roster, could use an extra pick or two gained in a trade down to add players around first-year starter Jordan Love.

But the Packers also have a desperate need at tight end, where only Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis return from last year’s 53-man roster.

Taking a tight end in the top 15 picks would be risky. It’s a non-premium position where only the very few elite players make a legitimate difference. Trading back, gaining extra capital in later rounds and selecting a tight end deeper into the first round is probably the smart play if the Packers are dead set on getting one of the top tight ends in the class.

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Potential trade down scenarios for Packers in first round of 2023 draft

Envisioning a few trade-down scenarios for the Packers in the first round of the 2023 draft.

The Green Bay Packers currently hold the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft, but it’s possible an opportunity to trade down and acquire more draft capital will arrive at some point on the first night of the draft.

A trade back works for the Packers, who are starting the Jordan Love era and have multiple short and long-term roster needs to address in this draft.

Here are a few trade-back scenarios for the Packers in the first round of the 2023 draft, using the Rich Hill trade value chart as a guide.

Green Bay Packers select OLB Kingsley Enagbare at No. 179 overall in 2022 NFL draft

The Packers traded down and selected South Carolina edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare at No. 179 overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

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The Green Bay Packers selected South Carolina edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare with the 179th pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

The Packers traded down from No. 171, adding a seventh-round pick (No. 234) from the Denver Broncos for moving eight spots down.

Enagbare played in 44 games (21 starts) over four seasons at South Carolina. He produced 24 tackles for loss, 15.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and four pass breakups.

The Packers needed more depth at edge rusher after losing Za’Darius Smith. Enagbare brings terrific length and power to the position, possibly serving as an ideal replacement for Smith at this point in the draft.

Enagbare weighed in at 258 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.87 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He posted poor agility times also. His Relative Athletic Score was 6.26 out of 10.0.

Enagbare will compete with the likes of Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, Randy Ramsey and LaDarius Hamilton at outside linebacker behind starters Rashan Gary and Preston Smith.

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SKOL Search: Ideal scenarios at pick No. 12

The Vikings have plenty of options, and not all of them are at cornerback.

The NFL Draft is only two weeks away with the options for the Minnesota Vikings being both plentiful and unknown.

Most experts have them selecting a cornerback in round one for good reason. They don’t have a lot of talent in the room and seemingly zero plans after this year. Only Cameron Dantzler is signed for 2023, and he is a free agent after that season. The one element that I find most intriguing is that this defense does not need great corners to truly thrive but rather just really good ones.

Does that mean that you shouldn’t take one early? Not necessarily.

In a scheme Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is projected to run, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II thrived and proved to be worth the selection with the No. 9 pick of the 2021 NFL draft. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner could be taken in the same vein.

In my opinion, if he is off the board (which is incredibly likely), there isn’t a cornerback I would be comfortable with at No. 12. Derek Stingley Jr. has way too many questions, while the group of Trent McDuffie, Kaiir Elam and Andrew Booth Jr. are ones I would be happy with in a trade back.

There are four scenarios I believe are ideal for the Vikings come April 28th with the 12th overall selection.

Lions GM Brad Holmes: ‘We’ve had dialogue with a couple of teams’ about trading back from No. 2 overall

Holmes is actively working the trade talks a month before the 2022 NFL draft

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For a relatively new general manager, Lions GM Brad Holmes has quickly learned how to play the NFL draft smoke game. Holmes, now in his second draft season, revealed that he has discussed trade possibilities involving the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

“We’ve had dialogue with a couple of teams,” Holmes told reporters on Tuesday in Florida. “I wouldn’t say it’s been a lot, but it has been a couple teams we’ve had some dialogue with.”

It’s smart of Holmes to put that out there — whether it’s factual or not. Stoking any possible trade fires is good business for the Lions, who might not be in love with any of the options at No. 2 any more than they are at, say, No. 5 or No. 10. Extracting maximum value for the pick is Holmes’ job, and he understands that it’s a marketable commodity.

He’s even let it be known the Lions are willing to deal without even knowing who the Jaguars select with the No. 1 pick.

“Definitely we could pull that trade off, if the other team is willing, before the draft,” Holmes added.

It might not amount to anything. Most preliminary draft deal discussions never advance beyond the kindling stages. However, trying to ignite interest in the pick is part of what Holmes needs to do. With no clear-cut choice at No. 2, there’s almost certainly some validity to Detroit’s willingness to part with the premium spot for more irons in the draft fire a little later on.

Give Holmes credit: he’s been consistent in his approach. Here’s what he said about the idea of trading out of No. 2 at the Senior Bowl in Mobile in February,

“I’m always open for whatever. We’re still in the early stages of it, we’ve got a good feel of the class, we’re at a much better place at this stage of the process than last year. But, still, we’ve got a lot more work to do. But, I’m never scared to move around, so we’re definitely open for business, always.”

Whether another team finds Holmes’ smoke intoxicating enough is largely out of the Lions’ control, but at least they’re making every effort to keep the fire burning bright.

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One reason Chiefs should be cautious about trading down in 2021 NFL draft

A new article suggests the 2021 NFL draft might be one of the thinnest drafts in recent history.

The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of needs heading into the 2021 NFL draft.

They have the big glaring needs like the hole at the left tackle spot vacated by Eric Fisher. They could use another wide receiver to replace Sammy Watkins and an edge rusher to replace Alex Okafor and Tanoh Kpassagnon. Then there are the spots where they could use upgrades like at the linebacker position. They could look ahead to the future and draft players in the secondary.

How can the Chiefs possibly address all of these needs in the 2021 NFL draft? One of the most common responses by fans has been to suggest trading down, on some occasions even multiple times, to acquire more and more draft capital. The idea is that if you throw more darts and you’ll hit more bullseyes. Well, as it turns out, that might not be the best way to address the issue this year.

In a new article by Defector’s Kalyn Kahler, some interesting numbers reveal that the 2021 NFL draft class is small, perhaps historically so. Kahler measured the number of standard representation agreements (SRA’s) signed by draft prospects this year against those signed in years past. Those are the documents draft prospects sign that shows they’re represented by an NFL agent.

“By mid-April of 2019, 1,972 players had signed an SRA. By mid-April of 2020, 1,839 players had signed,” Kahler wrote. “This year, as of April 7, that number was only 657.”

Only 259 players are set to be drafted this year, but the pool of players to choose from is basically a third of what it was in each of the last two seasons. Why is this class so tiny in comparison, though? COVID-19 is to blame in some ways. The NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility has a lot of players returning to school after opt-outs, cancellations and more.

Now, there are a few different ways to look at this news. One way is to say that with fewer players in the draft pool, there will be fewer talented players. That’s why the Chiefs might be cautious about trading down unless they acquire a Top-150 draft pick. If they’re acquiring picks in the fifth round or later, they could have a tough time finding talent that they normally would. You might end up drafting a player that during another year, you would have simply signed as a priority free agent after the draft.

Another way to look at it, with fewer players in the pool this year, scouts won’t be spread so thin and can really hone in on the best players in the class. That could allow teams to feel a bit more confident in their player evaluations. It could also allow them to overthink things a bit on certain players.

Another thing to consider with this information is how it’ll impact undrafted free agency. Kansas City has historically done a good job finding contributors after the draft is over. Last year they grabbed DT Tershawn Wharton, who played in all 16 games. The Chiefs just might not have the same type of luck finding those players this year.

It’s all food for thought as the clock ticks with less than two weeks to go until draft time.

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2021 Falcons Mock Draft: Atlanta trades back for play-making TE

When going over a new mock draft scenario every week, new and interesting situations come up.

When going over a new mock draft scenario every week, new and interesting situations come up. Today, we explore what it could look like if the Falcons were to trade down and select arguably the best receiving prospect available in the draft in Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.

As always, this was done with the help of The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine with premium features.

Cowboys News: Who would trade up for Cowboys pick, Jerry hearts Dez

Jerry Jones praised former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant on Tuesday. With no team over four wins, the Cowboys can still win the NFC East.

Dez Bryant had a stellar career during his eight years with the Dallas Cowboys and formed a great bond with team owner Jerry Jones. The boss of America’s Team spoke highly of his former receiver on Tuesday ahead of the Cowboys matchup with Bryant’s new team, the Baltimore Ravens next week. The Cowboys suffered a humiliating loss on Thanksgiving, but with no NFC East team over four wins, the division is still winnable.

The Cowboys experience tragedy last week when strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul passed away, and their grieving process is only in its infant stage. Zack Martin and Cam Erving will both miss multiple weeks with injuries, which has forced Joe Looney to be the centerpiece of the offensive line. The coaching staff’s biggest issue, what’s caused Washington to run wild on the Cowboys defense, and a list of teams that could trade up with the Cowboys for a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, and more are covered in this edition of the news notes.