We seriously need to trade down.

[Kayoh]

I posted a topic a couple of weeks ago that said basically what I'm about to say, but I've done multiple searches in both NFL Draft and Free Agency and TATF, and I can't find that topic for the life of me.

The general idea is that the more picks we have, the better chance we have of having a great draft. There is really no science to picking great NFL players. Sure, you can look at production. Sure, you can look at physical skills. Then again, there is no guarantee that any player will be a great NFL player.

Drafting a first round player, in the current state of our franchise, and especially as high as the pick we have is, is just like pulling the pin to a grenade that is strapped to your chest. It's almost a guarantee to be a failure. Look at Houston. David Carr looked phenomenal coming out of college. They put the franchise on his back, and he crumbled under the pressure. We can't make that same mistake. As much as I like Jake Long and Glenn Dorsey, there is a lot better value elsewhere. Do you guys realize that if we just keep on trading down, that we could end up with around 8 second round picks? I did the math in the original topic, I'm not completely sure how it worked out, but it would end up that we can meet every single freaking need before the second day even starts. Could you imagine going into the second day, where we have 7 picks, with all of our needs met? Could you imagine taking 5 offensive linemen, 4 defensive linemen, 2 QBs, and still have every other need on our roster met? It's all possible. Difficult, but possible. We just need to keep on trading down.

Look at the possibilities. I'm going to do a mock here if we keep on trading down our first round pick.

Trade 1: to NYJ. We trade #3 to the Jets for #6, #36, and #113. 2200[us], 1600 + 540 + 68 = 2208[them]. They'd do it to get McFadden before Oakland.

Trade 2: to DEN. We trade #6 and #102 to the Broncos for #12, #42, and #183. 1692[us], 1699[them]. They'd do that because New England is a potential candidate to get Ryan Clady, but he fits Denver's scheme perfectly, and Denver has been one of the consistent teams to trade up lately.

Trade 3: to ARI. We trade #12 to the Cardinals for #16, #50, and #185. 1200[us], 1000 + 185 + 18 = 1203[them]. They'd do it because Carolina is the #1 candidate to take Jeff Otah, and if Arizona can get Otah, then can either keep him at LT, or move Levi Brown to LT and put Otah in at RT. Either way, they'd get bookends.

Total Picks:

#16

#34

#36

#37

#42

#48

#50

#68

#98

#113

#138

#172

#183

#185

#212

#232

Why did I stop here? Because if we trade below Minnesota, we're not going to get Chris Williams. We take Chris Williams at 16.

Pick 16: LT Chris Williams

Pick 34: QB Brian Brohm

Pick 36: MLB Curtis Lofton

Pick 37: DT Trevor Laws

Pick 42: CB Brandon Flowers

Pick 48: C Mike Pollak

Pick 50: RG Roy Schuenning

Pick 68: DE Darrell Robertson

Pick 98: DT Ahtyba Rubin

Pick 113: RT Carl Nicks

Pick 138: WR Keenan Burton

Pick 172: QB Kevin O'Connell

Pick 183: CB Jack Ikegwuonu

Pick 185: LG Chad Rinehart

Pick 212: CB Terrence Wheatley

Pick 232: DT Maurice Murray

Look at that. The funny thing is that we'd spend about as much money on Williams, Brohm, Laws, Lofton, and Flowers as we would by getting Dorsey or Jake Long.

[DrDetecto]

Yeah, I think that's probably our best case scenario by far. Like you said, trading down and getting more picks is the best bet to have a good draft considering it's such a crapshoot. With the amount of needs we have that's probably the best thing for us to do.

[Matthew Pritts]

Guys, that's way too many picks. How you gonna sign all of them?

YOu wanna draft between 8-10 players.

By my count, you have 16 picks. Not only is that asinine, it's financially impossible and irresponsible.

[Kayoh]

Matthew Pritts (4/20/2008)

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Guys, that's way too many picks. How you gonna sign all of them?

YOu wanna draft between 8-10 players.

By my count, you have 16 picks. Not only is that asinine, it's financially impossible and irresponsible.

You don't read too much, do you?

Look at that. The funny thing is that we'd spend about as much money on Williams, Brohm, Laws, Lofton, and Flowers as we would by getting Dorsey or Jake Long.

[Mr. Offseason]

i dont think thats financially irresponsible at all, considering how much cheaper all the 2nd rounders are relative to their 1st round counterparts. even if they are fairly early, they arent getting a lot more than 1 million a year if that. i havent done research on it, but im fairly certain theyd be pretty cheap relative to what wed pay if we stayed at #3 or even compared to what chris williams would be making just 16-20 picks above them.

[Dr Reality]

I would be worried about that many rookies on the team and how it would impact the maturity.  I love the idea and agree with most of the picks, why a second qb though?, but I think we would take a beating this year with so many rookies.

[1989Fan]

I am about 99% sure we arent trading up. If Jake or Glenn are on the board we will pick at 3, mark my words....if not, we will try to trade down to 5, 6, 7 for a team looking for Ryan (in front of Ravens/Cheifs) or McFadden (in front of OAK)

[canadianfalcon47]

lol you think that all TD has to do is snap his fingers and a team will call him wanting to trade up. Its unlikely that it will happen once yet alone three times in the first round. I hope you weren't serious when you posted that..............but it gave me a good laugh and insight into the intelligence of some people on the board

[Kayoh]

canadianfalcon47 (4/20/2008)

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lol you think that all TD has to do is snap his fingers and a team will call him wanting to trade up. Its unlikely that it will happen once yet alone three times in the first round. I hope you weren't serious when you posted that..............but it gave me a good laugh and insight into the intelligence of some people on the board

One of the stupidest things a person can do is resort to insulting the intelligence of somebody whose opinion is different than theirs.

I'm not saying that it's easy to trade down. If you actually read the explanations for the 3 trades that I had, you would probably understand it more. Try not to jump to conclusions. And this isn't what I think will happen. This is what I think should happen. Basically, our best bet at being as competitive as possible as early as possible.

[nick h]

i say stick at 12 if that happens, you go farther and you miss chris williams

[texasbirdfan]

Welcome to Atlanta (4/20/2008)

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canadianfalcon47 (4/20/2008)

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lol you think that all TD has to do is snap his fingers and a team will call him wanting to trade up. Its unlikely that it will happen once yet alone three times in the first round. I hope you weren't serious when you posted that..............but it gave me a good laugh and insight into the intelligence of some people on the board

One of the stupidest things a person can do is resort to insulting the intelligence of somebody whose opinion is different than theirs.

I'm not saying that it's easy to trade down. If you actually read the explanations for the 3 trades that I had, you would probably understand it more. Try not to jump to conclusions. And this isn't what I think will happen. This is what I think should happen. Basically, our best bet at being as competitive as possible as early as possible.

I have been having the same daydreams since the coin flip.  It can be done and it would be genius.  It would make the NFL stop laughing at Atlanta.  It would soliify the new front office and coaches along with a whole new regiment of dedicated, clean slate players.  It would be called the greatest draft in the history of all 7 rounders.