If Orakapo isn't tehre at #9. Would it make sense to try to move down into the middle of round #1 if we can pick up another #2?

The BPA at #9 might be ...Beenie Wells, Vontae Davis, Malcolm Jenkins, Michael Johnson (GT - DE who is an enigma), or an OT (many good ones in this draft).

Do we take an OT (certainly not against it if we can address the DL in FA), a DB, or a DE that has some serious bust potential? Or.....Do we trade down to 15 or 16 range and grab Raji, Peria, or Jackson (LSU)?

Are the DL prospects in round #2 impact guys?

Thoughts?

How about Beckum in round #3...do we have a need?

I think the biggest argument for trading down is not a talent issue as much as it's a money issue. Let's assume we're targeting a DE. A DE drafted at the 9th spot is going to use Derrick Harvey's contract as a starting point. He received 5 yrs/$33 million with almost $18 million guaranteed. Lawrence Jackson, the 2nd DE taken in last year's draft at 28 got 5 yrs/$11.25 million with only $6 million guaranteed.

That's a huge difference in money without that large of a difference in talent. Dropping $6 million a year on a guy who has never played a down in the NFL is risky business.

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If there isn't an impact guy availabe...I think that makes a ton of sense.

Taylor Mays from USC...might he be a guy who is an impact type?

Yes, we should. Only if Orakpo isn't there though.

We might be able to pick up Shonn Greene (RB - Iowa) with the extra 2nd. And we could get Raji in the Middle 1st round if we did trade back some. Or even Everette Brown maybe.

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Orakpo is the guy we need. I'd take him 9th.

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I don't think so, simply because moving back from #9 into the late teens isn't a big enough drop back that the Packers could command a 2nd round pick in return.

I still think not as many juniors will declare as people expect, meaning there will be a drop off between the #9 pick and the late teens.

At this point, the only way I see Ted dropping back is if he has a few players rated virtually equally, for example at WR / LB / S. He'll trade back and let the draft work itself out for a bit, and then go get the best value pick of the three positions left.

We need an impact player along the D-Line, no doubt about that. However, with this being a supposedly deep draft of pass-rushing talent, set to get even deeper if a lot of juniors decalre, I think Ted will most definitely find good D-Linemen value picks later on, round 2 onwards.

He won't trade down just to have a shot at a player like BJ Raji, projected in the mid to late teens. Ted is always going to seek value where he picks, and if he thinks he can still get the same value by adding an extra pick, he'll trade back.

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Dropping back to between 16 and 20 would garnish an additional 2nd rounder between the 8 and 23 range according to the value charts. Finding a partner for the trade is more difficult than the numbers though.

I agree that we need an impact player from the #9 pick. And I think there will be a DE, DT or LT that will fit the bill. Any of the three I will be happy with. Using the pick for some other position would be a waste IMO.

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A trade back from the 9 hole is ideal. The huge salary hit factor is diminished with a trade partner, coupled with the liklihood that a player that some team lusts after is still "surprisingly" on the board. Trade that baby back! Could get a 1st ,2nd , and a 3rd for that pick, and this is a DEEP draft, contrasted with some truly standout players. The differential between 1st round talent through the 2nd round is up for strong debate this year, and personally, if you start at 9, I can make the argument that there is going to be some outstanding picks in the third round, that is, some picks that MANY presently think are somehow first round talent...mark my words on that (hey, wait a minute, as soon as I hit submit, I think I did, lol

As far as Orakapo goes, I think too many are watching too much NFL Network and/or Maycock. He's good, I got him at 11, so if we do take him at 9, I will only be moderately pissed that Ted Thompson reached for him.



:pottytrain2:

If Malcolm Jenkins is availible I would LOVE for us to pick him, but I would not mind trading down to the early to mid-teens especially if we can still get Raji

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Since Stafford, Bradford, McCoy or Tebow haven't declared at least yet, I have the Lions picking Jenkins at #1. Orakpo will go to the Chiefs at #3. I think we should take either Eugene Monroe or Michael Oher (depends which one is left) if we're looking OT, but Michael Johnson if we're looking DE. That is, if we don't trade down from #9, which I think we should do.

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