Report: Patriots might want to trade with Packers
By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel
Apr. 24, 2009 11:12 a.m.
Ted Thompson may have found his trading partner.
Sports Illustrated's Peter King is reporting the New England Patriots are attempting to trade into the top 10 in order to likely pick LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson.
So far the Jaguars at No. 8 have rejected the deal, which would be for a second-round pick.
From King:
Busy morning. The Patriots are trying to move up into the top 10 of the draft -- but low in the top 10. Executives from two teams tell me New England offered its first-round pick and middle of three second-round picks (the 23rd and 47th picks overall) to Jacksonville for the eighth pick in the draft. Jacksonville GM Gene Smith, I'm told, said no ... but I also hear the Patriots might be looking to Green Bay at nine to move as well.
Who might be the object of their affection? I'm told it may be a surprise, because smart money would say the target is LSU's Tyson Jackson, the best 3-4 defensive end in the draft and the only end versatile enough to play every spot on the defensive line. But I'm not sure it's Jackson. I think it might be an offensive player. Sorry to be so cryptic, but I truly don't know.
The Patriots are Fort Knox on draft weekend -- and, for that matter, on every weekend. Remember last year? New England traded down from seven to 10 in the first round and got the object of its affection, Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo, and no one ever knew Mayo was their man.
It makes infinite sense that New England would want the eighth or ninth pick, because the line of demarcation between sanity and insanity in the top 10 is right there. Check out the money that each of the players between six and 10 in last year's draft would earn with minimum play-time incentives in their five-year contracts:
6. Vernon Gholston, Jets $32.5 million
7. Sedrick Ellis, New Orleans $32 million
8. Derrick Harvey, Jacksonville $23 million
9. Keith Rivers, Cincinnati $19 million
10. Jerod Mayo, New England $16 million
It figures that New England would be targeting the eighth pick, or ninth. It's called being ahead of the curve.
My question would be this: If 3-4 maven Bill Belichick wants Jackson at No. 9, shouldn't the Packers, a newly minted 3-4 team? If the Packers were still a 4-3 team like the Jaguars, it would be a no-brainer. The Patriots are likely trying to jump ahead of the Packers for that reason. But Thompson should be able to drive up the price for that pick considering he could just stay and pick Jackson.