There's a bit of talk about the Pack trading up in the 1st round.

Although it would be nice to go up and grab a stud LT I don't see it happening this year. Each team only gets (around) 7 picks a year. If you trade up too often you end up feeling it down the road when you don't have the young players coming through.

It's the same with trades. You don't trade away your top round picks every year otherwise you end up with nothing coming up through the ranks in years to come.

The CM3 trade was great but it meant we didn't have any 2nd or 3 round picks last year. Players taken there in recent seasons have developed into solid starters.

To trade up from #23 to the top 10 where the elite LTs are would take a similar bounty of picks.

Considering this year is a strong overall draft its a great year to pick up solid talent in those top three or four rounds where Ted Thompson has traditionally done well.

They are also good value for money picks compared to the top 10. With a rookie salary cap to come, this is not a year to trade up and saddle the club with another overblown rookie salary.

If we were one LT away from the SB then it may be different. But this team could use a 2nd round Safety, a 3rd round CB and a 4th round OLBer. It may cost two of those three to pick in the top 10.

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Trading up isn't always a bad thing. The Jets spent almost their whole picks for 2 players in last years draft (Sanchez and Greene) and they are playing in the ccg on Sunday.

They also spent their 1st, 2nd and 5th in 2007 to trade from #25 to #14 and got an about 10 years all-inclusive vacation on Revis Island for that. Heck, I would love to see the Packers making such a big move. He's a standout and I wouldn't mind this price at all.

Trading up can be a big thing, you just have to find the right players to trade up for.

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that's easy enough, right?

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I could see a trade up, but it would not be a huge jump into the top 10. Maybe a few spots only. The thing with the number of picks and getting youth is, that we have the youth. Where the team is, saving late picks does one thing. Replaces young guys with young guys. I think there is only something like 12 guys that are what I would consider old on the team. that isn't much.

Now would be the perfect time to trade up, just like last year, only I would not expect a move that far. Maybe a few positions. What I would expect more is a small move back and a move forward both. Dropping back a bit to end up with 3 2nds or something along that line.

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Ted would have to really love a player for him to move up once again.

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Exactly, and that's why you can't rule it out. Ted Thompson, clearly loved Clay Matthews and gave up a lot to get him. Probably more than he needed to, but he wanted to get that pick to get Matthews. If he likes, say, Bryan Bulaga for example, he may move up to get him if he feels he's projected to go higher.

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I feel this next year is when we adjust a strategy to try to make our super bowl push. I think that means we trade up if an opportunity shows up and we take some action in free agency. Expect to hear comments in the offseason like "This is uncharacteristic of Ted"

The only wild card to this is if the rules dramatically change for he uncapped season.

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At the time I thought he gave up too much but now it looks like a steal.

To have a rookie voted to the pro bowl is something special.

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Its all about value. Quality LT are hard to find. If it takes a couple extra picks, so be it. We have a franchise QB. If we don't keep him healthy, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS! If Rodgers goes down, our chances are over. If you think giving up an extra 2nd or 3rd rounder is risky, what do you call letting Clifton face Jared Allen and Co. twice next season? That seems way riskier to me...


We've seen plenty of our late second and third round picks become busts: Rouse, Hodge, Brohm, etc...

This is one of the depest and most talented drafts in some time...if you believe the words of some pundits. We can get the players we want, without giving picks away. The ONLY way Ted Thompson should trade up if someone extremely talented drops (like Rodgers) and just cannot be denied.

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