ckparrothead
Premium Member
I really like how the intrigue is shaping up. Tampa Bay unleashed a torrent of potential traders for the #2 pick when they talked about trading up to get Alex Smith. The rumor had one added benefit that even I didn't foresee...drumming up interest in Braylon Edwards.
It seems that a few teams do not exactly believe the Bucs when they say they'd be targeting Alex Smith at #2. The Vikings and Redskins may believe that the Bucs are targeting Braylon Edwards. The Vikes immediately jumped in to talks with Miami about trading to #2, and you know what, I believe Saban has been leaning toward Braylon Edwards the whole time.
Now, we've got these rumors that the Cardinals want to trade for Patrick Surtain. They got a 3rd round pick from the Pats for Duane Starks. Could they get away with sending it to us for Surtain? No, but if they sent their 2nd round pick to us, having the extra 3rd rounder would certainly soften the blow. The end effect for them would be like upgrading from Duane Starks to Pat Surtain, and in return moving their 2nd round pick to a 3rd round pick.
I get sick of mindless @ss-kissing of Saban as much as anyone, but I have to say that Saban has played this flawlessly. He has already outdueled the 49ers. The market knows the 49ers will take Smith or Rodgers, and they would have to do something DRAMATIC to make the rest of the league think they'll go with Braylon. They're trying to shift the focus back onto them at the #1 pick instead of on Saban at the #2 pick, like a petulent child who is denying that he lost.
It isn't that Saban has done anything extremely difficult. But then again, it is also kind of difficult NOT to show your hand early in this game. It certainly requires a lot of faith. Everyone was saying, oh this draft sucks so much at the top you can toss out the trade value chart. What does Saban say? I'm a new coach and I'm going to stick religiously to the trade value chart. Some would call that stupid, unrealistic, and would say he'll let valuable trades slip right past him by highballing everyone. But the one pattern that is undeniable in every single draft I've ever seen, is that scouts ALWAYS diss on the talent in the draft on the outset, right up until the end, when teams start to settle on their guys and all the sudden the prices go up and up and up. Saban's unwillingness to cave, in his negotiations with Surtain, and in his talking about the #2 pick, is going to be rewarded.
And now it would appear that the Vikings are a VERY serious contender for the #2 pick, sending their #7 and #18 picks to us in exchange...and the Redskins may also be a suitor with their #9 and #25 picks. And now, the Cardinals, with a higher 2nd round pick than the Chiefs, may be a suitor for Surtain. I imagine other suitors will develop, especially in the wake of the Buchanon trade.
This is going to be a fun draft. I will enjoy this.
I just hope we end up with Matt Jones. I'll go streaking down the hallways buck nekked if we get him.
It seems that a few teams do not exactly believe the Bucs when they say they'd be targeting Alex Smith at #2. The Vikings and Redskins may believe that the Bucs are targeting Braylon Edwards. The Vikes immediately jumped in to talks with Miami about trading to #2, and you know what, I believe Saban has been leaning toward Braylon Edwards the whole time.
Now, we've got these rumors that the Cardinals want to trade for Patrick Surtain. They got a 3rd round pick from the Pats for Duane Starks. Could they get away with sending it to us for Surtain? No, but if they sent their 2nd round pick to us, having the extra 3rd rounder would certainly soften the blow. The end effect for them would be like upgrading from Duane Starks to Pat Surtain, and in return moving their 2nd round pick to a 3rd round pick.
I get sick of mindless @ss-kissing of Saban as much as anyone, but I have to say that Saban has played this flawlessly. He has already outdueled the 49ers. The market knows the 49ers will take Smith or Rodgers, and they would have to do something DRAMATIC to make the rest of the league think they'll go with Braylon. They're trying to shift the focus back onto them at the #1 pick instead of on Saban at the #2 pick, like a petulent child who is denying that he lost.
It isn't that Saban has done anything extremely difficult. But then again, it is also kind of difficult NOT to show your hand early in this game. It certainly requires a lot of faith. Everyone was saying, oh this draft sucks so much at the top you can toss out the trade value chart. What does Saban say? I'm a new coach and I'm going to stick religiously to the trade value chart. Some would call that stupid, unrealistic, and would say he'll let valuable trades slip right past him by highballing everyone. But the one pattern that is undeniable in every single draft I've ever seen, is that scouts ALWAYS diss on the talent in the draft on the outset, right up until the end, when teams start to settle on their guys and all the sudden the prices go up and up and up. Saban's unwillingness to cave, in his negotiations with Surtain, and in his talking about the #2 pick, is going to be rewarded.
And now it would appear that the Vikings are a VERY serious contender for the #2 pick, sending their #7 and #18 picks to us in exchange...and the Redskins may also be a suitor with their #9 and #25 picks. And now, the Cardinals, with a higher 2nd round pick than the Chiefs, may be a suitor for Surtain. I imagine other suitors will develop, especially in the wake of the Buchanon trade.
This is going to be a fun draft. I will enjoy this.
I just hope we end up with Matt Jones. I'll go streaking down the hallways buck nekked if we get him.
