Trade Up, Stay Put, Or Trade Down

Trade, Trade Up, Stay Put, Or Trade Down

Today’s article is going to require some reader participation. I will be presenting some potential scenarios in which the Packers can use their draft picks to fill the remaining needs on their roster by trading picks for players, trading picks for picks, and just staying put and picking at 14.

Picking at 14:

DE: Marcus Davenport- If the Packers stay put at 14, Davenport makes the most sense. He has playmaking ability as a pass rusher and has many of the raw tools necessary to become a dominant pass rusher. He does have some work to do in order to develop in other areas of his game, but playing with a dominant front line and alongside Clay Matthews and Nick Perry will help remedy the weak areas of his game.

Trading Picks for Players:

I think that we all know where I am going with this one…is it worth the risk to try and acquire Odell Beckham from the Giants. Yes, we know that his childish personality and the glamorous accessories can be a bit much for a lot of us, but the Packers did come very close to acquiring Randy Moss late in the Brett Favre era.

Beckham’s talent is undeniable and a trio of Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham, and Odell Beckham would create matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. The Packers have been left with a void at the wide receiver position so the question of whether to acquire Beckham does make sense from a football standpoint. What it really comes down to is whether Beckham’s baggage is worth a first-round pick and a new contract.

The Giants are asking for two first rounders for the star wide receiver, but I would see if they would be willing to take a first and a third-round pick instead. Contractually, I would offer Beckham a 3 year deal with a large signing bonus so that I could keep the cap hit around $10 million each of his first two seasons in Green Bay (3 years $55 million $40 million guaranteed, $20 million signing bonus, $10 million cap hit in years 1 and 2).

Trading Up:

If the Packers were to trade up to acquire one of the talented secondary prospects they would almost certainly have to vault up to the 7 spot because Chicago holds the 8th pick and John Lynch and the 49ers will almost certainly pick James, Fitzpatrick, Smith, or Ward with the 9th pick.

This is an expensive proposition, but if the Packers have their hearts set on one of the top three draft prospects in the secondary, it may be worth swapping first round picks and give up their second-round pick. I propose trading Tampa the 14th and 45th picks for the 7th pick and drafting the versatile standout safety, Derwin James.

Trading Down:

If trading up to 7 is a little rich for the Packers blood, they can always accumulate more picks by trading down. I think that the Packers and Bills could be a match for a potential draft day trade involving the 14th and 22nd picks. With the 12th and 14th picks, the Bills would be able to move up to 6th or 7th and take one of the four heralded franchise quarterbacks and have their franchise quarterback moving forward.

For the Packers, trading down would keep them in the first round, and give them 2 second round picks which would allow them to have 5 picks in the first three rounds which would give them the flexibility to move back into the first round, or possibly acquire a third pick in the second round. At 22, the Packers could draft Joshua Jackson at corner or Mike McGlinchey at tackle and draft two wide receivers in the second round.

So, after hearing these draft day scenarios do you want the Packers to Trade Picks for players, Trade up, Trade down, or stay put?

Comment with your preferred scenario and include who you would want the Packers to draft or trade for.

David Michalski is a recent college graduate from Princeton New Jersey who has been a life long Green Bay Packers fan. Like the great Vince Lombardi, he values God, family, and the Green Bay Packers in that order. You can follow him on twitter at @kilbas27dave

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