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NFL Rumors: GM Says 49ers 'Ruined the Market' with Trade to No. 3 in 2021 Draft
April 26, 2021
The San Francisco 49ers' trade for the No. 3 overall pick reportedly created a cool market for teams looking to trade up for draft picks.
"The 49ers ruined the market by trading two ones to move nine spots," a general manager told Peter King of NBC Sports.
Several teams in the top 10 are reportedly willing to move their picks, but the 49ers' deal with the Miami Dolphins has created outsized expectations for those teams. San Francisco traded the No. 12 pick along with 2022 and 2023 first-round selections and a 2022 third-round pick to the Dolphins for the third pick in Thursday's draft.
King noted he would not be surprised if teams stay put in the top 10.
Teams generally use the same value chart for draft picks, and it's clear the 49ers' decision to move two future firsts and a third to move up nine spots was an overpay in chart value. That creates a ripple effect where other teams looking to trade won't want to accept a significant amount less than the Dolphins did.
In essence, the 49ers paid such a high price that no team with a high draft pick wants to look bad by trading back, whereas no team looking to move up has any intention of breaking the draft chart to do so.
Things could naturally change on draft night if a player falls or a team decides to move up for a quarterback. However, it's possible the major deals are done as we prepare for Thursday night.