2011 NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys and 10 Teams Who Could Make Trades on Day 1
As the 2011 NFL Draft draws near, speculation runs rampant about teams looking to trade up or down in the first round. With two much-discussed QBs—Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton—likely to go in the Top 10, there should be an active market for teams trying to move into position to grab their signal-caller of the future.
For the moment, the moratorium on league business (due to the labor standoff) renders any such trade hypothetical, but that won’t stop teams from considering what they ought to do if normal operations resume before the draft. The Dallas Cowboys are just one of several teams that already claims to be fielding offers for their pick.
Read on for 10 teams who could benefit from dealing their first-round selections.
10. Oakland Raiders
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The Raiders don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft, having packaged it to New England in the Richard Seymour trade. They could, however, benefit from moving back into the first round, especially if they think that any of their potential free agents (including Nnamdi Asomugha and Robert Gallery) might jump ship.
A trade up to the latter part of the first round could provide help at corner or along the offensive line. If Oakland was to reach even higher, they might be able to get Julio Jones to upgrade a shaky receiving corps, though Al Davis’ famed obsession with speed at WR makes that move less likely in practice.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
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Philly says it's already received one offer involving a first-round pick in the negotiations for trade-bait QB Kevin Kolb. The Eagles are currently sitting at No. 23, but would love to convert Kolb into a high first-round selection.
Depending on which QB-needy teams (Minnesota? San Francisco?) show an interest in Kolb, Philadelphia might be able to move up high enough to grab Patrick Peterson or Prince Amukamara for their secondary.
At worst, they’d have a better selection to choose from in adding help on the offensive or defensive lines.
8. Miami Dolphins
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The Dolphins are widely projected to be targeting RB Mark Ingram with the No. 15 pick, thanks to the fact that both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are due to become free agents.
If, however, Miami felt that it could re-sign both runners, it could help itself by trading down.
Interior line help is also a priority for the Dolphins—they were 29th in the league in yards per carry—and several solid OG prospects would be available at the end of the first round. If they could pick up an extra draft choice in the process, Miami would have more options to rebuild the line while still being able to grab a solid RB later in the draft.
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7. St. Louis Rams
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With holes to fill at DT and LB, the Rams certainly wouldn’t be hurting themselves by staying put at No. 14. Even so, one of their biggest need positions is wide receiver, and they wouldn’t have to trade up too far to have a shot at a great one in Julio Jones.
If the price is right, St. Louis will likely jump at the chance to move up and grab Jones, who would give Sam Bradford a No. 1 target for years to come.
6. Tennessee Titans
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The Titans may not be eager to trade out of the No. 8 pick, but they may have little choice. It wouldn’t be surprising if both of the top two QBs are gone by the time Tennessee selects, leaving the Titans with a gaping hole to fill and no obvious solutions.
If the Titans feel like they can sign or trade for a viable short-term solution at QB, they’re likely to trade down and count on a second-round prospect like Ryan Mallett or Christian Ponder as their QB of the future.
If they don’t like their options for acquiring a veteran, though, the Titans may be in the unenviable position of having to trade up from a top-10 pick, just to ensure a shot at either Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton.
5. New England Patriots
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With two first-rounders (Nos. 17 and 28) to play with, and a history of draft-day trades, the Pats are a good bet to make some kind of move. They’d be a great partner for one of the teams looking to trade out of the Top 10, except that New England doesn’t need a quick-fix addition.
As things stand, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Patriots shipped that No. 17 pick somewhere, most likely to one of the clubs looking for ammunition to trade into the Cam Newton sweepstakes. There will still be worthwhile linemen (New England’s closest thing to a need pick) to be had at No. 28 if they do.
4. Minnesota Vikings
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The Vikings are in the unusual position of having plausible reasons to trade either up or down from their No. 12 selection. They’ve shown enough interest in Washington QB Jake Locker to give him a private workout. If they want to go that route, they could easily trade down and get their man while adding an extra draft choice.
Of course, they could also decide that they want Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton, which would likely require a move into the top five selections.
With Minnesota having significant talent already in place (and Adrian Peterson as a security blanket for any new QB), they might be best served taking the plunge on Newton or Gabbert, as long as they don’t lose too much en route.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
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With Carson Palmer trying to force his way out of Cincy and wideouts Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco likely gone as well, the Bengals have lots of needs on offense and only one No. 4 overall pick.
On top of those questions, they’d also do well to bolster a defense that tied for 27th in the league in sacks last season.
If they trade down in the first round, they could pick up a veteran piece to fill one hole (the Eagles’ Kevin Kolb, perhaps?) while still having a shot at one of the draft’s many quality defensive linemen. Trading down could also net the Bengals an extra draft choice that might be spent on an area like WR where multiple players will be needed.
2. Buffalo Bills
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Another team with lots of pressing needs, the Bills could benefit from adding some picks in the early rounds. Trading down with a team coveting Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton would still leave the Bills plenty of opportunity to upgrade their line play on either side of the ball in the first round.
While many Bills fans are hoping to land a QB with the No. 3 pick, Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t bad enough to drop as the starter. If they trade down, the Bills could still get a QB with potential (Ryan Mallett, Andy Dalton) later in the draft while building for the future with the extra picks.
1. Dallas Cowboys
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The mere fact that Jerry Jones has made a point of stating that the Cowboys have received offers for their No. 9 pick seems a decent indicator that they’d be happy to move down in the first round.
Several Dallas DEs will be free agents when the labor dust settles, and a move down would put the Cowboys in the sweet spot for picking up one of the host of promising defensive linemen in this class. UCLA safety Rahim Moore might also be a consideration toward the end of Round 1.
Of course, if Dallas stays put at the ninth selection, they’d likely have a chance to upgrade the league’s 26th-best pass defense with CB Prince Amukamara. With that as a fallback position, they can afford to wait for a strong offer before making any trades.
For another take on which teams might make first-round deals, check out Adam Spencer's article here.
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