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There is a chance the Jets trade out of the 30 spot. There should be a very strong market for the pick. Dan explores . . .
And there is also a very good chance they get more value for the pick than the value chart.
The value chart annoints a certain value to spots in the draft, so if a trade is made, teams know what draft picks they should get in return.
For example, Pat Kirwan of NFL.com, in a recent mock draft, had the Jets trading the 30th pick to Tennessee.
Here is what he wrote – “The Titans now own the pick after trading with the Jets. New York is short on picks and welcomes the trade down to 39. The point difference is 110 and the Jets add the Titans’ 109 and 142 selections. With the 30th pick, the Titans take Christian Ponder.”
Quarterbacks like Florida State’s Ponder, TCU’s Andy Dalton and maybe even Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett are three players teams might trade back into the late first round to land.
“You are going to see more trades at the end of the first round than you have seen in a long time,” said NFL.com’s Gil Brandt.
The second, third and fourth rounds have excellent value in this draft, so it wouldn’t be a bad strategy for the Jets to stockpile picks in these rounds.
And you could make the argument the Jets are better off trading back, and landing a pass rusher like Pittsburgh’s Jabaal Sheard, Arizona’s Brooks Reed (pictured above) or Fresno State’s Chris Carter in the second or third round, than reaching for UCLA’s Akeem Ayers (average speed and not much pass rush production) or Georgia’s Chris Houston (inconsistent motor and a little stiff) in the first round.
Trading back will also allow the Jets to save a little money. They are eating a lot of dough on the Vernon Gholston contract, and Woody Johnson can’t be thrilled about that (though I give him credit for checking off on the release of the classy, yet unproductive linebacker).
Also, clearly there are financial concerns at One Jets Drive with the second set of furloughs in three years.
And by trading out of the 30 spot, the Jets can recoup the second round pick they traded to San Diego for Antonio Cromartie.
The extra third or early fourth round pick they would land in a trade back, could help them land the quality backup offensive lineman they desperately need. They are very thin on the offensive line right now. Damien Woody was released, and Rob Turner along with Wayne Hunter are free agents.
Alabama offensive tackle James Carpenter, who can also play guard, would be a terrific third round pick.
Lehigh’s Will Rackley would be a very nice third or fourth round addition – he can also play guard and tackle.
A fourth round consideration could be Wisconsin’s guard-center John Moffitt.
Missouri State’s David Arkin, who can play tackle and guard, is another quality fourth round prospect.
So don’t be shocked if Roger Goodell walks up to the podium to announce the 30th selection, and says, “There has been a trade.”
