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As the NFL Draft approaches, draft-day trade-down talks intensify. Both the Saints and the Steelers are rumored to be looking to trade up. There is only one reason either of these teams would be considering such a move — a quarterback.
It is no secret that the Steelers and Saints are searching for a quarterback of the future. The question is, which quarterback does each team want? Do they want the same quarterback, or do they have different guys in mind? Neither is going to tell the other which guy they want more.
So now we essentially have a game of chicken on our hands. The best part is that the Vikings are right in the middle of that game of chicken. With the 12th overall pick, the Vikings are in a prime spot for a quarterback-needy team to make a trade-up.
Paul Esden broke the news about the possibility of a draft-day trade-up:
What does “laid the groundwork” mean? It simply means that conversations have occurred, and a deal is being negotiated. However, nothing will be executed until draft day.
The Saints and Steelers will sit back and wait to see how the board plays out. Then make a decision when the Giants are on the clock. My guess is they want to see if the Panthers select a quarterback at 6th overall.
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Either way, the Vikings are in the mix, which is exciting news. But will they pull the trigger if a deal comes their way on April 28th?
This is where things get interesting. If the board falls in a manner that the Vikings are given the formal trade proposal, should they accept it? It really depends on who the Vikings want to draft.
If the Vikings are really high on Derek Stingley Jr., and he is sitting there at 12 overall, they will probably select him. However, they might also like Trent McDuffie or Andrew Booth Jr. or maybe a different position altogether. In this case, they could play hardball and get quite a bit of value out of trade down.
Honestly, in a draft that is fairly deep at cornerback, edge rusher, and wide receiver, a trade down makes a lot of sense. The Vikings could easily get 1 or 2 more draft picks within the first three rounds by trading down with the Steelers or Saints. Then they could take advantage of this deep draft class.
At the end of the day, it will come down to how badly the Saints and Steelers want to trade up. Also, who is on the board for the Vikings at 12th overall. A lot could happen, but I am a big fan of a trade-down this year.