Possible behind scenes Draft negotiations?

[JR4]

I was wondering if teams do negotiating behind the scenes before draft day bell rings.

Do teams go in with a list of Teams and what they want for a trade?
Is there any talking in advance of draft day?
It seems there would be but I never hear any such rumors.
I guess reporters wouldn't be able to get that kind of info. If anything
leaked out it could ruin a deal. But I just wonder how much of it goes on
if anything. Anyone know anything about this?

 

[SamBamsFan]

I posted this in another thread yesterday, but it is pretty buried now...

It was in this weekends tip sheet by Len Pasquerelli

"Unless you've got something arranged ahead of time," said the personnel chief, "it's hard to make trades during the draft. People don't understand that, once the draft starts, a trade offer is like a curveball. You're so focused on the draft, what's going on and how names are coming off the board, that concentrating on a trade that actually involves a body becomes a tough thing to do. So you'd better have some contingencies in place. But, even then, it's dicey. Still, there are some names being dangled."

Basically, he was talking that if you have a deal that includes a player, it better be pre-arranged. Pick for pick swaps can be done more on the fly because they can just refer to the pick value matrix and determine whether this is a deal for you.

 

[IndyKen]

Pat Kirwan ( and others) have talked heavily about this on Sirius NFL radio. Teams do a large amount of talking pre-draft. Much of it is centered around the desire to move up if "their guy" is available at a given spot. Say the Pats covet safety Michale Huff. They may do pre draft talk with a team who has, say, the #10 pick. The talk would center around, "if Huff is still available at your spot, would you be willing to trade the pick, and what do you want for compensation"? If the #10 pick team is willing to trade the pick (and not want Huff themselves) they could reach an agreement on compenasation prior to the draft. Then come draft day, if this scenario unfolds during the draft, they would seal the deal and announce a trade during the allotted 15 minutes the team with the #10 pick has.

Kirwan was adamant that these types of negotiations are an integral part of the pre draft work. These trades are far too complex to be accomplished from start to finish during the time pressure of being "on the clock".

 

[spacecrime]

I was wondering if teams do negotiating behind the scenes before draft day bell rings.

Do teams go in with a list of Teams and what they want for a trade?
Is there any talking in advance of draft day?
It seems there would be but I never hear any such rumors.
I guess reporters wouldn't be able to get that kind of info. If anything
leaked out it could ruin a deal. But I just wonder how much of it goes on
if anything. Anyone know anything about this?

As I understand it (no source, just tidbitspicked up over the years), teams feel out other teams for the first day, especially first round, discussing what it might take to swap first round picks, etc. and keep that info to spped things along should they want to trade. This isn't an agreement to trade,only a kindof "IF we give you our 21st pick this year, what will you give us for it?"

The move up-move down 5 - 10 spots, jockeying around, I think is done more on the fly. Some teams hardly ever trade, some trade a lot. I think the more teams trade with each other, the easier it becomes the following year.

Obviously, it a team's pick is coming up anda guy they want is there, they arenot going to trade down. But if they have no one special in mind and a frequent trade partner calls asking to trade the pick, it is only common sense to make the trade, and next year (or next round) you make be calling them for a trade.

I remember when the Bledsoe trade happened, I knew even before it was announced because the Patriots traded up (with Denver I believe) and picked Rohan Davey. Sure enough, within minutes the trade with Buffalo was announced. So the Pats must have called Denver and traded up just as soon as the Bledsoe trade was made.

 

[TeamPats]

I recall the year the Baltimor eRavens traded up to draft Kyle Boller by making the trade with the Pats, BB said he immediately thought of calling Balt cuz he had traded with them in the past and new the negotiations would be simple and straight forward. So definately think previous relationships play a big role to trade picks on draft day.

 

[patsfan2113]

I agree with the relationships with other teams. If Pioli and BB believe they can get a quick trade done with the ravens or another team I think he would. But to think that there is a list of teams that want to trade and what they want is just ludicrious to me.

 

[BelichickFan]

But to think that there is a list of teams that want to trade and what they want is just ludicrious to me.

It's almost impossible for me to believe that Pioli hasn't called every team to chat about what they're looking to possibly do. Look at the way Belichick prepares for games, do you think he's going into the draft with a blank slate waiting to see if someone calls him out of the blue on draft day

 

[drpatriot]

I recall the year the Baltimor eRavens traded up to draft Kyle Boller by making the trade with the Pats, BB said he immediately thought of calling Balt cuz he had traded with them in the past and new the negotiations would be simple and straight forward. So definately think previous relationships play a big role to trade picks on draft day.

The Pats also traded last year's 2nd to the Ravens for a 3rd (and 4th?) this year. Relationships definitely matter to the tops of the organizations.

 

[jczxohn1]

The Pats also traded last year's 2nd to the Ravens for a 3rd (and 4th?) this year. Relationships definitely matter to the tops of the organizations.

Speaking of which, Lionel Vitale, formerly in the Pats personnel office, is now with Baltimore. It was eerie listening to Ozzie Newsome,Gen Mgr., talking about trading down for extra picks, ala BB, after mentioning Lionel's presence on the staff. Caught it on the team website multimedia draft presentation.

 

[BelichickFan]

Speaking of which, Lionel Vitale, formerly in the Pats personnel office, is now with Baltimore.

It doesn't hurt that the Belichick tree we always talk about is sprinkled all over the NFL. The guy seemingly knows everyone, it's no wonder he gets so many draft day deals done.