Ravens asking Chicago for compensatory pick (1 Viewer)

[gianmarco]

Interesting

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Before I get to the story of the night, the mega-trade between Cleveland and Atlanta that I'm sure made Sean Payton cringe, an explanation of the weirdness that happened with Baltimore on the clock at pick 26, weirdness that is not over:

Chicago, picking 29th, and Baltimore, at 26, finalized a trade that would have had them switch slots, with the Ravens getting the Bears' fourth-round pick in return. Chicago would take Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, and the Ravens, if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was still on the board, would take Smith at 29. With two minutes left in the Ravens' period, the deal was done.

Under NFL rules, each team has to report the trade to NFL draft headquarters at Radio City Music Hall. The Ravens called it in. They assumed Chicago called it in, but due to a miscommunication in the Bears' draft room, no one from Chicago ever called the league. As the clock ticked down to zero, and with Chicago on the phone with Carimi to tell him he was going to be their pick, Baltimore noticed no one at the league had announced the trade and Chicago's pick of Carimi. Meanwhile, Kansas City, with the 27th pick, rushed its card to the desk at Radio City, taking Pittsburgh wideout Jonathan Baldwin.

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, on an open line to New York, demanded to know why the trade hadn't gone through. Chicago never called to confirm it, Newsome was told. Baltimore was infuriated. The league didn't allow the trade. The Ravens picked Smith at 27 (not 26; Kansas City was awarded the 26th pick and took Baldwin, because the Chiefs got the pick in before the Ravens did), and the Bears got lucky, getting Carimi at 29.

"Whatever you hear, Baltimore did everything the right way," Bears GM Jerry Angelo told Chicago media. "There were a lot of things happening in the draft room. We were getting a lot of calls, we just ... dropped the ball. I dropped the ball. I can't say anything more than that."

All's well that ends well, you say? Not so fast. Angelo called Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti to apologize, but Bisciotti wanted the fourth-round pick anyway, claiming it was part of the deal they'd agreed to. In fact, I'm told Bisciotti today will push to get the fourth-round pick, or to make the situation right in some way.

The league is under no obligation to do so, because the trade was never official. And maybe all's fair in love and draft-night trades, but as far as Baltimore's concerned, I don't think this one's over. I think the Ravens will ask the league to award them some compensation from Chicago before the draft resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern today. Stay tuned

This should be interesting. Definitely seems Chicago should be held responsible here. This was posted in another thread but thought it deserved its own.

 

[shader]

The NFL should have a better system than that. No way if I'm Chicago I give up the pick. Chicago could have been screwed and lost their tackle due to their own negligence.

Alls well that ends well. They need to use this to figure out a better system for announcing trades.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Not sure the league actually can do anything here. I bet teams are going to be pretty wary of trading with Chicago from now on though. Certainly shows some disorganization in the front office for something like that to happen.

 

[encaitar]

Baltimore did the same thing to Minnesota in 2003 yet they weren't held responsible. In fact, Mike Tice took the brunt of that blame since no one on Baltimore's staff had the balls of a guy like Jerry Angelo to admit their mistake. Chicago shouldn't have to pay anything and the NFL should be held responsible for having such a stupid system.

 

[Joe Summer]

Baltimore deserves nothing. Didn't they get another 15 minutes after the KC pick? They could have reinstated the trade at that time.

 

[renesauz]

Yeah...the system makes no sense. If one team reports a trade, than the NFL shouldn't just WAIT for the other team to confrim with a clock running. Without immediate confirmation, the NFL guy should be calling the other team, or even momentarily stopping the clock. No way the pick should have passe don to KC if Baltimore reported a trade without an effort from the NFL.

 

[datonn]

Baltimore did the same thing to Minnesota in 2003 yet they weren't held responsible. In fact, Mike Tice took the brunt of that blame since no one on Baltimore's staff had the balls of a guy like Jerry Angelo to admit their mistake. Chicago shouldn't have to pay anything and the NFL should be held responsible for having such a stupid system.

This. Karma's a #####. Only what does that say for the Vikings finding not trade partners and then drafting their second rounder at 1.12?

 

[AcerFC]

It seems weird that every team from the league has officials at Radio City and the league has officials there as well, but you have to call someone to make the trade count

 

[roarlions]

Baltimore deserves nothing. Didn't they get another 15 minutes after the KC pick? They could have reinstated the trade at that time.

After the Ravens missed their scheduled pick all of the teams behind them could have selected their player without waiting for the Ravens to make a pick. Once a team misses its pick, they are no longer on the clock and it is their responsibility to submit their pick before any other teams pick.

 

[SeveredHorseHeads]

 

[renesauz]

I can't see why Chicago should be obligated to a pick. The fault lies PRIMARILY with a flawed system and their ire is more appropriately directed to the NFL officials at the draft.

That said, the Bears did screw up. It would be a reasonable gesture to send a pick to Baltimore in apology. CERTAINLY NOT A VALUABLE FOURTH round pick, but maybe a 6th or 7th? Such a move would increase their credibility with other league offices without pissing off their own fans too badly. The NFL can't reaonably mandate this, but I still think the Bears should do it (A late pick, not the original fourth).

 

[Joe Summer]

Baltimore should have called New Orleans and told them to pick Carimi and then hold him hostage.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Chicago's offer should be this: nothing. There was no trade. End of story.

 

[ditka85]

From the Minnesota/Baltimore "trade" in 2003. Can't have it both ways Ozzie

The Ravens, while acknowledging the trade was agreed upon, contended it was not made official because they didn't speak with league official Joel Bussert.

"The deal was not consummated," general manager Ozzie Newsome said at Baltimore's headquarters. "A deal is not a deal until I talk to Joel Bussert, and I never talked to Joel Bussert."

 

[Kleck]

Chicago's offer should be this: nothing. There was no trade. End of story.

If I were Angelo that's what I'd say. Nothing. Not even the fee for the gaming license, which I would appreciate if Baltimore would put up personally.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Baltimore deserves nothing. Didn't they get another 15 minutes after the KC pick? They could have reinstated the trade at that time.

no after Kc NE had 15 minutes (or less if it chose) whie Balt was in 'pick/trade when ready mode'. I don't get why they didn't just do the deal again then, unless CHI now felt that they'd get their guy since KC had gone.I think Balt can be pissed, and could conceivably sue them for some monetary damages, but unless Kaiser Godell just grants the pick by fiat this ain't happening.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

It is kinda dumb that when the NFL receives the 'final trade' from BALT that they don't in turn call the other team to confirm the trade with the other team.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

From the Minnesota/Baltimore "trade" in 2003. Can't have it both ways Ozzie

The Ravens, while acknowledging the trade was agreed upon, contended it was not made official because they didn't speak with league official Joel Bussert.

"The deal was not consummated," general manager Ozzie Newsome said at Baltimore's headquarters. "A deal is not a deal until I talk to Joel Bussert, and I never talked to Joel Bussert."

 

[whitem0nkey]

I remember one year Angelo forgot to check a box on a fax and we did not get a supplemental pick in a trade because for did not check the box.

 

[RobertBobson]

The bears front office should be fired. Christ, I hate being a bears fan sometimes. It's nice that the incompetence actually benefited the bears this time, but it's depressing to see what a clown college the bears front office is.

 

[Warhogs]

I honestly don't see how the league could do anything with regards to picks. In their eyes it is just not a trade if both sides did not confirm it. That being said, I'm sure this hurts the Ravens/Bears relationship in any dealings for the next few years.

 

[Go Pack]

Ravens should have picked Carimi at 27 and then upped their asking price to the Bears

 

[heckmanm]

If the trade had gone through, there was also the possibility that Smith could have gone to NO at 28, leaving them without the guy they wanted (but with Chicago's 4th).

Both teams got "their guy" and as noted, Ozzie played the other side of this trick in 2003, so I don't think a comp pick is warranted.

 

[Cato]

It is kinda dumb that when the NFL receives the 'final trade' from BALT that they don't in turn call the other team to confirm the trade with the other team.

This would seem like such an easy process fix. Trying to think what the down side is to adopting this system? ... Or Ravens can turn in a card.. "we pick player XX if Chicago doesn't confirm the trade by the time the clock expires."

 

[SmoovySmoov]

The Ravens got who they wanted, and at less money. Dry up the tears, Ozzie, and be a big boy.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Eh, I dont buy it. I still think it just took the Ravens longer than expected to line up an 8-ball for Jimmy Smith

 

[B Maverick]

Seems back in 03 the Vikings werent smart enough to ask the league to compensate them for the "agreed upon" picks. Balt is. Worst that can happen is the league says no. Best case, they got their guy and a 4th.

If you dont ask, you wont get it.

 

[Rick James]

Chicago's offer should be this: nothing. There was no trade. End of story.

If I were Angelo that's what I'd say. Nothing. Not even the fee for the gaming license, which I would appreciate if Baltimore would put up personally.

 

[ZWK]

The Bears screwed up. To agree to a deal with another team and then fail to get it confirmed with the league is just embarrassing.

The Ravens also screwed up. As long as you're still on the clock (with the trade not yet official), it's up to you to be ready to make a pick before the clock runs out. When the clock got under a minute they should've been asking the Bears what was going on, when it got down to 20 seconds they should've given the Bears a last warning, and when it got to 2 seconds they should've made their pick.

Both teams were lucky to get the players that they were targeting. This screwup ended up being kind of funny, even to people in Baltimore and Chicago, but if either team had missed out on their player a lot of people would've been pissed.

And the Bears shouldn't owe any compensation. The trade wasn't finalized, so there was no trade. It would be pretty weird if they had to hand over their side of the offer without getting anything back - can you imagine if Atlanta screwed up their trade with Cleveland and had to give away all those picks for nothing? This has happened before, in 2003, and the precedent is clear: there's no penalty for a botched trade that leads to a team missing their pick.

 

[Joe Summer]

Seems back in 03 the Vikings werent smart enough to ask the league to compensate them for the "agreed upon" picks. Balt is.

Baltimore "agreed upon" a 4th round pick in exchange for taking a slight risk of losing Jimmy Smith at picks 27-28.But Baltimore eliminated that condition by taking Smith at 27. Therefore, the trade is null and void.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

The only one at fault here is Baltimore. They let their time expire without making a trade or a pick. It's on them.

Whatever trades they make, someone on their team should know that if there's less than 30 seconds left and no trade has been announced, take the guy you want. That's it.

The system works fine. Make your trade earlier if you're worried it might not go through. Have a Plan B. Have a guy with a card waiting to hand it right to the commissioner just in case. If Baltimore sat around and waited for their time to expire with no deal confirmed, they deserve whatever happens. In this case, nothing happened. But it's not Chicago's fault or the system's fault. NEVER let your time expire without having a trade confirmed by the league or making a pick.

This is one of the few times I can see an authentic parallel between real football and fantasy football. If an owner agrees to a trade and then goes out of town assuming it went through, but the other side never confirmed, it's his own fault. The owner can be upset it didn't go through...but nobody is giving him anything. It's his own fault for not confirming it went through.

I'm not seeing how Baltimore can blame anyone but Baltimore.

 

[The Gatekeeper]

I am glad some people on here actually remember what really happened in the Vikings/Ravens non-trade in that draft. We ended up with Kevin Williams so it turned out fine but so many people mistakingly believe that the Vikings just let the clock run out and then took their sweet time putting a pick in. Ozzie screwed the Vikings out of what was to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick I believe to move up those couple of spots.

 

[N Zone]

Damn. Baltimore's front office whines as much as their players do when they lose.

 

[RudiStein]

THEY'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!