Report: Browns talk trade down with unnamed teams (2 Viewers)

[Bracie Smathers]

Something may be brewing. Not sure which teams have phoned but speculation is possibly Houston.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/04/cleveland_browns_are_talking_w.html

Cleveland Browns are talking with teams about trading draft positions

Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 11:32 AM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 12:59 PM

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have always been receptive to trading down from the No. 6 pick and recently have amped up efforts to do so.

"We are talking to people about trading. I am not going into any more detail than that," Browns President Mike Holmgren told The Plain Dealer.

Houston reportedly is trying to move up from No. 11 to take Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller or LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. Miller might be unreachable for the Texans, but Peterson could still be on the board at No. 5 (Arizona).

The Browns' chances of trading down would be enhanced if Peterson or Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert were still available when their turn came up.

Holmgren said he has not set a limit as to how far he would be willing to move down.

"But the deal has to be right," he said. "It has to make absolute sense to us, otherwise we take the player. I know we need other things, but we just take the player."

A year ago, Holmgren inquired to St. Louis about "pulling a Mike Ditka" and trading most of his draft to move up to No. 1 for quarterback Sam Bradford. There is nobody in this draft that enticing to the Browns.

"We're not going to go that way," Holmgren said of moving up.

He also said it's "unlikely" the Browns would offer their 2012 No. 1 pick to acquire an additional first-round pick this year.

Unless something in the labor dispute changes over the next 24 hours, the Browns are operating under the assumption that only draft choices can be traded in this year's draft.

 

[jurb26]

Not surprising. I'd guess all teams are "talking" to other teams about trades. Clev seems to me like a team that could really be in a good position to have their phone ringing on draft day though. If the 2 QBs are taken before their pick then that means a for sure elite prospect is falling to 6. I'm pretty sure there are teams out there that would be willing to move up for Green, Darius, Miller or Petterson. Clev could end up with some nice leverage.

 

[BoltzNBrew]

Nothing earth shattering one day before the draft. I am sure all teams are talking trades at this point nad would be willing to trade if the price is right.

 

[Buckna]

Not outside the realm of possibility for Houston, but they typically are not big players in free agency and therefore value their draft picks pretty highly. They also have a ton of holes on defense so unless the price is cheap, I'm not sure I see them trading up.

 

[Jake22]

Classic smokescreen...make teams think you don't like anyone rated top 6, that way no team feels like they need to "jump" in front of you because you like the same player, you then take offers when your pick is up that you already know are not gonna be enough to make you trade down, when your time is up you then take Peterson who is the player you liked all along...been there done that...

Just as Boltzfan said, any team will trade "if the price is right", and usually it never is when it's that high of a first round pick...

 

[Bracie Smathers]

I heard the Broncos say they were open to trading down but Elway said he had not gotten any phone calls so I think this is unusual for Holmgren to confirm he is in talks to trade down.

What does it mean?

It could mean a few things:

1. First a team has a very good read on how the top picks will go and they have strategically targeted the sixth pick.

2. Second, it could be a ploy to make a team above the Browns to lower their asking price if they know the Browns are in negotiations a pick or two lower in the draft.

3. Or it could be that a team likes all six players at the top of their board so they know they don't have to reach higher than the sixth pick to get a guy in this draft who they want and they figure if they get a deal in place now they won't have to worry about another team leap frogging over them once the Browns are on the clock.

Holmgren doesn't pull punches so if he says they are in talks to trade down then I believe something is in the works.