Rumor: New draft trade chart coming? (1 Viewer)

[coolnerd]

Per profootballtalk.com (please don't make the discussion about the site)

NEW TRADE CHART COMING?We've mentioned a few times (or a few hundred) the draft trade chart put together in the 1990s by former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.For years, it has provided the formula for trades involving draft picks. But changes to the way that rookies are paid has made the chart less relevant, since it doesn't take into account the increased financial investment required at the higher positions on the board.Recently, we asked one of our regular sources to take a stab at preparing a new trade chart that better reflects the reality that, for example, the gap between the value of the No. 1 overall pick and lower selections should be narrowed, given that the money paid to the first few selections continues to rise in a disproportionate manner. Coincidentally, others are doing the same thing. Per a league source, the possibility of changing the chart was discussed among some league insiders last year, but no action was taken. The source says that, this year, several teams and a few agents are actively working on a new chart.As the source explained, "The very large signing bonuses and backsides of these deals has really devalued them. People think it is only the top picks but it is really the whole round. If you moved say from nine to fifteen you would save enough money up front and through the course of the contract to afford an extra player. The reverse is also true. A team moving from fifteen to nine has to spend enough extra money that they are losing an extra player. The result of this is that it is so much harder for teams to move back."And that's the broader point. By clinging to an outdated chart that doesn't take into account the financial ramifications of drafting in a higher position, trades are less likely to happen because the team inclined to move up has to give up too much to get there.The deeper issue here is the fact that the ridiculous windfall paid to the first few players drafted no longer makes drafting one of the first few players a good thing for a bad team. As we've said before (and surely will say again), forcing the worst team from the prior season to spend $35 million guaranteed on a player who has never played a down in the NFL is not the best way to make that team better. That's why the better approach would be to allow the team with the first overall pick to instead pick its position in round one, and for each team after that to do the same. As to some draft classes, the worst team might want to go first. In others, it might make sense to force the Super Bowl champion to use the first overall pick.The other possibility is for the team with the first pick to pass. But that would likely cause all hell to break loose -- especially if the team with the second pick opted to pass as well. And the third. And so on. Short of revamping the rookie salary structure (which hopefully will happen in the next CBA), a new trade chart might be the only way for trades to happen at the top of the round.

 

[moderated]

The trade chart values never really made much sense, even when it was first introduced. Obviously it makes less sense now, but what in the world were teams doing using it as an end all be all.

Each team should have their own analysts to look into these kind of things, putting concrete values on picks is bizarre since so much is different in each draft class.

 

[coolnerd]

The trade chart values never really made much sense, even when it was first introduced. Obviously it makes less sense now, but what in the world were teams doing using it as an end all be all.Each team should have their own analysts to look into these kind of things, putting concrete values on picks is bizarre since so much is different in each draft class.

from my understanding not all teams use the chart, and that many teams do make subtle adjustment year to year for the reason you highlight. As a tool, to make trading more efficient it is fine, but if the tool becomes the be-all-to end in regards to making a trade then I agree. the two-point conversion chart falls into the same category.

 

[Marvelous]

I am a little confused on why teams or a group of people need to revise the chart.

Should a team with a high draft pick just start to accept less to trade down? That will balance supply and demand.

And then the chart should automatically be adjusted by everyone to reflect the "market value".