Vikings open to trading the 3rd pick (1 Viewer)

[Bracie Smathers]

I would imagine that if pressed into a corner that every team would offer that they would be open to trading but when a team isn't pressed and is open about information that they would be interested in trading down that it is reasonable to assume that they are actively shopping the pick.

Go to the link for the video of Vikings GM Rick Spielman interview:

Vikings open to trading 3rd overall pick

Senior Bowl

Vikings open to trade talks for No. 3 overall pick

MOBILE, Ala. — Well, now. Here’s something Vikings fans maybe didn’t think about before: their team trading the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

You’d figure that, with QB Christian Ponder entering his second season, there’d be no question Minnesota would seek to assist him with either a stud left tackle (USC’s Matt Kalil?) or a No. 1 receiver (Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon?).

But thanks to general manager Rick Spielman‘s comments Wednesday during Senior Bowl practice, it might be time to consider the Vikings open for business.

“It will be, I think, very busy on draft day,” Spielman said in an interview on the NFL Network set. “We’re the third overall pick, so we’ll be looking at all the options. If someone wants to come up and get our pick, we’re going to be more than willing to listen.”

For the record, all but one of our experts’ mock drafts has the Vikings selecting Kalil

Since the Rams have Bradford and Minnesota is dangling the third pick the Vikings are basically undercutting the Rams ability to trade the second pick since the third pick would come cheaper.Seems like a smart tactic but how low could they go and still get one of the guys that they want?

 

[Insein]

If he feels Ponder is their guy, then its a good position to be in. Anyone looking to jump up for RG3 will pay a hefty sum. Especially since its rookie wage capped for those top picks now. That much more valuable.

 

[GridironMenace]

All because teams know the Rams aren't going to draft RG3 (because of Bradford) isn't going to make teams pass on trading STL because the 3rd pick will be cheaper.

1) once the Rams take a non-RG3 player, that 3rd pick becomes just as valuable as the 2nd.

2) I would bet that the vikings draft RG3 if he is there. The talent gap between RG3 and Ponder is large.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

Seems like a smart tactic but how low could they go and still get one of the guys that they want?

Not so sure about smart tactic, but they are more than a few players away from winning their division. Trade down, trade down again and take BPA's.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I would imagine that if pressed into a corner that every team would offer that they would be open to trading but when a team isn't pressed and is open about information that they would be interested in trading down that it is reasonable to assume that they are actively shopping the pick.

Go to the link for the video of Vikings GM Rick Spielman interview:

Vikings open to trading 3rd overall pick

Senior Bowl

Vikings open to trade talks for No. 3 overall pick

MOBILE, Ala. — Well, now. Here’s something Vikings fans maybe didn’t think about before: their team trading the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

You’d figure that, with QB Christian Ponder entering his second season, there’d be no question Minnesota would seek to assist him with either a stud left tackle (USC’s Matt Kalil?) or a No. 1 receiver (Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon?).

But thanks to general manager Rick Spielman‘s comments Wednesday during Senior Bowl practice, it might be time to consider the Vikings open for business.

“It will be, I think, very busy on draft day,” Spielman said in an interview on the NFL Network set. “We’re the third overall pick, so we’ll be looking at all the options. If someone wants to come up and get our pick, we’re going to be more than willing to listen.”

For the record, all but one of our experts’ mock drafts has the Vikings selecting Kalil

Since the Rams have Bradford and Minnesota is dangling the third pick the Vikings are basically undercutting the Rams ability to trade the second pick since the third pick would come cheaper.Seems like a smart tactic but how low could they go and still get one of the guys that they want?

Not really because any team trading up (and getting the Vikings pick) could get screwed on draft day if a second team jumps up to get the Rams pick. The Vikes would only have any leverage once the second pick is taken and RGIII is still on the board.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

The speculation of trading down surrounds the perceived value of RG III to teams wanted a franchise QB but it also involves the value available should a team trade-down.

The Colts pick of Luck seems inevitable.

The Rams have their franchise QB in place. They made an excellent trade to acquire Brandon L. they could use more assistance at WR but their downfall last year was in protecting Bradford. The specific weakness is at OLT and the best OLT to come out since Jake Long is their for the taking. If they bypass Kalil he will go off the board in the next pick so if they move down two things would have to happen: 1. They would have to get a substantial package that would entice a trade-down. 2. They still need a blindside protector and if they do not trade-down too far they could likely get the next best OLT.

I think it would be very difficult to bypass Kalil unless the Rams got a significant package and right now I do not see that sort of interest in RG III so I think the Rams will wind up taking Ryan Kalil and they will be happy with him.

The Vikings probably are the best option to trade-down. I think they covet Kalil and would be happy if the Rams trade-out of their pick allowing Kalil to fall to them or if they could trade-down and still pick up the next-best OLT prospect. Of the teams reportedly interested in RG III, I think they would not want to drop down further than the Redskins sixth pick.

Todd McShay put out his second mock (no trades) the other day. McShay has Kalil going a pick before the Vikings and he hs them taking the next-best available OLT in his most recent mock. If McShay has them taking Rief with their pick and considering their GM has said they are willing to trade-down and they 'probably' do not want to trade down too far or they would risk losing Rief.

Right now it seems to me that the Rams will wind up taking Kalil and it makes sense to me that the Vikings will wind up trading their pick and they may not demand as much if they do not have to move down very far and can still get the guy that they probably would have taken with the third pick.

 

[Shutout]

Think they should position themselves for Kalil. They really got to have him. If they can get him and trade and add something, I think that's a good win for them.

 

[Donnybrook]

I hope I am wrong but I can't shake the feeling that Shanny will attempt to trade down and draft Ryan Tannehill. I see some similarities between Tannehill and Cutler. If Miami signs Flynn and Washington looks at Tannehill at least as a backup plan, I don't think the demand to trade up will be there.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

I hope I am wrong but I can't shake the feeling that Shanny will attempt to trade down and draft Ryan Tannehill. I see some similarities between Tannehill and Cutler. If Miami signs Flynn and Washington looks at Tannehill at least as a backup plan, I don't think the demand to trade up will be there.

Shanahan moved up two spots to nab Cutler. His move caught the rest of the league by suprise since he never met Cutler and showed zero interest in him before making the leap on draft day. I think he even kept that move under wraps from some of the people inside the Broncos scouting department so it was a big shock when it happened. Shanny had Jake Plummer and he had one of his best seasons so QB was not a dire need which added to the suprise and secretiveness of the move. So you cannot overlook anything with Shanny.I agree with you that Shanny could do anything, including moving down to acquire more picks as he did successfully last year when he got ripped for that move but it turned out pretty successfully for him so he may very well do that this year.So you could be right, he may have his Tannehill in his peripheral vision but I'll throw out another name, Brandon Weeden.Shanny and his staff coached the South team at the Senior Bowl. Brandon Weeden was getting rave reviews for his performance in practice all week under the nose of Shanny.You may be right with your gut feeling that Shanahan will attempt a trade-down but Washington isn't the only team needing a QB who would want to move up.The problem is how far down could the Rams or the Vikings go and still get the guy that they want. No team is going to move down without a clear plan on who they want. They won't sacrifice a solid value for a guy they aren't sure of.