It's always the debate when draft time rolls around. Does your team trade up, trade down or stay put? Lots of variables work into this equation. Sometimes a team has a huge hole that needs to be filled, finds a player that they think can fill it, and packages up some picks to move up high enough to get that player. There's been some speculation that the Cowboy's may try that to get S Michael Huff. But with the recent signings of Keith Davis and Marcus Coleman, the Cowboys have a hole, but not a gaping hole, at FS.
JJT at the DMN (sub. required) gives his thoughts on this scenario.
There's not one player in this draft worth the Cowboys trading essentially their entire draft to select.
I agree, it would be cost prohibitive to make this move, and the Davis and Coleman signings probably rule it out.
The Cowboys could stay put at #18 and select the best player available. Sure we have needs like the aforementioned FS, help on the offensive line, another quality linebacker, a backup NT, or getting younger at the WR position. All of those are worthy but Dallas could go into the season without reaching for one of them at #18 and field a pretty good team. There's no guarantee that whoever you pick at #18 is going to significantly help the team this season anyway. So if the Cowboys stay put they can do the smart thing and pick the best player left on their board.
The scenario I endorse is trying to move down. The consensus on this draft - and most drafts - is that after the top 10-12 players the value starts to even out and the rest of the first round is filled with similarly valued players. So whether your #18 or #23 might not make too much of a difference if you aren't drafting for need. The benefit of moving down and acquiring some more mid-round picks could make an immediate impact this year in depth and special teams. A player drafted this year may not hit the field much as a position player in 2006, but they could benefit the special teams. Plus, more picks means more chances to make up for any bad picks.
Again, let's go to JJT.
JJT agrees but he leaves us hanging. Just who are those five players the Cowboys like? I'd sure like to know that.
Of course, when draft day comes around and we are sitting on the clock with say, Chad Jackson, Bobby Carpenter, Kamerion Wimbley or even more significantly Winston Justice still on the board, I'll probably just say: 'Make the pick and don't screw around.'
What about you guys?
Update [2006-4-19 16:45:7 by Grizz]: After reading Terry's response in the comments I realized I worded the last paragraph poorly because I too would jump on Winston Justice in a second. What I meant to say was that if some players that I liked were still on the board at #18, I might lose my nerve to trade down and just want us to go ahead and make a pick. If a player like Justice or Huff or someone fell to us at 18 it would be a no-brainer.