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Should the Dallas Cowboys Trade Up to Get Patrick Peterson?
By Rob Brown (Contributor)
March 10, 2011 - Arlington
Almost nobody thinks Patrick Peterson is dropping to the ninth pick where Dallas sits and waits. Most draft experts, like Mel Kiper, have him going seventh to the 49ers—if he even drops that far.
How much will it cost Dallas to trade up and snag Peterson?
To put it bluntly—a lot.
Using the infamous draft trade value chart, the Cowboys’ ninth pick is worth 1,350 points, their second round pick is worth 500 and their third round pick is worth 235 points.
Now teams often bend one way or the other when it comes to these points, so by no means are these concrete. But for the sake of argument, we’ll stick to them.
I’m not going to entertain the notion that the Cowboys should trade into the top three picks to grab Peterson. Those picks are worth between 2,200 and 3,000 points. Therefore, the Cowboys would have to perform some sort of Ricky Williams-like trade on draft day for one player. I can’t imagine any team doing that in this day and age.
Although you can never count out Al Davis to do something that will shock the world.
If the Cowboys are willing to trade their first and second round picks, they can trade up to anywhere else in the top 10. Those picks are worth 1,400-1,800 points, according to the value chart.
Peterson can realistically go to any team in the top 10. If he goes to the Broncos or Bills at pick two or three, it wouldn’t shock many. Many consider him to be the best player in the draft, even ahead of players like Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert, so I won’t rule out Peterson going in the top three.
So if he passes the Bills, can the Cowboys afford to trade away two draft picks for Patrick Peterson?
It depends on the grade you place on Prince Amukamara. Many believe that Amukamara will drop to the Cowboys at the ninth pick and that he will be a good corner in the NFL. Peterson is the better player, nobody is arguing that, but Amukamara isn’t far behind him.
At least not far enough to warrant giving up a second round draft pick.
A team like the Dallas Cowboys, who need to get young replacements in different positions, can’t afford to spend two picks on one player. With needs at safety, defensive line and offensive line, Jerry Jones shouldn’t trade up unless Peterson is leaps and bounds better than Amukamara.
The likelihood of Peterson being a bust is pretty minimal—he’s the best corner that has come out of the draft in a long time. So the risk in trading up for him isn’t high. The real risk is trading away a pick that could’ve helped you in the years to come.
Now that Marcus Spears and Gerald Sensabaugh aren’t with the team, Dallas needs players to fill the holes they left behind. Dallas needs players that can start today, and it’ll be hard for them to draft a player in the third round that’s capable of that.
If Jerry Jones makes a big draft day move, it won’t be the first time. However, this one would be costly. Is Peterson worth two draft picks? Is he that much better than Amukamara? Will Peterson even drop past the Bills at the third pick? So much to ponder on and only time will tell what the right move will be.
By Rob Brown (Contributor)
March 10, 2011 - Arlington
Almost nobody thinks Patrick Peterson is dropping to the ninth pick where Dallas sits and waits. Most draft experts, like Mel Kiper, have him going seventh to the 49ers—if he even drops that far.
How much will it cost Dallas to trade up and snag Peterson?
To put it bluntly—a lot.
Using the infamous draft trade value chart, the Cowboys’ ninth pick is worth 1,350 points, their second round pick is worth 500 and their third round pick is worth 235 points.
Now teams often bend one way or the other when it comes to these points, so by no means are these concrete. But for the sake of argument, we’ll stick to them.
I’m not going to entertain the notion that the Cowboys should trade into the top three picks to grab Peterson. Those picks are worth between 2,200 and 3,000 points. Therefore, the Cowboys would have to perform some sort of Ricky Williams-like trade on draft day for one player. I can’t imagine any team doing that in this day and age.
Although you can never count out Al Davis to do something that will shock the world.
If the Cowboys are willing to trade their first and second round picks, they can trade up to anywhere else in the top 10. Those picks are worth 1,400-1,800 points, according to the value chart.
Peterson can realistically go to any team in the top 10. If he goes to the Broncos or Bills at pick two or three, it wouldn’t shock many. Many consider him to be the best player in the draft, even ahead of players like Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert, so I won’t rule out Peterson going in the top three.
So if he passes the Bills, can the Cowboys afford to trade away two draft picks for Patrick Peterson?
It depends on the grade you place on Prince Amukamara. Many believe that Amukamara will drop to the Cowboys at the ninth pick and that he will be a good corner in the NFL. Peterson is the better player, nobody is arguing that, but Amukamara isn’t far behind him.
At least not far enough to warrant giving up a second round draft pick.
A team like the Dallas Cowboys, who need to get young replacements in different positions, can’t afford to spend two picks on one player. With needs at safety, defensive line and offensive line, Jerry Jones shouldn’t trade up unless Peterson is leaps and bounds better than Amukamara.
The likelihood of Peterson being a bust is pretty minimal—he’s the best corner that has come out of the draft in a long time. So the risk in trading up for him isn’t high. The real risk is trading away a pick that could’ve helped you in the years to come.
Now that Marcus Spears and Gerald Sensabaugh aren’t with the team, Dallas needs players to fill the holes they left behind. Dallas needs players that can start today, and it’ll be hard for them to draft a player in the third round that’s capable of that.
If Jerry Jones makes a big draft day move, it won’t be the first time. However, this one would be costly. Is Peterson worth two draft picks? Is he that much better than Amukamara? Will Peterson even drop past the Bills at the third pick? So much to ponder on and only time will tell what the right move will be.
