Link: MDS on Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones made some statements this past week about being in the top five (but he does mention the sixth pick too) of the NFL Draft and how it’s a millstone. I had started writing up a piece about this, but it looks as if MDS has done a far better job expressing my sentiments on top five picks in his latest guest post on Fifth Down.
Here’s Jerry’s thoughts about moving up.
“I have no intent at all of moving into the top five,” Jones told the Star-Telegram. “A team can get crippled, and I mean seriously crippled, from a financial standpoint by being up there in the top five or six. It’s a real negative.
“Nobody wants in there, and the teams in there, they want out.”
Now who can really tell what’s going on in Jerry Jones’ mind, but that kind of frank talk about top picks is pretty rare from owners.
Although I think many of us would want to switch back with Jones for those two late first rounders, it’s been clear for a while that teams with lower first round picks have more leverage than teams with higher picks in the past 2-3 years. I know many fans would say “who doesn’t want a higher pick?” But as we’ve talked about for months now, the Jets are sitting pretty at six.
I am suprised the owners don’t get together and come up with a slotting system so that the $ isn’t so outrageous for players who haven’t done squat in the NUFFLE
for teams not wanting to get burned by the salaries in the top 5 picks, they could just not make the pick like the vikings did a few years ago. just let other teams jump in there, make a pick, and you can select a player at whatever draft spot at which you think the money will be reasonable.
Except that player is still going to want top 5 pick money because of the slot your team owns and you get a possible downgrade for not making a decision.
I’m with you dro. I think it’ll happen in the next agreement between the players association and the league. Veteran players can’t be happy seeing guys who turn out to be busts get paid like superstars.
they can “want” top 5 money all they want, but not being a top 5 pick, they don’t get it. when the vikings did that in 03, the 2 players taken during the “jump in’s” were byron lefwich and jordan gross. the numbers below are slightly questionable for them, but kevin williams is accurate – much much lower salary.
leftwich – 7 yrs (voidable after 5) – 10.9 mil signing bonus, 30 mil base
jordan Gross – 5 yrs – $38.5 million with $11.5 million in total bonuses
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Kevin williams – 4 mil singing bonus – total 7 yrs, 13 mil.
can we not complicate this matter. If McFadden is available, please take the chance with him and pick him. If he and Gholston are not available, and there is a good chance they will not be, then try and trade out. This also might not be a possibility. Sedrick Ellis would be a good addition to our average defensive line. What do you guys think??
sitting pretty at 6…. unless they, like alot of people, think Gholston is more workout warrior than week to week production.
i hope no one boos if they take a CB or the de/olb from Florida.
Any statements by anyone before the draft, consider them to be smokescreens. If McDaddy is there, expect the Cowboys to call the JETS.
And if Dorsey and Ellis are there at #6, expect New Orleans to call. But then they could have DRob for a 4 and 5.
I agree with the NY Times article. Unless you are getting a ‘can’t miss’ player that is superior to the rest in the draft and that can start right away, then I say trade down and collect good players for more positions (law of averages). Ultimately, you can’t spend an endless amount of money on players, and disparity in salaries is going to affect the dynamics of your team. Maybe the Jets drop a couple of spots if the value isn’t there and can’t trade down, but I doubt that they could stand the scrutiny that it would bring from the fans and the press if they go that route.
Trading down with the no. 6 pick is not happening. Given the Jets recent history, it’s more likely that the Jets will trade up to the late first round or early second round to grab somebody that has fallen.
I think their biggest draftable (top pick) need is CB. I think WR is another position that we can improve by getting a big fast young guy that can help KC blossom into a force. I don’t think either is worthy of the 6th pick in this years crop. Any other position (RB, OT, DT, QB) drafted that high would cause issues with current starters who are under contract and are not a liability.
I dont agree with you SD99. Just becoz they traded up last yr dont mean nothing for next draft. Only if Chris Long drops to 3 or 4 then they’ll do their due diligence and check with teams. As a matter of fact they look more like staying put but only bcoz no one wud like be trading upto the 6th spot.
I think SD99’s point is that we are keeping the #6 but that we will trade up with our lesser picks to the late 1st/early 2nd round to get a better second player. Am I wrong? This does seem like a possibility with a weak draft and many of our need positions filled through FA. I could see them moving up to take a guy like Brohm or Groves, depending on who is taken at #6. I’m not saying its the best move, but I could see it happening.
i for 1 cant stand watching rookies making all this guarenteed money without proving their worth on the field…i’ve felt like this for years but the vets should stand up and say or do something about it…its the vets who earned the right to get paid top dollar not these rookies who normally take 2-3 years to be stars…and thats if their not a bust…i’ve always felt football players should get paid top dollars but they have to earn it…something needs to be done about this hugh problem when rookies get paid more than vets do…i hope it gets done this year…im sorry but im just sick of it and i hope the owners,vets and fans are to…anyway,just my thoughts…
they dont need to cut anyone’s pay to fix this, all they need to do is make it less punishing on the team to cut a player on his rookie contract with a bunch of upfront money i.e. on a rookie contract a team only takes a percentage of the cap hit they would take for cutting a veteran contract with the same guarantees.
This is all a smoke screen anyway, *bad teams make bad decisions because they have bad front offices* and the NFL isn’t going to change that in the next CBA. I think Jerry is negotiating with Bill Parcells for the top pick and implicitly saying that the Jimmy Johnson draft pick compensation chart no longer makes sense. He’s right about that, and he’s got leverage because Parcells has got to want out of that pick.
I think the second rd pick is going to determine our draft and sackdance is right about them moving that pick. That pick with Robertson moving up to get some one they target would be amazing! Any move back with the Six I would hope would get us a pick in the 3rd. I think we did the saints a favor for practically giving them Vilma and they should hook us up with a sweet trade!
I think the article lends more credence to the notion that Jerry will reach for McFadden at six if he is there. While he will have to pay, it will not be top five money. I think the Front office is open to the possibility and will listen when Jerry calls especially when he offers those two numbers ones and a number three.
I agree in part with Sackdance and MIke, if the Jerry Jones situation (or possible New Orleans/Panthers situation) does not work out, that we will most likely move back into the first round to catch someone who has dropped. We have spent some money in free agency and capitilizing a few instant impact players may become a priority as opposed to obtaining the later round talent that takes time to develop.
However, having said that, its not only D-rob that may be packaged in a trade. Even with a win now attitude or philosophy, draft day could very likely see the end of the Chad era (making my autographed photo ad football worthless on a sidenote), depending on who is left on the board. Both Minnesota and the Bears may be willing to trade for Chad with some sort of combination of picks for their first round pick, or part ways with a second round pick. The Bears resigned Rex Grossman, Chad would surely be an improvement. This could bring in Brian Brohm or signify us taking Matt Ryan at six (still don’t believe he’s worth it at six) and trading back into the first round to get him a receiver or get the defense a linebacker or cornerback.
But I back to the issue at hand, there is one thing that can be guaranteed from this article (don’t worry about all the smokescreens), if the Jets pick up McFadden, they will be called by the Cowboys for a trade. Jones is trying to hide his intentions from the only other team that would draft him, the Raiders. Whether or not we trade with Cowboys will depend on what they offer, I hope we rip them off, it would be nice to be on the perceived winning side of the off-season trade.