Over at Blogging the Boys, the SBN site dedicated to the Dallas Cowboys, one of my favorite writers there - One.Cool.Customer. - is tracking a rumor. It seems the fun loving, man about town owner of the Cowboys may be trying to move up in the 2012 NFL Draft, and take Morris Claiborne?
I'm amazed it took Jerry Jones so long to respond to Dan Snyder's attempt to grab the spotlight with the blockbuster trade the Redskins made with the Rams. Considering the many needs facing his team, I can't say I blame the Cowboys for exploring their options in the draft. They have question marks at defensive tackle, linebacker and of course - corner back. The price to move up may not be as high as we think though; at least in terms of draft picks. Could the Cowboys be considering a "Picks and player" trade? Could Felix Jones be headed to Cleveland?
The Cleveland Browns are light at the running back position with the loss of Peyton Hillis in free agency. Felix may be looking for more playing time than he's going to get on a Cowboys team that has set its saddle squarely on DeMarco Murray's back?
O.C.C. broke down the cost from a picks point of view:
"That move would not come cheap. Going by the draft value chart, the #4 pick is worth 1,800 points. It would require the Cowboys to offer their first three picks (14+45+81) to at least come within striking distance (1,735 points) of the fourteenth pick. That's a very steep price." - O.C.C.
Here's the Tweet that started the rumor courtesy of Blogging the Boys:
"ESCH: Hearing Cowboys are talking to Browns about moving from 14 up to 4. Target would be LSU CB Morris Claiborne." - The Huddle Report
I have very little confidence in "The Huddle Report" being much more than a social media rumor mill, but the thought is intriguing.
It makes little sense to give up so many picks, so why not thin the picks cost with a player Holmgren desperately needs? The Browns still have the #22 pick in the first round to grab a wide receiver, which has to be high on their shopping list.
We knew Jerry Jones wouldn''t stay quiet long. In what is turning into the wildest NFL off season I can remember, it really was just a matter of time, wasn't it?