Dallas Might Move Up…But Not With Miami

There is nothing more that I would like to hear than Commissioner Roger Goodell say at the start of the April NFL Draft, “We have a trade”.  Unfortunately the more and more I think about it, the likelihood of that happening is all but nil.  Sure the Dallas Cowboys will probably move up in the draft and take Darren McFadden, the signs all point to the Arkansas running back moving across the state lines to “Big D”.  That trade just won’t be with the Miami Dolphins.

I suppose the first thing we should look at is why Dallas would actually move up.  Well, for starters, they only have one RB of any worth on their roster, Marion Barber who’s is for all intent and purposes off the trade block.  With only Barber  holding down the fort, Barber will not be part of a trade up.  Why? Simple, it would only leave Darren McFadden, a rookie on the roster.  There will be some cuts and Dallas may grab a RB to add to their team, but nothing out there is of Barbers’ capability.  At least for now.

So why not Miami?  Well, it is not necessarily the price, 2 1sts and couple of players is not that bad of a price and in fact it may be “compensation” cheaper to move to number 1 than say number 3.  Nor is it the price of the number 1 overall pick which I think Jerry Jones feels McFadden is worth.  It is the combination of the two, and one DeAngelo Hall.  McFadden and Hall in the draft would make Jerry Jones look like a genius.

The Atlanta Falcons have been playing a dangerous game with the QB situation.  Currently an injury recovering DJ Shockley and Chris Redman are the QB’s who will compete for a starting job.  Joey Harrington will likely resign with the team this week and that puts the other two fighting for a back up roll with the loser likely cut for a rookie.  Atlanta however, doesn’t need to draft a QB like Matt Ryan at number 3 when they can draft a Joe Flacco at 22.  There has been talk of Arthur Blank wanting to move down in the draft and not up.  A trade with Dallas would make sense.  It will cost Dallas more in terms of draft picks, but Dallas fills two needs.

How might this trade actually look on paper?  Well, Atlanta would send Dallas the 3 overall and Hall for the Cowboys 22 and 28 slots, likely a 2nd next year, and possibly a 3 this year or player/s.  Why would Dallas do it?  Well, they save the money at the top, get a pro-bowl style CB and only lose what will likely be late round picks this year and next and probably a couple players to boot…maybe.  Atlanta gains 2 1st round picks which they want desperately and more.  It’s a win win for both teams.

Miami however is on the losing end of this stick.  The only real hope would be for the Phins to sniff out that type of trade and take McFadden themselves at number 1.  Dallas would not move up, Atlanta would not move down, and Parcells could twist the knife a little deeper.  Atlanta would likely turn to Ryan or one of the top Dlineman and Dallas would likely focus on Mendenhall or Felix Jones.

There is a lot of time between now and then and there will be more and more rumors stepping up and stepping down.  Miami will go here, there and Dallas and Atlanta will do the same.  A few teams who’s names have not been mentioned will pop up and disappear.  Such is the way of it in the NFL.  For now, as much as I would love to see a trade with anyone out of number 1, it makes little sense to jump that high.  Many fans have been saying that for awhile…I’m starting to agree with them.