It figures that in an NFL draft with outstanding second-round value, coach Bill Belichick would own three picks in the round and be in position to overhaul his sagging New England Patriots defense. The Patriots have a total of four picks (Nos. 23, 34, 47, 58) in the first two rounds of the draft, which begins Saturday. That pretty much makes Belichick the winner before the Detroit Lions, who have the top selection, even get on the clock. Here's a primer on what else to expect.
Trade bait
There hasn't been a trade for one of the top five picks since 2004, thanks to the astronomical financial guarantees committed to less-than-Hall-of-Fame talent. This year, every team in the top 10 except the Oakland Raiders has talked about trading down. Is it any more realistic than any of the previous four years?
It might be, if Mike Mayock knows what he's talking about. The NFL Network analyst said he believes the notorious draft-value chart is on the way out. "I think teams will be willing to get out of the top 10 for literally half of what it used to take," Mayock said.
Why? The payouts are so steep and the investment returns so risky that teams at the top might be willing to bail at any cost to avoid busting. Besides, who wants to pay $30 million in guarantees for a guy who hasn't played a down in the NFL?
Upwardly mobile
So which teams might be willing to move into the top 10? Those that want quarterback Mark Sanchez, primarily. That would be the Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins and New York Jets.
The bidding could start at the third pick, which the Kansas City Chiefs hope to trade. The Seattle Seahawks (No. 4), Cleveland Browns (No. 5), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 8) and San Francisco 49ers (No. 10) have been linked to Sanchez. The Jaguars might be the most eager to trade back.
Also in play
The potential destinations of several veteran players could upstage the draft process. The Browns reportedly are shopping quarterback Brady Quinn and wide receiver Braylon Edwards. The Arizona Cardinals are accepting offers for wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The Miami Dolphins are willing to part with running back Ronnie Brown. And Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, who received the franchise tag from the Carolina Panthers, also might be available.
