Do teams tell who they will pick during pick trades?

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Yeah, maybe a weird question, but still:

 

Let’s say a team the Browns want to get our 3. Pick, but we want to be sure we get Chubb. How do we know they go after a QB and not Chubb. Do GM’s talk open about this or do you just run the risk?

[OffensivelyPC]

I highly doubt it for at least three reasons.  First, tipping your hand is never a good idea on principle alone.  Just because if they know who we want, they aren't obligated to not tell someone else.  Second, it will change the price of the trade.  If they know who we want they can essentially say that they aren't planning to take that guy, but only if they accept a lower pick in exchange (i.e. we want a 1st and 2nd which they would give, but in order to induce the trade and they do not take Chubb, they must accept a 1st and a 3rd).  Third, say we did have that understanding, we trade and then they pull a Josh McDaniels on us and take Chubb anyway.  

[Mr. Irrelevant]

1 minute ago, OffensivelyPC said:

I highly doubt it for at least three reasons.  First, tipping your hand is never a good idea on principle alone.  Just because if they know who we want, they aren't obligated to not tell someone else.  Second, it will change the price of the trade.  If they know who we want they can essentially say that they aren't planning to take that guy, but only if they accept a lower pick in exchange (i.e. we want a 1st and 2nd which they would give, but in order to induce the trade and they do not take Chubb, they must accept a 1st and a 3rd).  Third, say we did have that understanding, we trade and then they pull a Josh McDaniels on us and take Chubb anyway.  

 

Yeah, you’re right. Good points. Was just wondering what might go on behind the scenes in these trades.

[LockeDown]

I think he is asking if there is a gentleman’s agreement between the 2 teams.  I’ve wondered that too 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

1 minute ago, LockeDown said:

I think he is asking if there is a gentleman’s agreement between the 2 teams.  I’ve wondered that too 

 

Yes, exactly this. Thanks LockeDown. 

[OffensivelyPC]

1 minute ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

 

Yeah, you’re right. Good points. Was just wondering what might go on behind the scenes in these trades.

All anyone is doing right now is lying to the other teams.  I remember last year Ballard was being interviewed on the JMV show and they were talking about all the misinformation and JMV asked him something about whether he puts out his own misinformation and Ballard slyly replied "No, I couldn't do that!!"  I can't remember what the exact question was, but Ballards sarcasm was proof of the game these guys are playing with each other during the weeks leading up to the draft and the draft itself.

[IndyScribe]

You don't know. If Ballard really wanted Chubb, he'd stay still.

[Dr. T]

No, I think that this is part of the swap. You must tell us who you are going to pick, otherwise why would we swap and screw ourselves by you picking who we wanted?

[LockeDown]

6 hours ago, Dr. T said:

No, I think that this is part of the swap. You must tell us who you are going to pick, otherwise why would we swap and screw ourselves by you picking who we wanted?

That's what I'm thinking.  It's 2 teams that are working together against a 3rd team for that moment. 

[Hoose]

I bet there is no info swapped. I offer you the deal with no caveats. Take it or leave it. 

[rockywoj]

Ask yourself, would you do a trade down for only one spot WITHOUT a caveat as to who is or is not being taken?  I wouldn’t.

 

I think there is your answer.

[LockeDown]

6 minutes ago, rockywoj said:

Ask yourself, would you do a trade down for only one spot WITHOUT a caveat as to who is or is not being taken?  I wouldn’t.

 

I think there is your answer.

I know I wouldn't .  

[strt182]

I kinda wondered about this myself.  Lets say this seeings how Ballard has ties to the new GM in Cleveland could there be a little behind the scenes play going on. 

 

For example Ballard has a close idea of who is on the Browns board. The browns make their first pick and it works to the Colts favor. Team x calls the colts and says hey we want player x who CB KNOWS is on Clevelands board. Does Ballard call the Browns and say hey i got a team that wants to make a trade with me to take YOUR GUY at our spot you got anything to counter offer? 

 

If only we could be a fly on the wall in the draft room.

[Superman]

The Bears didn't tell the Niners who they were taking at #2 last year. 

 

https://www.si.com/mmqb/2017/05/01/san-francisco-49ers-nfl-draft-room-bears-trade-reuben-foster-peter-king

 

Quote

 

The Bears agreed. They’d give two third-round picks and a fourth-rounder to move up one spot.

“Man, who do they want?” Lynch said. “Gotta be Solomon, right?”

“Call me crazy,” Marathe said. “But I think it’s Trubisky.”

“Then why’d they go get [free-agent quarterback Mike] Glennon?” Lynch said.

They debated, and made sure that if they couldn’t find a trading partner to move down from three, they were comfortable taking Foster—with a questionable shoulder and a positive combine test for a diluted drug sample—with the third overall pick, if the Bears took Solomon. But they wanted to try to move down as far as No. 8 because they felt Foster had no chance of being selected before Cincinnati at No. 9. 

Four minutes passed. “Don’t lose Chicago, Paraag,” Lynch said.

Marathe got the Bears on the phone. “Cleveland needs not to do something crazy,” Marathe said to Pace. “Other than that we’re good to go if you are—67, 111 and next year’s three, 2018. Shoot, is next year 2018? Time flies. We’re close to a handshake, right?”

Pause.

“Hey,” Marathe said, “can you tell me who you’re taking? I’m so curious.”

No dice.

Off the phone, Marathe said to Lynch and Shanahan: “He [Pace] said, ‘I think you guys are going to be comfortable with what we do.’ So I don’t know what that is.”

Eight minutes until the draft went live in Philadelphia. The Niners were fairly sure Garrett would go number one. Now they’d made a verbal deal with Pace for the number two pick. They felt good. They felt mystified. They weren’t sure who the second pick would be. They weren’t sure if they’d be able to deal the third pick down for more picks to replenish one of the least talented rosters in the NFL. After four months of studying a vital draft, the GM and coach who’d been paid millions with twin (and unheard of) six-year contracts truly didn’t know if they’d have Thomas, or Foster, or a bevy of draft picks and neither, or a bevy of draft picks and one or both, by the end of the evening.

 

 

[stitches]

My guess is - not. It's part of the price you get for the trade. 

[Finball]

17 hours ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

Yeah, maybe a weird question, but still:

 

Let’s say a team the Browns want to get our 3. Pick, but we want to be sure we get Chubb. How do we know they go after a QB and not Chubb. Do GM’s talk open about this or do you just run the risk?

 

If/as they don't get Cousins and didn't pick QB at #1, they are 100% taking QB with their next pick. They can't walk away from this draft with no QB. So in the case of Browns, we know what they are going to do. Same with every other team in a need of a QB.

 

I have some (weak) recollection that back in the 2012 draft, when Jags traded up from 7 to 5 (Bucs pick), Bucs were told or knew that they were going to take Blackmon. However, Bucs were comfortable passing him because they had a scout shadowing him pre-draft and he went to some popular bar too often and stayed too long... Bucs ended up being right on Blackmon. They just wasted the #7 overall pick on Mark Barron.

 

Can't remember where I read this nor can I find a source right now but Redskins wanted Brian Orakpo with their #13 pick. Broncos were on the clock at #12. Redskins wanted to trade up to secure Orakpo but were basically told by the Broncos (as in McDaniels) that 'don't worry, we aren't taking him' and took Moreno at #12.. Can't recall more about the details or did they ever come out.

 

Bills traded down from #8 to #16 for Rams original pick. Rams took Austin, but I think in this case it was known that Rams wanted Austin, I remember reading about it pre-draft.

 

Back in 2012 draft, Browns traded up from #4 one spot to get Vikings pick. Not sure if they told them they were taking T-Rich but pretty much everyone knew it. They were certainly not taking Kalil, who the Vikings wanted, since they had Kalil. And Vikings didn't want T-Rich since they had AP. Not the best scenario to look at since the top 2 picks were known already and I think this trade happened before the draft started.

[DaveA1102]

17 hours ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

Yeah, maybe a weird question, but still:

 

Let’s say a team the Browns want to get our 3. Pick, but we want to be sure we get Chubb. How do we know they go after a QB and not Chubb. Do GM’s talk open about this or do you just run the risk?

 

Very interesting question.

 

I would guess that it will depend on both the situation and the relationship. 

 

Situational:

If it helps you get the trade due to it not interfering with the plans of the other side (i.e. the Broncos telling the Colts they want to trade up to get a QB ahead of Browns at #4, which would likely result in Colts still getting who they want) then it is to their benefit to show their hand as will mean the Colts are more likely to trade...assuming they trust the word of their counterpart of course.

 

Relationship:

If Ballard wanted to make a trade with KC or the Bears, I would assume that there is more likely to be an open dialogue in terms of strong relationships there and looking to get a "win-win" on the trade. That might not be the case when on the phone to New England or a divisional rival.

 

Would love to listen in to one of the calls.....

[aaron11]

what if they lie and take who you wanted anyway?

[Mr. Irrelevant]

6 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

what if they lie and take who you wanted anyway?

 

Then you will get the McDufus treatment! 

[IndyScribe]

2 hours ago, aaron11 said:

what if they lie and take who you wanted anyway?

Then that's completely fine. You just got screwed.