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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Memo: Kevin Colbert, call Mark Dominik

The Pittsburgh Steelers want to make a trade to acquire more draft picks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have already dealt their first-round pick to the New York Jets for Darrelle Revis, want to move back into the first round.

It seems like Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and Mark Dominik, his counterpart in Tampa, should talk.

Tampa Bay owns the 43rd pick in the draft, a long way to move back from 17 for the Steelers for sure, but I think something could be worked out.

In fact, if I were Colbert, I would insist on a second and third-round pick, plus running back LeGarrette Blount, who got just 41 carries last season after putting together a 1,000-yard season in 2011 when the new coaching staff in Tampa benched him in favor of rookie Doug Martin.

According to Jimmy Johnson's draft value chart - you know, the thing that teams say they don't use but somehow trades always seem to work out pretty close to what the chart says - the 17th pick in the draft is worth 950 points.

Tampa Bay's second and third round picks are worth a combined 685 points.

To me, acquiring a 250-pound former 1,000-yard running back who doesn't turn 27 until December and has a base salary of $1.25 million seems like a bargain.

In fact, the last time the Steelers made such a move to acquire a 250-pound running back who had fallen out of favor with his previous team back in 1996, it worked out pretty good.

I'm not comparing Blount to Jerome Bettis, but for a team in search of a lead runner, Blount would make a lot of sense.

18 comments:

Eric T said...

Blount was terrible, could not learn pass protections of the RB position and has off the field issues. There is a reason the new staff was so eager to replace him after his breakout season.

That being said, I would do the trade for a future 1st rounder in place of of Blount. Not sure if that would work though.

Dale Lolley said...

I wouldn't trade a future first rounder for him.
Basically, you'd be making a deal for a second, third and what amounts to a fourth-round value for mid-first rounder.

Anonymous said...

Off topic, but it always bothered me. Can you swap future firsts with a rival? Basically betting you'll outplay them?


Zac in Tempe with the stupid question

Anonymous said...

Blount does not have 4th round value

if the Bucs want our 1st, they better be putting their 2014 1st in the deal.

Your proposal is WAY off, and horrendous value for the Steelers

NIck said...

I like It! probably have the steelers throw in a 7th rounder
NIck

icb63 said...

IF this trade was made (details aside) who would be the pick at 43?

Anonymous said...

"Blount does not have 4th round value

if the Bucs want our 1st, they better be putting their 2014 1st in the deal.

Your proposal is WAY off, and horrendous value for the Steelers"

This. Plus, Blount in a ZBS should make every Steeler fan cringe. Guy puts the ball on the ground too.

Hell, Schiano doesn't want Blount. If the Steelers wanted him that bad they may have the opportunity come June. LB is a cut candidate.

Tampa wants the 17? Fine..you're giving up next year's #1 as part of the package to acquire it.

Dale Lolley said...

Well, they did re-sign him as a restricted free agent, so they must want him a little. They could have let him walk.

Patrick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Patrick said...

I'm surprised everyone thinks the trades this year are going to get the value that trades in prior years got.

And when is the last time the Steelers were interested in a first the following year? Especially this year with big holes to fill?

No one is giving up a future first for #17 in this draft. Think about that for a second. This year, regarded as a terrible draft that is consistently described as not top heavy in the least and you are going to give up who knows how high of a pick neat year for #17 now? No way.

Also, Blount might not be a consistent pro-bowler but a young guy who had a 1,000 yards two years ago? That's far less risky than Franky I have a f'n gamblin problem four fingers in 5 foot '7, 100 lb Chris Rainey.

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Anonymous said...

i agree with patrick. no way tampa gives up a future 1st rounder for 17th pick this year. and, if i'm the steelers, i'm not dropping all the way down to the 43rd pick without getting major concessions, which tampa doesn't have.

regarding blount, i see him as a toss up. he definitely has some baggage, but he also runs with the attitude you look for. maybe a more grounded organization would be a positive for him. either way, though, it ain't happening.

Steve-O said...

From a business standpoint your proposition makes some sense but from a fan standpoint it totally ruins our draft night. We've been waiting for months for this draft to kick off and my fellow Steeler fans are all getting together at a bar to watch this draft. It would be a real downer if we couldn't celebrate our #1 pick tonight.

Henigin said...

I agree with most of your takes, Dale, but I have to say that I hate the idea of the Steelers doing this. Other teams have traded a current second and a future first just to get back into the end of the first round. The Steelers' pick is middle of the first round so should (in theory) net a little more than that. Blount is NOT the solution to the Steelers running game woes, I'd rather they take someone in the 4th round or so and grab Bradshaw off of the FA market for a total salary that is little more than Blount's.

Anonymous said...

For whomever mentioned it, Blount ain't that young. Running backs peak at about age 25. Unless you are elite, or at least near elite, it's usually downhill from there.

Dale, the Bucs tendering Blount is akin to the Steelers tendering Dwyer from where I'm sitting. Just wanted to make sure they had the option to try and get something out of him/have a disaster option for '13. The day after he was tendered I recall reading he was actively being shopped in the local rag here. It's been reported since last training camp that Schiano is not a fan. As sparingly as he was used a year ago, I think we can take that as at least partial truth. He doesn't fit what they do on O that well.

If they wind up drafting another runner somewhere I could totally see him being released.

datruth4life said...

Dale, I'd rather trade down a few picks in the first, pick up an extra 3rd and keep my first round pick from this year. Moving back from 17 to 43 is basically sitting out the first round and a half of this draft. I understand where you are coming from, but no thanks. And if they want L. Blount, just offer a late round pick for him. It's not like he's a former 1st rounder. He was undrafted.

Dale Lolley said...

You can Zac. But as a norm, teams in the same division or teams that consider themselves contenders don't usually deal with other contenders from their division/conference.

The Miami-New England Welker deal was the exception and look how that turned out.

Dale Lolley said...

As for the trade, it was something I was throwing out there. Considering Blount is still just 26 - doesn't turn 27 until the end of the season - and doesn't have a ton of miles on him, I think he's a viable runner.

He certainly doesn't have the injury history of Bradshaw and he's better than Beanie Wells. The price this year - $1.25 million - is also workable.

And he's way more proven than Dwyer, at least in my eyes.