New NFL Draft 3-day format could mean more Trades

[ATENEARS]

A three-day NFL Draft could mean more trades for Cleveland Browns, other teams

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

April 10, 2010, 9:19PM

 

View full sizeCraig Ruttle / Associated PressThe NFL Draft's huge popularity has led Commissioner Roger Goodell, at left with last year's top pick, quarterback Matthew Stafford, to extend it over three days.

 

CLEVELAND -- To rabid draftniks, the NFL Draft used to be like Christmas and the Super Bowl wrapped into one package. There's months of anticipation, followed by a big day or two, and then -- poof! -- it's done.

 

Commissioner Roger Goodell has changed that.

 

This year's draft will be spread over three days -- Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 22-24.

 

The first round gets its own day, Thursday night, the most-watched TV viewing night of the week. Coverage on ESPN and NFL Network begins at 7:30 p.m., with the first selection anticipated at around 8. The second and third rounds will be held on Friday, beginning at 6 p.m. Both of those days should wrap up at 11 p.m.

 

The rest of the draft -- the fourth through seventh rounds -- conclude on Saturday, the traditional draft day, beginning at 10 a.m.

 

Goodell expanded the draft to capitalize on its phenomenal popularity.

 

"It's about finding new ways to expand upon what you are doing and to find new ways for fans to engage with football," he said at the NFL owners meetings last month. "By creating a prime-time event and doing it over three days, we are able to allow more people to experience the draft. We think it's going to be a nice change and a positive change with our fans."

 

The changes will affect the way teams operate, also.

 

Browns General Manager Tom Heckert is among many who expect more trades.

 

"It's going to be interesting, to say the least," he said. "I think there might be a little more trade movement than usual because you have some extra time in there and more opportunities to trade."

 

Not too long ago, the draft was divided into rounds 1-3 on the first day and rounds 4-7 on the second day. Teams that owned high picks in the fourth round were considered fortunate because other teams hungry for one desirable player left on their draft boards often came calling with trade offers during the overnight break.

 

Now, there are two overnight breaks to create such trade opportunities. High picks in round 2 and round 4 may now be highly coveted.

 

New England coach Bill Belichick sees a different approach to the second round.

 

"I kind of think the second round will now be like the first round," Belichick said. "Take those [top] 32 players out of there, whoever they are, now you're starting all over again for that second round. And I can see it being approached more as that first round.

 

"In the past, you kind of rolled into that round. Now, to actually stop and have the whole night to sit there and think about it and talk to other teams and develop a new strategy. Everybody does that on the second day; now we have three days. It's a different dynamic."

 

In the case of the Browns, who own three picks in the third round, the stop-and-go format gives them more time to plot a trade strategy, to move up from the third round for an additional pick in the second round.

 

And that could be when the Browns select their quarterback.

 

[ATENEARS]

This thing is starting to grow on me ... you know what, I think that I'm going tos start planning some Draft Day parties or gatherings for this event. This Thursday night thing could be fun ... although getting up for work on Friday will suck.

[C.Bridges]

According to the draft value chart, the Browns' three picks in the third round equal 532 points. That's the equivalent of the fifth pick in the second round (No. 37 overall).

 

That is huge. I doubt we use all three, but packaging two of them to move into the mid-second round to get a guy we have our sights on would be of good use.

 

 

[DawgTracker]

They did it to get more advertising revenue and said "Screw You" to the people who go to work on friday and buy they shirts and fill the stands.

[jasont44094]

I love having NFL Network, because I get this kind of insight and analysis among other topics weeks before anybody in the Cleveland media reports or talks about it.