They call it the silly season for a reason. The 2011 NFL draft, and the month leading up to it, will include all kinds of reports of teams interested in a certain player, teams thinking of trading away a pick, teams working out a certain player and other draft rumors.
Cowboys Trade Offers Coming In For 9th Pick; Real Draft Rumor Or Silly Season?
And many of them will be a complete lie. Teams often throw other teams off the scent of which player they’re looking at in the draft by working out a player they have no interest in drafting, leaking rumors of their interest in a player or throwing out other misinformation.
We can't say for certain if that's happening right now with the Dallas Cowboys but it's very possible. Jerry Jones said recently that the Cowboys already have interest from other teams in trading up for their ninth overall pick.
“I’ve already had the opportunity to discuss and been approached by two separate clubs,” Jones told the Star-Telegram. “It certainly enhances the value of that ninth pick because not only are we going to have a player that I think will make a difference for us now, we really have the opportunity to move down and are going to have that opportunity.”
See what he’s done there? He has other teams now thinking there’s competition for the ninth pick, which would drive the price of the pick up, and has made it known that, for the right price, that pick is for sale.
It’s possible Jones is telling the truth here and there is legitimate interest in the Cowboys pick. But it’s also possible this is all a ruse, as many other draft-time stories are, in order to give the Cowboys an advantage.
There will be lots of these types of stories over the next month. Just remember that people like Jerry Jones understand what silly season means.
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