Expect Trades During the Draft

I have always known that Jerry Jones loves to wheel and deal during the draft but I never really stopped to look at how many trades he actually made until I read Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column yesterday. The Dallas Cowboys have made 18 trades during the draft in the last five years. The most of any team in the NFL.

The Cowboys are currently slated to make 11 picks in the 2009 draft. There is no doubt in my mind that Jerry Jones will be making several trades during the draft to move up, move down, or get picks for next year. The history shows that he prefers the trade down with 12 of the 18 picks over the last five years being trades down. But with so many picks this year it seems pretty logical that the Cowboys could package a few of them to move up at some point in the draft.

If someone unexpected slips into the middle of the second round that the Cowboys have rated highly then I would them to move up to get that player. I have no idea who they might be targeting but you have to believe that a highly rated receiver might be someone they would move up to pick. Maybe even a defensive back, linebacker or defensive tackle might be someone who they feel is worth a trade up.

But I also fully expect that the Cowboys will be trading out of many of their picks. They always do. Sometimes the draft drives me crazy because I wait for hours for them to make a pick only to see the clock running down and then listen with disappointment as the commissioner announces a trade. No matter how many times it happens it always makes the draft frustrating to watch. I am trying to mentally prepare for the inevitable trade down. This year will be much worse if I have to sit through the entire first round and most of the second round waiting for a Cowboys' pick only to see them trade down. But I won't be surprised if it happens.