Finding a new home for DeAngelo

Things seemed to have slowed down a bit with free agency, as is to be expected about a week in. So its time to start looking forward to the NFL draft, I know, it seems like I already have with the daily mock draft posts, but there is no thinking involved with those, Romeo did all the work. Now, I’m not going to quit talking about free agency, but the focus will shift.

Where does DeAnglo Go?

In a mock draft that I’m taking part in on another site the Texans pulled off a blockbuster trade to obtain DeAngelo Hall. And of course being the know-it-all that I am, I blasted the GM for the Texans for getting hosed.

But it got me to thinking, where will Hall end up? I’m guessing that the Falcons are torn as far as Hall is concerned. If they can get him to shut his trap and buy in, he is something they are short on, a good young player. But he is also a link to the old regime, and probably the biggest Vick supporter on the team. A whole ugly mess all the way around.

As far as Hall is concerned, he wants out and has made no secret of his desires. Unless someone on the Falcon’s staff can reach him, he will be a distraction all year.

So where does DeAngelo fit? I filtered through the team. First I took a look at team needs. Who needs a CB. Not who would like a CB, while Hall isn’t a shut down corner, he is still one of the better guys out there.

That got me this list:

Texans (Sure I blasted them, but they only have 1 quality starter, if he is healthy)
Saints
Ravens
Patriots
Dolphins
Cowboys
Chiefs
Browns

Sure the Giants have been the rumored landing spot, but they didn’t make my list, as their need isn’t high enough to warrant giving up the 1st round choice. Now we start witling down the list. The Texans have Daunte Robbinson who will be looking for a contract next year, and have too many needs to wrap up that much money in CB’s. The Saints are in division and have spent too much on free agents the last two off seasons to tie up Samual type money. The Ravens have two good corners, they can’t afford Hall, even if their guys are long in the tooth and injury prone. The Dolphins and Chiefs both have too many other needs. And the Browns have already blown their load by trading all of their picks this year.

That leaves me with two teams. The Pats and the Cowboys. And to be honest, they were the two I focused on before I even started this exercise. They are both a player or two away from being the prohibitive favorite to reach the Super Bowl, and they both have relatively few other needs.

So what would I give up if I were the GM for one of these teams? Well if I were the Cowboys, its easy. I’d offer up the 2nd of my 1st round picks. Its 4 spots higher than what my in division rival will offer up, so even if I’m rejected, I’ve just upped what the Giants would have to give. Jerry Jones could still get Felix Jones with pick 22 or a young WR. It’s the kind of big splash that Jerry likes to make.

Now the Pats are a little more complicated. They draft way to high in round 1 to give up the draft pick. But with a little maneuvering they could obtain the picks necessary to pull this off. Now I’m assuming that the Saints are targeting Keith Rivers, LB, USC. He is a top talent who fills their biggest need, other than CB. But he also fills one of the Bengals’ biggest needs. And the Bengals draft 1 spot ahead of the Saints. So the Pats can play the two teams off each other to get their 1st and 2nd round pick for the Pats #1.

The 2nd round pick that the Pats pick up with that trade is the amo they should use to try and pry Hall away from the Falcons. Now if the Cowboys or Giants are serious about sending a 1st round pick to Atlanta, than the Pats are going to have to sweeten the Pot. But they have that sweetener with their 2nd round pick and both their and the Raiders pick in the 3rd round. So some combination of 2 of those 4 picks should get the job done. And the Pats would still have 3 picks in the 1st three rounds to find LB help and get younger at other aging positions.

Cowboys or Pats, that’s where I’d put my money for Hall ending up. Sometimes the rich do just get richer.