Quote:The picks that hurt the most were the first round trade ups. The lesson learned is not so much to not trade up, but to not trade up for a specific player. When you do, you're almost always picking a player of lesser talent over others available. We trade up and take the Jedi knight Derrick Harvey at #8 overall, and then move up to select Blaine Gabbert ahead of JJ Watt.

 

What really hurt with Gene Smith was that we traded picks that were too valuable to move up.  Like a future second rounder for a third round pick, or a second round pick to move up in the first. 


Compare that with what Caldwell has done:


2013: No trade ups.  Traded down once in the fourth.

2014: Traded a 5th round pick to turn a 3rd round pick into a 2nd round pick to get Allen Robinson.  Then used a 6th round pick to turn a 4th into a 3rd.  Gene Smith on the other hand turned a 2nd round pick into a 3rd round pick.

2015: Swapped places with the Jets for a 7th rounder

2016: Traded a 5th to move up a couple of spots to grab Myles Jack

 

When we've moved up under Caldwell, the price has been low.  (Part of me wonders if trading Eugene Monroe created good will with the Ravens, which allowed us to get a more favorable trade here).

 

When we moved up under Gene Smith the price was too high.  Gene fell in love with players, and other teams were able to ask what they wanted, because they knew they'd get it.  

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