Cowboys Draft Scenario: Detroit Comes Calling For #4

Happy Hypothetical Tuesday!

That’s right. Today we’re talking about potential fantasies coming true, not the smash hit from Avenue Q, in regards to the NFL Draft.

In case you haven’t heard a certain star wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, Calvin Johnson aka Megatron, is mulling over retirement. Looks like the blues are back in Motown (and not that sweet shade of Honolulu blue that the Lions wear).

Should Megatron really hang ’em up his fellow Deceptacons are going to be left without that big monster of a threat. Detroit loves drafting big-time weapons on offense so an actual excuse to do it is just what they’re looking for.

Back during the 2008 season the Lions actually bade adieu to a star receiver. His name was Roy Williams and they packed him up, put a priority shipping label on him, and sent him on to the Dallas Cowboys.

This wasn’t an Amazon Prime package though, the Lions fleeced Jerry Jones and the ‘Boys for the price of a 1st, 3rd, and 6th round draft pick in 2009 and a 7th rounder in 2010. To make matters worse King Jerruh signed Williams to a 5-year $45M contract right away, but we’re not here to open old wounds. We’re here to get hypothetical!

So in terms of hypotheticals, let’s say that the Detroit Lions are in the business of immediately replacing Calvin Johnson with the next big thing. Let’s say that they think that the next big thing is a certain wide receiver from Ole Miss by the name of Laquon Treadwell. Say what?

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports released his latest mock draft yesterday and has Treadwell going 12th Overall to the New Orleans Saints. I bet that makes Drew Brees and the Big Easy happy, but Detroit has other plans in this hypothetical. Oh also in this hypothetical I am President of the United States. And the Prime Minister. I make it work.

So say that Detroit is pretty scared of Treadwell falling in the wrong hands. Say that they decide to pick up the phone, call President Ochoa, and ask him what to do? I’d say call Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. They’re always willing to talk.

The talk out of Jones and the Cowboys lately seems to revolve around the notion that they’re thinking about the best player available when it comes to the 4th Overall Pick. There are a lot of guys that they’re sure to like there, one who could possibly even make it to the 16th Overall Pick – which the Lions have.

Jerry Jones is a wheeler and a dealer so he’s always down to hear a pitch, but just like people thought that the Vikings would get vengeance for the Herschel Walker trade with a potential deal for Adrian Peterson to the Cowboys last year… Jerry might be out to undo everything he done did with the Roy Williams trade in 2008. He’s looking to take the courage from these cowardly Lions.

What exactly would it take for Detroit to climb up all the way to the 4th Overall Pick? Going by Jimmy Johnson’s old school draft chart, 4th Overall is worth 1,800 total points. 16th Overall is only worth 1,000 so you can bet your bottom dollar that there’d have to be a whole heck of a lot more involved.

A similar situation happened during the 2014 NFL Draft when the Cleveland Browns held the 4th Overall Pick and traded out of it with the Buffalo Bills, who were moving up to grab their own big-time wide receiver – Sammy Watkins.

The move cost Buffalo their 2014 1st (9th Overall), 2015 1st (what became 19th Overall), and 2015 4th (what became 115th Overall). Those picks all add up to 2,289 points according to Jimmy’s chart which massively outweighs the 1,800 point value of the 4th Overall Pick.

The added points are simply what it takes to get the deal done. The more desperate team has to give up more, but considering what Watkins has become I’d say Buffalo is glad they pulled the trigger on the trade.

So let’s assume that the Cowboys are offered a similar deal for the Lions to move up from 16th to 4th. Since it’s a larger jump we’ll turn that 4th into a 3rd and toss in a 6th this year. Remember, Jerry has a score to settle with Detroit for Roy Williams.

So it would look like this:

Cowboys Give Up 4th Overall in 2016

Cowboys Receive 16th Overall in 2016 194th Overall in 2016 Detroit’s 1st Round Pick in 2017 Detroit’s 3rd Round Pick in 2017

What do you do?

Obviously the haul could be more or less, but if it’s something in this neck of the woods I think you have to consider it. Let the idea marinate and tell me what you think! President’s orders!

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What do you think? Are you listening to a pitch from Detroit? What would it take? Let me know your thoughts! Comment below, Email me at Roel.Ochoa.Jr@Gmail.com, or Tweet to me at @rjochoa!