Report: Raiders among several high drafting teams 'very open' to trading down

Last week the Raiders held their pre-draft press conference. There wasn't a lot of information provided in that presser so as not to tip their hand to other teams about what they were doing in the draft. One of the more meaningless answers was that the Raiders had received phone calls with interest in acquiring their pick at fourth overall. Reggie McKenzie was asked if he had received calls and he said simply "yes".

It was meaningless because teams near the top of the draft always get phone calls inquiring about trading the pick. After the press conference, a flurry of rumors about various teams being in discussions with the Raiders sprouted up, but nothing that was unexpected or worth getting worked up over for the same reason a GM getting a phone call about his pick isn't news.

Taking and making exploratory phone calls is one thing. Seriously and actively considering moving out of their current spot, as the Raiders did two years ago, is another. And apparently, they are far from alone in that.

According to Jason LaCanfora, the Raiders (4th overall) along with the Jaguars (3rd overall), and Redskins (5th overall) are looking to trade out of their top spots with the Titans "not married" to their pick either. He added the Lions (23rd overall) to the mix as well.

Continue to hear plenty about Jags, Raiders and Skins being very open to moving down as well, and obviously Titans not married to 2nd pick

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 29, 2015

With three and possibly four straight teams supposedly all open for business in the trade market, it creates some competition. Last year the Bills traded up to the fourth overall spot, just ahead of the Raiders to select wide receiver Sammy Watkins. it would appear a jump ahead of the Raiders could very well happen again. Then the questions becomes if that team or teams would take the player(s) the Raiders value most.

Any discussions about trading up are entirely contingent upon who is on the board when the pick comes up. The Buccaneers seem set on drafting a quarterback at number one overall. The Titans are expected to look QB too, although that is less certain, which is part of the reason they are not thought to be settled on keeping the pick. After that it gets even less certain.

Another question is how much compensation would it take for any of these teams to give up their draft position and move down.

In the trade the Raiders made two years ago, they moved out of the third overall spot to drop all the way to 12 overall (where they chose D.J. Hayden) and all they got in return from the Dolphins was their pick at 44 overall (where they selected Menelik Watson).

That particular trade is topical at the moment considering the Dolphins made the trade so they could grab Dion Jordan who today it was announced he would be suspended for the entire 2015 season after another violation of the league's substance abuse problem.

The 2013 draft was rather weak at the top and the Raiders had a great many needs and no second round pick to help fill it. None of those apply to this draft, so one would assume it would take more than a high second round pick to get the Raiders to trade out of the top ten. If they don't get a sweet deal, or the player they want most is there and too good to pass up, that's where the trade down discussions would end and the card would be turned in.

Less than 48 hours now and we may get our answer.

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