Grades of the trade depend entirely on the graders opinion of the value of draft picks.

I’m much more of a F them picks guy anymore except for a situation like the Jets have, where they can be used to get a quarterback.

If the jets end up using those picks to draft a franchise quarterback, then they won the trade regardless of what the Colts do.

Otherwise, I think it’s likely the colts end up winning the trade, so long as Gardner continues being the player he’s been so far in his career. Which there’s really no reason to think that he won’t, provided he stays healthy.

It was not really the grade as much as what they said about the trade

I think this win-lose in a trade attitude is often silly. It can be good for or bad for both teams, Colts win or come close to a SB and the Jets get a franchise QB., Did we somehow lose, it is not like we were going to be in a position to draft that QB.

How difficult would it be to find out who got drafted with those five 1st rounders? Actually, 3 since the Jets 1st rounders are in the future.

Browns squandered theirs, I'm sure. 69ers probably picked well. Philly, too.

The 49'ers pick (the 2020 First Round Draft Pick that was traded to acquire Buckner) was ultimately used to draft DL Javon Kinlaw...which was sort of interesting because many mock drafts linked Kinlaw to the Colts before that trade.

During the draft process, several NFL teams flagged Kinlaw medically - they thought his knees were going to be a problem long term.

Kinlaw missed a significant chunk of games during Years 2 and 3 of his Rookie contract.

The 49'ers declined his fifth year option and Kinlaw signed with the NY Jets last season and then Washington this year.

The Colts traded away their 2019 First Round Draft Pick to Washington: the Montez Sweat draft.

At the combine, doctors flagged Sweat with a heart condition. Because of that diagnosis (or possibly misdiagnosis), many teams removed Sweat from their draft boards - at the time of the draft, I had read that over half the NFL teams took him off their boards...I would guess the Colts were one of those teams.

So the Colts traded their late First Round Draft Pick (Pick 26) to Washington for two Second Round Draft Picks (2019 + 2020).

And Washington drafted Sweat.

This grading who won trades is idiotic. Who gives a shit if the Jets draft excellent players if Sauce does what everyone who has a brain and isn't a rabid fan thinks, turns this secondary into one of the best in the league. What matters is that we wouldn't have been able to get a player of Sauces caliber with those picks and you win Super Bowls with elite players. To my mind it cost one first (I consider him the first we would have had next year) and Mitchell (who I am more bummed than most here to lose, I love watching young players develop but wouldn't take him over Pierce in any scenario and we won't have both).

I coulnd't agree more. The new owners bring a new attitude, a winning attitude. Wonder how much leeway Ballard had before vs. now. I also wonder who initiated the conversation for Gardner. Love the new owners!

Interesting article on how this all went down


https://www.si.com/nfl/how-the-colts...-their-futures