And if they can’t afford to trade down, then sit there for a few picks and let other teams jump in front.

People get so caught up in the hype about big-name players that they ignore more important “boring” issues like the salary cap.

It is so expensive to pay a $60million contract for the best player at a position that it cripples a team’s ability to pay for other positions of need.

Even if they missed Jake Long, fine, take Clady or Williams.

For every Joe Thomas there’s a Robert Gallery. You’re better off hedging your bets and taking the 2nd or 3rd best guy at a position so that you can afford to fill other needs.

Ignore the draft value chart. It was made in an era when salary differences were smaller.

Over the years, salary & bonus differences between top first-round choices and mid first-round choices have grown MUCH FASTER than on-field contribution differences.

What does this mean? Trade down, fill more holes, and let some sucker team overpay for a big-name prospect thinking they got a better value.

Of course this won’t happen because stupid teams can’t figure out how to build through the draft. As a result, they keep ending up with high draft choices and can’t affort to build a complete team because they tie up all their money in big-name rookies (too many of whom are busts).

Smart teams like the Colts and Pats already know that the best dollar-per-value is in the late first round and early second. They win too much to end up with high draft picks, but if they did get those picks they’d obviously trade them.