[CBFF] FW: Bear get three extra draft picks

[Westmalle van 't vat]

On 4/1/08 12:22 PM, "Victor Waldron" <victor19 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Question: what's the real advantage in getting all these extra picks
> at the end of the 7th round? Is it just to gain exclusive rights to
> guys who might otherwise be non-drafted FAs?
> 
> V

I guess you could put it that way, as a negative function of proximity to
undraftedness.  But you could say that, positively, there is a difference
between 7th and UFA, albeit not as much as between the 6th, 5th or higher
rounds and UFA-dom.  7th round guys do get paid more than UFAs, if I am not
mistaken.

I would be willing to bet that a lot of teams wish they had a Trumaine
McBride on their roster.  Before the draft, you might think he could pan out
and be an asset, but you aren't as certain as or he's got more question
marks on the scouting report than guys in the higher rounds.  Maybe here is
where you draft more out of need and take a guy who fills a hole.  But the
way I see it, the risk you are willing to take is measured in terms of a 7th
round pick.  UFA is risk free.  7th is a small, perhaps very small risk.

Steve