My personal thought is that, if Raji is available, we ought to take him. If not (seems increasingly likely) we should trade down. Keeping values close, what are some likely scenarios? Here's what I would like to see:
Trade our 1st, 4th, &6th round picks for both of Philly's 1st rounders (#21 & 28) - Philadelphia's Super Bowl window will be closing in the next year or two ... after getting torched by Fitzgerald & Boldin in the NFC title game, they've got to be thinking of getting a playmaker at WR to put them over the top. Either Maclin or Crabtree will almost certainly be available at #9. Their other big need is a safety to replace Dawkins, but there's no one who's 1st round-worthy. They could very likely jump at this for those reasons.
Trade the #21 pick to New England for both their 2nd round picks (# 48 & 55). It's a poorly kept secret that Belichek would love to get Clay Matthews - but he also badly needs to upgrade his secondary ... this trade would allow him to take care of both his wants and his needs.
Finally, trade both our 3rd round picks to Tampa Bay for yet another 2nd round pick (#51 overall). The Bucs are going to have to do some rebuilding, and could use the extra picks this would give them ... we may have to throw in a 6th or 7th round pick to make it happen.
This would have us drafting at: 28, 41, 48, 51, & 55. This is where the strength of this draft is ... it is also where players like Mack, Gilbert, Jackson, Barwin, Brace, Kropog, and Unger are most likely to be taken. While resulting in a net loss of only one pick, we get 5 quality players who should all be starters within the next 2 years, some as early as '09.
Trade our 1st, 4th, &6th round picks for both of Philly's 1st rounders (#21 & 28) - Philadelphia's Super Bowl window will be closing in the next year or two ... after getting torched by Fitzgerald & Boldin in the NFC title game, they've got to be thinking of getting a playmaker at WR to put them over the top. Either Maclin or Crabtree will almost certainly be available at #9. Their other big need is a safety to replace Dawkins, but there's no one who's 1st round-worthy. They could very likely jump at this for those reasons.
Trade the #21 pick to New England for both their 2nd round picks (# 48 & 55). It's a poorly kept secret that Belichek would love to get Clay Matthews - but he also badly needs to upgrade his secondary ... this trade would allow him to take care of both his wants and his needs.
Finally, trade both our 3rd round picks to Tampa Bay for yet another 2nd round pick (#51 overall). The Bucs are going to have to do some rebuilding, and could use the extra picks this would give them ... we may have to throw in a 6th or 7th round pick to make it happen.
This would have us drafting at: 28, 41, 48, 51, & 55. This is where the strength of this draft is ... it is also where players like Mack, Gilbert, Jackson, Barwin, Brace, Kropog, and Unger are most likely to be taken. While resulting in a net loss of only one pick, we get 5 quality players who should all be starters within the next 2 years, some as early as '09.