Spielman explains logic behind trading out of the third round

Curious as to what Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman was thinking when he traded out of the third round Friday night?

Well, here's the man in his own words. He laid it out in his opening remarks at the conclusion of Friday's action.

"It was our third round pick for their third round next year, one of their fourth rounds next year — they will potentially get a compensatory pick next year, but that's yet to be determined — and a sixth round pick this year. What that leaves tomorrow with is six picks: a fourth, a fifth, two sixths and two sevenths. Going into next year's draft, we have a first, a second, two thirds, two fourths, a fifth, a sixth and a seventh.

"Going through the logic on why that made sense to us or why that made sense to me to pull the trigger on that is a couple of things: Looking at the depth and the players and what our current roster looks like this year. The second point, I always try to look at what our roster and what are potential guys that are going to be coming out of contracts next year. Third, I would say is the depth on the board still left tomorrow. We feel very strongly that there are still a lot of very talented football players that we will be able to pick up and add to our roster.

"So those three things were kind of the thought process for doing the trade with Miami. In essence I get three players for the price of one, although I did bank two of those players for next year. In next year's draft, having an extra three and and extra four gives you a lot of flexibility to move around in those early rounds, either potentially going back into the first or moving around in the second. We have a lot more flexibility next year than where I am anticipating we're going to be picking lower in the rounds, where you don't have as much flexibility."

In other words, if Spielman didn't pick the player you were looking for in the third round, try not to put your fist through the wall until you see what he does with the extra collateral that he gained from Miami for next year. He just might use it to leap back into the first round and take a player you'll be a whole lot more excited about. Also, he didn't lose a pick overall in this year's draft. So he still has six picks to work with when the draft starts up again this morning.