Bleacher Report NFL · Oct 18, 2019
Matt Miller's Scouting Notebook: What Happened to NFL Draft Pick Value?
There was a time, not too long ago, when NFL front offices wouldn't part with draft picks for anything. Want to trade for a starting-caliber quarterback? Better not ask for a first-round pick in exchange for him.
Case in point: The San Francisco 49ers acquired Jimmy Garoppolo, a highly coveted quarterback who was on the last year of his rookie deal, for a second-round pick. That's it, because the 49ers and every other team weren't willing to part with first-round picks even though a multitude of football minds knew Garoppolo was a starting quarterback. First-round picks were kept at all costs, and this was October 2017.