As draft time gets closer, one would expect that the rumor mill would heat up fast and furious, but at least one site is reporting a trade that is a little on the crazy side, in this writer's opinion.
The National Football Authority is reporting that the Minnesota Vikings are in talks with the Cleveland Browns. . .not to trade up to Cleveland's spot at number six overall in the first round, but to send their number 12 pick to Cleveland for the Browns' second-round pick this year, the thirty-seventh overall selection, and Cleveland's first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
The NFA speculates that the Browns are looking at adding two very specific players to their team. If the Browns are thinking of a trade along these lines, they obviously think those two players are going to transform them from the 5-11 team they were in 2010 to a serious contender. It would stand to reason that, in making a trade like this, they assume that their first-round selection in 2012 will be significantly farther down the board that the sixth overall selection.
By that same token, if the Vikings think that the Browns wouldn't be very good in 2011 even after adding two impact prospects, they might look to make such a deal, thinking that Cleveland's first pick in 2012 will be another top ten selection. Then, with Cleveland's second-round pick this year, they could possibly target one of the upper-tier quarterbacks if one falls to the top of Round Two, or possibly use both of their second round picks to move back into the lower portion of Round One.
Personally, I don't think this trade is terribly likely to happen, but it certainly is something different to ponder at this point in time.