Heckert ready to wheel and deal for Browns
By Steve Doerschuk
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Apr 11, 2010 @ 11:22 PM
Call the Browns’ last long-term general manager “Trader Phil” if you wish. What does that make Tom Heckert?
On a crazy-train ride through the 2009 offseason, Heckert was GM of an Eagles team that pulled off eight draft-related trades.
In his first year after being promoted to GM in Philadelphia, 2006, the Eagles swung six draft-related deals.
In taking the GM reins of the Browns, Heckert said, “Obviously, my main job is to find players, and that’s what I intend to do.”
It’s beyond obvious he’ll try to trade for some during the draft April 22-24.
Team President Mike Holmgren has veto power over Heckert’s recommendations, and Head Coach Eric Mangini has a say, but that only increases the certainty the Browns will deal — Holmgren and Mangini have swap-meet reputations of their own.
Heckert said he, Holmgren and Mangini would “set the draft board” as a team, in concert with scouts.
“It’s never going to be one person saying, ‘I want this guy,’ when five other people don’t want that guy,” said Heckert, who was Head Coach Andy Reid’s right-hand man in Philadelphia. “We’ll come up with a player who fits our organization, and that’s the guy we’ll take.”
ROLLING THE DICE
Heckert is one to take his chances in a trade.
Last April, almost as soon as Mangini’s Browns traded down from the No. 19 position, Heckert’s Eagles traded up to get it so they could nab wideout Jeremy Maclin. In a playoff game against Dallas, Maclin racked up 146 yards, including a 76-yard TD pass. Think Heckert might remember that as he runs through a draft with the wideout-needy Browns?
Heckert’s education in the ways of draft-day trades began in earnest in 2003, his third year as the Eagles’ player personnel director.
Philadelphia had fallen in love with defensive end Jerome McDougle but was buried at No. 30. San Diego, perched at No. 15, agreed to trade first-round places with the Eagles in exchange for a Round 2 pick.
McDougle never started a game in the NFL. One spot after he was drafted, Pittsburgh picked a Hall of Fame prospect in safety Troy Polamalu.
Heckert’s boss, Mike Holmgren, is known for rolling the dice on elite receiving talent. Heckert knows the name of that tune. The Maclin deal is one example. Here’s another: Heckert helped engineer a March 2004 trade that brought Terrell Owens from the 49ers to Philly in exchange for a Round 5 pick and Brandon Whiting, who was soon out of the NFL.
Owens caught 14 TD passes in 14 games, sat out with an injury until the Super Bowl, and there made nine catches for 122 yards to give New England a scare.
In 2009, the Eagles sent veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard to the Jets for a Round 5 pick, used on tight end Cornelius Ingram.
Ingram blew out a knee in training camp. Sheppard started all three of the Jets’ playoff games.
In one of Heckert’s first moves with the Browns, he acquired a veteran cornerback from the Eagles, getting Sheldon Brown and veteran linebacker Chris Gocong for fourth- and fifth-round draft picks and linebacker Alex Hall.
One never knows how a trade involving Heckert will work out. One assumes he will deal.
HECTIC ON DRAFT DAY
Draft-related trades made by Philadelphia while Tom Heckert was general manager:
2009
Feb. 28 Eagles get a Round 5 pick (No. 153, TE Cornelius Ingram) from the Jets for CB Lito Sheppard.
March 5 Eagles get a Round 5 pick (No. 213, OT Fenuki Tupou) from New England for WR Greg Lewis and a 2010 Round 7 pick.
April 20 Eagles get OT Jason Peters from Buffalo for Round 1 (No. 28, C Eric Wood) and Round 4 picks (No. 121, TE Shawn Nelson).
April 25 Eagles trade up with Cleveland from No. 21 overall to No. 19 and pick WR Jeremy Maclin. Browns get a Round 6 pick (RB James Davis) and use No. 21 on C Alex Mack.
April 26 Eagles trade down with Giants in Round 3, from No. 85 to No. 91, in exchange for a Round 5 pick (No. 164).
April 26 Eagles trade the No. 91 pick to Seattle for 2009 Round 5 and Round 7 picks and a 2010 Round 3 pick.
April 26 Eagles get two Round 5 picks from New England (No. 137 and No. 141) in exchange for CB Ellis Hobbs.
April 26 Eagles get a 2009 Round 7 pick and a 2010 Round 5 pick from New Orleans in exchange for the No. 164 pick obtained from the Giants.
2008
April 26 Eagles give Carolina No. 19 overall (OT Jeff Otah). They get a Round 2 pick (No. 43, later traded), a Round 4 pick (No. 109, G Mike McGlynn) and a Round 1 pick in 2009 (later traded to Buffalo).
April 26 Eagles get RB Lorenzo Booker for a Round 4 pick.
April 26 Eagles get a Round 2 pick (No. 47, DT Trevor Laws) and a Round 4 pick (No. 131, DB Quinton Demps). Minnesota gets a Round 2 pick (No. 43, DB Tyrell Johnson) and a Round 5 pick (No. 152, DT Letroy Guion).
April 27 Eagles get a 2009 Round 5 pick from Cleveland for a 2008 Round 6 pick.
2007
March 28 Eagles get LB Takeo Spikes and QB Kelly Holcomb from Buffalo for a Round 7 pick.
April 28 Eagles get No. 36 (Kevin Kolb), No. 87 and No. 159 picks and give Dallas a Round 1 pick (No. 26, DE Anthony Spencer).
2006
April 29 Eagles trade up in Round 2 from No. 45 to No. 39 and pick OT Winston Justice. Titans get the No. 45 pick and a Round 4 pick.
April 29 Eagles trade up in Round 3 from No. 76 to No. 71 to get LB Chris Gocong. The Jets use No. 76 on LB Anthony Schlegel and also get a Round 7 pick.
April 30 Eagles trade up in Round 4 from No. 108 to No. 99 to get G Max Jean-Giles. New Orleans spends the No. 108 pick on G Jahri Evans and also gets DT Hollis Thomas.
April 30 Eagles trade up in Round 4 from No. 115 to No. 109 to get WR Jason Avant. Green Bay gets the No. 115 pick and a Round 6 pick.
Aug. 25 Eagles get WR Donté Stallworth. New Orleans gets LB Mark Simoneau and a Round 4 pick in 2007.
Sept. 2 Eagles get a Round 7 draft pick in 2008. Cleveland gets C Hank Fraley.
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