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As expected, the Saints continue to leak rumors of their interest in USC's Matt Leinart following their private session with the quarterback on Wednesday. This is nothing more than a ploy to generate increased trade interest from teams legitimately coveting Leinart.

The Raiders reportedly have serious interest in making a deal for the Saints' No. 2 overall selection, but Oakland is hoping to land Texas QB Vince Young, not Leinart. The Raiders might be falling for the Titans' tactic of publicizing that they prefer Young over Leinart at the No. 3 pick, which is also a likely smoke screen.

Raiders owner Al Davis is said to believe Young is a franchise-changing playmaker. Much like how Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi orchestrated the trade for Eli Manning in 2004, Davis apparently feels his window of opportunity is fleeting and sees Young as the type of difference-maker who could lead his beloved Raiders to a final Super Bowl run under his watch.

Who will pay the price?
Most NFL teams use a Trade Value Chart to make sure they're getting enough in return -- or not overpaying -- when trading draft picks. The chart assigns a point value to every pick in the seven-round draft. New Orleans' No. 2 overall pick, for example, is worth 2,600 points. In order to be a fair trade, whatever package of picks the team received in return should add up to 2,600.

For the Titans to move up to the second pick, they would need to surrender their first-round pick, No. 3 overall and worth 2,200 points, as well as their second-round pick, No. 39 overall and worth 510 points, to match the value of the Saints' pick. That would leave Tennessee with only one selection in the first three rounds, since the Titans already traded their third-round pick to Buffalo.

For the Jets to move up to No. 2, they would need to give up both of their first-round picks, No. 4 overall (worth 1,800 points) and No. 29 overall (acquired from Denver via Atlanta and worth 640 points), as well as their original third-round pick No. 71 (worth 235 points). New York would retain its second-round pick, No. 35 overall, and a compensatory pick at the end of the third round, No. 97 overall.
-- Todd McShay
According to the commonly used Trade Value Chart, such a deal could require the Raiders to part ways with their picks in each of the first three rounds (Nos. 7, 38, 69) and likely a second- or third-round pick in next year's draft. While that is a lot to give up for a player who most consider to be a developmental project, the Raiders apparently feel they can bring Young along slowly as a rookie by only using him in certain situations as a backup to recently signed QB Aaron Brooks.

The team also must feel its young offensive line will be strong enough to adequately protect the investment, and wide receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter possess the size, speed and playmaking potential to maximize Young's scrambling ability and mask some of his weaknesses in passing efficiency.

The Saints will certainly entertain a legitimate offer from the Raiders, but they would prefer to deal with the Titans (No. 3) or Jets (No. 4). Moving down just one or two spots would ensure the Saints can still draft N.C. State DE Mario Williams or Virginia OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

By trading down to the No. 7 pick, the Saints could be taking themselves out of what is considered to be the elite range of this year's class. If the Saints make such a deal, they would do so hoping Ohio State OLB A.J. Hawk falls out of the top six.

Williams appears to be the Saints' first choice if they don't deal the No. 2 pick.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft...odd&id=2415679

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