How Jaguars got another NFL GM to spill the beans during the draft
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke made an unusual request to the man on the other end of the phone as the clock continued to tick down during the 24th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. "You're going to have to tell me who you're taking," Baalke told Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane, according […]
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke made an unusual request to the man on the other end of the phone as the clock continued to tick down during the 24th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
"You're going to have to tell me who you're taking," Baalke told Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane, according to Beane himself in a recent podcast appearance in Green Light with Chris Long.
Beane's response was, naturally, to decline. He wanted to move up from No. 27 to get ahead of the Dallas Cowboys, who they thought would be targeting tight end Dalton Kincaid.
"Well, we're going to have to figure this out one way or the other," insisted the Jaguars GM, who was about to make the first of many trade backs of the weekend. "If I don't know that you're not taking my guy, then I'm not moving back."
The guy that Baalke had in mind was none other than offensive tackle Anton Harrison, who the Jaguars ended up selecting with the 27th overall pick. But at that moment, he wasn't so sure he'd make it if he agreed to a deal with Beane.
That's what kicked off a mini version of "20 Questions."
"Offense or defense?" asked Baalke according to Beane's story on the podcast.
"Offense," replied the Bills GM.
"All right, I need more."
"Big or small?"
"Medium."
"Are you taking a tight end?"
I don't know about you but that feels almost like a scene out of Kevin Costner's Draft Day to me. At that point, Baalke was confident in dealing away the pick. Both the Bills and the Jaguars got their guy.
Jacksonville's 2023 draft class has certainly been controversial. But whatever you're feelings on it are, you've got to respect Baalke's move to keep it straightforward and get a rival GM to spill the beans instead of risking it.
