Arizona moved up seven spots in the 2015 fourth round,…
Arizona moved up seven spots in the 2015 fourth round, acquiring No. 116 and drafting defensive lineman Rodney Gunter. Cleveland received Nos. 123, 198 and 241, using them on Vince Mayle, Randall Telfer and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Gunter played 77 games with 38 starts and 11 sacks for Arizona, while Cleveland's three-player return never approached that sustained impact, giving the Cardinals a clear win.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- pick 2015 4th round pick (116th overall, Rodney Gunter )
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 2015 4th round pick (123rd overall, Vince Mayle )
- pick 2015 6th round pick (198th overall, Randall Telfer )
- pick 2015 7th round pick (241st overall, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Arizona moved from No. 123 to No. 116 in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. Cleveland received No. 123 plus sixth-round pick No. 198 and seventh-round pick No. 241. The Cardinals used the higher selection on defensive lineman Rodney Gunter. Cleveland selected Vince Mayle, Randall Telfer and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu with the three picks it acquired.
Arizona Cardinals Return
Gunter became a durable part of Arizona's defensive front. He appeared in 77 regular-season games for the Cardinals, started 38 and recorded 11 sacks. Those numbers are strong for a fourth-round selection, especially one acquired through a modest seven-slot move. Arizona did not land a perennial star, but it secured multiple seasons of rotational and starting production from the player it specifically targeted.
Cleveland Browns Return
Cleveland's strategy created three chances instead of one, a sensible approach when a roster needs depth. The results did not cooperate. Mayle did not establish himself as a Browns contributor, Telfer provided limited offensive production, and Ekpre-Olomu did not become an NFL contributor for Cleveland. The extra selections therefore failed to generate the aggregate value needed to justify passing on Gunter's spot.
Value in Hindsight
Trade-down volume is valuable only when some of the additional chances become useful players. Here, Arizona's single targeted choice outperformed Cleveland's three selections by a wide margin. Gunter's 77 games and 38 starts supplied years of cost-controlled defensive-line snaps, while Cleveland's return was fragmented and short-lived. The gap is large despite the relatively small movement in draft position.
Final Verdict
Arizona earns a B+ and Cleveland a C-. The Cardinals paid extra late-round capital to move up, but Gunter rewarded the decision with sustained production. Cleveland deserves some credit for acquiring multiple selections rather than giving away value, yet the players chosen with those picks did not provide enough return. The Cardinals clearly captured the better realized football value.