NFL Offseason: Opportunity Costs

For those that don't have master's in economics or political economy or cake baking allow me to introduce the concept of opportunity costs. Opportunity costs are the costs an alternative that must be forgone to pursue an option. For example if I have a tasty bagel I have to decide whether to use cream cheese or country crock butter. In the end my expected utility (happiness) is the selection of cream cheese minus the value I get if I had used country crock (or we could come up with an example of Howie Long starring at Britney Spears pre-insanity).
This NFL season has been especially rift with trade-offs. Given the dearth of quality free agents coupled with the usage of the franchise tag teams are now faced with the hard choice of building through the draft OR through veterans. In essence should I trade draft choices in exchange for semi-known commodities. Without over-stating it a lot of teams are saying yes the opportunity cost of the draft is well worth veteran players. Buffalo traded for Marcus Stroud, New Orleans Jonathan Vilma, Cleveland for two defensivelineman, Jacksonville Williamson. I doubt this list is inclusive (my opportunity costs on time) let alone this is the end of the trading season. Whether teams are driven by a win now mentality or this is a not so subtle dig at the quality of the NFL draft. After all supposed draft guru Phil Savage (of the Browns) has now traded away his first three picks.

Given all the opportunity costs whether in the form of trading away picks or the high costs of the players (Samuel, Faneca, Justin Smith) its hard to say any team is a winner. Is Asante Samuels really worth that kind of money? Would the Browns have been better served drafting defensive linemen versus saying older veterans. At best its inconclusive but it might be a sign that stability will reign for next year.


On a personal note I was too busy the past week with work to post Cheers and Jeers. To make amends I humbly throw myself on the Patron Saint of this blog...Scarlett Johansson.