What is prime trade bait worth now? GMs name their price

Simple question: Let's say you're a team that is interested in Miami's Jason Taylor or Cincinnati's Chad Johnson. What would you be willing to pay for them?

The Dolphins dangled Taylor before the draft, looking for a middle-to-low first-round pick in return, and found no buyers. The Bengals haven't done anything with Johnson, other than tune out his rants on radio-talk shows and insist he's not for sale.

But let's say he is: What would you offer to make him yours?

Jason Taylor: How much tread is one or two seasons worth? (US Presswire)

I posed that question to a handful of general managers and personnel directors, only I didn't limit it to Ocho Cinco. I threw in Taylor, Philadelphia's Lito Sheppard, Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams and Oakland running back LaMont Jordan -- players who either are on their way out or could be headed in that direction.

Here's what they said:

Jason Taylor, defensive end, Miami

Miami said it wasn't shopping Taylor before the draft when, in fact, it was. So much for the credibility of Bill Parcells. Now, the question is: What's in Taylor's future? Dolphins coach Tony Sparano says he wants Taylor back, but Sparano isn't the obstacle here; Parcells is. So what do you offer to get Taylor away from him?

GM No. 1: "If I were a team that finished 9-7, 10-6 or 11-5, was looking to take the next step and thought this guy could put me over the top, I'd probably be willing to give up a third-rounder. He's starting to drop off, but he could still help someone. The problem is that it would be for one or two years, and that's it. So he's not going to help someone in the middle of the pack or someone trying to build for the future. He can still be a dominant player, but not for long."

GM No. 2: "You're talking to the wrong guy. I wouldn't be interested in him because I don't think he's a player I want in my locker room. Second, he's talking about playing one or two more years. So that's an issue. Yeah, he can still play, but I've never really trusted him. He can rush the passer, but I'm not sure he's not a disruptive force on your team -- someone who works quietly behind the scenes in the locker room. And those guys are dangerous to me.

I can't imagine Bill Parcells paying him $8 million for one year, which means I can't envision him playing there this year. But I don't know where he goes. I guess if you're a team that's near the top you make a push for him, but I wouldn't give anything higher than a fourth-rounder. I think his making that statement about playing one year was a mistake because it's going to limit the teams interested in him. And I wouldn't be one of them."

GM No. 3: "I'd probably be willing to give up a third-round pick. You have to remember you're getting a player who averages 12½ sacks the past eight years. But he's also someone who's a leader and who has the intangibles you're looking for. You're going to get a good football player. My only question would be: How long do you have him?"

GM No. 4: "From what I understand, he wants to play only one more year, so that skews things. That would temper my interest, which means I wouldn't pay anything higher than a fifth-rounder for him. The guy can still play and is effective going after the passer off the edge. But because I'd have to pay him as one of the top five defensive ends in the game, it would temper my interest in terms of what I would give up for him."

Chad Johnson, wide receiver, Cincinnati

He says he will attend next weekend's minicamp. Nope, check that, he now says he might not. Perfect. You never know what's going on with Chad Johnson, but, guaranteed, whatever it is it's always about Chad Johnson. Sure, he's a talented wide receiver, but he's also a pain in the keister. He reminds me of that Dolly Parton quote: "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain." So how much rain are you willing to take?

GM No. 1: "I wouldn't touch this guy with a 10-foot pole. Now, that doesn't mean I don't think he's an elite receiver. He is. He's one of the top five in the game. But it's what he brings to your locker room with his antics and his attitude. It's all about him. Now if you're someone like New England with a veteran locker room that can handle a guy like this, yeah, it might be worth a shot. He's a Randy Moss-Terrell Owens kind of guy, if you know what I mean, so I could see someone that thought it could handle him giving up a two (second-round pick) for him. But you have to know what you're getting, and that's a disruptive, talented, productive jerk."