Dicknoze69
04-25-2007, 09:30 PM
• While everyone has focused on No. 4 Tampa Bay as the most likely trading partner for No. 2 Detroit in the Calvin Johnson Sweepstakes, it's the No. 8 Falcons who might truly be in the driver's seat. Sources say Falcons owner Arthur Blank has pretty much ordered Atlanta general manager Rich McKay to do everything he can to put the team into position to land Johnson at No. 2.
Blank wants Johnson for a couple of reasons. First, Johnson played at Georgia Tech and would help sell tickets to disillusioned Falcons fans who have endured two non-playoff seasons after Atlanta went to the NFC title game in 2004. Second, the Falcons still have their long-standing need of a reliable big-play receiver for quarterback Michael Vick to play pitch and catch with.
With seven picks in the first four rounds (including two second-rounders and three in the fourth), Atlanta definitely has the ammo to make the deal with Detroit. The Falcons could send the Lions their picks at 8, 39 and 44 for the No. 2 spot, and still have a third-rounder and three fourth-rounders to fill other needs.
The Lions are known to covet middle linebacker Patrick Willis of Mississippi and would be perfectly situated at No. 8 to select him. Picking up at least two extra second-rounders in the process would meet Matt Millen's goal of turning the No. 2 slot into a first-day package of picks. Detroit is likely to draft a quarterback with its own second-round pick at No. 34. Stanford's Trent Edwards remains slightly favored over Michigan State's Drew Stanton.
• At No. 4 and not wanting to give up the majority of their four picks in the draft's first 68 slots, Tampa Bay is not likely to move up in an attempt to compete for Johnson. The Bucs need defensive help and appear to be more likely to take Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams if they stay put. Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas is another option at No. 4, but so too is trying to move down a few spots with the intention of taking Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, who some in the organization are likening to a young Warren Sapp.
• As tempting as Calvin Johnson may be, the Oakland Raiders will not stand logic on its head and select the Georgia Tech receiver over LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Raiders owner Al Davis never makes decisions quickly these days, and he seems to have little clue as to the complicated contract negotiation that becomes a reality when you take a quarterback first overall. But Russell still will be the guy because of Oakland's crying need for a starring option at the game's most pivotal position.
Even Davis can read the depth chart and come to the conclusion that the Raiders have to have more than Andrew Walter and a Tim Rattay, Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper via trade. Some around the league believe Davis's love of size and speed will convince him that Johnson has to be Oakland's pick, but Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin may be a potential lobbying presence for the necessity of a quarterback.
• A league source told me the Browns "are locked in'' on taking Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in their No. 3 slot. Cleveland will bypass Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, even though the Browns signed ex-Ravens rusher Jamal Lewis to just a one-year deal.
While Cleveland owner Randy Lerner has been in favor of Quinn for a while now, Browns general manager Phil Savage is now said to be firmly on board with the pick, even though he and head coach Romeo Crennel are entering a potentially pivotal third season running the organization. In some ways, drafting Quinn, a rookie franchise quarterback, buys Savage and Crennel more time to turn around the Browns' flagging fortunes.
• Willis is a very popular prospect as the draft looms. Not only do the Lions want a crack at the Ole Miss linebacker who can run like the wind, there are at least three other potential suitors as well. They include Denver, San Francisco and Buffalo.
One rumored scenario making its way around the league this week has the No. 21 Broncos interested in trading up to No. 10 Houston if Willis is still on the board. Denver released middle linebacker Al Wilson recently and have a vacancy there that Willis would fill.
The scenario makes sense for the Texans, who at No. 21 could still pick one of the cornerbacks or receivers who are expected to be available at that slot. The Broncos have an extra third-round pick obtained in the Ashley Lelie deal, and given that Denver coach Mike Shanahan and his Houston counterpart, Gary Kubiak, have such a close relationship, something could be brewing.
The No. 11 49ers are thought to have Willis high on their list, as well as Nebraska defensive end Adam Carriker, and No. 12 Buffalo could use Willis as a replacement for the departed London Fletcher.
• No. 6 Washington is another top 10 team that's willing to move down, and the best thing the Redskins have going for them is that Peterson might still be available when their turn comes. The Bills at No. 12 are one potential trade partner for Washington. Buffalo needs Peterson as a replacement for starter Willis McGahee, who it traded to Buffalo.
The Bills have an extra third-round pick obtained in the McGahee deal, and an extra seventh-round selection that they picked up from Philadelphia in the Kelly Holcomb deal.
If the Falcons, however, don't end up making a deal with Detroit at No. 2 for the right to take Johnson, they too could be tempted to move up to No. 6 to take Peterson. The thinking in Atlanta is that Warrick Dunn would probably be a Falcon just one more season, and then Bobby Petrino's backfield could feature Peterson, with Jerious Norwood used in a Reggie Bush-type role -- either split out or lined up in the slot at times. Atlanta's wish list reads Johnson, Peterson, LSU safety LaRon Landry, Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown and Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson, in that order.
No. 7 Minnesota and No. 10 Houston are two other potential trading partners for the Redskins if they control Peterson's fate, but sources I talked to said the Vikings may not be convinced that Peterson is a good fit for their West Coast offense from a mental aptitude standpoint and won't move up the board in order to take the OU star.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/04/25/trades/index.html
Blank wants Johnson for a couple of reasons. First, Johnson played at Georgia Tech and would help sell tickets to disillusioned Falcons fans who have endured two non-playoff seasons after Atlanta went to the NFC title game in 2004. Second, the Falcons still have their long-standing need of a reliable big-play receiver for quarterback Michael Vick to play pitch and catch with.
With seven picks in the first four rounds (including two second-rounders and three in the fourth), Atlanta definitely has the ammo to make the deal with Detroit. The Falcons could send the Lions their picks at 8, 39 and 44 for the No. 2 spot, and still have a third-rounder and three fourth-rounders to fill other needs.
The Lions are known to covet middle linebacker Patrick Willis of Mississippi and would be perfectly situated at No. 8 to select him. Picking up at least two extra second-rounders in the process would meet Matt Millen's goal of turning the No. 2 slot into a first-day package of picks. Detroit is likely to draft a quarterback with its own second-round pick at No. 34. Stanford's Trent Edwards remains slightly favored over Michigan State's Drew Stanton.
• At No. 4 and not wanting to give up the majority of their four picks in the draft's first 68 slots, Tampa Bay is not likely to move up in an attempt to compete for Johnson. The Bucs need defensive help and appear to be more likely to take Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams if they stay put. Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas is another option at No. 4, but so too is trying to move down a few spots with the intention of taking Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, who some in the organization are likening to a young Warren Sapp.
• As tempting as Calvin Johnson may be, the Oakland Raiders will not stand logic on its head and select the Georgia Tech receiver over LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Raiders owner Al Davis never makes decisions quickly these days, and he seems to have little clue as to the complicated contract negotiation that becomes a reality when you take a quarterback first overall. But Russell still will be the guy because of Oakland's crying need for a starring option at the game's most pivotal position.
Even Davis can read the depth chart and come to the conclusion that the Raiders have to have more than Andrew Walter and a Tim Rattay, Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper via trade. Some around the league believe Davis's love of size and speed will convince him that Johnson has to be Oakland's pick, but Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin may be a potential lobbying presence for the necessity of a quarterback.
• A league source told me the Browns "are locked in'' on taking Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in their No. 3 slot. Cleveland will bypass Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, even though the Browns signed ex-Ravens rusher Jamal Lewis to just a one-year deal.
While Cleveland owner Randy Lerner has been in favor of Quinn for a while now, Browns general manager Phil Savage is now said to be firmly on board with the pick, even though he and head coach Romeo Crennel are entering a potentially pivotal third season running the organization. In some ways, drafting Quinn, a rookie franchise quarterback, buys Savage and Crennel more time to turn around the Browns' flagging fortunes.
• Willis is a very popular prospect as the draft looms. Not only do the Lions want a crack at the Ole Miss linebacker who can run like the wind, there are at least three other potential suitors as well. They include Denver, San Francisco and Buffalo.
One rumored scenario making its way around the league this week has the No. 21 Broncos interested in trading up to No. 10 Houston if Willis is still on the board. Denver released middle linebacker Al Wilson recently and have a vacancy there that Willis would fill.
The scenario makes sense for the Texans, who at No. 21 could still pick one of the cornerbacks or receivers who are expected to be available at that slot. The Broncos have an extra third-round pick obtained in the Ashley Lelie deal, and given that Denver coach Mike Shanahan and his Houston counterpart, Gary Kubiak, have such a close relationship, something could be brewing.
The No. 11 49ers are thought to have Willis high on their list, as well as Nebraska defensive end Adam Carriker, and No. 12 Buffalo could use Willis as a replacement for the departed London Fletcher.
• No. 6 Washington is another top 10 team that's willing to move down, and the best thing the Redskins have going for them is that Peterson might still be available when their turn comes. The Bills at No. 12 are one potential trade partner for Washington. Buffalo needs Peterson as a replacement for starter Willis McGahee, who it traded to Buffalo.
The Bills have an extra third-round pick obtained in the McGahee deal, and an extra seventh-round selection that they picked up from Philadelphia in the Kelly Holcomb deal.
If the Falcons, however, don't end up making a deal with Detroit at No. 2 for the right to take Johnson, they too could be tempted to move up to No. 6 to take Peterson. The thinking in Atlanta is that Warrick Dunn would probably be a Falcon just one more season, and then Bobby Petrino's backfield could feature Peterson, with Jerious Norwood used in a Reggie Bush-type role -- either split out or lined up in the slot at times. Atlanta's wish list reads Johnson, Peterson, LSU safety LaRon Landry, Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown and Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson, in that order.
No. 7 Minnesota and No. 10 Houston are two other potential trading partners for the Redskins if they control Peterson's fate, but sources I talked to said the Vikings may not be convinced that Peterson is a good fit for their West Coast offense from a mental aptitude standpoint and won't move up the board in order to take the OU star.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/04/25/trades/index.html