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Georgia Tech wide out Calvin Johnson is this years X-factor
DRAFT BUZZ April 13, 2007 RAIDERS
UNDECIDED Might the Raiders
actually pass on a quarterback with the No.1 pick of the draft? The San
Francisco Examiner reports Oakland may consider drafting receiver Calvin Johnson (picture), who is seen as the draft's
most talented player. The reason: financial concerns. The Examiner points out
that signing a rookie QB would be more expensive than signing a wideout such as
Johnson. The paper also reports the Raiders are instead considering trading for
disgruntled Detroit backup QB Josh McCown. The
Raiders have up to now been closely linked with LSU QB JaMarcus Russell, but this new scenario might see him
fall to the Browns (who covet Russell) at No.3. Could it happen? We'll
see.
NOT MUCH DEPTH... The class of the
offensive linemen in this year's draft is clearly Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas. He is expected to go in the top five
picks (if not the top two), but after him there's a fairly steep drop-off in
terms of O-line talent. That has several observers saying Auburn guard Ben Grubbs might be the next best O-lineman on the
board. He may have as much upside as any protector in the draft other than
Thomas, and with the rough performance by Levi
Brown at the Indy Combine, Grubbs may make a surge come draft day. Don't be
surprised if he sneaks into the first round.
DANTE'
ON THE BLOCK? The Chiefs have focused on defense for the past few drafts,
but this year might be looking back to the offensive side of the ball. They hold
the No.23 pick in the first round, and there is reason to believe they might be
targeting an offensive lineman. They really struggled during parts of last year
protecting their star offensive players, so some more beef up front would make
sense. That said, the Kansas City Star reports the team is considering trading
returner/wideout Dante' Hall. He might help them
move up in the draft, and at the very least his departure would suggest the team
might also be looking at wide receivers / return men as
well. April 12, 2007 GINN'S
STOCK IS RISING
One of the
most talented draft-eligible players
Ginn is a poor man's Calvin Johnson, and will come much cheaper when an organization asks him to sign on the dotted line
who nonetheless remains a bit of an enigma
is Tedd Ginn Jr.. The Ohio State wide
receiver and return man missed several early chances to impress scouts because
of a sprained foot, but on Wednesday he finally got a chance to show what he can
do. Ginn reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds during a workout
for NFL personnel, showing teams that he still has the elite speed that has made
him a top prospect on many draft charts. He still trails Georgia Tech wideout Calvin Johnson, but his strong showing
Wednesday may help him climb back to elite status.
McCOWN WANTS OUT OF DETROIT: Speaking of Johnson,
the recent no-show of Mike Williams at a recent team workout may open the door
for the Lions to take Johnson with the No. 2 overall pick. Also not showing up
for that workout was backup QB Josh McCown,
which is also an interesting wrinkle for the Lions. McCown's agent told the
Associated Press that his client wants to be a starting QB somewhere, and would
like to be traded. That would leave the team without much insurance for veteran
Jon Kitna, which may actually open the door
for Detroit to select Brady Quinn or JaMarcus Russell.
PANTHERS' JENKINS ON THE BLOCK: Rumors are heating
up that Carolina is shopping defensive tackle Kris
Jenkins. That would seem to suggest they are either looking to move up
in the draft from their current No. 14 in the first round. It would also suggest
they might be looking at a defensive tackle with their top pick. Young
Louisville tackle Amobi Okoye might not be
available as late as No.14, but Michigan's Alan
Branch might be. The Panthers also need help at tight end and
linebacker, but the Jenkins rumors certainly add some intrigue to their draft
situation.
April 11, 2007 JOHNSON AS No.
2?
Does the Tuesday no-show of Mike Williams at Lions' mini-camp make it more
possible that Detroit might pick Calvin
Johnson at No. 2? The prevailing wisdom is that the Lions will go with
Wisconsin super-tackle Joe Thomas, but with
trade rumors swirling around the disappointing Williams, the Lions might
suddenly have a need for another star receiver to play alongside Roy E. Williams. Of course, team boss Matt
Millen has taken major heat for drafting Mike Williams and other offensive busts
(Joey Harrington, etc.) in recent years,
but the recent events may give them public support to nab Johnson, who may
pundits see as the most purely talented player in the draft.
TITANS WITHOUT PACMAN... Tuesday's year-long
suspension of Pacman Jones obviously
changes the draft plans for the Titans. Currently holding the No.19 overall
selection, Tennessee might need to start looking at cornerbacks, since the loss
of Pacman is a major one for their secondary and kick return units. It's
uncertain whether the team is banking on Pacman getting his act together and
returning, or whether there is concern about the possibility he may not
straighten out (since there is also a requirement he stays out of trouble during
the year). Whatever the case, the Titans have some big decisions to
make.
BENGALS MAY NEED DEPTH AT WR:
Facing a similar situation as the Titans is Cincinnati, who will be without WR
Chris Henry for the first eight games. Like
Jones, Henry was suspended Tuesday by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for
constant run-ins with the law and general bad behaviour. While the Bengals seem
set at wideout with Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the uncertainty about
Henry and the recent loss of Kelley
Washington to the Patriots leaves them a little thin on wideout depth.
There might be some excellent receivers available at Cincy's No. 18 spot in the
first round, but they seem more likely to go for a defensive
lineman.
April 10, 2007 COLTS GOING RB? They don't pick until No. 32 overall (last in the first
round), but maybe the Colts
Think a team can have too many running backs? After stealing Joseph Addai with the 30th overall pick last April the thinking is the Colts will go first-round RB again
believe they'll strike gold twice at running back.
The Indianapolis Star reports the team is looking for a back-up running back to
fill the void left by the departure of Dominic
Rhodes. While they're reportedly targeting veterans, it's notable that
current starter Joseph Addai was stolen
with the No. 30 overall pick of last year's draft. In terms of raw needs, a
defensive tackle or linebacker is more or a priority, but it wouldn't be a
shocker to see Indy go for another Addai type (surely California's Marshawn Lynch, if he's still available or
more likely Louisville's Michael Bush),
especially considering their cost-conscious attitude and the going price for
established NFL tailbacks.
CORNERING THE
PATS: With uncertainty surrounding the long-term futures of defensive
backs Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, several rumors have surfaced
recently that the Patriots will be looking for depth at cornerback in the draft.
Samuel may not sign a long-term deal with the team (meaning he might be gone
after this season) and Gay has been the subject of much trade talk. Despite
Samuel's superb 2006, cornerback has been a sore point with the team for a
while, so it would make a lot of sense for the Pats to use the No. 24 overall
pick and/or No. 28 to help at that position.
TO QB
OR NOT... The idea of the Falcons going for a QB in the Draft may
have taken a hit with the recent signing of Joey
Harrington. Atlanta had moved up to No. 8 in the trade of top backup Matt Schaub to Houston, starting speculation
that the team might be angling to pick up a JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn. It's a given that Michael Vick is the starter for the Falcons,
but not a given that the team will have perpetual patience with his ineptness
throwing the football. While Harrington isn't likely a long-term solution, he
does make the Atlanta QB rotation a bit crowded for a top young
prospect.
April 9, 2007 'PHINS TO MOVE UP? Speculation continues that the Dolphins might be looking at
quarterbacks with
All the talk about quarterback in Miami offers evidence that new head coach Cam Cameron might not trust Culpepper's knees
the No. 9 overall pick of the draft. While top QB prospects JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn are likely to be gone by then, QB
is looking like it might once again be a sore point for the 'Phins. That's
because Daunte Culpepper still isn't making
great progress with his right knee, which has now had two operations and will
reportedly keep him from participating in next weekend's team minicamp. The
South Florida Sun-Sentinel says Culpepper is confident he can make a full
recovery, but new head coach Cam Cameron hasn't named him the starter for 2007.
With Joey Harrington now gone and Cleo Lemon the only other option on the
roster, some depth behind center may be a major priority. Will they move up in
the draft?
RICKY A TRADE BAIT? Speaking
of the Dolphins and moving up, Ricky
Williams this week applied for reinstatement with the team. He is
returning from a year of exile after being suspended for substance abuse
violations, and he spent the 2006 season with the Toronto Argonauts of the
Canadian Football League. Williams didn't exactly overwhelm the CFL competition,
and will be 30 years old this season. His return means the Dolphins now have two
legitimate featured tailbacks (with Ronnie
Brown also returning), so the return of Ricky may mean Miami has the
trade bait they need to move up from No. 9. They have shown plenty of interest
in Quinn, so it wouldn't be a shocker to see them deal Williams to get a chance
at drafting the Notre Dame quarterback.
DEEP
PATS: Might the Patriots move up in the Draft? No deals are imminent,
but there are two reasons to wonder if it might happen. First, no team has been
as active in adding to their roster this off-season as New England, and the team
is really on a roll in making smart moves to improve; and second, the Pats have
two first-rounders (Nos. 24 and 28) which might make a nice package for some
team not enamored with the draft's elite prospects. After their spending spree
so far, New England doesn't have many glaring needs, but could use a little
depth defensively. They are certainly a team worth watching as the Draft
approaches.
April 6, 2007 QUINN A BROWN? Is Brady Quinn destined
to be a Brown? The Notre Dame QB visited the team
While running back Adrian Peterson (above) is the biggest need for the Browns, the current belief is they will go with Irish QB Brady Quinn
Wednesday, and there are
several reasons to believe he'll land in Cleveland on draft day. The Browns hold
the No.3 overall pick in the draft, and while their GM Phil Savage is widely
known to be infatuated with LSU QB JaMarcus
Russell, most believe Russell will be gone with the No.1 or No.2 pick.
Quinn is an Ohio native and has said he wants to be a Brown, which is not
exactly a common sentiment among young players. Furthermore, Quinn's head coach
with the Fightin' Irish was Charlie Weis, who has close connections to current
Cleveland head coach Romeo Crennel from their days in New England.
USED CARR!The news that David Carr has agreed to terms with the
Carolina Panthers sends a few minor shockwaves through the upcoming draft.
Despite his struggles with Houston, Carr has the talent to be a starter and if
he had wound up in one of several other locales (Minnesota, Oakland, or
Cleveland) the draft outlook might be different. Now that he's a Panther (and
set to back up Jake Delhomme), not much
seems to change for the upcoming draft. Trent
Green now becomes a hotter commodity, and Oakland (at No.1 overall) and
Cleveland (at No. 3) have that much more of a need for a QB.
KICKING CAROUSEL: The recent trade of Olindo Mare to the Saints and the release of
John Carney has set the kicker carousel into
full swing. While place-kickers aren't often selected with high picks in the
draft, there is plenty of buzz about Colorado's Mason Crosby. Many think he
could be a first-day pick in the upcoming draft, especially for a team in need
of a reliable field-goal guy. Recent years have seen Mike Nugent (a second-rounder in 2005) and Sebastian Janikowski (a first-rounder in 2000)
go highly, so keep an eye on where Crosby lands. He's considered one of the top
kicking prospects to come along in a few years.
April 5, 2007 NO BRIGGS FOR 'SKINS
With the Lance
Briggs-to-the-Redskins deal seemingly now dead, there are obviously big
implications for the upcoming draft. Washington was reportedly going to give the
Bears the No. 6 overall selection in return for Briggs and No. 31, but Chicago
has apparently nixed the proposal. The Bears might have been in the running for,
say, Brady Quinn if they had made the deal,
but now will obviously be left with a less-touted prospect. The Redskins have
several needs, but staying at No. 6 leaves them in line for a top defensive
upgrade, possibly at the end position with Clemson's Gaines Adams or maybe Jamaal Anderson of Arkansas.
PACMAN'S SOAP OPERA... As the Pacman Jones soap opera trudges on,
After head coach Jeff Fisher rallied his Titan-troup to an unlikely finish (8-8) last year those who remain standing are a dysfunctional unit, absent quarterback Vince Young
could the
Titans be changing their draft strategy to deal with Pacman's possible
suspension? Tennessee picks at No. 19 and many expect them to go for an
offensive players (especially since Travis
Henry and Drew Bennett are now
gone), but there will probably be some solid cornerback prospects still around
at No.19. NFL commish Roger Goodell has still not ruled on Pacman's slew of
legal problems, and Las Vegas authorities are still reportedly investigating a
serious Pacman-related incident at a strip club that saw several people
shot.
QUINN TO GO No. 1? Fewer players
are seeing their draft stock waver more than Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn, but there is still a very real
possibility that he could go No. 1 overall. New Raider head coach Lane Kiffin is
an offense-first guy and the Raiders are desperate for a top quarterback. While
most pundits have the Raiders picking LSU standout JaMarcus Russell with the No.1 overall selection
in the draft, Kiffin recently told the Los Angeles Times that the team hasn't
made a decision yet, and that he is a big fan of both Russell and Quinn. It may
just be his way of not tipping his hand, but several scouts believe Quinn is the
most NFL-ready QB in the draft.
April 4, 2007 QB
CAROUSEL
With David Carr now a free agent, look for lots of
action heading up to draft day in the NFL's quarterback carousel. Carr
reportedly recently visited Carolina to talk about the possibility of becoming
the backup to Jake Delhomme. Where Carr
lands will have obvious implications on what happens with the top half of the
upcoming draft's first round. For Carr to somehow wind up in Oakland, Cleveland,
or Minnesota (all teams looking for a new QB) would certainly change the
landscape for top prospects JaMarcus
Russell and Brady
Quinn.
THE NEXT COLSTON?Last
season's draft was notable for all the solid
Drew Brees and last years second overall pick Reggie Bush were instrumental in the Saints 2006 success, but Colston (above) was arguably the X-factor that put them over-the-top
players found later on in the
proceedings. New Orleans receiver Marques
Colston, a practical afterthought at No. 252 overall, became one of the
NFL's finest playmakers. He didn't get a lot of hype playing for small-school
Hofstra, and now several scouts are comparing Lane receiver Jacoby Jones to
Colston. Jones has similar size and athleticism, and like Colston did last year,
is having some impressive workouts. Of course, the more people talk about Jones
the less of a sleeper he becomes, so it should be interesting to see where he
lands come draft-time.
BANGED-UP
BENGALS: From a pure talent perspective, the Bengals have several
specific needs they might address with the No. 18 pick of the draft. That said,
this year they may have another variable to consider in their draftees:
character. The team's travails last year (that saw a mind-boggling nine Bengals
arrested on various counts) and the recent summoning of constant trouble-maker
Chris Henry to see NFL commissioner Roger
Goodell, should be a wake-up call that Cincy has a problem. It's obvious the
team likes players who have an edge, but too much of an edge seems to be the
norm lately in Bengal-land. It's clear Cincy needs to clean up its team culture
and its image.
April 3, 2007 CARDS CAN FORGET THOMAS
The recent signing by the Cardinals of Mike Gandy to a three-year deal is good news for
their beleaguered offensive line. It also raises questions about what will
happen on draft day, since the Cards are in a tough spot. Owners of the No. 5
overall selection, they will likely miss out on star tackle Joe Thomas, who is widely rumored to be going
top-three. Thomas is the player who could help the Cards the most, but after him
there is a big drop-off in talent level to the next best O-linemen. The
acquisition of Gandy may mean Arizona is going to look at other positions with
their pick.
TITANS TURNING TO TURNER?
Recent reports say the Titans have made a visit to Michael Turner. The Chargers' restricted free
agent running back has the talent to be a top-tier starting tailback in the NFL,
as evidenced by the fact he averaged an incredible 6.3 yards per carry last
season backing up LaDainian Tomlinson. It
also suggests Tennessee brass is not entirely sold on current starter LenDale White, who wasn't exactly the picture of
conditioning or excellence as a rookie in 2006. If the Titans don't acquire
Turner, it might make sense for them to go after a tailback with the No.19 pick
of the draft. Travis Henry is gone and
Chris Brown may as well be, so White is the
main man for now.
PACKER LOOKING FOR A
TAILBACK: Speaking of Brown, several reports
The Packers must go running back after losing Ahman Green to Houston and Marshawn Lynch might be that player
suggest the Packers have
interest in both him and in Turner (above). With Ahman Green leaving for the Texans and Brett Favre returning for another kick at the can,
Green Bay will likely want a veteran tailback to carry the load this season.
Most mock drafts have the Pack grabbing California running back Marshawn Lynch at No.16 overall, but bringing in
a Turner or Brown might change that picture, especially with other team needs
and a competent Noah Herron waiting in the
wings.
April 2, 2007 REDSKINS TO TRADE UP?
Several sources are reporting the No. 6 overall pick in the draft
may be heading from the Redskins to the Bears, in return for Chicago moving
disgruntled linebacker Lance Briggs to the
Redskins. It's an interesting prospect, but one that may (or may not) make a lot
of sense for Chicago. The Bears are somewhat in cost-cutting mode lately, as the
recent trade of Thomas Jones (which brought
them back almost nothing) proves. Getting the No. 6 pick would itself be
somewhat expensive, since any player picked at No.6 will command a hefty salary.
Right now the Bears' highest 2007 pick in No.31, which would not be nearly as
pricey. For their part, Bear brass is suggesting the big new deal Briggs wants
is unlikely to happen in Chicago (and that's what he wants), so something has to
give.
DOLPHINS TARGETING BRADY QUINN?
Now that Joey Harrington is no longer a
Dolphin and Daunte Culpepper's knee remains
a bit of a question mark, could the Dolphins be targeting a QB in the upcoming
NFL Draft? Several rumors have linked them to Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, including a recent one in the Miami
Herald. Miami has the No. 9 overall pick of the draft, but it's tough to see
Quinn dropping that low, especially since his recent surge in popularity amongst
scouts and front-office types. The Herald rumor suggested Miami may trade up for
Quinn.
WILL GREEN BE A BROWN? Will the
Browns land Trent Green? Several rumors
suggest Cleveland is focusing on landing a veteran QB after Charlie Frye didn't step up in 2006 the way they
had hoped. The Associated Press reports that Cleveland GM Phil Savage recently
confirmed contacting the Chiefs about the availability of Green. It's an
interesting development because the Browns hold the No.3 overall pick in the
draft, and it is common knowledge that Savage covets LSU QB JaMarcus Russell. The Browns also might have
interest in Quinn at No.3, and the recent interest in Green seems to suggest
Savage is looking for a veteran mentor for a possible new play-caller behind
center.
