Lots of news per a returned Jason La Canfora at Redskins Insider. Make sure you read the entire article so you don't miss anything, though I'll try and touch on what I think is the big news. First and foremost, Jason caveats his post by pointing out that this time of year is notorious for rumoring to get out of hand. Information promulgation is a strategy when it comes to the draft, so be wary of proclamations and innuendo as they may exist just to influence behavior. And away we go:
Looks like the Skins would have to trade to first overall to get Calvin Johnson. I heard today that the Raiders will end up with Culpepper after MIA cuts him (also heard today the Fins asked the KC Chiefs for the proper sizes and specifications of Trent Green's equipment today).
Since I'm so averse to trading up to select a WR at all, even one as incredible as Calvin Johnson, anything that makes the trade less likely is fine by me. Moving up to one (as opposed to two) means the transaction will cost more compensation, not to mention CJ will carry a higher price tag (as contracts are based largely on Draft position). Combined I hope that makes it prohibitively expensive, in our Coaching staff's view, to acquire Johnson -- if it wasn't already.Cleveland loves Quinn, but I hear the Dolphins do too, maybe even enough to trade up and get him should he still be there at 6th overall (hint, hint).
If Russell falls past Oakland (and Detroit may or may not take him) then Cleveland could settle on him and Brady Quinn could fall to #6. If Miami truly covets him, this represents an excellent opportunity to shift down a few picks and still get the guy we want. My blogging colleague at The Phinsider seems to have an eye for Brady Quinn as well:
But I'm almost certain that the Dolphins will select a quarterback on day one of the draft, as it seems to be a necessity. My dream scenario would be to move up and draft Brady Quinn and have him learn from Green's tutoring and Cam Cameron's coaching.
We need to keep Miami's phone number on hand come April 28th.So at 6 the Skins could very well have their pick of the defensive players. If they use the pick, I would be stunned if they took someone not names Landry or Okoye (both have completely wowed the team and again, I heard Landry had a killer workout Monday).
Interesting how the focus has changed over the course of the Draft, as Alan Branch was the guy, then Adams, then Anderson made some ground, and now it's suggested that none of them are in the 'Skins crosshairs. Landry and Okoye should fall to #6 and both present an additional opportunity to trade down:
Atlanta has fallen hard for Okoye (who played for the coach and D Line coach at Louisville) and Landry, enough so to trade up for either. Again, the Skins at 6 could be prime partners. Keep an eye on this, cause at 10, plus getting a second round pick, the Skins might find two really good players in such a trade.
A surplus of trading partners is the kind of problem every team wants to have on Draft Day, as they can be used to bid against each other. If Quinn and Okoye/Landry fall to #6 (and that's not a ridiculous scenario) we'll find out whether Miami loves Brady more than Atlanta loves Amobi/LaRon, and will receive compensation accordingly. I like that. Just as my amigo at The Phinsider thinks Brady is worth trading up for, so too does Atlanta's The Falcoholic covet Landry:
As you well know, I want the Falcons to get LaRon Landry in any way they possibly can. If we have to swap out a third, I wouldn't necessarily be thrilled. I'd rather keep all our picks in order to ensure a bountiful draft. But if the choice is between giving up a reasonably high draft pick and losing Landry...well, I'll take Landry. Without a doubt.
A commenter of his notes that Landry might fall, so it would behoove the Redskins to ratchet up the rhetoric on their Landry interest, whether it's perceived or real and there are enough reasons to believe it's real where teams must take us seriously [UPDATE: as noted by War Cry!, Landry is picking up steam as the Redskins pick in the Mock Draft community]. The only way we lose is if Atlanta is certain that either Okoye or Landry will fall to #8 and rather than trading for one or the other they simply settle for whichever of their two guys lands on them.
Finally, I was growing more concerned with each passing day that the Redskins weren't going to trade down, what with the talk of scooping Landry at #6, trading up to get CJ, and Peter King essentially saying that trade downs are impossible. But Jason La Canfora comes to the rescue:
There remain no shortage of people in that building really hope they trade down, but we'll see what the Snyder/Gibbs axis ends up doing in the war room.
The more people in that building lobbying for a trade down, the better. We need picks.