Dallas, Miami and Leinart
National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
February 9, 2005
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Jay Fekete
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2005 3:58 PM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject: Dallas Draft
No disrespect intended but NO WAY the boys take Shaun Cody at #11 and pass on both Braylon Edwards and Derrick Johnson! There was even talk of them trading up for these guys (which will NOT happen). Dallas has many needs and what the need more than anything is a quanity of day 1 talent. I see them holding at # 20 and taking the best DE on the board because their isn't a major drop in talent from the top 5 DEs and one of them should be there (James, Pollack,D Cody, S Cody, and Spears) At # 11 Unless Edwards, Johnson, or M. Williams is there I see them trading down several times and maybe even out of round one all together if they find the right takers. Whats your insight?
Lou: It is possible that Dallas will trade the #11 and not the #20, but the impression I got is that Dallas is looking to trade out of the first round with one of those picks, which would likely be easier with the #20. In either case, look for Dallas to come away with a defensive lineman from the first round.
I disagree with the assessment on the defensive ends (James and D. Cody I see as elite talents above the rest), though that assessment would fit with your argument on why Dallas would NOT take S. Cody at #11. So it makes sense on that level. But keep in mind that Dallas will likely have 2-3 DEs that it will likely really want at #11, and then have the capacity to trade down from #20 into the early second round and still land a good WR there (while landing other picks in the process). I'm going to redo the mock draft today, and I'm very likely going to put a WR in at #20, though I still think Dallas is going to trade that pick. But without being inside the Dallas war room, there's no way for me to know for sure.
From: Canter Family
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2005 6:34 PM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject: 49ers 1ST round
ok, you said that a QB whould be bad for miami to get. i dont understand. then why is it ok that the 49ers get a QB?
you said that smith and rodgers isnt a very good answer for the phins, then why is it good for the 49ers to get a QB?????
i think a young QB is better than a verteran QB b/c they want last long.a QB isnt going to do great his rookie season, you have to give it time look at all the QB who struggled at first like drew brees, now he is heading to the por bowl, you can always work with and improve a rookie, and not so mucha old veteran QB. what QB could they get as a verteran, they all suck, and almost every team has there franshice QB except for the fins and the 49ers. getting a QB out of the draft is better than geting a crappy free agent or a old fart QB. most of the teams who have there franshice QB has been from the draft. miami got killed this season not b/c the running, but the horrible turnovers for TD's miami could win without a good running game if they have a QB. ESPN seems to agree with me, they think miami should get a QB. one running back cant carry a team, but a QB can carry a team better than a running back.
plus isnt miami in a " rebuilding year "? then a offence always starts with a QB exspeically miami.
this year is a good example that a good free agent RB isnt so hard to find, but you cant name one QB who is worth getting that is young and is a free agent, you can always find RB's not so much QB's. A RB can wait, QB can not.
Lou: Miami made a very foolish move last off-season in trading its 2005 second round draft pick to Philadelphia for A.J. Feeley. With that type of investment already made, and moreover with the glaring hole that the Dolphins have at RB, it would be quite questionable to not take a RB at the #2 spot (or slightly lower if the Dolphins trade down). In the 2/5/2004 mailbag I addressed why I don't think the Dolphins will end up with Shaun Alexander or Edgerrin James. There's an outside chance that they could trade for Travis Henry, but I think they'll go with Cedric Benson instead.
In San Francisco's situation, developing a QB for the future is important. Tim Rattay is not the answer. No way. Looking at the other top prospects, I can't forsee the 49ers taking a RB (with Kevan Barlow intact), a WR (since they used a first rounder on Rashaun Woods last year) or even a LB, since their linebacker corps is one of their few bright spots. Plus, unlike Miami, San Francisco has a second round pick, allowing the team to fill other needs without needing to get an immediate impact player with its first round pick.
From: Todd Martin
Sent: Wednesday, February 9, 2005 2:10 PM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject: RE:
If Norm Chow leaves to be a offensive coach with the Titans, what happens to Leinhart? Do you think he'll declare himself for the supplemental draft? ESPN News last night was saying if he would've known he was leaving that would've played into his decision.
Lou: Chow is going to Nashville, that is official. Matt Leinart has already made his decision to attempt to lead USC to a third straight national title, and I doubt that this late in the game he'd jump into the supplemental draft. He'd miss out on big money which he would've either earned by going in this year's draft (where he would've almost for sure been a #1 pick) or next year's draft (where he'll be a favorite for #1 if he can stay healthy and if the team at #1 needs a QB), due to rookie cap restraints. Don't look for Leinart to do anything crazy at this point.
