This is not a new revelation. But there is a problem atop this year's draft. It's a lack of franchise-type players, the kind teams don't mind taking and dropping a cool $20 million signing bonus into their hands. And when there is a lack of quality, those owning the top draft choices can't entertain the big trades to escape their "predicament."
This is why the Philip Rivers trade rumor (Chargers would send Rivers to the 49ers for the No. 1 overall pick) made so much sense in San Francisco for more than a week. Rivers is a better quarterback prospect than either Utah's Alex Smith or Cal's Aaron Rodgers.
But even though I asked 49ers coach Mike Nolan about the possibility more than a week ago in Maui and he denied it, the trade rumors picked up again last weekend. I figured Nolan was telling me the truth. Nolan eventually would issue another denial this week.
But there comes a point when some trades make sense. Now, the trade doesn't make sense for the San Diego Chargers, who love Rivers and would take a ridiculous salary-cap hit if they trade him. But it is logical. Rivers would really help the 49ers, who aren't convinced Rodgers and Smith have as much upside as the Chargers' backup. San Francisco's other problem is that no one else believes in the two quarterbacks enough to trade into the coveted No. 1 overall pick.
Last year, the Giants drooled over quarterback Eli Manning. San Diego GM A.J. Smith knew it and played a great game of bluff with the Giants. He selected Manning with the first choice, even though the kid said he thought San Diego was akin to Siberia. The Chargers eventually made the trade with New York and picked up another first-round pick and still got their quarterback in Rivers.
None of that is happening this year.
In fact, new Miami coach Nick Saban would love to escape from picking second in this draft because he seems to understand the salary cap like Bill Belichick does and wants to collect as many players as possible.
Picking second in this draft, Saban doesn't believe there is a player worthy of the massive signing bonus. He loves some running backs, but none of them are worthy of that No. 2 pick and the money that goes with it. Saban definitely is right in his thinking, but what he's struggling with is that he may be able to trade his position in the draft but no one wants to pay the necessary compensation for picking that high.
When talking to Saban, I actually recommended passing on the pick and moving down that way. But you can bet the agent would say, "Well, he really should get paid like the second overall pick." We all know how agents can be at negotiating time.
The 49ers seem destined to take either Smith or Rodgers because they need a quarterback. And the first spot is too high for a cornerback or a linebacker, although Nolan has suggested that both positions rank in his top five. The U. of Miami's Antrel Rolle is the best cornerback and Georgia's David Pollack and Texas' Derrick Johnson, who won the Butkus Award for the nation's top linebacker last season, are considered among the best defenders.
The word in San Francisco is that Smith can make plays like Joe Montana once did for the 49ers, but that he had too many fluttery passes during his workout. Nolan likes Smith as a leader and his personality. Rodgers threw the ball more consistently than Smith did, but the 49ers don't seem totally sold on him. Still, he appears to be the fall-back choice as the No. 1 overall pick.
"You have to wonder," said one NFC personnel director, "if teams may trade out of a top spot simply to get away from paying the bonus. But will they do it without proper compensation? This could be the draft in which teams beg other teams to take their spots. How wild is that?"
More from The Czar
There should be a lot of draft-day trading. Miami wants to move CB Patrick Surtain and the Seahawks are considering dealing RB Shaun Alexander. The Dolphins would like to retain Surtain, but don't believe he's worth a lot of money in contract years three and four. The Chiefs are also interested in Surtain.
Ex-Patriot CB Ty Law continues to make the circuit, but he still is months away from running. Clubs are interested in him and he will get paid, but they want to see him on the field first.
New Browns GM Phil Savage has unloaded a lot of the team's defensive linemen from the NFL's 32nd-ranked run defense last season. The Broncos are taking most of them and Andre Patterson, who coached the D-line in Cleveland, has the same job in Denver. That's why Courtney Brown chose Denver over the Redskins.
Some people fudge their resumes and lose their jobs, but Jets team doctor Elliott Pellman does it and the NFL stands by him. You wonder how coaches like George O'Leary feel when he hears about Pellman? When he testified before Congress recently, many thought Pellman, who also works for Major League Baseball, was more than a little condescending to the panel.
The Bucs may draft either Rodgers or Smith in the first round if one of them falls to them at No. 5.
The NFL is very serious about making their steroid test in-line with the more strict Olympic test. If that happens, a lot of players could be in deep trouble. Of course, the NFL Players Association would have to approve a more difficult test first.
He won't be taken in the first three rounds, but former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett improved his 40-yard dash time by a tenth of a second to 4.69 in a personal workout Thursday.
Fox Sports
This is why the Philip Rivers trade rumor (Chargers would send Rivers to the 49ers for the No. 1 overall pick) made so much sense in San Francisco for more than a week. Rivers is a better quarterback prospect than either Utah's Alex Smith or Cal's Aaron Rodgers.
But even though I asked 49ers coach Mike Nolan about the possibility more than a week ago in Maui and he denied it, the trade rumors picked up again last weekend. I figured Nolan was telling me the truth. Nolan eventually would issue another denial this week.
But there comes a point when some trades make sense. Now, the trade doesn't make sense for the San Diego Chargers, who love Rivers and would take a ridiculous salary-cap hit if they trade him. But it is logical. Rivers would really help the 49ers, who aren't convinced Rodgers and Smith have as much upside as the Chargers' backup. San Francisco's other problem is that no one else believes in the two quarterbacks enough to trade into the coveted No. 1 overall pick.
Last year, the Giants drooled over quarterback Eli Manning. San Diego GM A.J. Smith knew it and played a great game of bluff with the Giants. He selected Manning with the first choice, even though the kid said he thought San Diego was akin to Siberia. The Chargers eventually made the trade with New York and picked up another first-round pick and still got their quarterback in Rivers.
None of that is happening this year.
In fact, new Miami coach Nick Saban would love to escape from picking second in this draft because he seems to understand the salary cap like Bill Belichick does and wants to collect as many players as possible.
Picking second in this draft, Saban doesn't believe there is a player worthy of the massive signing bonus. He loves some running backs, but none of them are worthy of that No. 2 pick and the money that goes with it. Saban definitely is right in his thinking, but what he's struggling with is that he may be able to trade his position in the draft but no one wants to pay the necessary compensation for picking that high.
When talking to Saban, I actually recommended passing on the pick and moving down that way. But you can bet the agent would say, "Well, he really should get paid like the second overall pick." We all know how agents can be at negotiating time.
The 49ers seem destined to take either Smith or Rodgers because they need a quarterback. And the first spot is too high for a cornerback or a linebacker, although Nolan has suggested that both positions rank in his top five. The U. of Miami's Antrel Rolle is the best cornerback and Georgia's David Pollack and Texas' Derrick Johnson, who won the Butkus Award for the nation's top linebacker last season, are considered among the best defenders.
The word in San Francisco is that Smith can make plays like Joe Montana once did for the 49ers, but that he had too many fluttery passes during his workout. Nolan likes Smith as a leader and his personality. Rodgers threw the ball more consistently than Smith did, but the 49ers don't seem totally sold on him. Still, he appears to be the fall-back choice as the No. 1 overall pick.
"You have to wonder," said one NFC personnel director, "if teams may trade out of a top spot simply to get away from paying the bonus. But will they do it without proper compensation? This could be the draft in which teams beg other teams to take their spots. How wild is that?"
More from The Czar
There should be a lot of draft-day trading. Miami wants to move CB Patrick Surtain and the Seahawks are considering dealing RB Shaun Alexander. The Dolphins would like to retain Surtain, but don't believe he's worth a lot of money in contract years three and four. The Chiefs are also interested in Surtain.
Ex-Patriot CB Ty Law continues to make the circuit, but he still is months away from running. Clubs are interested in him and he will get paid, but they want to see him on the field first.
New Browns GM Phil Savage has unloaded a lot of the team's defensive linemen from the NFL's 32nd-ranked run defense last season. The Broncos are taking most of them and Andre Patterson, who coached the D-line in Cleveland, has the same job in Denver. That's why Courtney Brown chose Denver over the Redskins.
Some people fudge their resumes and lose their jobs, but Jets team doctor Elliott Pellman does it and the NFL stands by him. You wonder how coaches like George O'Leary feel when he hears about Pellman? When he testified before Congress recently, many thought Pellman, who also works for Major League Baseball, was more than a little condescending to the panel.
The Bucs may draft either Rodgers or Smith in the first round if one of them falls to them at No. 5.
The NFL is very serious about making their steroid test in-line with the more strict Olympic test. If that happens, a lot of players could be in deep trouble. Of course, the NFL Players Association would have to approve a more difficult test first.
He won't be taken in the first three rounds, but former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett improved his 40-yard dash time by a tenth of a second to 4.69 in a personal workout Thursday.
Fox Sports
