Free agent CBs and DJ to the Bears
National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
February 16, 2005
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Robert Ozeroff
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:13 PM
To: loupickney@hotmail.com
Subject: NFL Draft mailbag
Hey lou, I was just a little curious on why you would have the Chargers selcting Bryalan Edwards over Marcus Spears and Derrick Johnson. There biggest need is DE and Spears is a perfect fit for a 3-4 end. Also they may just pick the best player left who would be Johnson. I know that LB isn't their biggest need but they have an aging LB core and Johnson could end up being one of the best pass rushing OLBs in the NFL. I know that you have them selecting Cody with their 28th but one of those players would seem to good to pass up. WR doesn't seem to be the biggest need and Reche Caldwell was quickly becoming a go to type of reciever until he got hurt. They also had a great offense without that go to wideout. At 28 (if they do select a DE or WR at 12) do you think that they could select Kirk Morrison. Also, what do you think of the Chargers getting a good vet S like Dwight Smith since FS was a glaring need? I know that he wants CB money but he may go to FS for a hefty check. You may not have known this but Antonio Gates was a childhood friend and grew up with him. That may be another reason on coming to SD.
Lou: My anticipation is that the Chargers will want to get a WR and a DE out of the first round. I went into this earlier this month, and I still feel the same way. Derrick Johnson is a great talent, and it is possible that San Diego would take him at #12. But if Braylon Edwards falls that far, I'd have a tough time seeing the Chargers passing on him at that spot. Reche Caldwell did start to have the "WR third year breakthrough" that usually happens to wideouts if they're going to become breakout pros, but he is but one player. The fact that the patchwork receiving corps did as well as it did was one of the more bizarre developments of the 2004 season.
I agree that Marcus Spears would be a nice fit for San Diego, since his skills would seem to be a better match for a 3-4 defense. I think #12 is a tad high for him to go, but since he fills a need and is a bona fide first round talent, it's not something to rule out.
Dwight Smith is going to pitch himself hard as a CB on the free agent market. He did what he was asked with the Bucs in playing safety, but the money is higher at CB, and that's what he's going to chase. I'm sure he'd love to be reunited with Antonio Gates, but not at the expense of a significantly higher contract elsewhere.
If San Diego wants Kirk Morrison, I doubt it'd be anywhere before the second round. I know he played at San Diego St., but the Chargers really should look at OLB before they go ILB, in my opinion. Someone like a Shawne Merriman (DE/OLB hybrid) who could potentially play either position should be a consideration for the #28 spot, though there will be a number of DE prospects that could be in that range. But by the same token, if DJ or Spears goes to San Diego at #12, there should be some good receivers (Roddy White, Mark Clayton, etc.) who could be there in the #28 range. Much of that will depend on the relative evaluations between the DE/LBs in the draft and the WRs, who San Diego thinks will fall to them at #12 and #28 respectively, and if there's one shooting star (i.e. Derrick Johnson) who would make all of this evaluation moot in trying to decide which position should go at #12.
From: Ron Scott
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 12:02 AM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject: (none)
Have you heard any rumors about any free agent corners the cowboys might be interested in since its highly unlikely they will not draft one? How real is the possibility that Bledsoe could be coming to Dallas? As a cowboy fan i hope not because I don't think he is that much better that Vinny. Matter of fact are they any big name free agents the boys are interested in or any rumored trade talk!!!
Lou: The Drew Bledsoe rumor is the top one right now out of Dallas. It's almost like the Blues Brothers with Parcells sometimes -- "we're getting the band back together." Bledsoe throwing to Terry Glenn will be like the 1996 Patriots... only 9 years older.
As for free agent corners, Fred Smoot would be a really nice pickup for the Cowboys to make if Washington lets him hit the open market. Denver's #2 and #3 CBs, Lenny Walls and Kelly Herndon, will both be restricted free agents, and Denver is expected to keep only one of them. Patrick Surtain is the big catch; he's no free agent, but look for Dallas and Indianapolis to both dangle first round picks to Miami in an attempt to acquire him (since his salary has Miami in a salary cap crunch). Ty Law of the Patriots and Charles Woodson of the Raiders are two possible salary cap victims. Woodson is slated to be a free agent, but he could receive the franchise tag from Oakland for a second straight year (though smart money says that won't happen). In short, there are many possibilities, but it's a bit too early to know for sure exactly who will be out there for Dallas at CB.
From: Joe Voss
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 12:06 PM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject : Chicago Bears
Hello Draft King-
Great site! True, the Bears definitely need some help on the offensive side of the ball, but I do not believe that Williams, Edwards or any O-lineman is worthy of the #4 pick. I think that the Bears will take the best player on the board and select Derrick Johnson to their already solid defense. Johnson is a game-changing linebacker and to team him with Urlacher and Lance Briggs will REALLY jack up the talent on defense. Johnson is not getting the credit I feel he deserves, he is the best player that I saw play last season. I think that they can address RB and OL later in the draft and will look to add to their WR group via free agency (Houshmanzedeh or Porter). I always support taking the very best player available and that's what I feel Jerry Angelo means when he says that he is looking for "difference-makers" on either side of the ball, and Johnson is a maniac, and everyone knows we love maniacs on defense here in Chicago.
Lou: I think Derrick Johnson is an outstanding player. Let there be no mistake on that. But what I personally feel, and what I anticipate teams will do, are two different things.
Adding DJ to the linebacker corps would be quite something for the Bears, agreed. Urlacher AND DJ in there would be a downright scary proposition. But at the same time, both Mike Williams and Braylon Edwards are looking really good as WR prospects. Maybe I'm letting my own bias get in the way of projecting Mike Williams to Chicago at #4 (versus Edwards), but I think that Williams will perform better than Edwards at the combine/individual workouts and ultimately win over the Bears management.
It is possible that the Bears could land the likes of Jerry Porter or maybe even Muhsin Muhammad if the Panthers cut him in a salary-cap related move. That would obviously change things a bit, and it could increase the possibility of the Bears taking DJ. Chicago fans have to be tempted at that possibility.
