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National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
December 5, 2006
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Ryan Wynne
To: loupickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 5, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: raiders draft???
hey what's up man? I read your page every Tues for up dates, it's the most realistic draft page out there. But the reason I'm e-mailing you is is there any truth to Vick to Oakland for the #1 or #2 pick? this would help maybe we need about every O player we can get and a new coach/owner what do you think?
Lou: I haven't heard any Michael Vick-to-Oakland rumors. Keep in mind that in December 2004, Vick redid his contract for 10 years and $130 million, $37 million of which was a signing bonus. Should Atlanta trade Vick, the Falcons would be on the hook for the entirety of the remaining pro-rated signing bonus on this year's cap, or more than $25 million (if my math is correct.) I don't see that happening.
Aaron Brooks, on the other hand, signed only a two-year contract with Oakland, so the Raiders are not heavily vested in him. To be fair to Brooks, he has struggled with injuries, the replacement of an offensive coordinator mid-season, and having to learn a new offense. What seems more likely to me is for Oakland to pick up a free agent QB (again) to push Brooks in next year's training camp.
As for the Raiders changing coaches, Art Shell is there because Al Davis wants him there. And while it's hilarious to read Bill Simmons' articles lampooning him (as least for non-Raider fans), I anticipate that Shell will be back next season. As for Davis, he is a Raider for life, and I don't see that changing. But Davis wants a winner, and if the Raiders have another bad season in 2007, I don't expect the status quo to remain long-term.
From Atlanta's perspective, who would they want with that high Oakland pick to warrant losing Vick? Even if the Falcons kept Matt Schaub and made him their starter, who at #1 or #2 would fit with the Falcons? The Alex Gibbs offensive line is built on lower round draft picks, so a guy like Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas is out. The Falcons have two excellent DEs in John Abraham and Patrick Kerney, so going with someone like Clemson's Gaines Adams wouldn't make sense. Warrick Dunn is aging, but the Falcons landed perhaps the steal of the 2006 Draft in Jerious Norwood, so an RB like Adrian Peterson wouldn't seem to fit. Maybe they'd go with a WR like Calvin Johnson, but then the Falcons would start turning into the Lions by taking three first round WRs in the past few years (Michael Jenkins and Roddy White being the other two.) So, even if the salary cap wasn't a factor, I don't see what driving need the Falcons have that would justify trading away a player like Michael Vick.
Plus, Vick adds value to the Falcons franchise as far as being a marquee name who helps sell tickets. I don't think that fact is lost on Falcons owner Arthur Blank or the Falcons management staff in Atlanta.
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