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Notes From Lombardi: Draft Rumors

Michael Lombardi

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FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

24 April 2009

QUOTE:  “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”  -- Abraham Lincoln, “Lincoln's Own Stories”

1.    One more day and we can finally sift through all the bull -- and each team will have to show its hand. With so many rumors flying around, I thought I would touch on what I’m hearing as we head into the weekend. 

2.    The Rams, Chiefs and Jags are willing to move out of the top 10 for any price. I hear the Jags will not let Sanchez pass them if they have to stay at eight and make the pick. What they do with him once they draft him is another question for another time. 

3.    Buffalo wants to pick a pass rusher at No. 11 and will try to find a tight end or offensive lineman with the pick from the Eagles. 

4.    Don’t rule the Chiefs out of picking Jason Smith from Baylor if they’re not able to move down in the draft.  I know they love Tyson Jackson but might not want to pick him at No. 3. 

5.    The Jets are all over the board. One team told me Thursday that it talked to the Jets, who said they would move back right now if the price was right. And then I hear they’re moving up.  One thing for sure, the Jets will be active Saturday. 

6.    The Browns seem to have a lot of balls in the air on the trade front. One of them was a slight interest in Ronnie Brown that was tied to Braylon Edwards, but it fell apart as the Browns backed off. 

7.    The Steelers will be willing to part with their starting inside linebacker, Larry Foote, at some point in the draft. 

8.    I really have no idea where Michael Crabtree will go in the draft. He’s the best wideout, but from what I’m hearing, the Jags will not draft a wideout in the first round; they’ll wait until the second. The Browns say they’ve backed off, but is that for real?  Crabtree is a wild card right now in the top 10. 

9.    If Denver wants Mark Sanchez, it can easily acquire the third pick from the Chiefs, but does it want to pay the rate for the third pick? The cost is the real concern. 

10. If Andre Smith is not available, it would not surprise me if the Bengals pick Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells. He’s a top-10 talent. 

11. From everything I’m hearing, the Hotel is locked in on wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey from Maryland.  I know, I know, they could trade down and get him five picks later, but trading down is not an option in that draft room. It might be 2009 here in America, but in that room, it’s 1960. (Side note: Raider draft story, 1985. When Herschel Walker was playing in the USFL, he was eligible to be drafted in the NFL. In the fourth round, it was agreed that the Raiders would pick him with their next pick at No. 107. When the person who was helping make the picks returned from a restroom break, he discovered that the Raiders had drafted Syracuse linebacker Jamie Kimmel. This person said to the owner, “I thought we agreed we would pick Walker,” and the owner replied, “That’s what you wanted, but you don’t own the team.” Ouch. Walker went seven picks later to Dallas at No. 114. That’s the draft room in Oakland then, and it’s the draft room in Oakland now.)

12. I feel strongly that Percy Harvin will go somewhere in the teens as he has too much playmaking ability to be overlooked.  And it helps Harvin that all the coaches at Florida are in his corner in terms of his character. 

13. I expect the Cardinals to pick a running back with their first pick and hear they love Donald Brown of UConn. 

14. If the Seahawks don’t pick Mark Sanchez and are telling everyone now they want a player who can help them next year, they would love Jason Smith but might consider Andre Smith. 

15. The $20 million guaranteed that Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme just received has to make Donovan McNabb wonder what he’s worth when he finally gets the Eagles to sit down and talk about his contract. 

16. Don’t be surprised if, at the bottom of the first round, you hear Western Michigan’s Louis Delmas’ named called. He’s another hot player in the draft right now. 

One more day … We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news and notes. …

Comments

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Rogue420
Apr 24, 2009
10:24 AM

Hey Michael,

If Crabtree falls to the Packers at 9, do you think Thompson takes him at that spot? It seems likely that Crabtree will fall out of the top five.

Broken Clipboard
Apr 24, 2009
10:30 AM

I really hope Heyward-Bey does not go to the Raiders...that would kill his career.

Yeah
Apr 24, 2009
10:31 AM

Delmas will probably go to the Titans. Just watch. It's been a standing joke around Nashville, though, especially right before Draft time - that the Titans will pick some obscure player from Western Somewhere.

"And with the 30th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans pick.....(Commissioner looks confused)....Abe Martin from Western-Eastern Magnolia Tree Vo-Tech in Watertown, MS, fullback/tight end."

Watching the Draft for Tennessee Titans fans is like watching the progress bar on your computer screen as you download a 5,324,874 MB-sized file.... I'm exaggerating.... but not.

GO TITANS

Oh - and the Chiefs and Rams really do need to trade down. I have a feeling they're going to find themselves with some money problems in the next few years having all these high draft picks. Then there's going to be a mass exodus of all their good players in about 3-4 years.... unless they make some really good, creative trades.

Bill Parcells is my uncle
Apr 24, 2009
10:35 AM

Draft juicy's day - Excellent stuff, Mike -

There is a new news and rumors gunslinger in town...and his name is Lombardi -

Mike Lombardi said: "4. Don’t rule the Chiefs out of picking Jason Smith from Baylor if they’re not able to move down in the draft. I know they love Tyson Jackson but might not want to pick him at No. 3.

6. The Browns seem to have a lot of balls in the air on the trade front. One of them was a slight interest in Ronnie Brown that was tied to Braylon Edwards, but it fell apart as the Browns backed off."

You sir have your hands on the pulse of the NFL with the two above comments - Kudos on breaking this info, especially on the Brown-Edwards talks - That would have been the biggest and most talked about trade this offseason -


Mike Lombardi said: "12. I feel strongly that Percy Harvin will go somewhere in the teens as he has too much playmaking ability to be overlooked. And it helps Harvin that all the coaches at Florida are in his corner in terms of his character."

Agreed 100% - My comments below from Tuesday morning in my mock when the Harvin "character" talk starting heating up -

"Forget the recent negative character talk about Harvin, it was a mirage"

Alex
Apr 24, 2009
10:52 AM

If no one in the top 10 wants Stafford, why doesn't Detroit pick a left tackle with the 1 pick and move up with the 20 to pick Stafford?

The Linc
Apr 24, 2009
10:59 AM

The Chiefs must not be believers in Sanchez at all if they are willing to move their pick so division rival Denver can take him.

If KC passes on Curry, where will he land?

david_brazil
Apr 24, 2009
11:11 AM

I know it would be VERY risky; but, with the incredible interest in Sanchez the Chiefs could select him at number 3 and then trade him if nobody gives them an offer for the #3 pick.
That would be crazy!
Later,
david

Eric from Manitowoc, WI
Apr 24, 2009
11:14 AM

The thing that's driving me nuts is that Beanie Wells may be available at 9 and the Pack haven't shown any interest in him at all. From what I can tell, he's Purple Jesus 2.0. C'mon, Ted, let's solidify the offense for the next 5 years...

RockInRio
Apr 24, 2009
11:20 AM

Beanie Wells is not Purple Jesus 2.0. He's Judas Injuriascariat 1.0.

I'm really hoping that one of the big names falls to the Packers and they get some offers to move down - Ted's great at that kind of thing and they'll get the same quality guy in the late teens that they'll get at nine.

I'd like to see the Jaguars get hot for Crabtree and pass on Sanchez, because Sanchez would bring a haul from Dan Snyder or the Jets. No way Snyder lets Sanchez get that close without paying the piper.

A guy can dream, can't he. Go Pack Go!

Phil
Apr 24, 2009
11:31 AM

If Denver trades #12 and #18 to draft Sanchez, then the net of the Cutler trade will be Cutler and the #18 pick for Sanchez and a #1 next year (Orton becomes a throwaway). They would also have to pay Sanchez much more in the next 2 years than they would have paid Cutler. I don't think many people in Denver will be happy with that.

G-Money
Apr 24, 2009
11:38 AM

Eric wrote "The thing that’s driving me nuts is that Beanie Wells may be available at 9 and the Pack haven’t shown any interest in him at all."

You haven't heard boo from the Packers period. I wouldn't get too worked up about it. No one knows what they're going to do. Did anyone have them trading out of the first round and drafting Jordy Nelson last year. The Ted didn't even tell his scouting department he was interested in him.

Mike in MD
Apr 24, 2009
11:41 AM

I also love Tyson Jackson who I realize is rising up the boards. He's 1 of my sleeper SAFE pick for my Niners if he makes it there. Legit stout consistent 3-4 DE's are so hard to find. He's also had a good durability history at LSU as well.

Hey Mike - what's your take on Sean Smith/CB out of Utah? Wes really likes him & so do a lot of the fans here.

Would love to get your opinion on him. He hasn't gotten any pub anywhere that I know of. NONE from ESPN or your NFLN.

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