Can someone grab the Horton chat from Espn Insider... [Archive] - Dallas Cowboys Forum

E-Dog Night

04-20-2005, 11:42 AM

Sorry - nothing about your Cowboys...

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Chat with Gary Horton

Welcome to The Show! On Wednesday, Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. will stop in to talk NFL. We'll talk about the upcoming season, the NFL Draft and more! Send your questions now and join Gary in The Show on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET!

The ShowGirl: Gary Horton will be here shortly. Let's talk NFL!

Gary Horton: It's draft time, I'm on my way to New York City. I'm excited ... maybe more drama in this draft then usual b/c there is no consensus. We will have our share of surprises.

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tom* (parkville, md): Mr. Horton, everyone seems really confused by the Redskins' announcing who they intent to take with the 25th pick. Are we missing something, or is Washington being run by boneheads?

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Widmer (Portland, OR): AHH!!! Dan Snyder is killing us Redskin fans. What the heck are they thinking trading 3 picks for 1!? To get Jason Campbell??? Frustration on so many levels. Just brutal...

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James (Rochester, NY): Last offseason Joe Gibbs said he needed a veteran QB because he didn't trust a young 2 year NFL vet. And now he can trust a rookie? I'm sorry, but I think the rumor about the Redskins liking Campbell is a smokescreen. I think they really like Matt Jones or Heath Miller (You know how much Gibbs like TEs).

Gary Horton: OK, when you make a trade like this, five or six days out from the draft, it doesn't make sense that you are doing it for a specific player in the draft b/c too many things can happen btwn now and Sat. I don't buy the fact that the Skins wanted another 1st round pick to acquire Jason Campbell b/c why would they wait until draft day when they were on the floor and saw how the flow of the draft was going and could see what their options were. I think Campbell would be there, but there is no way Wash would show their hand to 31 teams and what they were going to do. I don't think Joe Gibbs wants to develop a rookie QB at this stage in his carreer. In my opinion, the Skins have something else -- one of two scenarios ...

Gary Horton: ONE -- they could have acquired the 2nd first round pick to give them ammunition to trade up for a player or make some moves that required extra juice.

Gary Horton: OR TWO (which I think is most likely) -- they may have a veteran in mind to make a trade for b/c this deal seems like another team is dictating i.e. If you go out and get a first round pick we will make a deal for a specific player. I just don't think the Redskins would deal with generalities in the draft, I think they have something specific in mind ... regarding a trade for a vet.

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wes (marinette wi): The 9ers are saying the have chosen Smith over Rodgers just after teams are talking of trading up to get Smith w/ the 2nd pick. Coincidence?

Gary Horton: Here's what I think is happening on that front ... there is no question that the 9ers prefer Smith over Rodgers, but they also know that it's a tough negotiation with Tom Condon who ironically was the agent a year ago for Eli Manning. He's obviously looking for a Manning-type deal. Rodgers -- if he and his agent are smart -- have already let it be known that they will accept a much lesser deal b/c if Rodgers doesn't go to the 9ers, he could be in a free-fall My guess is that the 9ers will get a deal done pre-draft with Smith, but if it looks like it will be impossible or the numbers are ridiculous (and remember the 9er negotiator John York is a financial guy, not a football guy) THEN I think the 9ers will try to trade out of No. 1 to maybe No. 5 with Tampa Bay and then select Rodgers on the cheap while also picking up extra picks which they can use. They can spin it to their fans that that's what they had in mind all along.

Gary Horton: Smith has teams willing to trade up, Rodgers doesn't ... and the 49ers know it. There is a lot of drama left in this pick.

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Craig Ft. Lauderdale, FL: GARY!!! Your thoughts on Nick Saban's draft day plan? Do the fins draft Ronnie Brown and end the speculation, or do you see us trading down with Minnesota? I don't truly think Saban wants either QB with the #2 pick, he is just trying to stir the pot, right?

Gary Horton: I think that they would take Alex Smith at No. 2, but I think , in a perfect world, Saban would love to move out of No. 2 and get extra picks. If they are stuck at 2 -- which I think they are -- I think Ronnie Brown makes a lot of sense and obviouly fufills a need. ... I do not think that Minnesota will move out. They have two first round picks and they can get two good players without moving.

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doyle (philly): So... which PA team is most likely to get Matt Jones?

Gary Horton: I don't know that he is necessarily a favorite to go to either the Steelers or the Eagles ... unless you know something about his eligibility that I don't, he's not going to play for Penn STate. A lot of folks think Philly could draft him at the end of the first round but opinions on Jones vary GREATLY and that is a high pick for a guy that's a total projection. I might be in the minority, but I don't think he'll go as high as lots of people think. I wouldn't be shocked if he went to a team like the Bucs early in the second round. BUT, when we get towards the end of the first round, he will be the subject of a lot of speculation.

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Guy (Chicago): Is the Chicago talk about Cedrick Benson just a smokescreen to throw teams off. I'm really hoping they will pick Mike Williams....will I be celebrating on Saturday?

Gary Horton: You can go either way on Chicago's pick. On one hand, Thomas Jones is not the physical clock-eating type ball carrier that new O-coordinator Turner likes, and Benson could be the perfect fit, but that gives the Bears two high-priced backs. ... ON the other hand, in Mike Williams you have two big receivers in Mushin and Mike -- that's a lot of money at one position, BUT -- when you have that kind of threat on the perimeter, it really opens up the run game b/c teams are forced to play nickel and dime defenses and honor your passing game. For example, when Oakland traded for Moss to pair with Porter, it becomes easy to anticipate that new RB Lamont Jordan could now be a 1500 yard rusher b/c of the soft defenses he will see. However, after all my babbling, I too think they will pick Cedric Benson, but Mike Williams would certianly be a quality pick and I do strongly belive that with this fourth pick they want an offensive impact player.

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Mike (Baltimore): out of the first round?

Gary Horton: The two names that I'm hearing are QB Aaron Rodgers and DC Adam 'Pac Man' Jones. Obviously, Rodgers is flirting with the first pick overall, but if he doesn't go to San Fran, he could be in a free fall. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of passion for him. ... As for Jones, he just seems to be a guy that is really starting to slip while Carlos Rogers is replacing him at the tope of the very deep cornerback list. A lot of folks don't want to use their first round pick on a corner b/c they can get a quality pick for a corner in the second round. Other than that, I can't think of any real dramatic fall-outs.

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Jason (Tampa Bay): Please tell me the bucs will stay put and not draft a QB. Please Gary!

Gary Horton: I think the Bucs are poised to stay at No. 5 ... in all honesty, nobody is better at sending smokescreens than Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen -- they are the kings of misinformation and I say that in a positive tone. While they do have a passion for Alex Smith, I think they will stay at No. 5 and draft Cadillac Williams, but they do a great job at discussing and knowing all of their options and feeling out all the moves they can make. When they call a team to just inquire about a move up or down, word starts to leak out and people assume that's what they want to do. The reality is, they are just testing the waters, searching for interst and seeing what will shake out of that scenario. This is why these last few days leading up to the draft has so much misinformation. There are a lot of phone calls made between teams that are totally exploratory, but it becomes public and everybody runs with it.

Gary Horton: Can't wait until Saturday! If some goodies break between now and then, we may chat before Saturday, otherwise, get a good night sleep on Friday b/c it's going to be a long exciting day!

The ShowGirl: Thanks Gary! Folks, Gary is hopping off a little early today as he is starting to get into New York -- everybody knows you can't drive into NYC and do a draft chat at the same time! BUT we do have Marlin Jackson on the way so send in your questions now!