cowboyjoe
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2009 DRAFT BUZZ:
THE LATEST TRUTH, RUMOR AND SMOKE FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
April 18: Detroit wrapped up its first minicamp under the new management regime of G.M. Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz with little said about where the Lions stand with regards to whom they will select with the opening pick at next weekend’s draft. One curious note from the Lions’ camp, though, was the fact the agents for Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry were conspicuously on the sidelines talking with team president Tom Lewand during one of the workouts. While the Lions are expected to take Georgia QB Matt Stafford with the #1 pick, they have had preliminary talks about contract parameters with other players including Curry and OTs Jason Smith of Baylor and Virginia’s Eugene Monroe. Given that such contract talks are usually done very privately, if the Lions are in fact leaning toward Stafford, then being seen on the sidelines chatting with another agent might be seen as a gentle nudge to move things along.
The other undercurrent to the Lions pre-draft negotiations which has raised a few eyebrows is the fact that both Stafford and Smith are represented by the same agent, which some see as a potential conflict of interest. Also note that the Lions are holding a big news conference tomorrow to unveil a new team logo and uniform changes, and there has been some speculation that they might introduce their choice for the #1 pick at that time, although that would appear to be something of a longshot at this time… Monday is the day that teams and players will be formally advised who failed drug tests at the scouting combine in February. There have been unconfirmed, but then later strongly denied, allegations that a number of top prospects tested positive for either marijuana or steroids… Jacksonville is reportedly close to finalizing a contract with former St. Louis Pro Bowl WR Torry Holt, who became a free agent when he was unceremoniously released in a salary cap move earlier this winter.
While he is 33 and has had some recent knee troubles, Holt is still a quality receiver who should upgrade the Jaguars’ receiver corps and could allow them to look at other positions such as an OT or DT with the 8th pick at the next week’s draft. The Jaguars have the 8th pick overall an had been expected to be interested in either of WRs Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech or Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin if they were still on the board at that time; the Jaguars, though are so thin at the position that they could conceivably take either of those receivers with their #1 pick even if Holt is ultimately signed… Those Braylon Edwards to the Giants rumblings got just a tad louder with news that Cleveland has scheduled a very last minute workout with Rutgers WR Kenny Britt on Friday the day before the draft. The Browns, of course, could simply be doing due diligence on a player they might take with their own second rounder the 36th pick overall, but that does seem awfully late in the process to be working out someone who has been there all along. That has led to specualtion that the Browns are checking him out just in case they do end up with the 29th pick from the Giants in a deal for Edwards.
There has been growing speculation in recent days that the Browns ar leaning toward taking Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree with the 5th pick, however, witha number of quality defensive players like Texas DE Brian Orakpo and Boston College DT B.J. Raji almost assuredly to be on the board at that point, the Browns could opt to defense with their first pick and then address WR with either the 29th or 36th selections. Meanwhile, at least given the out-of-town players they had in for pre-draft visits, the Giants looked like a team that didn't expect to be making a first round pick. Inded, not one of the players the Giants had in for visits is currently considered a solid first-round prospect. The Giants did have Britt in for a visit, however, he is considered a local prospect and didn't count among the team's allotted 30 out-of-town visits. The Giants had also planned o have Florida WR Percy Harvin in for a visit however, the former Gators' star apparently cancelled although no reason has been given. By the way, Britt reportedly didn't have a great workout with the Giants as he reportedly dropped a number of passes... Have a great Sunday!!!
THE LATEST TRUTH, RUMOR AND SMOKE FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
April 18: Detroit wrapped up its first minicamp under the new management regime of G.M. Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz with little said about where the Lions stand with regards to whom they will select with the opening pick at next weekend’s draft. One curious note from the Lions’ camp, though, was the fact the agents for Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry were conspicuously on the sidelines talking with team president Tom Lewand during one of the workouts. While the Lions are expected to take Georgia QB Matt Stafford with the #1 pick, they have had preliminary talks about contract parameters with other players including Curry and OTs Jason Smith of Baylor and Virginia’s Eugene Monroe. Given that such contract talks are usually done very privately, if the Lions are in fact leaning toward Stafford, then being seen on the sidelines chatting with another agent might be seen as a gentle nudge to move things along.
The other undercurrent to the Lions pre-draft negotiations which has raised a few eyebrows is the fact that both Stafford and Smith are represented by the same agent, which some see as a potential conflict of interest. Also note that the Lions are holding a big news conference tomorrow to unveil a new team logo and uniform changes, and there has been some speculation that they might introduce their choice for the #1 pick at that time, although that would appear to be something of a longshot at this time… Monday is the day that teams and players will be formally advised who failed drug tests at the scouting combine in February. There have been unconfirmed, but then later strongly denied, allegations that a number of top prospects tested positive for either marijuana or steroids… Jacksonville is reportedly close to finalizing a contract with former St. Louis Pro Bowl WR Torry Holt, who became a free agent when he was unceremoniously released in a salary cap move earlier this winter.
While he is 33 and has had some recent knee troubles, Holt is still a quality receiver who should upgrade the Jaguars’ receiver corps and could allow them to look at other positions such as an OT or DT with the 8th pick at the next week’s draft. The Jaguars have the 8th pick overall an had been expected to be interested in either of WRs Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech or Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin if they were still on the board at that time; the Jaguars, though are so thin at the position that they could conceivably take either of those receivers with their #1 pick even if Holt is ultimately signed… Those Braylon Edwards to the Giants rumblings got just a tad louder with news that Cleveland has scheduled a very last minute workout with Rutgers WR Kenny Britt on Friday the day before the draft. The Browns, of course, could simply be doing due diligence on a player they might take with their own second rounder the 36th pick overall, but that does seem awfully late in the process to be working out someone who has been there all along. That has led to specualtion that the Browns are checking him out just in case they do end up with the 29th pick from the Giants in a deal for Edwards.
There has been growing speculation in recent days that the Browns ar leaning toward taking Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree with the 5th pick, however, witha number of quality defensive players like Texas DE Brian Orakpo and Boston College DT B.J. Raji almost assuredly to be on the board at that point, the Browns could opt to defense with their first pick and then address WR with either the 29th or 36th selections. Meanwhile, at least given the out-of-town players they had in for pre-draft visits, the Giants looked like a team that didn't expect to be making a first round pick. Inded, not one of the players the Giants had in for visits is currently considered a solid first-round prospect. The Giants did have Britt in for a visit, however, he is considered a local prospect and didn't count among the team's allotted 30 out-of-town visits. The Giants had also planned o have Florida WR Percy Harvin in for a visit however, the former Gators' star apparently cancelled although no reason has been given. By the way, Britt reportedly didn't have a great workout with the Giants as he reportedly dropped a number of passes... Have a great Sunday!!!