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(March 21, 2007) -- An offseason of trades was trumped Wednesday with the biggest one to date.
In a sign-and-trade deal, Atlanta sent quarterback Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans for a second-round draft choice this year, a second-round draft choice next year and a flip-flop of draft positions in the first round this year. Atlanta now goes to No. 8 overall from No. 10; Houston goes to No. 10 from No. 8. And Schaub gets a blockbuster contract from the Texans, who are still paying for their draft decisions last year.
As if that weren't enough, there are plenty of other ripples from the trade that temporarily upstaged talk of the NCAA basketball tournament:
*After declining to draft Vince Young last year, the Texans addressed their need at quarterback this year. In Schaub, they are acquiring a 25-year-old quarterback with only two NFL starts, six touchdown passes and six interceptions on his resume.
One agent said this trade smacked off the one that Buffalo once made for former Jacksonville quarterback Rob Johnson, after he made one successful start for the Jaguars.
Most NFL personnel people believe Schaub will be an ideal fit for Texans head coach Gary Kubiak's system, a quarterback who can thrive in a West-Coast-based offense. Schaub is said to have a nice touch, good vision, leadership skills, but not as much mobility as coaches would like.
Yet Schaub better succeed for the sake of Kubiak. His future in Houston is riding on his new quarterback.
*David Carr's time in Houston is all but done.
Houston shopped him, found no takers and now, with a new quarterback with a hefty contract on its payroll, the Texans have no room for Carr.
It is only a matter of time until the Texans release him, another quarterback drafted No. 1 that failed to pan out.
Where Carr surfaces is an intriguing subplot. It doesn't look like Oakland, which expressed no interest in trading for Carr and considering drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. But it also should be pointed out that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin was on the Fresno State coaching staff when Carr starred there. If Kiffin wants Carr, it could change the Raiders interest in him.
Minnesota, Detroit and Cleveland are searching for quarterbacks, and any could take a flyer on Carr. But there doesn't seem to be an obvious landing spot for Carr, at least not now. When and if he is released, the circumstances would change, and a team such as the Vikings would become even more intrigued. But only after Carr is released.
Wherever Carr lands, he will have a hard time trying to recoup the $6.75 million in base salary that he was scheduled to earn this season in Houston.
*Houston actually saves millions by ridding itself of Carr, switching two spots in the first round of the draft and surrendering its second-round pick this year.
Once Houston divorces Carr, the quarterback will count $2 million against the Texans' salary-cap this season. But his $6.75 million base salary also will come off the Texans books, meaning they will save $4.75 million against this year's salary cap.
Also, by dropping back two spots in the first round, the Texans will save another $2 million, and by trading its second-round pick, Houston will save another $4 million. All together, it's a financial boon -- much of it that will be used on Schaub's new contract.
*Moving up to No. 8 allowed Atlanta to leapfrog Miami, which was eyeing two prospects that greatly intrigued the Falcons -- Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown and LSU safety LaRon Landry.
Now, Atlanta doesn't have to wait for Miami to make its pick. As the draft stands now, the Falcons go first.
Each team has a need at left tackle, in which Brown would fit in nicely. Each team has a need at safety, in which Landry would fit in nicely.
Atlanta gets to decide which player is more valuable.
Now there also is another alternative for Atlanta. At No. 8, and armed with two extra second-round picks in each of the next two years, the Falcons have added ammunition in case they decide they want to trade up to try to pluck Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
If the Falcons could find a way to land him, Atlanta would rejoice at the idea of its favorite college player not having to leave the city. And Michael Vick would have the most talented target he has ever thrown to.
*Wednesday's trade reaffirms the Falcons' commitment to starting quarterback Michael Vick, whom new Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino told the first time they met, 'You're my guy'.
Since then, Petrino and Vick have been working together closely on an almost daily basis, prepping for the coming season.
Petrino knows that his success, and the success of the franchise, rests in Vick, who must elevate his game this season. If he doesn't, the Falcons no longer have a dependable backup such as Schaub. He has been shipped out.
To replace Schaub, the Falcons will need to sign another quarterback. The most likely choice would be former Baltimore and Cincinnati backup Anthony Wright, an unrestricted free agent. The Falcons have studied Wright, are intrigued and could move quickly to try to bring him in.
But the trade intensifies the spotlight on Vick.
*Early on, a couple of weeks ago, Houston inquired about trading for Kansas City quarterback Trent Green.
But just like it won't be drafting Quinn, Houston also won't be inquiring any more about Green. It leaves the Dolphins as the most logical landing spot for Green; maybe even the only landing spot.
And those talks appear to be intensifying. Chiefs president Carl Peterson spent part of Wednesday at Tennessee's pro day with Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller.
Chances are, they weren't talking about Tennessee left tackle Aaron Sears. The two already have discussed a Green-to-Miami trade and those talks are ongoing.
Also consider this: we've seen this offseason that once movement kicks off at one position -- three running backs traded earlier this month in the same week -- it usually continues on. Chances are, the ongoing trade talks between the Dolphins and Chiefs heat up. Soon. If they haven't already.
*Brady Quinn now has one less pursuer. The Texans had been enamored with Quinn and had the Notre Dame quarterback dropped to No. 8, Houston certainly would have picked him.
But now that Houston has its new quarterback of the future, Quinn's potential landing spots are Detroit at No. 2, Cleveland at No. 3, Minnesota at No. 7 and Miami at No. 9.
*Teams value draft picks, but even more so as the draft gets closer and closer.
How else to explain how no team is willing to give up as much as a seventh-round pick for linebacker Joey Porter, but the Miami Dolphins are willing to give a five-year, $32 million contract, including $20 million in guaranteed money.
How else to explain how no team is willing to trade for Carr, but some team will pounce on him once he's on the street?
Teams are hesitant to part with draft picks. But they never are more hesitant to do it than at this time.
*And if all that weren't enough action for one day, there was even a little more Wednesday:
-- It was learned that earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns picked up the $1.5 million roster bonus on injured center LeCharles Bentley 's contract, meaning that the team has no plans to release him anytime soon. The Browns still are hoping that Bentley can resume his career, but the feeling is that it will not be this season.
-- Talks between the running back needy Buffalo Bills and Tennessee's free agent Chris Brown are heating up. Brown would provide the Bills with a nice alternative until the draft, where Buffalo still could be poised to pick up either Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson or California's Marshawn Lynch.
-- The Chiefs released veteran offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who is considering retirement.
-- After Kansas City placed long snapper Adam Johnson on waivers, Tampa Bay claimed him.
-- Oakland signed free agent quarterback Josh Booty, the former LSU standout.
-- New England re-signed restricted free agent defensive back Rashad Baker.
Let's see Thursday top all of that.
LINK
In a sign-and-trade deal, Atlanta sent quarterback Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans for a second-round draft choice this year, a second-round draft choice next year and a flip-flop of draft positions in the first round this year. Atlanta now goes to No. 8 overall from No. 10; Houston goes to No. 10 from No. 8. And Schaub gets a blockbuster contract from the Texans, who are still paying for their draft decisions last year.
As if that weren't enough, there are plenty of other ripples from the trade that temporarily upstaged talk of the NCAA basketball tournament:
*After declining to draft Vince Young last year, the Texans addressed their need at quarterback this year. In Schaub, they are acquiring a 25-year-old quarterback with only two NFL starts, six touchdown passes and six interceptions on his resume.
One agent said this trade smacked off the one that Buffalo once made for former Jacksonville quarterback Rob Johnson, after he made one successful start for the Jaguars.
Most NFL personnel people believe Schaub will be an ideal fit for Texans head coach Gary Kubiak's system, a quarterback who can thrive in a West-Coast-based offense. Schaub is said to have a nice touch, good vision, leadership skills, but not as much mobility as coaches would like.
Yet Schaub better succeed for the sake of Kubiak. His future in Houston is riding on his new quarterback.
*David Carr's time in Houston is all but done.
Houston shopped him, found no takers and now, with a new quarterback with a hefty contract on its payroll, the Texans have no room for Carr.
It is only a matter of time until the Texans release him, another quarterback drafted No. 1 that failed to pan out.
Where Carr surfaces is an intriguing subplot. It doesn't look like Oakland, which expressed no interest in trading for Carr and considering drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. But it also should be pointed out that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin was on the Fresno State coaching staff when Carr starred there. If Kiffin wants Carr, it could change the Raiders interest in him.
Minnesota, Detroit and Cleveland are searching for quarterbacks, and any could take a flyer on Carr. But there doesn't seem to be an obvious landing spot for Carr, at least not now. When and if he is released, the circumstances would change, and a team such as the Vikings would become even more intrigued. But only after Carr is released.
Wherever Carr lands, he will have a hard time trying to recoup the $6.75 million in base salary that he was scheduled to earn this season in Houston.
*Houston actually saves millions by ridding itself of Carr, switching two spots in the first round of the draft and surrendering its second-round pick this year.
Once Houston divorces Carr, the quarterback will count $2 million against the Texans' salary-cap this season. But his $6.75 million base salary also will come off the Texans books, meaning they will save $4.75 million against this year's salary cap.
Also, by dropping back two spots in the first round, the Texans will save another $2 million, and by trading its second-round pick, Houston will save another $4 million. All together, it's a financial boon -- much of it that will be used on Schaub's new contract.
*Moving up to No. 8 allowed Atlanta to leapfrog Miami, which was eyeing two prospects that greatly intrigued the Falcons -- Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown and LSU safety LaRon Landry.
Now, Atlanta doesn't have to wait for Miami to make its pick. As the draft stands now, the Falcons go first.
Each team has a need at left tackle, in which Brown would fit in nicely. Each team has a need at safety, in which Landry would fit in nicely.
Atlanta gets to decide which player is more valuable.
Now there also is another alternative for Atlanta. At No. 8, and armed with two extra second-round picks in each of the next two years, the Falcons have added ammunition in case they decide they want to trade up to try to pluck Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
If the Falcons could find a way to land him, Atlanta would rejoice at the idea of its favorite college player not having to leave the city. And Michael Vick would have the most talented target he has ever thrown to.
*Wednesday's trade reaffirms the Falcons' commitment to starting quarterback Michael Vick, whom new Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino told the first time they met, 'You're my guy'.
Since then, Petrino and Vick have been working together closely on an almost daily basis, prepping for the coming season.
Petrino knows that his success, and the success of the franchise, rests in Vick, who must elevate his game this season. If he doesn't, the Falcons no longer have a dependable backup such as Schaub. He has been shipped out.
To replace Schaub, the Falcons will need to sign another quarterback. The most likely choice would be former Baltimore and Cincinnati backup Anthony Wright, an unrestricted free agent. The Falcons have studied Wright, are intrigued and could move quickly to try to bring him in.
But the trade intensifies the spotlight on Vick.
*Early on, a couple of weeks ago, Houston inquired about trading for Kansas City quarterback Trent Green.
But just like it won't be drafting Quinn, Houston also won't be inquiring any more about Green. It leaves the Dolphins as the most logical landing spot for Green; maybe even the only landing spot.
And those talks appear to be intensifying. Chiefs president Carl Peterson spent part of Wednesday at Tennessee's pro day with Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller.
Chances are, they weren't talking about Tennessee left tackle Aaron Sears. The two already have discussed a Green-to-Miami trade and those talks are ongoing.
Also consider this: we've seen this offseason that once movement kicks off at one position -- three running backs traded earlier this month in the same week -- it usually continues on. Chances are, the ongoing trade talks between the Dolphins and Chiefs heat up. Soon. If they haven't already.
*Brady Quinn now has one less pursuer. The Texans had been enamored with Quinn and had the Notre Dame quarterback dropped to No. 8, Houston certainly would have picked him.
But now that Houston has its new quarterback of the future, Quinn's potential landing spots are Detroit at No. 2, Cleveland at No. 3, Minnesota at No. 7 and Miami at No. 9.
*Teams value draft picks, but even more so as the draft gets closer and closer.
How else to explain how no team is willing to give up as much as a seventh-round pick for linebacker Joey Porter, but the Miami Dolphins are willing to give a five-year, $32 million contract, including $20 million in guaranteed money.
How else to explain how no team is willing to trade for Carr, but some team will pounce on him once he's on the street?
Teams are hesitant to part with draft picks. But they never are more hesitant to do it than at this time.
*And if all that weren't enough action for one day, there was even a little more Wednesday:
-- It was learned that earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns picked up the $1.5 million roster bonus on injured center LeCharles Bentley 's contract, meaning that the team has no plans to release him anytime soon. The Browns still are hoping that Bentley can resume his career, but the feeling is that it will not be this season.
-- Talks between the running back needy Buffalo Bills and Tennessee's free agent Chris Brown are heating up. Brown would provide the Bills with a nice alternative until the draft, where Buffalo still could be poised to pick up either Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson or California's Marshawn Lynch.
-- The Chiefs released veteran offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who is considering retirement.
-- After Kansas City placed long snapper Adam Johnson on waivers, Tampa Bay claimed him.
-- Oakland signed free agent quarterback Josh Booty, the former LSU standout.
-- New England re-signed restricted free agent defensive back Rashad Baker.
Let's see Thursday top all of that.
LINK
