The Redskins drafted three receivers on day one of the draft. Devin Thomas WR Michigan St, Fred Davis TE USC, and Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma were all drafted in the 2nd Round after the Skins traded down a round to obtain more picks.

The Redskins then addressed some other areas of concern by drafting Chad Rinehart OG Northern Iowa (3rd Rd), Justin Tryon CB Arizona St (4th Rd), Durant Brooks P Ga Tech (6th Rd), Kareem Moore S Nicholls St (6th Rd), Colt Brennan QB Hawaii (6th Rd), Rob Jackson DE Kansas St (7th Rd), & Christopher Horton S UCLA (7th Rd) were all day two draft choices some of which via trades with Atlanta and St. Louis to improve the quantity of picks or the position.

The Skins acquired the type of receiver they were looking for further down the draft at greater value. Devin Thomas the one year wonder from Michigan St. was regarded as the number one receiver on most rankings and Malcolm Kelly who was also listed as one of the top five receivers that fell back to the Skins in the second round. Kelly had even worked out for the Redskins.

Taking the highest rated players on the board is usually a good thing and any proven model of success that the Redskins adopt would normally be a good thing. Unfortunately for Redskins fans there's always an exception to the rule and in this case it's mostly common sense. The drafting of a TE when there are so many holes to fill on the roster seems almost ludicrous especially when there's already a pro-bowl TE on the roster that the team is heavily invested.

By going back just twenty years, how many TE's have been such a dominating presence are the main reason a team has won a title? I can think of only two such players: Mark Bavaro of the Giants and to a lesser degree Dwight Clark of the 49ers. Some might say Shockey or Gates, but I don't recall Gates bringing a title to SD and the Giants won without Shockey down the stretch of the season due to injury. Besides SD is Tomlinson's team not Gate's. So why draft Fred Davis in the 2nd Round if he's not better then Cooley? Even if TE is a key component in the West coast offense does anyone recall two top TE's on the same team?

The position itself should only be drafted this high when it's the last piece that's been missing to bring home a title. TE's are usually regarded higher than the punter and kicker when it comes to the draft, so why bring someone into camp if they can't even displace the current starter. They may be the best on the board, but when you consider the position itself common sense should dictate otherwise and just let it go. Someone else is getting a quality player, but the Redskins need starters. Drafting Fred Davis can be summed up by quoting Q as Stu, BMT, Q, & I had stopped for dinner at a chain establishment on the way to last year's keeper fantasy football league draft. Q ordered wings and when asked how they were he responded, "thoroughly unsatisfying." The same could be said for this pick in the eyes of many fans.

The drafting of two top wide receivers seems acceptable when you go with the best player available mentality (especially considering the Skins roster), but not coming away with a starter along the line or secondary in the second round seemed odd to say the least. The drafting of Thomas and Kelly all but spells the end for Thrash and just about every other receiver on the roster other than Moss Randel-El and Mathis. Likewise a few of the rookies can also return kicks which may spell the end of Rock's tenure with the Skins too.

Normally the drafting of punters and kickers is a bad thing unless it's the last ingredient for a championship, but 10 players on special teams are holding their own as a very good unit. The battle for field position has proven costly over the past few years and drafting the highest rated punter on most rankings should help change that situation as should improving the return game with rookies and free agent signings such as Mathis.

Colt Brennan drew the ire of Jaws on ESPN. His mechanics and arm strength have come into question but as many have pointed out his best chance of surviving in the NFL is in a west coast offense.

It appears that there'll be plenty of competition at safety, but very little change may occur along the OL & DL where it's needed most. Kendell filled in adequately last year, but the team would have been better served if Kendell was relegated to a reserve role for quality depth. Alas no changes on the OL have occurred other than the improved health of Jansen and Thomas.

Hopefully the Redskins will be very active over the next week in signing UFA's.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

As the NFL Draft is about to be under way, the Redskins have been rebuffed by both the Bengals and Cardinals for Chad Johnson and Boldin. Luckily for Redskins fans the Redskins haven't mortgaged the future for older and frequently injured players on a team that has several holes to fill. When the Patriots and Eagles over the past few years signed Moss and TO as the final cog to get back to the Super Bowl playing for the present made sense, but for the Skins the rumors circling about for Roy Williams in Detroit make the most sense. He's a young proven WR that could provide immediate and long term help.

Trading for a player like Johnson and Boldin and giving up first round picks when the secondary is old and injured just as much as the OL and LB areas with a defense lacking an every down pass rusher to boot how does giving up the future for a player that most likely won't even get you to the Super Bowl. It doesn't so let's hope Zorn and Danny make the logical pick.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This post sums up our mock draft. There's already been one trade affecting the draft order, with KC getting the #17 pick from Minnesota, and there are bound to be more in the first round before all is said and done. Nevertheless it will be interesting to see how many of these picks we actually predicted correctly. With Jake Long just signing a deal with Miami as the first overall pick, the DC Sports Page is starting out 1 for 1.

1. Miami - Jake Long, OT Michigan
2. St. Louis - Chris Long, DE Virginia
3. Atlanta - Glenn Dorsey, DE LSU
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
5. Kansas City - Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
6. New York Jets - Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
7. New England - Vernon Gholston, LB/DE Ohio State
8. Baltimore - Ryan Clady, OT Boise State
9. Cincinnati - Keith Rivers, LB USC
10. New Orleans - Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
11. Buffalo - Devin Thomas, WR Michigan State
12. Denver - Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
13. Carolina - Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
14. Chicago - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
15. Detroit - Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
16. Arizona - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee State
17. Minnesota - Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
18. Houston - Johnathan Stewart, RB Oregon
19. Philadelphia - Calais Campbell, DE Miami
20. Tampa Bay - Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
21. Washington - Brendan Albert, G Virginia
22. Dallas - Brandon Flowers, CB Virginia Tech
23. Pittsburgh - Mike Jenkins, CB S. Florida
24. Tennessee - Felix Jones, RB Arkansas
25. Seattle - Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
26. Jacksonville - Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina
27. San Diego - Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
28. Dallas - Desean Jackson, WR California
29. San Francisco - Brian Brohm, QB Louisville
30. Green Bay - Antoine Cason, CB Arizona
31. New York Giants - Kenny Phillips, S Miami

Posted by Stu Humboldt at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

To conclude our mock draft the New York Giants are now on the clock with the 31st pick.

After winning a championship and pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Superbowl history, the New York Giants are looking to restock their team with the talent that will allow them to make another run at the title. It is really almost impossible to accurately predict what teams will do in the latter part of the first round of the draft, but there are several needy positions on this team. The phenomenal play from the Giants defensive line last season masked an otherwise average secondary, further weakened with the loss of starting safety Gibril Wilson in free agency. Michael Strahan may end up retiring, so drafting a DL here would make some sense as well. On the other hand, they may want to address the linebacking corps, which saw starter Kawika Mitchell and backup Reggie Torbor leave to sign with other teams. Finally, there are rumors that starting TE Jeremy Shockey may be traded. No TE's have been taken yet in our mock draft so the Giants could have their pick of the bunch.

The way our mock draft has gone I see the Giants pick boiling down to three realistic choices: Miami safety Kenny Phillips, Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo, and Purdue TE Dustin Keller. Their backup TE Kevin Boss did fill in nicely for the oft-injured Shockey last year so TE is less of a priority than the other positions. I think the Giants will go defense here, but DL doesn't look to hold great value for them in this slot.

Pick #31: Kenny Phillips, S Miami

As the top-rated safety in this year's draft, the Giants will be ecstatic if he falls to them at the 31st pick. The Eagles are rumored to be pretty high on him too, so if he makes it by them and he's still there at the end of the first round the Giants will pounce on him. Phillips has been compared to fellow Miami alum Ed Reed in terms of his big play ability--he returned four interceptions for touchdowns last year, and added three more on punt returns. Phillips fills a big need at the strong safety spot, and can also pay big dividends in the return game.

Posted by Stu Humboldt at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue with our mock draft, Green Bay is on the clock with the 30th pick.

So the second best team in the NFC finally loses the legend that is Brett Favre. Unless #4 changes his mind before September, the Packers are one big Green & Yellow question mark.

Green Bay needs to fill the cornerback position with Al Harris and Charles Woodson entering the downside of their careers. Will Aaron Rodgers be able to lead the team at quarterback. Also at running back, how many of them can stay healthy and is Ryan Grant the real thing?

Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona

Cason might be a reach here, but the corner situation could go from old to terrible in no time. When the secondary loses it, the speed, the instincts, are all gone. It's not gradual. At the other "need" positions, they have to give Rodgers a chance. He's been riding the pine for years under Favre and he should get a chance to prove himself. At running back, having Ryan Grant is pretty good. Now that teams have seen him for most of a season, Green Bay should know if Grant can handle the load.

Cason is what you want in a corner. Long arms, strong and confident he can make the play.

With that, the New England Patriots New York Giants are on the clock.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue with our mock draft, San Francisco is on the clock with the 29th pick.

Well one of the main questions is what to do at quarterback? Alex Smith had a pretty good season a couple of years ago when Norv Turner was the offensive coordinator with the 49'ers. But the next season, when Turner went to coach San Diego, Alex Smith was well, just another Smith.

At wide receiver, Joe Montana had a guy named Jerry Rice. Alex Smith has Issac Bruce. Unfortunately about 10 years too late.

There is also the need for outside linebacker and some offensive line help.

Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

With Trent Dilfer leaving the team, it leaves San Francisco vulnerable at QB. While Smith should start in the 2008 season, drafting Brohm will allow the team to cut their losses if Smith does not get that magic back. Brohm is skilled at quarterback, although some might say he's robotic. However, the 49'ers need to be ready to move on and not let Alex Smith become Kyle Boller, if he can not lead them.

The Green Bay Packers are now on the clock.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well the comeback was not completed. The game was high paced through and through and had to go OT to get done. Unfortunately, it was Philly who prevailed in the waning seconds of the only penalty called since the 2nd period.

I am what you would call a casual fan of the NHL and the Capitals. But the number of references to goaltender interference in this series and others seemed mind boggling. As Joe Beninati, the play by play man in the Capitals booth on Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic, said, it was a gray area when the Flyers second goal was scored. Sami Kapenen took out Cristobal Huet by sending Shaone Morrisonn into Huet, then scoring. Indirect goalie interference.

Watching the loss was OK, as it appears the Capitals gave it their all. But watching Eastern Motors commercials is just torture. Especially on Comcast Sportsnet's blurry so called "HD".

Congratulations to the Capitals on a great season. It looks like the NHL dream of Ovechvin-Crosby playoff matchup will have to wait at least another year.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok, besides being a sports fan, I'm a political junkie. I know, it's a shock...life-long Washingtonian is interested in politics. One of my weekly rituals is to watch Meet the Press from NBC. At the end of the show, this past Sunday, Tim Russert declared "How about those Caps? In Pennsylvania tomorrow night. Beat the Flyers!" while holding up a Caps sweater. Sorry, I didn't see who's he had, as he only showed the front.

I'm glad he's going for the "home" team since his Buffalo Sabres aren't in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue with our Mock Draft, the Cowboys are up again with Number 28.

It seems we've been down this road before. Ah yes, a few picks ago. Taking Brandon Flowers at 22, and still waiting on the Pacman deal, cornerbacks are covered. That leaves the running backs and wide receivers.

Felix Jones probably would've worked, but in our mock, the Titans took him. Looking at the rest of the pile, not many appear to belong in the first round.

Wide receivers are still plenty, but how many first rounders pan out?

DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal

Despite the busts of WR's in the first round, the Cal junior doubles as a punt returner. Maybe Dallas does not want to send their first round wide receiver out to return punts, but he'll be an option. Jackson is also touted by some experts as the best junior receiver who has declared for the draft. Pretty good pick at the bottom of the first.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Can you say Game 7!?

2-0 with 10:26 left in the 2nd, it was not looking good. Then Nicklas Backstrom scored. 2 minutes left in the second, Alexander Semin put "the biscuit in the basket", as Craig Laughlin would say. But the best was saved for last.

After some 4 on 4 play starting at the end of the 2nd, the Flyers turned over the puck on the Caps end and Viktor Kozlov found Alex Ovechkin racing up the ice. Less than 3 minutes into the 3rd, the Capitals took the lead for the first time in the game with Alex the Great shooting it past Biron. For good measure, with 10 minutes left, Ovechkin scored again on a power play.

Wow, after trailing 2-0, the Caps go 4 goals unanswered. Game 7 is on at the Verizon Center tomorrow night.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our mock draft the San Diego Chargers are now on the clock with the 27th pick.

After coming within a game of reaching the Superbowl, the Chargers clearly look to be the class of the AFC West once again, and should easily repeat as division champs. This is a deep team with a lot of talent and not many serious needs. After losing Michael Turner in free agency to Atlanta, they may want to address the backup RB spot relatively early in the draft. However, in our mock draft the value is just not there with all of the first-round RB prospects long gone. CB, and OT are other positions San Diego may target in the first round. They may also want to take a QB in the mid- to later rounds because of Rivers' injury.

Pick #27: Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
Cherilus has been steadily climbing up the boards and most mocks now have him as a late first rounder. The Chargers could use some more depth at the offensive tackle position, and although it's unlikely that Cherilus will crack the starting lineup in his first year, he should be a solid backup lineman and someone they can groom as a potential starter down the road.

The Dallas Cowboys are now on the clock once again.

Posted by Stu Humboldt at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Capitals constantly tried to apply pressure in all facets of the game from hitting to shooting on net. The only time the Flyers appeared to turn the tide is when the Caps took their pedal off the gas. The Flyers have consistantly played their game. When the Caps play physical and smart they're winning the five on five game. When the Caps let up they soon find their friends up north dominating them. It's difficult to play a style that's not your own when you're still finding your own style of up tempo end to end hockey. Washington must whether the storm and continue to be mentally tough to walk out of Philly with a win. The Caps must win two more games to play someone with a different style for a better match up. Here's to the Caps for a great game on NBC and pushing the series another game.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, Jacksonville is on the clock with the 26th Pick in the draft.

There's not much to say about Jacksonville. Tony Kornheiser and Bill Simmons "The Sports Guy" have written many columns about the city and even hosting the Super Bowl.

The team boasts some exceptional young talented players. Nothing would be better than to improve the receiving core, but with a broken track record at finding this talent in draft the Jags may choose to win the battle of the line and push back the Pats potent offense with some pressure up the middle. They don't have the luxury of hoping that this pick at receiver pans out or waiting years for one to develop when a defensive tackle is available to help now.

Pick #26: DT Kentwan Balmer North Carolina

The Chargers are now on the clock with the 27th pick.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, the Seahawks are on the clock with the 25th Pick in the draft.

How do you improve upon another division and first round win in the playoffs? With the acquisition of Jones to help transition away from an aging Alexander adding another receiver could only help Hasselbeck.

Pick #25: Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma

If the big playmaking receiver can find his rhythm with his quarterback and adjust to the speed at the next level, this could be a formidable duo to stop.

Jacksonville is now on the clock with the 26th pick in the draft.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 01:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, the Titans are on the clock with the 24th Pick in the draft.

Remember the Titans? "Everywhere we go...people wanna know...people wanna know...who we are...who we are...so we tell them ...so we tell them...We Are The Titans! We Are The Titans! The Mighty Mighty Titans!" This was a great movie. Denzel Washington gave another fantastic performance. I'd almost buy the move if it wasn't on TNT, Premium Channels, ABC, and even scrolling through all channels one night I found it on the Disney Channel. He gave an equally great performance in The Hurricane.

It's now time for the Titans to make their pick and is there a more underrated and underappreciated coach in the NFL than Jeff Fisher? He'd improve the lowly Falcons if he was the head coach there and could even muster some wins with Stu, Q, BMT, The Sports Freak, and Bob on his roster.

Not too much praise was heaped upon the ole ball coach during stint in DC. After all, he did go five and eleven and although his offense scored big points in Osaka (pre-season game) it never transferred into wins in the standings like it did in college. He did simplify things and said football is about pitchin' and catchin'. Too bad for the Vince Young show that he doesn’t really have anyone to pitch or throw to in the offense. This will change with the drafting of Felix Jones.

Pick #24: Felix Jones, RB Arkansas

Some have Jones going to Dallas or slipping into the second round, but it's too much talent to pass for the Titans who need immediate help at the skill positions. WR is also a big need but with the position being more risky this year than usual, running backs seem a lot less risky in this year's draft. Infusing some speed to compliment White's running style should take some of the pressure off of Young with a good ground game.

The Seahawks are now on the clock with the 25th Pick in the draft.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers, the Pittsburgh Steelers are now on the clock with the 23rd pick in the draft.

As a Patriots fan I never thought I'd utter these words, but: I miss Bill Cowher. Nothing against Mike Tomlin, who I thought did a fine job in his first year as a head coach, but Cowher not only was a good coach, but was always entertaining to watch on the sideline. Whether he was jawing with one of the refs over a blown call (with the requisite spit spraying out from his mouth every couple of words) or staring down one of his players after a boneheaded mistake, you could bet that Cowher would do something interesting or funny just about every week (remember when he stuffed that photo in the ref's pocket to protest the lack of a twelve-men call?). In fact, he was so charismatic and famous that my non-football-watching wife even knew who he was, though I believe she used to refer to him simply as "Angry Man." Personally, I always thought that he looked like a cross between Popeye and J. Jonah Jameson, but I digress. Let's face it, the NFL is a bit less interesting without him. Now on to the pick.

Pick #23: Mike Jenkins, CB S. Florida
Heading into the draft, the Steelers most pressing needs are at offensive line and cornerback, but with a veritable run on offensive tackles occuring in the DC Sports Page mock draft, and the lone first-round-worthy interior lineman Albert taken just a few picks ago, the Steelers are best served by taking the best CB available, Mike Jenkins of S. Florida. In fact, many mock drafts have projected Jenkins going in the top-15 picks, and ahead of Flowers, so this is good value as well. Jenkins is a big, physical bump-and-run type corner who should be able to come in and immediately compete for playing time in the Steelers nickel and dime packages, and also push aging starter Deshea Townsend. So with back to back cornerbacks just taken, the Tennessee Titans are now on the clock!

Posted by Stu Humboldt at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, I was hoping not to have to write this entry. And until late in the 3rd, it looked like I could have written a happier message.

The Capitals lost to the Flyers 4-3 in 2 overtimes. The intensity that seemed to be lacking in Game 3 was here. However, I think playing 80+ minutes drained them. The 2 OT's seemed like non-stop power plays, with both teams trading possession of the puck in 4 minutes intervals. Both Cristobal Huet and Martin Biron held their own in the overtimes, blocking shot after shot.

Unfortunately, Huet couldn't stop that last one. This does not bold well for the Caps as Game 1 was a shootout that they won on a spectacular 3rd period. With that and 3 straight losses, the next playoff series is getting out of reach. Somehow they have to score early and score often starting Saturday until the end the series, which hopefully will go to 7 games and 3 straight Caps wins.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue with our mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys are now on the clock with the 22nd pick.

Dallas needs help at corner, wide receiver, and running back. Cornerback could be addressed with the Adam "Pacman" Jones trade Jerry Jones seems to be pushing hard for. However, it appears this is taking as long as the Erik Bedard Orioles to Mariners trade in Major League Baseball. Or more appropriate, the Orioles Brian Roberts, since he has yet to be traded.

At wide receiver, the question is what will happen first? Terrell Owens is no longer a dominate receiver, or will he mouth off at the team. The safe bet that either will happen in the next couple of years.

Running back...the machine that is Marion Barber will have to go it alone this year as Julius Jones has left for Seattle. Dallas needs to find a back that can compliment Barber, and possibly take a back seat.

Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech

As a Redskins fan, I would love nothing more than to see Jerry Jones overpay for "Pacman" Jones. I even hear rumors that the Cowboys have upped their offer to Tennessee. But the more days pass on this, the less I see it happening. Jones also has to take into factor that Pacman has stated he would not apply for reinstatement into the NFL until a trade has been made. Current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, has put down his fist, in a "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality when it comes to off-field player antics. Who knows exactly when Pacman will rejoin the NFL?

Flowers is a solid player. Maybe a bit small, but plays smart. He should fit in with the Cowboys, even if the Pacman trade goes through.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 08:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, the Washington Redskins are finally on the clock with the 21st Pick in the draft.

Several issues exist that must concern the coaching staff regarding the current roster. Identified below will be an illustration of what the current needs of the team are on the roster and who the potential candidates may be for the Skins first round selection. The pick will be what this blogger feels would best suit the Redskins in the long term and have an immediate impact this year based upon the players available from this current mock draft.

The Redskins have holes to fill at multiple positions, but the most glaring needs are at DE,OL,WR, & DB.

Defensive End:

The Skins have had a glaring weakness at the Defensive End position since the end of the first Gibbs era and last Championship winning season. The team has found ways of generating a pass rush over the years by finding and utilizing the talents of more of its back seven players such as Ken Harvey.

Is it any coincidence that the team has basically wandered through the desert on defense for years and neglected what was a framework of so many playoff title runs? The Redskins had book ends along the line in Mann and Manley that could generate pressure with a run stuffing tackle named Butz that could also gain pressure. The team had an excellent cover corner and now HOF corner in Green. Sprinkle in some great role players and character players that understood the game and team concept of winning as they were platooned and substituted to give the team the best chance to win and you had a great defense.

Fans can look no further than the NFC East Rival NY Giants Defense that stymied the Pats high octane offensive machine by applying pressure from the front four. Since the Redskins last title the team has mainly relied on its back seven and consequently had many highs and low as its weaknesses have been exploited by better offenses. Understanding that in all sports that teams want the most talented players to handle the ball the same could be said for defense in the NFL. The End position has the opportunity to stop the ball and take the ball away from the opposition on more plays than any other position. It begins and ends up front.

Potential Candidates:

There are five touted DE's in this year's draft: Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, Derek Harvey, Philip Merling, and Calais Campbell. It’s possible that one of these five could be available when the Redskins pick, but in this mock draft all five are off the board. It's reported on CBS DE's that Calais Campbell's 40 time is slow and stock may be slipping. The first two in the list above are certainly expected to be gone in the top ten.

A DE would certainly help a team that suffered a huge loss in Taylor's position and both Rogers and McIntosh's injuries. Carter is undersized and should play exclusively on passing downs to remain fresh with Daniels (when healthy) and Evans playing on non obvious passing downs with Carter and Wilson coming in as specialists. The rotation would keep the players fresh and allow the premiere pass rushers on the team more of a free reign.

Wide Receiver:

The team lacks a big strong go over the middle receiver to enable Moss and Randel El to do what they do best and make plays down the field. This year’s crop of receivers lacks the elite receiver like Calvin Johnson. Receivers take time to develop and usually it's three years before the good ones shine. Drafting a receiver is a flashy and often risky pick when players are asked to step in and produce immediately when the success rate is often low. The two starting receivers were plucked in free agency from other teams. This should say something about filling the position.

Potential Candidates:

The top listed receivers that could be available include Limas Sweed, DeSean Jackson, and Malcolm Kelly. It will be hard for the Skins to go against the sexy and flashy historical propensity to make a splash in every facet of player personnel moves and go with a position that can play now and in the future.

Defensive Backs:

The Redskins could use another cover corner since Springs is getting older and has had some injuries the past couple of seasons. Rogers may not be ready to start the season and is a better zone corner than cover corner. The loss of Taylor also hurts the Skins. Drafting a safety to replace Taylor ultimately doesn't help improve the team as a whole because there isn't another Taylor available in the draft.

Potential Candidates:

Kenny Phillips (S, Miami) and Brandon Flowers (CB, Va Tech) may both be available when the Skins pick. The top corners will most likely already be off the board as they are in this mock draft.

Inside Line Backer:

With Fletcher approaching his mid 30's, Rocky recovering from surgery, and the most under rated LB in the NFL Washington suffering some nagging injuries, the Redskins need to bolster their LB position.

Potential Candidate:

Jerod Mayo would be an excellent addition to the defense as he can play both the inside and middle line backer positions. His combination of speed and strength would provide a coach’s dream with regard to schemes as it relates to Mayo's versatility.

Offensive Line:

It's been well documented in articles in the area that the offensive line is thirty and over. Recently the line has had several injuries freak or otherwise. Redskin’s fans need look no further than the days before Jansen and Samuels when Elewonibi and Pourdanish were starting OL.

Kendall filled in nicely to replace Dockery with more steady play, but the line could use a younger more athletic player along the line. For much of the 80's the offensive line was the trademark of play in Washington. Ensuring that the line doesn't fall apart all at once is a primary area of concern. Adding some solid young depth would be welcomed.

Potential Candidates:

Most of the top tackles will be off the board as they are in our mock draft, but a player who is on the rise (as reported on many web sites) and highly touted is Brenden Albert a Guard from UVA. He also has the versatility to play tackle in the NFL in some minds. He would be an ideal replacement for Kendall and push back the veteran to create better depth at the position. Samuels has broken in countless players at guard. It would be wise for the Skins to move Thomas, possibly the best run pulling lineman, next to Samuels to create a better balance along the line for running plays and Albert next to Jansen. Filling the rest of the line with other drafted and undrafted rookies, free agents, and current players would create better depth at the position with Heyer being the only real lock.

Solidifying the offensive line for future years is essential to defining and creating a successful and winning team. It's the gaping holes for a RB and wall in front of the QB that allow an offense to run smoothly. It's not the glamorous and flashy pick, but it's difficult to win if no one does the dirty work necessary for a team to win. It's these players that allow the skill players to shine.

21st Pick: Brenden Albert, OG Virginia.

The pick really came down to Mayo and Albert. Ideally if the Skins would be able to procure three linemen (two on one side of the ball and one on the other side of the ball) and either a WR or CB with their four picks in the first three rounds they would fills some glaring needs. It wouldn't be a surprise to this blogger if the Skins traded up in the second round using the compensatory draft pick or even draft a QB in the first few rounds. There's a lot of speculation about what the Skins will do, but can anyone really predict what Dan Snyder will do?

Dallas is now on the clock.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Remember Alfred E Neuman from Mad Magazine? "What, Me Worry?" Maybe we should.

I missed the entire first period, and half of the second, so I'm not sure how play went early in the game. But watching it the rest of the game, it seemed like the Caps were trying, but not hard enough. It's the playoffs...you would think intensity would be knocked up a bit.

Granted, they came within a goal with only a few minutes to go, but you could say "Too Little, Too Late"

Posted by Big Money Tony at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Tampa Bay is now on the clock now with the 20th Pick in the draft.

The top two team needs for Tampa Bay appear to be CB and WR to take the reins from aging
stars Joey Galloway and Ronde Barber. Although WR seems to be the bigger position of need
considering the age (Ike Hilliard) or lack of production (Michael Clayton) from others counted
on at that position and the recent unstellar addition of Antonio Bryant, a guy who wasn't
even in the league last year. This pick is going in a different direction and not for the
reason you might think.

Let's go through a brief Buccaneer draft history. The year was 1995, and the Bucs were
coming off another 10 loss season. They had a few of those back in the 80's and early
to mid 90's. If you may recall, there was a star player that had a slight first round fall
in that draft (maybe it was not so slight considering many believed he was one of
the top three players in the draft).

His name: Warren Sapp. Reason for the fall: A drug no one should confuse with performance enhancement. That is when the stars aligned and he fell to Tampa Bay at #12. They followed that with another first rounder by the name of Derrick Brooks. Both have a much better chance at a recent HOF induction than the jacket wearing buffoon in Cincinnati. This draft very well could have been the most important part of a complete franchise turn around that culminated in a 2002 Super Bowl Championship.

So you may be wondering what does this have to do with the 2008 draft. Well, simple. Recently, two potential first round prospects got in a little trouble for the same non-performance enhancing drug (unless you are a competitive eater) that Mr. Sapp did 13 short years ago. They are CB Aqib Talib and WR Mario Manningham. What do you know, they play the two positions the Buccaneers are targeting with this draft. So not only will they meet one of their draft needs, they may be able to mark the beginning of another Super Bowl run the same way it happened 13 years ago with the 2008 NFL draft version of Snoop Dogg.

Now, the Bucs could meet their bigger need with Manningham, but it seems like a reach at this point in the draft. So, the pick is CB Aqib Talib, Kansas. Besides, his name is slightly cooler than Mario Manningham.

Pick #20: Aqib Talib, CB Kansas

The Redskins are now on the clock with the 21st pick in the draft.

Posted by JP at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, the Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock now with the 19th Pick in the draft.

The Eagles have some very obvious needs. The Eagles need a wide receiver badly, but the last time the Eagles drafted one was Mitchell which seem like eons ago. They appear to loathe blowing a pick on a WR and a position that usually takes two years to mature and three years in the league before making a giant leap.

There are plenty of WR's in a solid but not too spectacular class. Will they take a WR or go in a different direction?

Most likely the Eagles will choose to opt away from the WR position and players such as Limas Sweed and DeSean Jackson. With Dawkins increasing the overall average age of the defense alone the Eagles may consider taking Phillips at safety. Mayo at ILB would also be a consideration due to his tenacious ability and versatility. He'd make a defensive coordinators dreams come true by adding an extra dimension to making a designed play in the book a reality. Taking a LB over an OL would seem over kill at this point as the Eagles constantly look to protect their QB and rightfully so with McNabb.

Ultimately, the best OT's are off the board and the Eagles who know how to get pressure on the QB may look at DE. The Giants have shown the path to success and for a team that cut "The Freak" Jevon Kearse a pass rushing defensive end would be a great fit. Calais Campbell the last of the top DE's would be a great fit opposite Cole. The Eagles boast a proud rich tradition of DE's from Reggie White to Clyde Simmons and Hugh Douglas. Having two book end pass rushers wreaking havoc on teams would bring back a dominating Eagles identity in the NFC East Division.

Pick #19: Calais Campbell, DE Miami

Tampa Bay is now on the clock with the 20th pick.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well Game 2 didn't go as well as Game 1. Actually come to think of it, Game 2 was much like the 2nd Period of Game 1. Mostly Philly, little Washington.
Photo by BMT

The Sports Freak and I attended the game today. I plunked down good money to by an Ovechkin jersey, so I could "Rock the Red", since my only Capitals gear had previously consisted of a couple of ratty caps and one no-name black jersey...none of which had red in it. Wish the quality of the picture had come out better, but because of Caps/Wiz/Verizon Center policies, no cameras using detachable lenses were allowed, so I had to rely on my everyday Sony Cybershot 7.2mp.

Back to the game, the Capitals looked limp and timid. Like the Flyers were the big ugly bully (I'll refrain from the Philly jokes) on the playground that all the kids avoided. Offense was anemic and Defense, we'll it wasn't terrible, except that they gave up two goals. It was noted by The Sports Freak that on Friday he attended the Nationals losing effort, while the Caps won, so maybe he put the voodoo on the Caps. Later, I was reminded by a co-worker that the only other Caps game I attended this season, the Canucks beat the Caps. Looking at it, the Caps didn't stand a chance today with the two of us in the house.

Just to ease your minds, neither the Sports Freak nor I are planning to attend either Game 3 or 4 in Philly (we're Caps fans and we don't want to eat through a straw), or Game 5 next Saturday, so hopefully the good mojo will bring them back to winning.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Yes, everyone, rejoice. The great national nightmare is over after 2 long years. Bryant Gumbel has resigned from broadcasting duties at the NFL Network. Thanks to my Wii game system from giving me the early word on this.

As my friends and colleagues have discussed, we all share the same viewpoint...Should have happened 2 years ago. I'm not sure there are words to describe how this Gumbel broadcasted. Possibly because some of us turned down the sound and had the memories fade away from our minds. I have had the NFL Network since before they started broadcasting games and I think I watched one game with him broadcasting. I found that what was on my iPod, be it classical, rock, or country, was better than listening to him.

To be fair, I never found him annoying on the Today Show. And "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" might be the best sports based news show on television (sorry HBO, I know you don't consider yourselves TV). But he never seemed to fit in the booth, even with Chris Collinsworth at his side.

Posted by Big Money Tony at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers the Houston Texans are on the clock now with the 18th Pick in the draft.

For years now the offensive line hasn't just been bad, but extremely woeful. It's even been the butt of jokes in commercials. Most of the best offensive tackles have already been taken, so Schaub will have to hope this need is addressed in later picks or free agency.

Some top corners are still on the board and with Stewart still on the board his free fall is over. Stewart should help take some of the pressure off of the passing game with a running game defenses will have to respect.

Pick #18: Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon

The Eagles are now on the clock with the 19th Pick in the draft.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock now with the 17th Pick in the draft.

Wow, I guess I'm glad the Texans didn't jump in front of the Vikings during the draft. Without Mike Tice as Head Coach there's one less thing to enjoy during the NFL Draft. It's hard to believe that an NFL Team would allow one let alone two teams to jump in front of them before making a pick. It's back to enjoying the Redskins pick when they have one and the Jets fans for the Jets pick.

The Vikings could use an elite wide receiver or a strong quarterback to lead them into the playoffs but neither exists among a field that is solid but not elite. The signing of Berrian should help take some of the pressure off of Peterson, but he won't fully see any real help until the QB situation is resolved. It doesn't appear that this will occur in the first round as the value isn't there at either position.

Peterson has shown that he can manage with the current offensive line so any help there can wait for other picks. Adding a defensive lineman appears to be next on their list, so drafting Philip Merling will be just what the doctor ordered. He may lack elite speed on the end, but should provide a solid pass rush.

Pick #17: Philip Merling, DE Clemson

Houston is now on the clock with the 18th Pick in the draft.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock now with the 16th Pick in the draft.

The Cardinals have some major areas of concern. Most NFL experts didn't know how much James had left in the tank when he signed a contract in Arizona and now he's even getting up there in age. His legs have seen many miles for his overall age. Finding someone to replace him would be ideal, but considering that the top Rb’s are already off the board and anything at this point would fill a need and be a stretch so Arizona must look elsewhere. A RB will have to be found in a later round.

The Cardinals could also use some help at DE and CB, especially with Rolle moving to safety. Merling would be a welcomed asset along the line, but to pick up one of the highest rated players at his position is just too difficult to refuse.

Pick #16: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tenn. State

Arizona has to be happy that although they didn't come away with a Mendenhall that they have a shut down cover corner with exceptional speed. His one on one skills are excellent and will fit in well with the Cardinals system unlike the Redskins pick a few years ago of Carlos Rogers who excels at zone coverage when the Redskins play a single coverage defense. Redskins fans know how this has turned out.

The Vikings are now on the clock with the 17th Pick in the Draft.

Posted by The Sports Freak at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers the Detroit Lions are on the clock now with the 15th Pick in the draft.

Pick #15: Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
With the top WR prospect already gone, you just know Matt Millen is muttering obsceneties to himself. Becuase of their recent propensity for taking receivers in the first round, the Lions will probably still give serious thought to Oklahoma's big man Malcolm Kelly here, but ultimately they will make a smarter pick with better value, filling a position need at the same time. At least I think they will, because if past drafts are any indication the Lions are just as likely to pull a surprise here. But I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say they take Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall. Detroit has holes to fill at multiple positions, including offensive and defensive line, running back, and linebacker. But with most of the top-tier DL and OL gone now, Mendenhall gives them the best value at their admittedly weak draft position. If they don't want Mendenhall, they should take Virginia G Brendan Albert, but Detroit consistently drafts offensive skill position players early so I believe they will take Mendenhall if he is there. The Lions have said they want to run the ball more frequently and effectively this year, so they need to draft someone who can actually do that. Kevin Jones is gone, and Tatum Bell has been on the decline the last couple years. Will the Lions 2008 draft enable them to crack the 10-win mark, as predicted again by QB Jon Kitna? I seriously doubt it, as this team just has too many weaknesses.

With that the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock!

Posted by Stu Humboldt at 09:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chi-town! I finally get to pick for a city with some rich sports history. From the Cubs to the Bulls to the White Sox and to da Bears, Chicago is all sports. And how can one think of Soldier Field and not think grit, determination and football played in real weather. How could anyone forget the Fog Bowl?!?! I can’t imagine being a fan in the stands for a game like that.

Recently though, da Bears peaked with a Super Bowl appearance and fell hard to finish last in their division this past season. There are some real questions for this team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Can Rex Grossman really lead this team? Can Cedric Benson really be a #1 back?

The consensus seems to be that da Bears really need to rebuild their offensive line, but being in this position in the draft, some interesting alternatives exist.

Pick #14: Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt

Now, some Bears fans may cry foul for not picking up “favorite son” Mendenhall at this point, but being a fan of the ‘Skins from the era of the Hogs, I believe the game starts and is won in the trenches. If you can dominate the line, you can win the game, and it won’t matter if you have Timmy Smith or John Riggins running behind it.

At the same time, Mendenhall has been stated to have a similar running style to that of Cedric Benson and if Benson can’t do it with the current line, who thinks a rookie that runs the same way can?

Detroit… you’re on the clock.

Posted by Q at 07:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, regular readers might be confused. No, I am not the regular Caps commentator on this site, nor do I play one on TV. The above is not the final score, but the series standing right now. The Washington Capitals won the series opener, 5-4. The last of the NHL opening round series to start, the Caps started off fast, with Donald Brashear scoring just 3 minutes in.

The second period started off nearly as fast, with Steckel scoring 4 minutes in. But it then got ugly. Trailing 4-2 after allowing 3 unanswered goals by the Flyers in less than 5 minutes, it looked bad.

Mike Green, rocking his newly styled mowhawk, scored twice in the third to tie it up, 4-4. He came close to the natural hat trick, but it was stopped by Biron. But wait...we haven't heard from Alex the Great. No assists, no goals. But with less than 5 minutes left in the game, Ovechkin decided it was time to let the world know he had arrived in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Taking away the puck and the Flyers tried to move it out of their zone, he took it to the net, unassisted.

Wow, wow, wow! Let's hope this continues into Game 2 as the Sports Freak and I are attending the Sunday afternoon event.

LET'S GO CAPS!!!!

Posted by Big Money Tony at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To continue our own mock draft, rotating the picks among the bloggers the Carolina Panthers are on the clock now with the 13th Pick in the draft.

Carolina sports some of the best bbq around. You can almost hear someone like Andy Griffith saying mmm....mmmm now that's good eatin'. We experienced some great bbq in Carolina at last year’s FFL Draft. It was a great party BJ.

The Panthers have so many needs at this point ranging from QB to RB to DL. After Matt Ryan there's a huge drop at the QB position, so drafting one now wouldn't be the best value.

Adding someone at running back to replace Foster and compliment Williams for a nice one two punch would be ideal and so would adding a defensive lineman to improve upon last year's sack total. The Redskins finished with more sacks. Mendenhall will definitely garner support and consideration especially with the falling stock in Stewart due to his injury.

At the end of the day the Panthers brain trust know how to evaluate talent along the defensive line. Derrick Harvey is a solid DE that should provide balance along the line and help Peppers regain his form. Help at QB & RB will be addressed