|
Titans head coach Jeff Fisher (right) is rolling the dice that Vince Young is the real thing. |
ON THE FIELD, NFL teams do everything possible to reduce risk. They run "West Coast" offenses with short, high-percentage passes. They keep in six or seven blockers to protect the quarterback. They use zone defenses to avoid giving up long pass plays.
Off the field, it's another story. The Dallas Cowboys were the first team to roll the dice with their off-season acquisition of that model citizen Terrell Owens.
But for real risk-reward, you couldn't beat yesterday's NFL draft. A bunch of sub-.500 teams gambled their futures--and millions of dollars--on players whose production will be heavily scrutinized.
It doesn't get any more dicey than in Houston, where Charley Casserly risked his neck (and his job) by making Mario Williams, not Reggie Bush, the first pick. As much as he insisted that Williams was "a better fit," part of the decision had to be that Bush would have cost more and was more likely to hold out.
I don't disagree with choosing Williams. The Texans already have a quality running back in Domanick Davis, and Bush could be a star--or the next Ki-Jana Carter. If Williams truly is the next Julius Peppers, he's worthy of being No. 1.
With all that said, the Texans should have been able to trade down a spot or two and still get Williams. Unlike his namesake in the White House, this Bush's approval ratings were through the roof. Several teams wanted to move up and draft Bush--and would have paid handsomely to do so.
Apparently, Casserly didn't think he could move down without losing his shot at Williams. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt--except that Casserly drafted Heath Shuler and Michael Westbrook in consecutive years for the Redskins. Those two names make D.C. residents cringe more than the thought of $4 gas.
If Williams turns out to be the next Steve Emtman--and Bush is the next Walter Payton--you'll see Casserly on next year's draft coverage. Working in the studio.
Snubbed by the Texans, Bush landed in the New Orleans Saints' laps--but they, too, took a gamble. They already have a well-paid tailback in Deuce McAllister, who, when healthy, is one of the NFL's best.
You can't fault the Saints for taking a talented, charismatic player to help the team (and city) rebuild. Still, with lots of other holes to fill, what might they have gotten for Bush's draft rights? The Jets would have paid handsomely to bring a star-caliber player to New York.
Tennessee also took a risk (albeit a smaller one) by picking Texas quarterback Vince Young over Bush's former teammate Matt Leinart. Most observers assumed that Leinart would be reunited with Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who once coached him at Southern Cal.
But the Titans chose Young's athleticism and upside over Leinart's NFL readiness, starting a chain reaction that pushed Leinart all the way down to No. 10 and landed him in Arizona.
The gamble is that Tennessee can get another year out of Steve McNair, who'll tutor Young the way Warren Moon once groomed McNair in Houston. Of course, the Titans had better make up quickly with McNair, whom they barred from their training facility until his contract status is resolved. Otherwise, Young will be thrown to the wolves sooner rather than later.
Young was a smart pick by the Titans, who will be rebuilding long after Young is ready to start. Kudos, too, to the Jets, who could have taken Leinart's star power at No. 4 but wisely chose Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson to anchor their offensive line.
It was a fantastic draft for the Atlantic Coast Conference, which saw 12 players chosen in the first round. (It does make you wonder, though, how N.C. State could have finished 7-5 with three first-round picks on its defensive line.)
It was a bad day for Leinart and Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams, who lost a fair chunk of signing-bonus money. Ditto for Leinart's former Southern Cal teammates, tackle Winston Justice and running back LenDale White.
On paper, a lot of teams seemed to fill a lot of needs. But as Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith can attest, nothing is guaranteed. It's all a high-stakes crapshoot.
To reach STEVE DeSHAZO:
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
