Why the Raiders will NOT pass on Russell to select Johnson

[nitey]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/04/01/SPGS3OUR0H11.DTL

Read it. This is from the quarterback coach that still mentors Tom Bradley. Tom Martinez is one of the most respected QB talent evaluators in the NFL. This is the reason why the Raiders haven't made a play for any veteran QB on the market since Russell's pro day.

Oakland is not going to pass on Russell to select Johnson. Russell will be a Raider at the end of this month.

Johnson still might not make it to us at #4, but it won't because Oakland selected him #1 overall and quite frankly after reading that Martinez is high on the kid if he somehow fell to us at #4 I think I'd be screaming for the Bucs to grab him myself.

[bucs1]

That would be a great thing if the Raiders pick Jamarcus Russell.  Is there any other way that we can't get Calvin Johnson.

[ordinary]

All the Browns have to do is trade down with Minnesota and there goes our CJ chance. I doubt that happens since Detriot might lean towards Gaines Adams. Leaving the Browns Brady Quinn. Another possiblity is Atlanta moving up to the Lions. Depending how greedy Millen gets a trade could happen,but in reality I dont see them pushing it. We have about a 55% chance at CJ.

[dalbuc]

The reason the Faders don't take Calvin over Russell is that they are not THAT dumb.

[cyberdude557]

That would be a great thing if the Raiders pick Jamarcus Russell. Is there any other way that we can't get Calvon Johnson?

Sure....several teams will try to trade with either Detroit or Cleveland and pick ahead of us to get CJ.

All the Browns have to do is trade down with Minnesota and there goes our CJ chance. I doubt that happens since Detriot might lean towards Gaines Adams. Leaving the Browns Brady Quinn. Another possiblity is Atlanta moving up to the Lions. Depending how greedy Millen gets a trade could happen,but in reality I dont see them pushing it. We have about a 55% chance at CJ.

well all we would have to do is tarde with the Lions even though it sounds desperate but hey best player last year was taken at #2

[bucs1]

That would be a great thing if the Raiders pick Jamarcus Russell. Is there any other way that we can't get Calvon Johnson?

Sure....several teams will try to trade with either Detroit or Cleveland and pick ahead of us to get CJ.

How likely do you think that any of those trades are to happen?  Detroit might try to trade down with the Vikings.  They did mention that they wanted to trade down to acquire more draft picks.  They would probally select Okoye if they traded down.  The Vikings also do want CJ.

yeah but the Lions also want Joe Thomas or at least need him

[bucs1]

yeah but the Lions also want Joe Thomas or at least need him

Yeah, I think that the Lions will probally either pick an offensive lineman or defensive lineman in the draft.

[Itchalot]

All the Browns have to do is trade down with Minnesota and there goes our CJ chance. I doubt that happens since Detriot might lean towards Gaines Adams. Leaving the Browns Brady Quinn. Another possiblity is Atlanta moving up to the Lions. Depending how greedy Millen gets a trade could happen,but in reality I dont see them pushing it. We have about a 55% chance at CJ.

Detriot will take Quinn, or they'll trade with Cleveland who will take Quinn.  CJ will go 3rd.  Whether its the Bucs or somebody else, somebody will have to trade into that 3rd spot to get CJ. Whoever is left in 4th will take Joe Thomas and they won't be too sad about it.  That may be Detroit, who would probably pick up a couple more first day picks on their trek downward from 2 to 4.  

Detroit isn't taking Gaines Adams.  That just ain't gonna happen.  If they want Adams though, they can take him at 4 or 5. They don't have to take him at 2.

My only question was whether the Raiders really wanted Russell, and this article seems to convince me that they really will take him.  So I'm pretty convinced it will go Russell, Quinn, Johnson and Thomas in that order.  What teams will be the ones making the picks? Thats a harder question.

[ordinary]

That would be a great thing if the Raiders pick Jamarcus Russell. Is there any other way that we can't get Calvon Johnson?

Sure....several teams will try to trade with either Detroit or Cleveland and pick ahead of us to get CJ.

How likely do you think that any of those trades are to happen?  Detroit might try to trade down with the Vikings.  They did mention that they wanted to trade down to acquire more draft picks.  They would probally select Okoye if they traded down.  The Vikings also do want CJ.

Division rivals almost never make trades. And im sure the Lions do not want to play CJ twice a year,so that trade is defintely elimated. Minny trades to the Browns is the only chance. Were good

[ordinary]

All the Browns have to do is trade down with Minnesota and there goes our CJ chance. I doubt that happens since Detriot might lean towards Gaines Adams. Leaving the Browns Brady Quinn. Another possiblity is Atlanta moving up to the Lions. Depending how greedy Millen gets a trade could happen,but in reality I dont see them pushing it. We have about a 55% chance at CJ.

Detriot will take Quinn, or they'll trade with Cleveland who will take Quinn.  CJ will go 3rd.  Whether its the Bucs or somebody else, somebody will have to trade into that 3rd spot to get CJ. Whoever is left in 4th will take Joe Thomas and they won't be too sad about it.  That may be Detroit, who would probably pick up a couple more first day picks on their trek downward from 2 to 4.  

Detroit isn't taking Gaines Adams.  That just ain't gonna happen.  If they want Adams though, they can take him at 4 or 5. They don't have to take him at 2.

My only question was whether the Raiders really wanted Russell, and this article seems to convince me that they really will take him.  So I'm pretty convinced it will go Russell, Quinn, Johnson and Thomas in that order.  What teams will be the ones making the picks? Thats a harder question.

Your telling me the players go like this
Russell Quinn Johnson Thomas
 Either Adrian Peterson or Joe Thomas for the Browns if at 3,IMO. If they trade up it goes
Oak-Russell
Cle-Quinn
Det-Thomas or Adams
TB-Johnson

[bucs1]

That would be a great thing if the Raiders pick Jamarcus Russell. Is there any other way that we can't get Calvon Johnson?

Sure....several teams will try to trade with either Detroit or Cleveland and pick ahead of us to get CJ.

How likely do you think that any of those trades are to happen?  Detroit might try to trade down with the Vikings.  They did mention that they wanted to trade down to acquire more draft picks.  They would probally select Okoye if they traded down.  The Vikings also do want CJ.

Division rivals almost never make trades. And im sure the Lions do not want to play CJ twice a year,so that trade is defintely elimated. Minny trades to the Browns is the only chance. Were good

That's true.  I totally forgot that they were division rivals.

[nitey]

Trades into the top 5 are very expensive in terms of value points and quite honestly even a talent like Johnson is unworthy of a 3 day one picks for him which is what it will take for a team to jump over the Bucs. For all the talk about Detroit or Cleveland trading down, I don't think there will be any one willing to trade above us for Johnson.

Now, I'm still undecided about if the Bucs should take Johnson over Thomas if he's still there but I do find myself leaning that way now but I'm feeling pretty good that both Thomas and Johnson will be there at #4.

Here is the way I feel the draft will go ahead of us, and it's the way most folks on the planet think as well.

Oakland - Russell

Detroit - I think this is almost a slam dunk pick now with Detroit. The want Quinn and Quinn makes a lot of sense to go to Detroit. The Lions have addressed most of their pressing off season needs via free agency and Kitna has at best two years left and most likely perhaps one. The Lions really like Drew Staton, but are starting to doubt that he'll be there at the top of round 2. They don't need Johnson or Thomas and the only other player that should interest them is perhaps Peterson and they might con Cleveland into swapping positions with them again, but the price is high (Cleveland's 2nd rounder, are they dumb enough to do it again?) Although Detroit can still use defensive players, Quinn is the most NFL ready QB in the draft and Millan respects the fact that Weis thinks very highly of Quinn.

Detroit - Quinn

More and more reports are coming out of Cleveland that if Quinn is not on the board when they pick then the player that they covet is Peterson. Lewis is strickly a stop gap player and Peterson is the best pure running back coming out this year. Also running backs chosen in the first round have rarely been busts. And while Cleveland does need a left tackle the reason they don't pick him is that Cleveland believes that they have already addressed the offensive line in the last two off seasons and need to find an impact runner. Cleveland tags Peterson IMHO.

Cleveland - Peterson

Leaving us with the choice of Thomas or Johnson. Now I wonder if Bruce can convince Arizona to swap places with us for the chance of picking up Thomas (or Johnson) knowing that Arizona covets Thomas? Now before you scoff, Bruce would have to convince Arizona that someone else wanted Thomas enough to trade up but quite honestly I doubt he'll be able to (although I didn't think he could trade Keyshawn or McCardell either so I don't underestimate BA either).

Anyway, that's how I think the top 3 picks unfold and most draft sites seem to agree. So whether you want Thomas or Johnson, I think both will be there for us to choose. I think if Detroit picks anyone other than Quinn, it will be Peterson and Cleveland will jump at Quinn. Thomas doesn't make sense to Detroit anymore with the pickup of Forrester and Cleveland's brass is rumored to had told Crennell that if Quinn is there at #3 he has to take him.

Just my take.