Wednesday, April 17, 2002

Under the microscope

These five general managers have more at stake on Draft Day than others

By Jeff Agrest, Senior editor

But for some decision-makers, the 2002 draft holds more significance and is of greater consequence. Members of the Bears, Bills, Packers, Raiders and Saints are in this group, and the reasoning is as follows:

Chicago

Never mind that the team is picking 29^th in Round One, Bears fans want to see GM Jerry Angelo work some magic in his first Chicago draft. Fans and media alike already are questioning Angelo for his compensation snafu regarding restricted free agents D’Wayne Bates, now with the Vikings, and Warrick Holdman, who was given an offer sheet from the Chiefs. If Holdman departs, the Bears will have lost two RFAs and received nothing for them. Angelo also has taken heat for the multiyear contract he signed CB Jerry Azumah to before last season, his first contract renewal with the Bears. During the season, Azumah proved unworthy. So now, almost a year after being hired, Angelo has the chance to right his image with a solid draft. Picking late will make it tough, but if Angelo hits on a first-round pick — something former personnel head Mark Hatley did once in three years prior to David Terrell’s selection last year — he’ll be on his way.

Buffalo

The Bills were granted an NFL-high four compensatory draft picks, selections given based on the team’s free-agent losses the previous offseason. Included is a third-round pick, giving GM Tom Donahoe four first-day selections and a whopping 11 overall. Not bad for one of the most renowned talent evaluators in the league. His 2001 draft, Donahoe’s first with the Bills, produced five starters last season. Coming off a 3-13 campaign, Donahoe will need similar success this year to move the Bills in the right direction. That direction could be determined in the first two rounds, when the Bills are expected to come away with a quarterback of the future. Then again, they could continue their pursuit of Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe or free-agent QB Jeff Blake. There are a number of directions Donahoe could go at the position, and his legacy as the Bills’ general manager might hang in the balance.

Green Bay

The jury is still out on Mike Sherman the general manager since this weekend’s draft will be his first solo act. But given the minimal production from the Packers’ 2001 draft class, Sherman needs a good showing. Only third-round pick Bhawoh Jue made some sort of a positive impact, albeit a limited one. And he probably wouldn’t have had the chance had S LeRoy Butler not broken his shoulder Nov. 18. In particular, Sherman needs to come away with at least two wide receivers to bolster a position that could be without its top three pass catchers from last season. Bill Schroeder (Lions) and Corey Bradford (Texans) left via free agency, and Antonio Freeman could be cut. Fortunately for Sherman, wide receiver is one of the deepest positions in the draft, thanks to a surplus of juniors. Unfortunately, the Packers pick 28^th in Round One. They’ll need to hit on a wideout with that pick or risk relying too much on the unproven Robert Ferguson and the unbalanced Terry Glenn.

Oakland

Though he lost a top-notch coaching talent in Jon Gruden, owner Al Davis now has the opportunity to keep his team competitive during its inevitable transition years. With the compensation he received from the Buccaneers for Gruden, giving the Raiders four picks in the first two rounds, Davis can help bridge the gap from the Rich Gannon-Tim Brown-Jerry Rice era to whatever comes next. And the rookies shouldn’t feel the pressure to produce that other first-year players do because they won’t be expected to significantly contribute right away. The Raiders still should be good enough without them .So unlike the Bills and Packers, whose drafts have more short-term significance, Davis can think more long-term while bolstering the team’s depth in the short term. And remember, the Raiders have an extra first-round pick in 2003, as well as an extra second-rounder in ’04.

New Orleans

You have to hand it to GM Randy Mueller. After an 0-4 finish to last season that forced the defending NFC West champions from playoff contention, Mueller went to work retooling his team. Using the experience from his mammoth rebuilding job of 2000, when he earned Executive of the Year honors from PFW, Mueller has made some quality free-agent additions, giving the Saints greater flexibility with their two first-round picks. At Nos. 13 and 25 (the pick obtained for Ricky Williams), Mueller could fill needs on the defensive line and at wide receiver, positions with good depth, or try to deal up. The 13^th pick gives the Saints good ammunition to deal up since the dealing-down team won’t have to fall that far. In an NFC South ripe for the taking, New Orleans is in prime position to rebound from its disappointing title defense and become division favorites.

The Archives
2001 - 2002 Season