ProFootballWeekly.com
asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in
football.
Texans start strong in expansion draft
The Houston Texans completed the most successful expansion draft in NFL history
Tuesday, adding at least eight players expected to be starters when the 2002 season
begins. Included in the lottery were OLs Tony Boselli and Ryan Young, as well as DBs Aaron
Glenn and Marcus Coleman.
Buchsbaum: Considering the talent available, the situation they were in and the
salary-cap ramifications, the Houston Texans did as well as anyone could have done under
the circumstances of the expansion draft. The draft’s purpose was not to make the
Texans a good team overnight, and that is just not going to happen. Because three teams
were in salary-cap hell, the Texans were able to get eight good players from Jacksonville,
the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens. After that, they basically went for
lower-priced players who could fill roles or who had the potential to develop. A rundown
of the 19 players they took:
Tony Boselli, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars: The prize of the whole
package. If this guy is healthy, he is the best offensive lineman, the best building block
and the best tackle in the game. The "if" deals with his injuries. This is where
the medical staff, and how good it is, comes into play. If the Texans’ staff that
cleared him is correct, Boselli is a great addition despite the cap number. If they were
incorrect, it will hurt the team for years to come.
Ryan Young, ORT, New York Jets: Young will be the starting right
tackle for the Texans and could be for the next 10 years if he continues to progress.
He’s big, strong, fairly athletic, coordinated and doesn’t make many mistakes.
Aaron Glenn, CB, New York Jets: Can be a shut-down corner in the
Darrell Green mold if he stays healthy.
Gary Walker, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars: Many scouts felt he should have
been a Pro Bowler this year. He’s a quality defensive tackle. Can play in Dom
Capers’ 3-4 defense.
Jamie Sharper, LB, Baltimore Ravens: Could be a steal. Can play inside
or outside. He’s a terrific player who deserved Pro Bowl consideration the last two
years. After five years in the league, he may still be an ascending player.
Jermaine Lewis, WR, Baltimore Ravens: To earn his $4 million salary
he’ll have to play as a slot receiver as well as a return man. He’s the most
dangerous return player in the game, as quick and fast as anyone in football, and can
break a game open.
Marcus Coleman, CB, New York Jets: Can be the big, physical corner
everyone is looking for, if he stays focused. That is a big "if"; the only coach
he has played up to his potential for was Bill Belichick.
Seth Payne, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars: A player that has gotten better
and better to the point where he is a 300-pound defensive lineman that is better than
anyone thought he could be.
Matt Campbell, OL, Washington Redskins: A confident left guard. Runs
well, athletic. They wish his playing strength were a little better.
Matt Stevens, S, New England Patriots: Has a chance to start at
safety. Excellent special-teams player. He’s fast, big and smart. Played quite a bit
for the Patriots last year, and I’m sure they hated to lose him.
Jeremy McKinney, OL, Cleveland Browns: Can be an adequate right guard.
A tough guy with tenacity, he’s got good strength but is limited athletically.
Ryan Schau, OL, Philadelphia Eagles: Can be a backup at any position
on the line and give some versatility to the team.
Charlie Rogers, RS-RB, Seattle Seahawks: One of the best return
specialists in the game but has a propensity to fumble. Also can be used as a third-down
back.
Sean McDermott, LS-TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: One of the best deep
snappers in the game. In a pinch, can play a little bit of tight end.
Jabari Issa, DE, Arizona Cardinals: Is an athletic 300-pounder who
didn’t make the progress the Cardinals hoped he would make last year.
Avion Black, WR, Buffalo Bills: Was very productive in college. Came
out a year early and maybe shouldn’t have. Has not done much in two years in Buffalo
but has quickness, speed and could return kicks.
Danny Wuerffel, QB, Chicago Bears: Basically a caretaker quarterback.
Possible trade bait to Washington, where Steve Spurrier is now coaching.
Brian Allen, LB, St. Louis Rams: Was a bust as a third-round pick last
year with the Rams, but he’s still pretty athletic, fast and can play on special
teams. Could be one of these guys that develops after a disappointing rookie year.
Johnny Huggins, TE-FB, Dallas Cowboys: He’s a low-priced player
who has possibilities as a fullback, H-back and tight end and can help on special teams.
Raiders score coup in losing Gruden
When the fiasco in Tampa Bay finally ended Monday morning and the Buccaneers had their
head coach, it was the Oakland Raiders who looked like the winners despite losing Jon
Gruden. Gruden, whose agent had publicly stated this would be Gruden’s final season
in Oakland, was not allowed to serve his final season as a lame-duck coach. The Raiders
landed multiple early-round picks, including two first-round selections, over the next
three seasons while the Buccaneers have more questions to answer than problems solved.
Buchsbaum: This is a great bonanza for the Raiders. Look what they were faced with: Jon
Gruden, in the last year of his contract. Quite possibly, Steve Mariucci ends up in Tampa
Bay, and Gruden would have gone across the bay to San Francisco, and the Raiders would
have been left with no compensation. On the other hand, if Mariucci had decided to go to
Tampa Bay, the 49ers would have been sitting pretty with extra draft picks, and Terry
Donahue would have coached the team for one year. Now the Raiders, in exchange for a coach
they would have had for only one more year, get first- and second-round picks this year, a
first next year and a second the following year. The Raiders are still in position to name
a head coach like Dennis Green to take over the team.
From Tampa Bay’s standpoint, this was a terrible move overall. While Gruden is an
outstanding coach, Tampa Bay overpaid for him. They are no longer a young team, and losing
all those draft picks will have very serious ramifications down the road. Tampa Bay was
largely built around its first-round draft picks, starting with OT Paul Gruber to recent
picks like DT Warren Sapp, DT Anthony McFarland, DE Marcus Jones and LB Derrick Brooks
being a very big part of the equation for them. I think it was a very bad miscalculation
on Tampa’s part. They obviously panicked when they got the feeling Mariucci was going
to reject the offer. Before Mariucci made his decision, Al Davis apparently got back to
Tampa Bay and let them know Gruden was available at the right price. Davis took Tampa Bay
to the cleaners and got the price he wanted for his lame-duck head coach. You have to tip
your hat to Davis. This was one of the great deals he has pulled off. It may be his best
ever, including the one where he traded an over-the-hill Dave Casper to the Houston Oilers
and ended up with a bunch of high picks for him.
Willie Roaf could help Broncos
A mainstay in New Orleans and a perennial Pro Bowl pick, Willie Roaf’s days with
the Saints appear to be numbered. The nine-year veteran was left exposed in the expansion
draft after he missed a chunk of the season with a season-ending knee injury. That,
coupled with reported dissension between Roaf, his teammates and members of the coaching
staff, seems to point to his exodus from the Big Easy.
Buchsbaum: Willie Roaf wants to continue his career but obviously not in New Orleans,
where he had a falling-out with the coaching staff. Roaf would like to go to Denver, which
might be a good fit for him because the Broncos’ young offensive left tackle, Trey
Teague, is a free agent and wasn’t very effective last year, at times being a
liability. The Broncos dearly missed Tony Jones, who retired after the 2000 season. If
Roaf can play anywhere close to his ability, he could be the missing link on the
Broncos’ line. The big questions to be answered are whether the Broncos can fit Roaf
under the cap, how much to pay him coming off an injury, and what the Saints would get as
compensation. |
