Redskins might trade 1st rounder to Raiders

[Sushi]

I honestly don't know anything about Philip Buchanon, so I don't have much of an opinion on this potential trade. Is Buchanon any good?

 

Redskins May Trade Draft Pick

Raiders CB Buchanon Could Be Part of Deal

 

By Jason La Canfora

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 19, 2005; Page D01

 

The Washington Redskins are exploring several trade scenarios regarding their first-round pick in this weekend's NFL draft, and several league sources indicated that one involves obtaining cornerback Phillip Buchanon from Oakland.

 

Vinny Cerrato, Washington's vice president of football operations, denied any talks with Oakland late last week. While Coach Joe Gibbs has declined to comment on particular trade discussions, he said the team is speaking with other teams to gauge interest in pre-draft trades.

 

 

The Redskins feel an experienced cornerback like Phillip Buchanon, right, will be able to start immediately in Gregg Williams's complex defensive system. (Paul Sakuma - AP) 

 

 

League sources said trade talks between Washington and Oakland are ongoing, and the Redskins are considering a handful of other avenues as well, including trading down. No deals were imminent as of last night, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The Redskins often dealt high draft picks during Gibbs's first stint as coach -- which included three Super Bowl titles -- and the team has made a practice of trading draft picks in recent years.

 

A move with the Raiders could include the Redskins swapping their first-round pick (ninth overall) to Oakland in exchange for Buchanon, 24, and Oakland's second-round selection (the Redskins lack a second-round pick). The Redskins spent the past month evaluating a trio of cornerbacks expected to go in the first round of the draft -- visiting with Adam "Pac-Man" Jones, Antrel Rolle and Carlos Rogers -- but the club's desire for an experienced cornerback able to start immediately in Gregg Williams's complex defensive system could result in a trade instead.

 

Buchanon expressed an interest in playing elsewhere during the season and league sources said the Raiders are trying to oblige; his name surfaced repeatedly during earlier trade talks when Oakland traded its first-round pick for Pro Bowl wide receiver Randy Moss. Buchanon, the 17th overall pick in 2002, has slipped in recent years, playing on a poor defensive team. The Redskins lost stalwart cornerback Fred Smoot in free agency last month, dealt perennial Pro Bowl corner Champ Bailey the year before and currently have only two veteran corners, one of whom, Walt Harris, is a year removed from recovering from a career-threatening knee injury.

 

While team sources have indicated the Redskins think highly of the young corners available, there are no guarantees the team would get one of them with the ninth pick, and team sources say Washington is not inclined to trade up and pay substantially more in salary and signing bonuses. Washington could address its need at wide receiver early in the second round -- the team also brought in a host of wide receivers for pre-draft visits -- with Oakland's pick at 38th overall.

 

The Redskins are about $1.5 million under the salary cap and are trying to continue the defensive dominance established under Williams last season, when the unit ranked third in the NFL.

 

Buchanon has two years left on his contract worth a total of $1.5 million but would likely want a new deal as a part of any trade, league sources said. Buchanon is a product of the University of Miami and like, former Hurricanes Sean Taylor and Santana Moss, is represented by agent Drew Rosenhaus. Taylor and Moss are not attending Washington's voluntary workouts as they attempt to land new contracts, and, while Gibbs has spoken repeatedly about his disappointment at their absences, he also made a point to speak highly of the club's relationship with Rosenhaus during a news conference last week.

 

Buchanon is not the only veteran cornerback currently available. The Miami Dolphins are trying to deal veteran Patrick Surtain for draft picks, but, after an initial phone call, league sources said the teams have not been in touch. Some in the league are also watching Buffalo star Nate Clements closely; Clements, drafted by Williams when he was the Bills' head coach, has one year left on his contract, but Buffalo might deem too expensive to re-sign.

 

Like Oakland, the Bills lack a first-round pick. Gibbs denied any trade discussions with Buffalo last week and Clements's agent, Neil Cornrich, declined to comment on any potential interest in Clements yesterday, but during a conversation last week spoke glowingly of the player's bond with Williams.

 

"Nate tremendously enjoyed playing for Coach Williams and he seemed to be a very good fit for Gregg's system," Cornrich said. "Nate led the Bills in interceptions every year he played for coach Williams and he's certainly one of the best defensive coaches in the NFL."

 

The Redskins and Bills have not discussed a Clements trade, sources said. If negotiations for Buchanon break down, the Redskins could still look to trade down and accrue more draft selections, although the prevailing opinion about the lack of star power available in this draft and number of teams looking to drop down could make finding a trade partner more difficult.

 

 

 

[skins]

Buchanon may actually be a little step up from Smoot or an even wash. He has one year less in the NFL and is younger at only 24. They are both smallish but look at very basic numbers since 2002:

 

Buchanon Tackles 111 and interception 11.

 

Smoot Tackles 152 Interceptions 16 (I subtracted his numbers for his rookie season in 2001).

 

But in 2002, Buchanon's numbers were only for 6 games so the above is slightly skewed in Smoots favor. In 2004 they both had about 50 tackles and 3 picks. But Smoot has never returned one for a TD and only averages around 6 yards per pick while Buchanon has returned 4 for TDs in one less year and averages around 30 yards per pick.

 

All in all, I can live with a very talented younger experienced corner and a 2d round pick. Depending on the money, that could be far better in the short term than a top rookie corner.

 

Oakland homers or anyone else want to give some insight here?

[Swiss Cheezhead]

This makes a lot of sense for Washington, but I'm curious what the hell the Raiders are doing.

[Big Score 1]

Even if Gibbs and the Skins were to get Oaklands 2nd rd pick, Buchannon ain't worth giving up the ninth overall, IMO

Edited April 19, 2005 by Big Score 1

[Swampnuts]

This would be stupid IMO, forget Buchanon and draft Rolle or Jones with the 9th pick. I know this would net the Skins a second rounder, but I'd stay at 9.

[Ziachild007]

According to FOX sports they are planning to stand pat

 

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - In an unusual early declaration of draft-day intentions, the Washington Redskins announced Tuesday they will stand pat with the No. 9 overall pick.

 

"We have no intention of trading the ninth pick of the draft," vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said in a statement released by the team. "Anything reported to the contrary is incorrect."

 

Cerrato's statement came in response to a report in The Washington Post that the Redskins were negotiating a trade to send the pick to the Oakland Raiders for cornerback Phillip Buchanon.

 

"That is not true," Cerrato said. "We are not trading that pick."

 

An official within the league, speaking on condition of , told The Associated Press the Redskins have discussed the possible trade for Buchanon in recent days, but the official said none of the scenarios involved Washington's first-round pick Saturday. The official said the Redskins might trade a lower-round pick for Buchanon, but that no deal was imminent.

 

Even so, Cerrato's statement went beyond quashing the Buchanon story and ruled out any trade whatsoever for the No. 9 pick. The Redskins were thought to be a top contender to trade down to pick up a later first-round pick and a second-round selection. The Redskins currently don't have a second-round pick.

 

Cerrato was not immediately available for comment, but the official said the Redskins have received queries from several teams concerning the No. 9 selection. He added that the team would contemplate a trade if a better offer were made before Saturday.

 

Washington is expected to use its pick on a cornerback or receiver. Top prospects from both positions have visited Redskins Park in recent weeks. The Redskins could use a cornerback to replace Fred Smoot, who departed during free agency, and a receiver is needed because both Laveranues Coles and Rod Gardner requested trades. Coles was sent to the New York Jets for Santana Moss, while Gardner is still on the market.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Ziachild007

[skins]

That trade would have worked for me. Pac Man would work for me at 9 also. Corner is a position where a rookie can play a lot and even start. Make Pac Man the nickel and we'll be fine.

[skins]

Geez! This no general manager Athenae is getting ridiculous!!!

 

Gibbs, Cerrato Clash Over Plans for Top Pick

 

By Jason LaCanfora and Mark Maske

Washington Post Staff Writers

Tuesday, April 19, 2005; 4:19 PM

 

The Washington Redskins issued a series of contradictory statements today about whether they were willing to trade their first-round pick in Saturday's NFL draft, adding to the uncertainty about the fate of the selection and raising questions about who is running the team.

 

Coach Joe Gibbs found himself in the odd position of refuting a statement released earlier in the day by vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and a story on the team's own Web site.

 

The relationship between vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato, owner Dan Snyder and Joe Gibbs, above, has been controversial because the team does not have a general manager to handle personnel issues. (Jonathan Newton - The Washington Post)

 

The team's Web site, matching a news release sent out by the team this morning, reported that the Redskins "will use their first-round pick to select a player in this weekend's upcoming draft" and Cerrato said, "We are not trading that pick."

 

But in his own statement Gibbs provided one of those contrary reports when he said the team will "consider anything."

 

"Are we considering any options we are presented with? Yes, we'll consider anything," Gibbs said. Team officials said Gibbs was unavailable to be interviewed because he was out of the office.

 

As team president, Gibbs has final say on all personnel decisions. Gibbs said on Friday that the Redskins were discussing trade scenarios with "four or five teams" and that trading down was possible. He reiterated that Monday.

 

The Washington Post, citing league sources, reported this morning that the team is exploring several trade scenarios and one involved obtaining Oakland Raiders cornerback Philip Buchanon and the Raiders' second-round pick, the 38th overall, for Washington's first-round pick.

 

This morning, the Post contacted another source with direct knowledge of the discussions who confirmed that the Redskins and Raiders had talked about a deal for Buchanon and that the Raiders favored the deal.

 

The Associated Press this afternoon confirmed the Redskins-Raiders talks about Buchanon but said the Redskins might trade a lower-round pick for Buchanon. But the Redskins don't have second-round pick and few starting NFL cornerbacks in their prime can be had for anything lower.

 

Cerrato has denied since Thursday that the Redskins have even talked to the Raiders about Buchanon, saying "there is no truth to it."

 

The structure of the Redskins' front office has long been a source of controversy. The team is run by the triumvirate of Cerrato, owner Dan Snyder and Gibbs and does not have a general manager, which critics say is to blame for the team's inability to make the playoffs since 1999.

 

Wide receiver Laveranues Coles believed he had been promised his release by the team's front office in January and instead said he was threatened by Snyder when Coles refused to immediately accept a trade.

 

Coles was eventually traded to the Jets.

 

Linebacker LaVar Arrington remains mired in a dispute with the front office over a $6.5 million bonus payment he believes the team agreed to give him but then left out of his contract. A date has not been set for Arrington's grievance hearing against the team.