With the NFL Draft just hours away, here are a few of my last minute thoughts:
(1) Ben Roethlisberger should be traded to the Browns or the Raiders. Pittsburgh is one of the oldest and best run franchises in the NFL. I really applaud the Rooney family for recognizing that a problem-making turd like Santonio Holmes had no business donning a Steelers uniform. I also believe that they now recognize that Ben Roethlisberger is equally damaging to the Steelers brand.
A trade to the Raiders or Browns would make a ton of sense for Pittsburgh. If they acquired either team's pick during the draft, they could likely use that pick to draft Roethlisberger's replacement in Jimmy Clausen and then use their 18th pick in the draft to acquire a lineman, like Mike Iupati, to protect Clausen or a wide receiver, like Golden Tate (Clausen's college teammate), to replace Santonio Holmes.
This trade would make sense for Cleveland. Big Ben played his college ball at Miami of Ohio and is a local legend of sorts. They are desperate for help at he QB position. As a matter of fact, they are so desperate that they signed the one of the five worst starting QBs in the league last year, Jake Delhomme, to upgrade their QB position this offseason- enough said.
This trade would also make a ton of sense for the Raiders. The NFL is concerned about Big Ben tarnishing the league's reputation. There is a no way a guy in a Raiders uniform can do anything to harm the league's image. The Raiders are a running punch line as it is, and nobody expects anything from a player once they suit up for the Raiders (see Randy Moss circa 2006).
Not to mention, the Raiders' QB situation is arguably even worse than the Browns'. As bad as Jake Delhomme may be at this point in his career, he is no JaMarcus Russell. I hate to say it, but I actually believe Big Ben would improve the Raiders dramatically.
(2) The Dolphins will desperately attempt to trade down. Over a month ago, I first previewed the Dolphins' draft needs. Although they have since acquired a prime time WR, they still have more holes to plug than Jenna Jameson in her big screen debut. They are extremely thin at FS, OLB, & NT. Usually teams can only expect to find starters at such premium positions in the first three rounds. Knowing that 50% of players chosen in these rounds will fail to live up to expectations, the Dolphins are in trouble when one considers that they only have two picks in the first three rounds.
Given this dilemma, they desperately need to trade back in the opening round. Hopefully, they can partner with a team like Philadelphia that has two second round picks and has shown the bravado to make such moves in the past. If they are able to trade back in round one, then they will have plenty of solid options at OLB in Brandon Graham, Jerry Hughes, and Sergio Kindle. With their next two picks they would have plenty of options at NT and FS.
(3) Ronnie Brown and/or Justin Smiley will be shopped heavily. It is not that the Dolphins do not like both of these players, it is just that they play positions with adequate depth and have demonstrated a fragility for which Parcells does not approve. Ronnie, coming off an injury and DUI, is probably worth no more than a second round pick, and Justin, coming off his second injury in two years, is probably not worth more than a late fourth or fifth round pick. Both of these players when healthy, however, have pro bowl potential. While I would be shocked to see both of them traded on draft day, I would not be the least bit surprised to see one of them traded. I imagine a team like Seattle or Philly could use a stud RB like Ronnie Brown and just might be willing to cough up a second round pick to get him. Also, teams like San Francisco or Pittsburgh that miss out on Mike Iupati in round one may be tempted to trade for a veteran lineman like Smiley later in the draft.
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