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Quarterback shuffle Where Palmer, Boller, Leftwich will go remains up in the airPosted: Friday March 21, 2003 8:46 PM
We're five weeks away from the NFL draft, and no matter what anyone says or writes, there's still no clear read on how the top-rated quarterbacks are going to come off the board. When the Cincinnati Bengals hand in the card that contains the draft's No. 1 overall pick, the presumption has been that it likely will contain the name of Southern Cal quarterback Carson Palmer, last season's Heisman Trophy winner. And that very well may be the ultimate outcome. But the Bengals aren't there yet, and there's a lot deeper analysis and evaluation of the club's options and the top-tier quarterbacks being conducted than what is generally perceived. Here are some observations, culled from interviews with various NFL sources, about where things stand in Cincinnati and among other potential players in the draft-day quarterback market:
There's only one problem with that scenario: They have yet to identify a likely trade partner and they aren't optimistic of doing so. There's absolutely no buzz about a team trying to trade up to No. 1 to select Palmer or anyone else, for that matter. Still, to protect their options, it's in Cincinnati's best interests to keep Palmer atop its draft board to entice a potential buyer to the table.
Newman is the cleanest player on this year's draft board, meaning he's projected as the most likely candidate to step right into somebody's starting lineup and make a first-year impact. While it might take some courage to select a cornerback first overall -- only one defensive back in NFL history has been the top pick, and that was in 1956 -- Lewis is convinced that his team is not that far away from competing for a playoff berth in the balanced AFC North. Cincinnati's thinking would be that with veteran quarterback Jon Kitna on hand, Newman helps the Bengals compete for a division title right now -- or far quicker than a first-round quarterback would. Arizona State defensive end Terrell Suggs or Michigan State receiver Charles Rogers also rate as potential first overall picks, but the smart money says that the Bengals would go with Newman at No. 1 if they eschew taking a quarterback.
The question is, will Lewis and Bengals owner/team president Mike Brown -- the two men who will make the decision -- come around to the same point of view? And if they do, what might that mean to their plans for the No. 1 pick? Lewis likely would prefer to trade down and try to get Boller later in the top 10, avoiding everything that comes with taking a quarterback first overall, but Cincinnati knows it may not get that opportunity. One Bengals assistant I talked to on Friday admitted Boller is his top-rated quarterback, and he said it wouldn't surprise him if Boller wound up passing Palmer on Cincinnati's quarterback board -- if he hasn't already. "There are people here who really like him," the Bengals assistant said of Boller. "We all like him." But in truth, it doesn't really matter how the Bengals have their quarterbacks rated today. Whether it's Palmer-Boller or Boller-Palmer, plenty could change between now and the draft. Lewis and his offensive assistants were in California on Friday, having a private workout with Palmer. That could alter the equation, just as Lewis is determined to keep an open mind about the first pick, at least until Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich has his personal workout day April 7. But the fact that Boller is now mentioned as the prospect who has passed Leftwich in the opinion of many personnel evaluators -- and could be giving the Bengals a viable option to Palmer -- makes him the name to watch.
Not necessarily. Angelo said the Bears likely wouldn't be interested in taking a quarterback with the No. 4 pick, but that leaves open the possibility that Chicago could trade back in the round and still take a shot at landing Boller, whom the Bears intend to have a private workout with in the first week of April. If that's the idea, Chicago best not move too far past the No. 10 slot, because Baltimore remains Boller's most likely destination at this point. While there is said to be some division of opinion in the Ravens front office -- with at least one member firmly in favor of Leftwich -- the team's coaching staff is smitten with everything it's seen of Boller this spring. Like Chicago, Baltimore also plans on working out Boller privately on March 27 in California, with general manager Ozzie Newsome, head coach Brian Billick and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh attending. Ultimately, Leftwich's upcoming workout -- his first action since suffering a late-season shin injury last year -- may wind up being more critical to how Baltimore's quarterback draft board shakes out than any other factor. With five weeks to go until the draft, almost everything about where this year's elite crop of quarterbacks will land remains up in the air. Don Banks covers pro football for SI.com.
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