Introduction
There was no forgiveness in the air at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. As predicted, the San Diego Chargers selected Eli Manning with the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. Once on stage, not only did Chargers fans boo him, but the rest of the audience did as well.
In the week leading up to the draft, Manning, younger brother of Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, made it publicly known that he did not wish to play in San Diego, but in New York instead. He even went as far as to say he would sit out a season if the Chargers drafted him.
His brief stint with the Chargers ended within the hour. With the fourth selection the New York Giants took quarterback Phillip Rivers, a player who at NC State slipped under the radar of scouts for most of the year. He became the trade bait for the Giants, who wanted Manning and knew that Coach Marty Schottenheimer of the Chargers liked what he saw in Rivers.
“As we spent time with him down at the Senior Bowl, it became very, very apparent to us that this is the kind of player that you want to lead your football team,” Schottenheimer said. “We were thrilled that we were able to bring Philip Rivers to San Diego and we’re excited about what lies ahead in our future with Philip Rivers.”
A lot was sacrificed by the Giants for a man who has never even taken an NFL snap. The Chargers received, in addition to Rivers, a third round selection for this year and a first round and fifth round pick in 2005.
Quarterback Controversy
With Rivers going to San Diego, Drew Brees’ stint as starter is almost certainly over. In his last 20 games he has only four wins to his credit. Doug Flutie can provide some guidance for the young Rivers, so expect him to be manning the reins of the Chargers come fall.
After Manning arrived in New York, current QB Kerry Collins decided he wanted out. “I figured there was no reason to hang around,” Collins told The Associated Press on Monday. After bringing the Giants to the Superbowl three years ago, the Giants have had mediocre seasons, with a very disappointing 2003.
Ben Roethlisberger rounded out the “big three” quarterbacks in the draft. He slipped a little, and Pittsburgh snatched him at number 11. This may signal the end of Tommy Maddox’s fairy tale run from the defunct XFL to the Steelers’ starter. He isn’t happy with his contract, and this will add to the frustration.
The fourth quarterback taken in the first round was a surprise move. The Buffalo Bills traded up to take J.P. Losman from Tulane, a move they say is for the future. However, a first round choice from next year was given up, and Drew Bledsoe’s salary is looking mighty big for a guy who only won six games last year. If his performance doesn’t increase this season, the future may come sooner than expected.
Winners
The draft was ripe with wide receivers, and Arizona got the first pick. They added Pitt standout Larry Fitzgerald to join up with last season’s rookie of the year Anquan Boldin. The speed of these two receivers should be enough to pull the struggling Cardinals’ out of the cellar.
Regarded by many as having the best draft in the league, the Detroit Lions grabbed another receiver Roy Willams of Texas early in round one. Later in the same round they traded up to grab Kevin Jones, a tailback who slipped down the draft ranks drastically. Once they join up with the speedy Charles Rogers and Joey Harrington, the Lions look to roar into the 2004 season.
The Cleveland Browns had a great first day as well. They got the top-ranked tight end in the draft with Kellen Winslow from Miami, who should prove to be a great target to new quarterback Jeff Garcia. In the second round they snatched up Sean Jones with the 59th overall selection. A possibility to sneak into the first round, the second rated safety, Jones, lasted until the end of the second, and the Browns were waiting for him.
Losers
The Philadelphia Eagles orchestrated a deal to move up in the draft into a position to select any available running back. Considering Duce Staley left to free agency, a new runner would have been welcome in Philly. However, they surprised everyone by selecting offensive lineman Shawn Andrews at number 16. An O-line with two ex-pro-bowlers didn’t need any help, and the Eagles made a mistake that could come back to haunt them.
Yet another team to pass up running back Stephen Jackson was the Dallas Cowboys. Incumbent back Troy Hambrick did not fill Emmitt Smith’s shoes last season, and Dallas traded down twenty-one picks, ignoring their immediate needs. Parcells says that he was looking towards the future. A playoff team last year, he should be focusing more on what he needs to stay competitive in the NFC East.
Once the laughingstock of the league, the Cincinnati Bengals turned around last year and became a playoff contender. This year they held eight picks in the first four rounds, including a second rounder received from the Patriots for disgruntled back Corey Dillon. With their first few picks however, the Bengals selected players that many analysts agree were premature picks. For instance, they selected Michigan tailback Chris Perry when Kevin Jones was still on the board, and only one running back had been taken. If they had used those picks well, they might have been laughing at many other teams this season.
Pat Tillman (1976-2004)
Former Arizona safety Pat Tillman was killed in action serving in Afghanistan last week. In 2002 he turned down a $3.6 million contract extension to join the Army Rangers. He spent time in Iraq before being stationed in Afghanistan. Bob Ferguson, the General Manager responsible for drafting Tillman from college had this to say: “In today’s world of instant gratification and selfishness, here is a man that was defined by words like loyalty, honor, passion, courage, strength, and nobility. He is a modern-day hero.” Tillman was 27.
