Welcome to the 2000 NFL draft, also known as Let's Make a Deal, or, if you prefer, Who Gets to Be a Millionaire?
Today's draft will be the culmination of a busy, eventful offseason -- this year's theme: Let's Make a Deal.This year's other theme: Let's Help the Redskins Win the Super Bowl.
Let's see . . .
The Saints gave the second pick in the draft to the Redskins.
The 49ers gave the third pick in the draft to the Redskins.
The Vikings let Jeff George go to the Redskins for nothing.
The Bills let Bruce Smith go to the Redskins for nothing.
The Lions let Mark Carrier go to the Redskins for nothing.
Now the Cowboys are trying to do what they can to help; they don't think they can afford Deion Sanders anymore and will likely let him go. Sanders reportedly is interested in joining Washington, the Cowboys' division rival.
So who made the Redskins the NFL's favorite charity case?
Dennis Green and Mike Ditka did, just for starters. Minnesota fans think Green, the Viking coach, is loopy; the Redskins think he is Santa Claus. Last year he gave the Redskins their starting quarterback, Brad Johnson, for three draft picks, dumping him in favor of aging Randall Cunningham. Johnson was one of the league's top passers last season and led the 'Skins to the second round of the playoffs. Cunningham was benched in the sixth game in favor of Jeff George, who won nine of 12 games and ranked third in the NFL in passing. So naturally Green tried to replace George, first with old Dan Marino, then with young Daunte Culpepper (whoever he is). So George is gone. But Green did sign Bubby Brister.
The only guy who has offered the 'Skins more help than Green is Ditka, who gave them six picks in last year's draft and two picks in this year's draft (Nos. 1 and 3) just so he could draft Ricky Williams for the Saints. Then he got fired. Too bad it wasn't the other way around, as far as the Saints are concerned.
Heeelllooo. Anybody paying attention? The Redskins don't need help. The Saints and Bengals need help, not the 'Skins. They won their division championship last year. They came within two points of playing in the conference title game. At this point, giving the Redskins extra draft choices and star free agents is like giving stock tips to Bill Gates.
All the 'Skins needed were a couple of defenders, and now they've got them, thank you very much. If teams keep helping the 'Skins like this, they can just mail them the Super Bowl trophy.
They obtained two of the top three picks in the draft and signed three top free agents and didn't have to do anything but open their wallets. Smith, the second leading quarterback sacker in history, fell into their laps. So did George, the third-leading passer in the NFL last season, and Carrier, a three-time Pro Bowl safety with 34 career interceptions.
The Redskins have benefited from this season's hottest trend: to make a deal. Because of salary cap problems and a deep college draft, teams are hoarding draft picks. The Jets, after trading superstar Keyshawn Johnson to the Bucs, will have a record four picks in the first round. They got the 12th pick from the 49ers, who got it from Carolina, who got it from the Redskins. They got the 13th pick from the Rams, who got it from the Bucs. They got the 18th pick based on their finish. They got the 27th pick from the Bucs.
The 49ers have collected 11 picks in seven rounds, including the 16th pick from the Jets, who got it from the Patriots (are you following all this?) and the 24th pick from the Redskins.
Everyone is wheeling and dealing. The Ravens got the fifth pick from the Falcons and the 10th pick from the Broncos. The Broncos got the 15th pick from the Ravens. And so forth. Twelve teams got first-round picks from other teams.
In all the shuffling, six teams were left with no pick in the first round -- Saints, Falcons, Chargers, Patriots, Cowboys, Dolphins. The Dolphins can't choose a single player until the 53rd pick. They get to stand by and watch the rich get richer today.