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Winners and losers of the draft
By Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times
May 1, 2006
Big winners and big losers from the 2006 NFL draft:
Big winner: Matt Leinart — He's heading to Arizona, which has an offense loaded with Pro Bowl-caliber players at running back and both receiver spots. He'll be learning behind Kurt Warner, one of the league's real good guys, and the Cardinals soon will have a state-of-the-art stadium.
Big loser: Leinart — OK, who are we kidding? It's the Cardinals. (And losing that $10 million really smarts.)
Big winner: Dennis Green — Two years ago, in his first draft as coach of the Cardinals, he passed on a chance to take Ben Roethlisberger with the third pick. Instead, Arizona drafted Larry Fitzgerald. He had to be ecstatic to have Leinart fall to No. 10.
Big loser: Norm Chow — Not only does the Tennessee offensive coordinator fail to land Leinart, but he could have to do some fence-mending with Vince Young. It had to rub the Texas quarterback the wrong way if and when he heard Leinart tell reporters that Chow, his former offensive coordinator, "was doing everything he could to get me."
Big winner: Sean Payton — New Orleans coach begins his career with a huge splash in landing Reggie Bush.
Big loser: Charley Casserly — It had to crush the Houston GM that his team passed on Bush, maybe the pick of a lifetime, because Texan owner Bob McNair took charge of contract negotiations. McNair has done a lot of great things for Houston; losing Bush was not one of them.
Big winner: Deuce Lutui — Yes, the former Trojan guard was sentenced to ... selected by Arizona, but he gets to stay at home, and he gets to play with Leinart.
Big winner: Jay Cutler — He wasn't chosen in the top 10, but Denver traded up to 11 to grab him. That's quite a compliment from Mike Shanahan, a guy who knows his quarterbacks.
Big loser: Jake Plummer — Let's see, he has the best season of his career, makes the Pro Bowl, and helps lead the Broncos to the AFC title game. Then, a few months later, he kicks back on the couch to watch the NFL draft ... and essentially gets handed his pink slip when Denver picks Cutler.
Big winner: Marcedes Lewis — With USC players raining down the draft board all around him, UCLA's Lewis lands just about where he thought he would, going 28th to Jacksonville. He should step right in and take over for Kyle Brady. It's a bonus that the Jaguars snapped up former Bruin running back Maurice Drew — he'll now go by Jones-Drew to honor his late grandfather — later in the day.
Big winner: North Carolina State — Three Wolfpack defensive linemen were chosen among the first 26 picks, including No. 1 selection Mario Williams.
Big loser: Matt Millen — Detroit's top man was unable to spend yet another first-round pick on a receiver.
Big winner: Joseph Addai — The Colts grabbed the Louisiana State back with the 30th pick. He should feel good about that, and not just because he'll be part of Peyton Manning's offense. Addai should feel good because he was tapped by GM Bill Polian, who has an eye for running-back talent, having drafted Thurman Thomas and Edgerrin James, among others.
Big loser: Vernon Davis — The Maryland tight end was the sixth overall selection, which is good for his wallet, but now he has Alex Smith — 11 interceptions, 11 fumbles, one touchdown — throwing to him.
Big winner: D'Brickashaw Ferguson — The Virginia tackle was taken fourth overall by his hometown New York Jets. And, in a stunning departure from tradition, Jet fans at the draft didn't boo the pick.
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By Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times
May 1, 2006
Big winners and big losers from the 2006 NFL draft:
Big winner: Matt Leinart — He's heading to Arizona, which has an offense loaded with Pro Bowl-caliber players at running back and both receiver spots. He'll be learning behind Kurt Warner, one of the league's real good guys, and the Cardinals soon will have a state-of-the-art stadium.
Big loser: Leinart — OK, who are we kidding? It's the Cardinals. (And losing that $10 million really smarts.)
Big winner: Dennis Green — Two years ago, in his first draft as coach of the Cardinals, he passed on a chance to take Ben Roethlisberger with the third pick. Instead, Arizona drafted Larry Fitzgerald. He had to be ecstatic to have Leinart fall to No. 10.
Big loser: Norm Chow — Not only does the Tennessee offensive coordinator fail to land Leinart, but he could have to do some fence-mending with Vince Young. It had to rub the Texas quarterback the wrong way if and when he heard Leinart tell reporters that Chow, his former offensive coordinator, "was doing everything he could to get me."
Big winner: Sean Payton — New Orleans coach begins his career with a huge splash in landing Reggie Bush.
Big loser: Charley Casserly — It had to crush the Houston GM that his team passed on Bush, maybe the pick of a lifetime, because Texan owner Bob McNair took charge of contract negotiations. McNair has done a lot of great things for Houston; losing Bush was not one of them.
Big winner: Deuce Lutui — Yes, the former Trojan guard was sentenced to ... selected by Arizona, but he gets to stay at home, and he gets to play with Leinart.
Big winner: Jay Cutler — He wasn't chosen in the top 10, but Denver traded up to 11 to grab him. That's quite a compliment from Mike Shanahan, a guy who knows his quarterbacks.
Big loser: Jake Plummer — Let's see, he has the best season of his career, makes the Pro Bowl, and helps lead the Broncos to the AFC title game. Then, a few months later, he kicks back on the couch to watch the NFL draft ... and essentially gets handed his pink slip when Denver picks Cutler.
Big winner: Marcedes Lewis — With USC players raining down the draft board all around him, UCLA's Lewis lands just about where he thought he would, going 28th to Jacksonville. He should step right in and take over for Kyle Brady. It's a bonus that the Jaguars snapped up former Bruin running back Maurice Drew — he'll now go by Jones-Drew to honor his late grandfather — later in the day.
Big winner: North Carolina State — Three Wolfpack defensive linemen were chosen among the first 26 picks, including No. 1 selection Mario Williams.
Big loser: Matt Millen — Detroit's top man was unable to spend yet another first-round pick on a receiver.
Big winner: Joseph Addai — The Colts grabbed the Louisiana State back with the 30th pick. He should feel good about that, and not just because he'll be part of Peyton Manning's offense. Addai should feel good because he was tapped by GM Bill Polian, who has an eye for running-back talent, having drafted Thurman Thomas and Edgerrin James, among others.
Big loser: Vernon Davis — The Maryland tight end was the sixth overall selection, which is good for his wallet, but now he has Alex Smith — 11 interceptions, 11 fumbles, one touchdown — throwing to him.
Big winner: D'Brickashaw Ferguson — The Virginia tackle was taken fourth overall by his hometown New York Jets. And, in a stunning departure from tradition, Jet fans at the draft didn't boo the pick.
Any thoughts or opinions on this?
link
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