WinnipegPackFan
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As Depack stated earlier ESPN called us losers for Day 1 . Here are the Top 4 losers as per :
John Clayton
ESPN.com
The losers :
1. Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona: Had he turned pro after his junior season, Leinart might have been the first pick in the 2005 draft. Even now, most would considered him a higher-rated player than 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, the first pick in the 2005 draft. Financially, this is a disaster for Leinart. Smith received $20 million in guarantees. Leinart goes into a slot that last year paid $13.5 million -- total -- over the five-year contract. Because he's a quarterback, Leinart will get a premium, and he could get around $6 million to $8 million in guarantees. Green told Leinart that he was getting a gift from heaven in getting a quarterback this good at 10. While Leinart says he doesn't regret coming back for his senior year at USC, he wasn't able to cash in with his extra year in college.
2. Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans: Give Bush credit for being a good sport. He congratulated defensive end Mario Williams for beating him out for the No. 1 pick in the draft. He didn't blast the Texans for not taking him with the first pick. Still, Bush was clearly a big loser in this draft. With all the stories circulating about his family's living accommodations, Bush clearly was in spin control heading into draft week. He needed to agree to a deal to make him the No. 1 pick. When the Texans offered an 8 percent increase over Alex Smith, the top pick in 2005, Bush should have shown more willingness to take it. Williams grabbed the Texans' offer like he was taking down a quarterback and registered a big sack. He got $26.5 million in guarantees while Bush will be lucky to get $20 million from the Saints. He needed to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he fumbled it by not getting a deal done.
3. Buffalo Bills: The Bills were in a great spot at No. 8. They had at least two teams -- Denver and Minnesota -- calling up offering draft choices to move up. Those teams were looking for quarterbacks. The Bills could have worked a deal with the Eagles, who were considering a move to No. 8 to take a defensive tackle. Taking a safety, Donte Whitner, at No. 8 instead of accepting one of those deals just wasn't a good value. Sure, maybe they weren't getting offers that matched the trade value chart, but wouldn't it have been better to move down and get anything extra. They would still have been able to get Whitner. The Bills feared losing Whitner to the Lions, who didn't get Michael Huff at No. 9. That wasn't going to happen because the Lions were taking linebacker Ernie Sims if they didn't get Huff, who went to the Raiders. The Bills went a little too conservative.
4. Green Bay Packers: They didn't get great value for Javon Walker, only getting a second-round choice instead of two seconds, which they were demanding Friday. While A.J. Hawk was a great choice to help the defense, the Packers didn't do much to help Brett Favre. They didn't get tight end Vernon Davis, but that's OK. Hawk rated higher on most draft boards than Davis. The Packers had a decent second-round for the future in getting tackle Daryn Colledge and wide receiver Greg Jennings, who might take some time to make impact. But this is Favre's last year, and he is committed to making the best out of the season. As it has been the entire offseason, the Packers haven't seized the moment.
John Clayton
ESPN.com
The losers :
1. Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona: Had he turned pro after his junior season, Leinart might have been the first pick in the 2005 draft. Even now, most would considered him a higher-rated player than 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, the first pick in the 2005 draft. Financially, this is a disaster for Leinart. Smith received $20 million in guarantees. Leinart goes into a slot that last year paid $13.5 million -- total -- over the five-year contract. Because he's a quarterback, Leinart will get a premium, and he could get around $6 million to $8 million in guarantees. Green told Leinart that he was getting a gift from heaven in getting a quarterback this good at 10. While Leinart says he doesn't regret coming back for his senior year at USC, he wasn't able to cash in with his extra year in college.
2. Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans: Give Bush credit for being a good sport. He congratulated defensive end Mario Williams for beating him out for the No. 1 pick in the draft. He didn't blast the Texans for not taking him with the first pick. Still, Bush was clearly a big loser in this draft. With all the stories circulating about his family's living accommodations, Bush clearly was in spin control heading into draft week. He needed to agree to a deal to make him the No. 1 pick. When the Texans offered an 8 percent increase over Alex Smith, the top pick in 2005, Bush should have shown more willingness to take it. Williams grabbed the Texans' offer like he was taking down a quarterback and registered a big sack. He got $26.5 million in guarantees while Bush will be lucky to get $20 million from the Saints. He needed to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he fumbled it by not getting a deal done.
3. Buffalo Bills: The Bills were in a great spot at No. 8. They had at least two teams -- Denver and Minnesota -- calling up offering draft choices to move up. Those teams were looking for quarterbacks. The Bills could have worked a deal with the Eagles, who were considering a move to No. 8 to take a defensive tackle. Taking a safety, Donte Whitner, at No. 8 instead of accepting one of those deals just wasn't a good value. Sure, maybe they weren't getting offers that matched the trade value chart, but wouldn't it have been better to move down and get anything extra. They would still have been able to get Whitner. The Bills feared losing Whitner to the Lions, who didn't get Michael Huff at No. 9. That wasn't going to happen because the Lions were taking linebacker Ernie Sims if they didn't get Huff, who went to the Raiders. The Bills went a little too conservative.
4. Green Bay Packers: They didn't get great value for Javon Walker, only getting a second-round choice instead of two seconds, which they were demanding Friday. While A.J. Hawk was a great choice to help the defense, the Packers didn't do much to help Brett Favre. They didn't get tight end Vernon Davis, but that's OK. Hawk rated higher on most draft boards than Davis. The Packers had a decent second-round for the future in getting tackle Daryn Colledge and wide receiver Greg Jennings, who might take some time to make impact. But this is Favre's last year, and he is committed to making the best out of the season. As it has been the entire offseason, the Packers haven't seized the moment.
