Redskins pre-draft day notes

No one knows exactly what's going to happen in the 2009 NFL Draft tomorrow for the Redskins, but it probably won't be good. Many signs are pointing to the Redskins making some kind of noise tomorrow, whether it's moving up to draft Mark Sanchez or something else. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Dan Snyder says that the Redskins will not trade its 2010 first-round pick: "We're really not as a franchise comfortable trading first-round draft picks. I don't think it's a wise move to keep trading that pick. It's always a little bit risky." You'll understand if I don't exactly take your word for it, right Dan? [PFT]


• Jamie Mottram lays out three possible scenarios if the Redskins do draft Sanchez -- and he isn't pleased with any of them. [Mr. Irrelevant]


• Jason Campbell would apparently want a trade out of Washington if the Redskins do find a way to select Sanchez in the draft tomorrow -- which is interesting, because despite the fact that it would make sense for him to think that way, I haven't seen a quote from him saying that yet. [Washington Post]


• The Redskins still have interest in defensive ends Brian Orakpo and Everette Brown. [Redskins Insider]


• And some wishful thinking: Maybe the Redskins aren't taking Sanchez and are fooling everyone instead. Not likely, but maybe. [Hogs Haven]

That should just about do it. By the way, the Redskins need offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and linebackers -- if that actually matters to Snyder and Vinny Cerrato or not, I can't be sure.

Anyway, like I said before, no one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, so be ready for a bunch of random stuff go down. If there's a positive in all of this, it's that Peter King has the Redskins moving up to the No. 8 spot to take Sanchez in his latest mock draft -- and he's almost always wrong. So, hooray!

Enjoy the draft.

Shanahan to Washington in 2010?

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks the Redskins may be positioning for a possible run at coach Mike Shanahan in the 2010 offseason:

In the end, Shanahan’s final destination might come down to money. Specifically, the question will be the extent to which any team is willing to exceed the $7 million that Shanahan is due to receive from the Broncos regardless of whether he works next season.

So maybe, just maybe, the team’s flirtation with USC quarterback Mark Sanchez has less to do with making an impact in 2009, and more to do with helping set the table for Shanahan in 2010.

I have absolutely no doubt that Dan Snyder wants to make this move, but it's going to come down to how the team performs this year. If the Redskins finish 8-8 again and miss the playoffs, then Zorn will surely get fired, meaning Snyder can throw a ton of cash Shanahan's way to try to bring him to Washington. But if the Redskins make the playoffs and perform well, Snyder can't get rid of Zorn and Jason Campbell, which would ruin Snyder's strategy of trying to make a big offseason splash every year. And I honestly don't know if Snyder would rather win football games or be offseason champions.

If Snyder is really looking ahead to 2010, it makes more sense (not that anything Snyder does makes sense) to have Sanchez since he would be a young quarterback for Shanahan to build his offense around; Campbell probably wouldn't be a good fit.

Finding out that Snyder wants to hire Shanahan wouldn't shock many Redskins fans if it eventually turns out to be true, but I'd still be surprised if the Redskins draft Sanchez because he makes no sense for the 2009 team. The Redskins have plenty of holes at offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker, and wasting a pick on a quarterback would be ridiculous.

So, with that in mind, expect the Redskins to go after Sanchez.

Weekly Rundown: Garnett, Paulus, Madden

Weekly Rundown is a combination of links and brief comments on stories and topics that I couldn't get to during the week. If there's something important that I missed, don't hesitate to send an email or leave a comment.

• The Celtics' chances to repeat as NBA champions took a big hit with the news that Kevin Garnett could miss the entire postseason with a lingering knee injury. Bill Simmons gives his own thoughts on the KG situation, handicaps the Celtics' chances to win without Garnett, and offers an insightful discussion on the continuing demise of the newspaper industry. [ESPN]


• Greg Paulus will apparently be given a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job at Michigan. Duke coach David Cutcliffe offered Paulus a chance to try out for the team -- but at wide receiver, not quarterback. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez must really be desperate. [ESPN]


• John Madden has decided to retire from broadcasting. Mike Florio offers some comments from Madden and toots his own horn for predicting in January that Cris Collinsworth would take over for Madden after the season. [PFT]


• Redskins fans really want Mark Sanchez. Or not. [Redskins Insider]


• Truth provides some end-of-the-season thoughts on Antawn Jamison and now former coach Ed Tapscott. [Truth About It]


• The Nationals just can't seem to get anything right. They're 1-10, they can't spell "Nationals" correctly on all of their jerseys, and they even suspended outfielder Elijah Dukes for showing up five minutes late after doing some charity work. [Big League Stew]
  
• ESPN's Rob Neyer wasn't a big fan of MLB's Jackie Robinson celebration idea, in which every player, coach, and umpire wore No. 42 in honor of Robinson on Wednesday. Neyer: "Never underestimate the ability of the commissioner to take a pretty sweet idea and just drive it into the ground until it's dead." [SweetSpot]


• ESPN actually being reasonable and willing to acknowledge criticism? This can't be right. [Awful Announcing]


• Peter Schmuck thinks umpire Doug Eddings did a horrible job behind the plate on Saturday: "Eddings needs to go back to one of the umpire academies and learn the strike zone." [The Schmuck Stops Here]