Two Days to Go

by: Michael Steffes

The big topic of the day again seems to be Mark Sanchez. Maybe it is because Michael Crabtree is no longer going through the Bristol Car Wash (a stop on every ESPN show possible).

So, Sanchez is back to the front burner. Here seems to be the scoop:

- The Seahawks are legitimally interested in taking Sanchez at 4; waiting for him to fall past that is a risk for those who also want him.

-Cleveland is legitimately interested, too. Mangini-us wants to put his stamp on the organization.

-The Skins are in. They possibly have a subsequent deal set up to ship Jason Campbell to the Vikings or Bucs.

-The Jets want him too, but they may settle for Brady Quinn if Cleveland drafts him at pick 5.

-The Bucs seem interested in QBs, but are looking to deal for one of the more established players like Quinn or Campbell.

Essentially, I am summing most of this up from what I heard from various ESPN personalities on the radio this morning. So how does all this affect the Seahawks?

Well, the Seahawks have done the heavy lifting. Either they are really interested in Sanchez or they have others believing it. However, the price to get their pick isn't cheap, and if they made it cheap they would lose leverage because teams would know they aren't taking Sanchez.

They will wait until the last second to make their pick if they have to, and they will hope someone like Snyder or Tannenbaum decides to bet the house on Sanchez. If not, they will make their pick. Right now Seattle's choice is probably one of three or four players. My guess would be, in no particular order, Crabtree, Curry, Sanchez or a running back. You pick what RB you think they would take, although the measurables and insiders all seem to point to Wells.

Three of those players come with immediate contributions and somewhat fill needs. They would all at least get snaps in year one, whereas Sanchez would represent the future. However, no successful organization wants to start a QB in year one, so essentially it means they are thinking they will remain competitive through 2010. In this division, that assumption seems entirely reasonable as of now.

Don't expect this hand to be laid open until about 1:40 on Saturday. There will be lots of flip-flopping and speculation between now and then, but that is because Tim Ruskell and Ruston Webster have a plan, and they are doing a damn fine job disguising what it really is. They seem to be holding aces, the only question is whether someone will push all in or if they'll end up just taking the ante. END