Williams-Couch race begins at combine
Posted: Friday February 19, 1999 09:24 AM
As the NFL heads to Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine this weekend, the showdown begins between Texas running back Ricky Williams and Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch to be the No. 1 pick in the April 17 draft.
Right now, the Top 5 draft order goes like this: Cleveland No. 1, then Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Washington.
The fan-starved Bengals would love to trade up for Couch, who played his college ball 75 miles to the south in Lexington. Indianapolis wants a defensive player and will likely pick USC linebacker Chris Claiborne or trade down. The Redskins are already talking freely about swapping places with Baltimore at No. 10 and picking up an extra second-round pick.
But those considerations will likely be moot, because Couch and Williams are almost certain to go 1-2.
Certainly, the biggest player in this draft puzzle is Chris Palmer, the totally anonymous Browns coach. Cleveland hired Palmer to be an offensive coach and teacher. He's spent time before the combine studying tape of all the top quarterback prospects. If he decides Couch is heads and shoulders above the rest, Couch will be the pick.
If not, a number of things could happen. The Browns could take Williams, who is highly regarded in the Cleveland front office, and then pick up a quarterback later. They could trade down a spot or two if Couch isn't their man and Philadelphia or Cincinnati absolutely blows them away with an offer.
Smart money is on Cleveland staying put and picking Couch. The shelf life of a good quarterback -- and this is risky business, picking quarterbacks -- is twice as long as the shelf life for a good running back. And a good chunk of that running back's shelf life will be gone by the time the Browns get really good.
Elsewhere around the league ...
In Washington, GM Charley Casserly and coach Norv Turner might well be lame ducks. But they aren't through revamping their roster. After trading for the cap-friendly Brad Johnson to play quarterback this year and trying to finalize a deal to make the well-traveled -- and cheap -- Casey Weldon the backup, Turner tells me they'll avoid receivers high in the draft. They're desperate for corner and pass-rush help.
In San Diego, the Chargers want two low-cost veterans to back up 1998 first-round flop Ryan Leaf. They've had Seattle castoffs Warren Moon and John Friesz in for visits this week, and they could be in the market to deal a low-round pick to Denver for Jeff Lewis, who should be the odd-man out in the John Elway succession derby, behind Bubby Brister and Brian Griese.
And in Indianapolis, the Colts have more on their minds than the parade of rookies in town this weekend. They will fight the Browns, Titans and Bears for the right to sign the best free agent still available, defensive end Chad Bratzke. His entrance in the market was delayed until late this week because of the death of his father last weekend, but Bratzke -- who will start making trips on Tuesday -- should be in the $5-million-a-year class in less than two weeks.
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