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 Ditka's device New Orleans' chances of getting Williams still real
Posted: Wednesday April 14, 1999 12:19 PM
The last NFL draft of the century is shaping up as one of the most dramatic the league has ever seen. Here's why: The New Orleans Saints, who have the 12th pick, are dead serious about leapfrogging into position to take Texas running back Ricky Williams. Despite his ho-hum workout in San Diego earlier this week, the Saints think Williams is the best runner to come out of college this decade and coach Mike Ditka and the Saints front office are meeting late this week to determine how high a price they'd pay for him.
On Saturday morning, Saints GM Bill Kuharich will begin feeling out the teams that own draft picks one through five. First, he'll call Browns coach Chris Palmer -- holder of the top pick. Then Kuharich will call the Eagles, picking second, then the Bengals, before getting to No. 4 Indianapolis, where he may strike gold. Colts GM Bill Polian knows he holds the swing pick. Why? Well, Cleveland is almost certain to take a quarterback, Tim Couch of Kentucky or Akili Smith of Oregon. An 11-member Browns contingent will fly to Lexington Sunday to work out Couch one last time, and if he throws the deep ball to their satisfaction, he's the favorite to go No. 1. Philly already has a solid back and desperately needs a quarterback. Ditto Cincinnati. That leaves the Colts in the driver's seat. And though Polian says he likes and needs Williams, he just signed Darick Holmes, a big back he can team with Marshall Faulk. Even though Faulk is very unhappy with his contract, which has two years remaining, and will almost certainly be a training-camp holdout, the Colts need defense. I'd be shocked if they stick where they are and pick Williams. So, the question is, as Kuharich put it to me: "How high a price are we willing to pay without it being extortion?'' Well, for starters the Saints will offer all six of their '99 draft choices -- a 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Then they'll add a sweetener---probably one future first-round pick and a third-rounder to try to get the deal done. This would be too rich for the Colts to pass up, even though it would cost them a linebacker they covet, tenacious Chris Claiborne of USC. But if the Colts do turn down the Saints' offer, the fifth pick belongs to Washington. The Redskins would leap at the treasure trove of draft picks. Bottom line: If the Saints want Ricky Williams bad enough, they've got a shot to get him. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's NFL Preview.
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