Smoke Signals: Redskins to screw up the draft?

Last night I analyzed the Redskins 2010 regular season schedule and the trade for former Rams DL Adam Carriker.

Peter King of SI tweets that the Redskins will trade Jason Campbell for any reasonable offer, but to get Albert Haynesworth teams will have to "blow Skins away" with a whopper of a deal. Obviously, that's a bargaining position, but I certainly hope the Redskins do not intend to trade Haynesworth for less than a first round pick.

ESPN Draft specialists Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are both still insisting that the Redskins could go for a quarterback in the first round. Considering what Donovan McNabb will be getting in salary next year, taking a quarterback in the first round would probably commit the Redskins to spending $20 million or so per year on that one position. Now, I know quarterback is the most important position in the game, but $20 million seems like a lot, especially when you consider that the salary cap will eventually return to the NFL, whether I or the NFL Players Association like it or not.

There are persistent rumors that the Redskins will screw up and take OT Trent Williams instead of OT Russell Okung. That's a big mistake in my opinion. And not just my opinion.

said, "Some games [Williams] did not play to the level of his talent. You lose a little bit by not taking Okung."

Okung is the safe pick. He's got 36" long arms, is  healthy, almost never gets beat, handles himself very well in the run and pass game and is the least likely offensive player in this draft to be a bust. He's the safe pick, he's the smart pick and he fills a position of need. He will be ready to start on day one. Passing on Okung would be a huge mistake.

If you like crap, here's more of it about how Williams is a better fit than Okung. It's nonsense.

NFL Draft specialist Mike Mayock explains why the Redskins are likely to be one of those teams not moving around on draft night:

] Haynesworth, and they're creative. The way I look at it as it's a lot simpler than that. I look at it, okay, they've got McNabb, who is not as old as people think. I think he's got three or four years left in him. They've got a solid defense, they've got a running attack and because of what Shanahan does, it'll be a better running attack. They need a left tackle.

Former Redskins personnel chief Vinny Cerrato thinks the Redskins will draft Okung [hope he's right, for once!] and will win 9 games with or without McNabb. [Not so sure about that one!]

The Redskins are shopping WR Devin Thomas. What's the point of that? Sure, he's been a big disappointment, but that only means they can't get much for him. Better to see if the Shannys can make something of him.

The Redskins are still shopping Haynesworth, of course, and have been for months. They want at least a 2nd round pick, but haven't received the offers they want so far. I can't imagine trading a star defensive lineman with a very affordable contract [now] for less than a 1st round pick. If the Redskins don't trade Haynesworth during the draft it is likely he won't be traded at all this offseason. We will see what sort of grapes Shanny and Bruce Allen have got. If they trade Haynesworth for less than a one, they got rolled and probably aren't up to this job. If they get the first round pick [or a first round player], it's a good sign. This has to be about more than Mike Shanahan's ego. It's about what is best for the team and trading away an affordable star defensive lineman for less than a 1st round picks is definitely NOT in the best interest of the Redskins.

Rich Tandler has the Redskins finishing 8-8 next year. That's about where I am, too, though I them getting to .500 in a slightly different fashion.

Watch Ryan O'Halloran and Russ Thaler discuss the 2010 schedule on Comcast: