Cam Newton is on the clock.
The Washington Redskins might take the Auburn quarterback with the 10th pick. That is, if Carolina doesn’t grab him at No. 1 overall. Or if Buffalo, Cincinnati or Arizona — with the third through fifth picks, respectively, in April 28’s NFL Draft — don’t pick Newton either.
Nothing is more alluring than a gifted quarterback — even if he has more red flags than a road crew worker. Maybe teams are too focused on trying to hit it big with a franchise cornerstone. Perhaps they’re too afraid of not picking him. What team wants to admit it took Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan?
Missing on a quarterback with a first-round pick can be a career breaker for general managers. Ask Charley Casserly about Heath Shuler or even Vinny Cerrato about Patrick Ramsey and Jason Campbell. The Redskins never recovered from the three misses, though at least Campbell was decent.
Blaine Gabbert and Newton are this year’s darlings of the draft. Neither is worthy of a top-10 selection, but quarterbacks are always taken earlier than they should be. That’s because horrible teams usually need one.
Gabbert seems to have more upside, but Newton’s mobility is greater. It largely comes down to what a team wants.
But it’s never simple. Teams overanalyze this decision to the subatomic level. District council chairman Kwame Brown’s car deals see less scrutiny.
The Redskins likely have stopped contemplating Newton scenarios. There seems to be a better chance of the Redskins moving down in exchange for a third-round pick and still filling a need. Moving up seems even more remote because the Redskins essentially have only two worthwhile selections. No current player can be included in a trade because of the labor lockout.
But what if Newton is still available come Washington’s turn? Would tales of alleged poor work habits and parental misconduct scare off the Redskins? Hardly — the Redskins aren’t afraid to take on problems.
But neither is Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis. If he gets a chance at Newton at No. 4, the passer is off the board. Arizona is desperate for a quarterback; the Cardinals probably can return to the playoffs with even a modest one.
Carolina and Buffalo could bypass Newton, but Cincinnati and Arizona probably won’t. If they do, Washington faces a paralyzing quandary. Fortunately, they would get an hour to ponder Newton because Cleveland, San Francisco, Tennessee and Dallas at six through nine won’t take him.
Given the offseason shutdown that likely will continue into September, this isn’t the year to gamble on a prospective passer. Washington would be smarter filling needs at either defensive end, outside linebacker, receiver or even right tackle.
But nobody remembers the hits, only the misses. If Washington lets Newton go to Minnesota at No. 12 and the Vikings reach the playoffs, there will be no shortage of second guessers.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
