Mark Sanchez at 13th?

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan

If Malcolm Kelly was surprised we drafted him then he isn't too bright. DS and a contingent of Skins people, including Jason Campbell, flew to Norman to work him out personally prior to the draft.



Mayo might not have been on any mocks (because most mocks are worthless), but we knew he had a personal visit to Redskins Park and I think JLC even had a blog post about the team being interested in him. Probably if you search this site you can find some talk about it someplace.

My point is not to disparage your memories, but to say that I actually do not think that the Skins operate very well in the cloak and dagger department. They try really hard sometimes, but the stories seem to get out. Just off the top of my head, Albert Haynesworth's agent dining with DS at the combine, "secret" private workout with Jason Campbell prior to the 2005 draft, Lance Briggs talk, and the list can go on. Not everything happens, but there is usually some fire behind the smoke. I think the M.O. with this F.O. is that if the stories are out there with more substance than "x high profile free agent is available, the Redskins must be interested" then they usually have some legs.

When the Redskins do deal in smokescreens they are of the "we are not interested in Jason Taylor" and then trade for Jason Taylor variety. Usually the intentions of ownership are fairly obvious by their actions unless they just lie about their intentions.

You are correct about the Skins going to Norman to work out Kelly. But you are overlooking the "we like you, we like you" banter that is part of the process. Apparently we never gave Kelly that vibe although clearly we did like him. We made it look even to Kelly that we were just doing due diligence without real interest. With Sanchez we've done the opposite - very obvious wining and dining, no denials of news reports, etc.

You are correct that sometimes we have failed miserably at cloak-and-dagger. But such antics have worked on other occasions. And the whole trade-up-to-get-Sanchez thing is so blatant, there is no attempt at cloak-and-dagger, not even a failed attempt. It makes me think that it is all a ruse.

As for lying, that is precisely what I am accusing the Skins of. However, it is lying for strategy, as in poker. So let's use the milder term: bluffing.