Fred Taylor asking price, 2 1st Rounders?
Here's the latest from the Fred Taylor front, I dunno if it has been posted on the board yet or not:
Feb. 15, 2002
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
The Miami Dolphins are interested. So are the Cleveland Browns. But they are not the only two teams who have an interest in trading for New Orleans Saints running back Ricky Williams.
There is a third unidentified team that has already talked with the Saints about acquiring Williams, according to a league source.
Add it all up, and it's almost a certainty that Williams will be moved when the trading period begins March 1.
There was a report during Super Bowl week that the Dolphins and Saints had talked, but it said the Saints asked the Dolphins if they would be interested. But according to a source, it was the Dolphins who brought up Williams' name.
Williams has five years left on an eight-year contract, and if he is traded, it would cost the Saints about $2.2 million against the cap. But the Saints feel they have a capable replacement in second-year player Deuce McAllister, the 2001 first-round pick who spotted Williams as a rookie last season. McAllister has the big-play ability -- something the Saints need playing on the fast carpet of the Superdome and that Williams doesn't bring to the offense.
The Saints are likely seeking a first- and third-round pick in exchange for Williams.
Their chances of striking a deal could be hurt by the fact the Jaguars are shopping running back Fred Taylor. A source said the Dolphins and Jaguars have already discussed a trade but that the Jaguars' asking price -- two first-round picks -- was too high.
Taylor played in two games before suffering a serious groin injury that forced him to miss the remainder of last season. When healthy, he is one of the league's best pure runners.
Late in 2002, Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin felt Taylor was healthy enough to play -- even taking him on the road for trips, which he never does for injured players - but Taylor said he wasn't healthy enough to go. That, according to some Jaguars players, angered Coughlin.
That, and not cap reasons, is why the Jaguars hope to move Taylor.
Both Williams and Taylor are the type of back who can be among the best in the league when healthy. It's rare that two players of this caliber are on the market at the same time, which should make for an interesting trading period.