What really happened at pick #19...

[DannyNoonan]

This is from the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

"When the day began, the Vikings had identified a group of five targeted players they thought might be available at the No. 19 pick: linebacker D.J. Williams, offensive lineman Vernon Carey, defensive linemen Will Smith and Udeze, and receiver Michael Clayton.

The Vikings preferred Smith first, followed closely by Udeze. And after the Denver Broncos selected Williams with 17th pick, the Vikings knew they would get one of the defensive linemen.

The phone then began to ring in earnest. As New Orleans took Smith with the No. 18 pick, several teams called the Vikings in hopes of moving to the No. 19 spot.

New England, Seattle, and Dallas all inquired. Miami -- which coveted Carey -- offered the safest bet and the only choice that ensured Udeze's availability."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/510/4741198.html

This does not verify that New England wanted Carey, but it does show that other teams, including the Pats, were trying to trade into the pick. It also shows that Carey was on the Vikings board, although not their top priority at the time.

 

[phunwin]

Thanks for posting. Good to have some further confirmation that Spielman didn't get outfoxed.

 

[dolfanreal69]

My thing is we ended up with more picks than when we started and added some good players to our football team.Dolfanreal69

 

[Surferosa]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...tions/sunday/sports_04b853c396ea20aa004c.html

DAVIE -- With the first pick in his tenure as Dolphins general manager, Rick Spielman was not going to leave the first round without a player he had targeted.

After tackle Shawn Andrews and receiver Michael Clayton went off the board ahead of Miami and with the threat of Minnesota drafting offensive lineman Vernon Carey or trading the pick to an interested team, Spielman pulled the trigger.

Spielman dealt Miami's fourth-round pick to the Vikings to move up from No. 20 to No. 19 and secure Carey, the Miami Hurricane who is expected by most to start at right tackle next season.

"Some teams were trying to hop us to get up to Minnesota's pick," Spielman said. "They were on the phone with two other teams that I knew needed offensive lineman and we weren't going to take the chance of not getting Vernon Carey."

Carey said the Patriots were one of the teams keeping him on the phone.

I dont care what the Pats say, Carey HIMSELF siad that the Pats were keeping him on the line while they called the Vikes to move up. What more do you want?

 

[dolfanreal69]

Was it the pats? Or was it Rosenhaus?dolfanreal69

 

[Surferosa]

I took that from the article ion the Palm Beach Post. Article says it was Carey who said the Pats had him on hold.

 

[Merman]

I read the same article where this quote was also taken:

A final, frightening scenario wafted through the draft room before the deal was finalized: What if the Dolphins traded the No. 19 pick to a team that wanted Udeze? The Vikings would have gained the extra pick but missed out on a player that would have filled one of their most critical positions.

Such a mistake would have emptied the egg cartons of every Vikings fan in the Midwest. It was something Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings vice president of football operations, didn't want to consider.

So Brzezinski, who worked in the Dolphins' front office for six years before joining the Vikings in 1999, made one final demand: Dolphins General Manager Rick Spielman had to pledge not to trade the pick -- a request for honesty during the most nefarious weekend of the NFL year.

Spielman agreed, and the Vikings agreed to the deal. Brzezinski said he probably would not have done so with any other team, and Tice added: "They gave us their word . . . and then and only then were we comfortable making the trade."

It seems quite apparent to me that Spielman was taken advantage of because everyone and his brother knew the Dolphins had to have Carey. It was also common knowledge the Patriots needed a Nose Tackle and the Cowboys needed a Running Back first and then a lineman with there first round picks.

A more plausible explanation IMO was Rob Brzezinski, Spielman's buddy was wecloming him to the big game by clipping him for a minor draft pick. Or maybe not a welcome but just a down right hoodwink to a rookie GM that could not afford any mistakes.

 

[touborg]

I'll take Careys word over "common knowledge".

 

[Merman]

During the draft, Minnesota called and told him to stay close to the phone. Then the Dolphins called.

"They had me on hold for three selections, just had me on hold," Carey said.

Finally, the Dolphins gave up a fourth-round pick to swap spots with the Vikings and selected Carey.

"He said, `When [Philadelphia] took [Arkansas tackle] Shawn Andrews, I knew I was going to go to the Dolphins,'" Banks said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...pr25,0,4839751.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front

The Patriots did call earlier in the day but it was the Dolphins who kept Carey on the phone.

Besides the Patriots' biggest need was DT common knowledge or not. The call could have easily been to confirm that the Dolphins were really interested in Carey rather than Wilfork. If the Dolphins didn't need another OT, DT Wilfork would have been the better pick. With so many FA lineman signings wouldn't you double check to make sure the Dolphins weren't trying to steal your number one pick.

The Patriots, who had the No. 21 selection, had called Carey earlier in the draft and may have been negotiating with Minnesota for the chance to acquire his services. Dallas, which picked at No. 22, also wanted to trade with Minnesota, but a team source told the Dallas Morning-News that it wasn't to select Carey.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...pr25,0,6240159.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front

 

[Jimmy James]

I see nothing here to make anybody move from their position. My position is that RS did a reasonable thing but that it may not have been necessary. Minnesota and Miami were in essentially the same position -- they had one guy they really wanted who was on the board at 19, and they had excellent reason to believe that they wouldn't get that guy if they picked past 20. A really gutsy GM would make Minny eat their pick in that situation, but getting that one guy was more important than the 4th rounder to RS. I personally call that panic because I don't believe in the whole rationale for why we needed that one specific guy. RS and those of you who advocate drafting for need will differ.

The most interesting thing about this to me is how it isn't going away. I wonder if Oliver Stone will be making a movie about this in 10 years...

 

[inFINSible]

So, after two days of sifting through scouting reports, perusing medical reports, studying 40-yard times, and making selections, the preliminary results are in and the New England Patriots seem to have won the divisional battle.

It appears the Buffalo Bills helped themselves, although it's unclear whether it's in the short term or the long term, and the Miami Dolphins got their first priority filled in a big way by eluding the Patriots' efforts to subvert them, but the big winner in the AFC East seemed to be the defending Super Bowl champions.....

link sausage

 

[Section126]

We wuz robbed.

 

[Muck]

It was also common knowledge the Patriots needed a Nose Tackle and the Cowboys needed a Running Back first and then a lineman with there first round picks.

But didn't Dallas PASS on a RB in the 1st when they had their choice of any RB in the draft??

Also, the Pats did indeed need a NT. But they do have Keith Traylor there, meaning they could have waited until 31 or even later to address the position if they so choosed.

Doesn't matter now anyway. :) It's done with. And we came away with the player we wanted and needed. Speilman might have gotten taken. We'll never know for sure. But you can't fault the guy for doing what he did when his back was against the wall. He HAD to get Carey because there was no one left in the draft or FA that would have filled that gaping hole at RT. Better safe than sorry.

Can't always have your cake and eat it too.

 

[dolfan4good]

I think RS felt that missing out on Vernon Carey would not be worth a 4th round pick and so he made the decision to trade up one spot. Was he bamboozeled? Maybe he was, but what did he REALLY give up? A player that most probably would be a backup for a couple of years? I think he made the SAFE move and picked up the player he coveted and the team desperately needed.

 

[Jimmy James]

I hate this freaking "what did he give up?" argument. You guys can't have it both ways. Either accept that a 4th rounder would have probably been a guy with more potential than the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounders, or write those guys off right now just like you're writing off that 4th rounder.