selecting Willis McGahee just became riskier

[cthomer5000]

NFL | McGahee Thinking It Over? - posted at KFFL (http://nfl.kffl.com)
13:10 PT: According to Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com , there is some talk among some teams that if University of Miami RB Willis McGahee (knee) isn't happy with the round in which he is taken in next month's NFL Draft, he will simply refuse to sign a contract. He will then spend a full year rehabilitating from his devastating knee injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl, and go back into the 2004 draft.


Looks like some real posturing to get him selected by the end of the second round. I don't like this at all, but if you're a money-obsessed agent, I guess I can understand. I think if he sits the year out the earliest he will get selected next year is late round 2. But he won't have the benefit of learning a playbook or rehabbing with NFL doctors and facilities.

[GoldenEagle]

I dont think that would be a smart move on McGahee's part.

[Leonidas]

I'm not so sure this is a bad move. It all depends how confident he is that he can come back. This guy was one of the best college RBs I ever saw. He was certainly better then Edgerrin James (faster). He did not work out at either the combine or Miami workout yesterday. So the big unknown is really for his recovery.

If he can afford to take a year off, then come back next year and have the kind of workout at the combine he expected before the injury (or at least something close) then he probably becomes a top 15 choice without having risked re-injury or downgrading himself by playing in any games. The difference between a top 15 choice and anything below round 2 is probably worth taking a year off, IF he is that certain he can recover from the injury. If he's not sure how the knee comes back then he needs to take his best shot now.

[damnMikeBrown]

As a GM, no way I think of this guy before the 4th round. No way I take him before the 5th. With his threats, no way I take him. Just as soon burn a pick on a back who will actually play, thankyou very much.

At least I feel somewhat protected, in that the Bungles already have Dillon & capable backups. At least our nitwit won't blow up the draft by taking this guy.

[ice4277]

As a GM, no way I think of this guy before the 4th round. No way I take him before the 5th.

Are you kidding me? The upside to this guy is incredible. Yes, I know, he's coming off a serious knee injury, but if you draft him and the knee is ok, you're basically stealing a top three pick later in the draft. Depending on how he runs and moves, and after having the doctors take a long hard look at him, if they said he was fine, I would consider taking him in the second. Sometimes you have to gamble.

[sabotai]

"At least I feel somewhat protected, in that the Bungles already have Dillon & capable backups. At least our nitwit won't blow up the draft by taking this guy."

Famous last words. :)

[damnMikeBrown]

As a GM, no way I think of this guy before the 4th round. No way I take him before the 5th. With his threats, no way I take him. Just as soon burn a pick on a back who will actually play, thankyou very much.

At least I feel somewhat protected, in that the Bungles already have Dillon & capable backups. At least our nitwit won't blow up the draft by taking this guy.

[kcchief19]

Anybody here have deja vu?

[ice4277]

Anybody here have deja vu?

[bosshogg23]

If im Houston, I take him with the first pick of the 3rd round. They are the ONLY team I can think of that is in sort of a "grace" period and can wait out his injury.

They can sign a running back(resign Allen) and win 6 games and it is ok for them.

I believe if he plays in 4 games, he loses his chance at his injury(insurance) claim. So he wont play next year unless he is 100% confident his injury is healed because he wont have a contract more than 1.5 million which his insurance is for.

[Logan]

From Pasquarelli's ESPN column:

There is a suspicion among some teams that if University of Miami tailback Willis McGahee isn't happy with the round in which he is taken next month, he will simply refuse to sign a contract, spend a full year rehabilitating from his devastating knee injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl, and go back into the 2004 draft. The theory is that a 100 percent healthy McGahee, even after a one-year hiatus from the game, would still be a top 10 choice in 2004.

But potential suitors concerned by that possibility, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.com this week, need not worry. The tailback, who continues his recovery at an incredible pace, has every intention of signing with the team that chooses him this year. "Going back (into the '04 draft) isn't even an option," Rosenhaus said. "Willis wants to get into the league as quickly as possible. Let's face it, the faster that's accomplished, the faster he gets to a second contract. His mindset is that he will play this season. That's his total focus." Unless some team gambles and takes him in the first round -- there are rumors that Oakland, with consecutive choices at the end of the first stanza, might consider such a luxury -- McGahee's second contract will be more lucrative than the one he signs as a rookie. It will be interesting to see how the team that chooses McGahee handles his ongoing recovery. Several teams have suggested to ESPN.com that they prefer the Hurricanes star simply "redshirt" in 2003. McGahee and Dr. John Uribe, who repaired the catastrophic damage to his knee, still insist the tailback can be back on the field for at least a portion of training camp.

[damnMikeBrown]

I wasn't dola'ing, I was daje vu'ing.

[Swaggs]

I don't think you take him until toward the end of the first day.

[Leonidas]

If I had two second round picks, one kinda late, I might consider burning one. If it pans out you have a pro bowl RB. If it doesn't oh well. Half the guys picked in that round flop anyways. He's the best I saw all year in college, not even close.

[cthomer5000]

If I were Houston I'd consider him in the third round. They have the extra picks to spend. If I was another team, I don't know if I'd touch him before round 4.

[IMetTrentGreen]

willis magahee = archie griffin. write it down

[Subby]

Originally posted by IMetTrentGreen
willis magahee = archie griffin. write it down Ok, I wrote it down. Now what?

[IMetTrentGreen]

get back on the short bus