Draft Grades: Seahawks

You have to love the Seahawks 1st-round pick. Aaron Curry is going to be a star in this league, especially now that he's landed in Seattle playing behind a talented defensive line and next to Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu. He's going to be the preseason favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Max Unger was a great 2nd-round selection. He has experiece at nearly every offensive line position, although he's best suited to play center or right tackle in the pros. Since Chris Spencer has the center position locked down, he'll likely be moved to tackle and compete with Sean Locklear for the starting job on the right side. There's no rush to move him into the starting lineup, however.

I'm not a fan of the selection of Deon Butler. He has speed, but thats about it. The best-case scenario for him is to be a 3rd receiver.

They reached for Mike Teel, even in the 6th round. A player like Teel simply isn't worth drafting. He had plenty of experience against top competition and failed to develop into an adequate starter. He closed out his senior year with some impressive numbers, but he is a poor decision maker. That's not something that changes drastically without getting playing time, and we know he isn't going to get much behind Hasselbeck.

Teel's teamate Courtney Greene had good value in the 6th round. Both of Seattle's starting safeties, Deon Butler and Brian Russell, are over the age of 30, so some youth was needed.

I love the selection of Nick Reed. He's a hard worker that is sure to make an impact on special teams. He may be moved to linebacker and it probably nothing more than a backup, but he's the type of player that every team needs because of his work ethic and willingness to do anything asked of him.

Cameron Morrah could be a steal in the 7th round. He's a good athlete that was just starting to show signs of developing into a quality receiver last year. He left school early and could have climbed as high as the 3rd round had he stuck around for his senior year.

Overall the Seahawks had a very solid draft. They got one instant impact player (Curry) and another future starter in Unger. Their second day picks don't project as starters, but they should add some quality depth. They were able to address every position of need, which is key to a successful draft.

Grade: B+

Jaguars Sign Torry Holt

The Jaguars have agreed to a 2-year contract with former Rams receiver Torry Holt. The addition of Holt further leads me to believe that Mark Sanchez and Jeremy Maclin are unlikely options for the Jaguars.

Why? Because the additions of Holt and Tra Thomas are clearly moves to make them competitive in the near future. Rookie quarterbacks and receivers very rarely have a significant impact on a playoff team, so selecting Sanchez or Maclin would be a step in the wrong direction.

So who are realistic options? Well if either Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith were to fall, they would be the obvious choices. Either one could start at right tackle over Tony Pashos immediately. Michael Oher is also a very real possibility given his ability to step in and start right away on the offensive line. B.J. Raji is also an option, and could be the most likely option. Aaron Curry is another player that could start right away, but odds are he'll be off the board.

Breaking Down the Browns Trade Rumors

The team controlling the shape of the 1st round right now is the Cleveland Browns. Already owning the 5th overall selection, the Browns could land two more picks by draft day.

The first rumor, which has been widely reported for the past two weeks, is that they will send Braylon Edwards to the Giants for some combination of a 1st-round pick, 3rd-round pick and Steve Smith or Dominick Hixon. This would be a controversial move for the Browns, who have a legitimate playoff caliber-offense when everyone is healthy. Shipping Edwards off to New York would make either David Patten or Josh Cribbs the top receiver on the depth chart (at least until they select Crabtree 5th overall, that is). If the Giants are able to land Anquan Boldin, however, the Browns have to pass on Crabtree and select either a linebacker (Aaron Curry, Brian Orakpo, Aaron Maybin) or tackle (Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith - whoever falls).

The other rumor is sure to make even more waves around the league if it comes to fruition. The 49ers are reportedly interested in Brady Quinn and could offer the Browns the 10th overall pick. Its tough to say who the Browns would target with this selection. A linebacker is certainly an option, but not if they select one 5th overall. This could be where they address the offensive line with Andre Smith or Michael Oher. Or they could go with the best available defensive player (B.J. Raji? Malcolm Jenkins?)

Its all speculation at this point, as you simply can't trust any rumors you hear this time of year, but its safe to assume the Browns are at least discussing these trade options which could shake up the 1st round.