The Draft Chess Game in Full Swing

With the 2009 NFL Draft only two days away, the Detroit Lions are in negotiations to various degrees with three players while everyone else in the top of the draft is doing their best to create smokescreens and illusions to their true draft plans. Drumming up trade interests and throwing other teams of course has long been the strategy of NFL teams leading up to the draft. Beat writers in the know are used like pawns, while mainstream media reporters are knights sent out to do battle on behalf of sports agents and general managers around the league.

If you believe a tenth of the information being shoveled this week, god bless your whimsical smile and trusting attitude. This is the NFL Draft, where the weak get pushed aside and the crafty plunder their way to the top of the draft order or dastardly find a way to make the player they truly covet fall. This is the time of false drug reports, busted wonderlic tests, and phony concerns of supposed chronic injuries. This is the time of the NFL Draft.

So, in that vein, let's attempt to categorize all of the "news" involving the organizations in the top 5

1.

04/21 - By all available accounts, the Lions seem to be set on QB Matthew Stafford and barring an unfortunate turn in contract negotiations, he'll be the first overall pick. While reports indicate the most teams have Mark Sanchez rated higher on their draft boards, Sanchez's name has yet to be linked to Detroit.
04/21 - OT Jason Smith appears to be the favorite if the Stafford deal falls apart with OT Earl Monroe reportedly "out of the mix" per ESPN's John Clayton
04/22 - LB Aaron Curry is the darkhorse candidate and has publicly declared to the Detroit Free Press he would take a lesser deal than last year's number one overall pick, Jake Long, officially endearing him to the Ford family

04/22 - The Lions have reportedly made their final offer to Stafford with a Friday deadline.  If Stafford and his agent balks, the Lions have a deal in place with Aaron Curry.

ONCE THE SMOKE CLEARS: QB Matt Stafford should sign the deal by Friday

2.

04/15 - The St. Louis Dispatch reported a week ago that the Rams were split on OT's Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe
04/19 - The National Football Post reported that OT Jason Smith has the edge over Monroe
04/19 - Rams VP Tony Softli called Mark Sanchez "the riskiest" QB in the draft due to him only playing in 16 games at USC
04/21 - The St. Louis Dispatch reported that the Rams were seriously considering LB Aaron Curry
04/21 - Profootballtalk.com reported that the Rams were deciding between Sanchez and Monroe and that OT Jason Smith was now on the outside looking in
04/21 - The National Football post declared the Rams were actively shopping the 2nd overall pick, presumably for teams interested in moving up to obtain Mark Sanchez ahead of the Seahawks and/or Aaron Curry ahead of the Chiefs, or to obtain one of either offensive tackles
04/21 - The National Football post also declared that the Rams were not truly considering Mark Sanchez

ONCE THE SMOKE CLEARS: The Rams are doing their best to drum up trade interest, but in the end take either of the offensive tackles, with Earl Monroe currently in the lead

3.
04/19 - The National Football Post declares the Chiefs are in love with DE Tyson Jackson and will be looking to trade down a few spots to land him
04/20 - Peter King of SI writes that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is eyeing the three spot to move up and take Mark Sanchez
04/20 - NFL.com's Gil Brandt declares that DE Tyson Jackson will be a top 5 pick, probably assuming the Chiefs may take him at 3, which they won't
04/20 - The Kansas City Star believes the Chiefs are less likely to take Aaron Curry at 3 of all of the available prospects
04/22 - Peter King of SI writes that the Chiefs are desperately trying to get out of the 3 spot

ONCE THE SMOKE CLEARS: any team hoping to get Mark Sanchez will most likely have to get this pick to make it happen. The Jets, Broncos and Redskins have been linked, but the Skins appear to be more inclined to make this move

4.
04/07 - The National Football Post declares that the 'Hawks will select either Monroe or Smith if one of them falls to 4
04/17 - Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell states that QB Matt Hasselbeck is "still in his prime"
04/20 - ESPN's Todd McShay is told that the Seahawks would draft Sanchez over Stafford if both were available. On a side note, that report doesn't actually say the Seahawks will be drafting one or the other, only clarifying that the Seahawks have Sanchez rated higher
04/21 - The NY Daily News suggests that the Seahawks will take Michael Crabtree at 4

ONCE THE SMOKE CLEARS: While Sanchez is a popular mock landing spot in Seattle, the Seahawks brass hasn't said anything indicating their feelings on Sanchez, so perhaps the Chiefs and Rams are floating rumors of the Seahawks interest to drum up trade talks of their own. Seattle will most likely take the higher player on their board between both offensive tackles, Michael Crabtree or Aaron Curry

5.
- The Braylon Edwards trade rumors are in full swing, with many papers on news outlets declaring the Giants as the landing spot
04/16 - GM George Kokonis says the team has no concerns over WR Michael Crabtree's health after his foot surgery
04/22 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer cites "sources" indicating that the Browns have fallen in love with Crabtree
04/22 - Profootballtalk.com reports that Crabtree's interview with the Browns have them second guessing his addition to the ballclub. Evidently Crabtree came off as brash and opiniated, something that rubs Eric Mangini the wrong way
04/22 - Don Banks of SI says the Browns are also considering DE Tyson Jackson

ONCE THE SMOKE CLEARS: Michael Crabtree if Braylon Edwards is dealth.  If Seattle takes Crabtree, then the Browns will try to move out if a team is eyeing one of the tackles that fell, or select Tyson Jackson