The latest NFC West chat got off to a late start -- my fault there -- but lasted the full hour. Thanks to those who contributed. Transcript here. Highlights below:
Shaun Harper (Salt Lake City, UT ): I'm a big-time 49ers fan. Do they go QB first round? Wouldn't the best option be to try and sign McNabb or Kolb and then maybe still have a shot at getting Ryan Mallet as a back-up for a couple of years?? (Considering there is a 2011 NFL season)
Mike Sando: The market for Donovan McNabb is going to be very, very interesting now that two supposed offensive gurus -- Andy Reid and Mike Shanahan -- decided he was not the quarterback for them. If I'm the 49ers, I'm looking at those situations in Philadelphia and Washington pretty closely. And Jim Harbaugh should have a good feel given his background as a quarterback. Now, would McNabb be better than what the 49ers have had in the recent past? Yes, and that alone makes him a decent fallback option if the team doesn't find in the draft a quarterback to play right away. If you get Kevin Kolb, you're probably giving up draft-choice compensation, which makes it tougher to think of him as a bridge to the future. He sort of needs to be the future, then.
Jacob (Saint Louis): Thank you for all the work you do, Mike. If the two big wide receivers are off the board, do you see the Rams trading down? The Rams have a lot of holes to fill, and this seems to be a deep draft. A little over a week ago, Tim Kavanagh said that he could see the Steelers trading up. Would a trade with them even be possible?
Mike Sando: The Steelers trade draft choices less frequently than most teams trade them. When they do look to make a deal, watch out. They tend to have a good reason. The last time they traded up into that No. 14 range, they snagged Troy Polamalu at No. 16. The Rams need quality, too, so I wouldn't move back too far. And it's really unlikely, I think, that Pittsburgh would move up from No. 31 all the way to No. 14. That is a big jump and would be costly.
Shane (Los Angeles, CA): Who would you pick at #5 for the Cards? Assume that your pick is in play at No. 5. If PP7 [Patrick Peterson] is there and they don't want him, there would be NO shortage of teams looking to trade up (Eagles, Cowboys, maybe Pats for starters). What do you think about the Cards trading down?
Mike Sando: OK, I would go with Blaine Gabbert at No. 5 based on what I've heard about him (I do not pretend to have first-hand knowledge based on scouting!). If he were not there and Patrick Peterson were there, I would definitely consider moving back. The Cardinals already have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. They do not need a stable of top cornerbacks to make that defense work. They need outside linebackers to amp up the pass rush. They also need additional picks. If they could get the pass-rusher and additional picks to help them address, say, their offensive line (a position that can be addressed successfully later in the draft), go for it.
Ben (Portland): John Schneider was one of only 2 GMs at Mallett's pro day and has scheduled a private workout with Locker. Can we expect a 1st-round QB on draft day or is Schneider just exploring all the options?
Mike Sando: The Seahawks have to seriously consider a quarterback in this draft based on their current situation at the position. I think their interest in re-signing Matt Hasselbeck has obvious limits, and those limits explain why Hasselbeck has not yet re-signed with the team. As far as whether Schneider attends specific workouts, I can tell you this: He is GM, but like his mentor, Ted Thompson, he is still a scout at heart. He likes to do the work. And so it makes sense for him to check out players with his own eyes.
One more thing: You're welcome, Jacob. Thanks for tuning in.