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Let's flash back about seven years to the 2007 NFL Draft. That was the year the Raiders took JaMarcus Russell No. 1 overall. The Browns took Joe Thomas with the third pick and the Cowboys came on the clock with the 22nd pick with Brady Quinn still on the board. As you know, the Browns ultimately traded up to the Cowboys 22nd pick, one spot ahead of the Chiefs's 23rd pick, to select Quinn.
"Here's something that a lot of people don't know," Quinn said recently on NFL Network. "During that pick, I was on the phone with the Baltimore Ravens the entire time. I was talking with Ozzie Newsome, at the time coach Billick and coach Neuheisel. I hadn't interviewed with them or worked out for them or anything. All of a sudden with a minute left, I get a call from a 216 area code, which happened to be Cleveland. It was the Browns calling me they were rrading up to the 22nd pick. The Ravens were going to take me with the 23rd pick."
The Ravens were going to take him with the 23rd pick, huh? The Chiefs actually owned that pick, which suggests the Ravens were prepared to move up and take Quinn with the Chiefs pick. Of course, that didn't happen. Cleveland moved up to the Cowboys 22nd pick and took Quinn directly ahead of the Chiefs. The Chiefs draft pick that year? That would be one Dwayne Lorenzo Bowe.
Based on the Ravens history of moving their first round picks, the story of them wanting to trade up is believable. They had no second round pick that year but two third round picks.
What I've always wondered about -- you guys know I was a big Brady Quinn fan, right? -- is whether the Chiefs would've taken Quinn had he been on the board at the 23rd pick. Years later, people have said then Chiefs GM Carl Peterson would have made the move. But based on the 20-plus years of King Carl's time with the Chiefs, it seems unlikely he would have pulled the trigger.
Somehow, someway, after all these years I find ways to write about MY GUY Brady Quinn.
The Ravens ended up taking guard Ben Grubbs at the end of the first round and with one of their third round picks they selected Marshal Yanda. I'm thinking I would rather have Dwayne Bowe than that package. How about you?