Lions, Seahawks Talk Redding-Peterson Trade UPDATE: Done Deal
By david
The Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are trying to work out a trade that would send Detroit DT Cory Redding to Seattle in exchange for LB Julian Peterson.
If consummated, the deal would once again scramble the top of the draft. Peterson moving to Detroit would likely put an end to talk of Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry as the top overall pick. Meanwhile, mockers who moved off of WR Michael Crabtree to the Seahawks after they signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh and onto the B.J. Raji-to-Seattle bandwagon might have to make yet another switch.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Fox Sports says it’s a done deal.
"Seattle has traded linebacker Julian Peterson to Detroit for defensive tackle Cory Redding and what is believed a 2009 fifth-round draft choice, a source told FOXSports.com."
UPDATE 2: Lions confirm the trade. Props to PFT, which first reported news of the deal, and Fox, which first confirmed it.
Regarding the draft, I have to think this pretty much narrows it down to QB or OT for the Lions with the first pick. Seattle could go just about any direction. If they want instant impact, look for either Crabtree or a running back like Chris Wells. Or they may feel they have added enough to be competitive in 2009 in free agency, and draft an OT or QB “of the future.” And if Curry should somehow slip out of the top three, I can’t see the Seahawks passing on him now. Which would have the virtue of keeping him out of Cleveland’s hands at five.
For the Bengals, this only increases the chance that their OT choice at six is between Andre Smith and Michael Oher. NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan believes that Smith is still worth the sixth pick, but sets that as his ceiling in April.
“Smith looks bad at everything he does except run and pass block,” one o-line coach told Kirwan, which neatly sums up the Bengals’ dilemma. On the field, he’s a beast — but off the field he’s a question mark, and the Bengals have a lousy track record with off-the-field question marks.
Raji, Crabtree, Brian Orakpo and perhaps even Wells, thanks to strong 40 times at OSU’s pro day, could also be in the mix. All we know right now is that the draft just got scrambled…again.
UPDATE 3: Memos from the “I Think I Said That” Dep’t: Kevin Seifert says forget Curry at No. 1, while Mike Sando writes that the trade kills speculation about DT at 4.
I guess I am officially a “squawking head” now…damn. (h/t Le Tigre)