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| Thursday, April 12 Associated Press | |||
SAN DIEGO – In his final public comments before the NFL draft, San Diego Chargers general manager John Butler was as evasive as Michael Vick.
Physically that's impossible, because Butler is a bear of a man, but the draft is just more than a week away, and Butler isn't saying how the Chargers will use the first pick, or if they've made up their minds.
Will they pick Vick, the sensational former Virginia Tech
quarterback scheduled to spend Thursday visiting the Chargers? Or
will they trade the pick for what would have to be a huge package
of picks and/or players?
The Chargers haven't tried to hide their excitement after seeing Vick both in a private workout and in a workout for several teams.
But Butler spent most of a lunchtime news conference Wednesday either sidestepping questions or passing them off to coach Mike Riley or the six scouts who flanked them.
"We're still working on everything, unforeseen things," Butler
said. "You never know what may happen right up until the very end.
But obviously he sits up there very high. As everyone knows, we've
done a lot of work on him.
"I would just hate to say, 'Doggone right, for sure,' and then have something change overnight or happen. I've been to a lot of drafts. I've seen some strange things happen."
Butler was asked what it would take to trade the pick, and if
the Chargers have received offers.
"A whole bunch, and no, right now," he said.
"We really have to listen. Anytime you don't listen, then you
haven't done your job correctly. I just don't know what people may
want to do or what type of package they might want to come forward
with."
An offer might not come until the day before the draft, or maybe not until the Chargers go on the clock at noon ET on April 21.
The Chargers were an NFL-worst 1-15 last year, but Butler, hired
on Jan. 5 after eight years as GM of the Buffalo Bills, moved
quickly in free agency. He signed quarterback Doug Flutie and
defensive end Marcellus Wiley -- both former Bills -- and two
cornerbacks.
"Say we go out and pick up four or five people for a Michael Vick," Butler said. "You've got to make sure they're the right people. You can get bodies, but bodies don't mean you're going to guarantee great starters.
"You think, Michael Vick, it may take several years on him, but
yet you look down the line and say, 'This may be a special guy,
too.' "
Riley has said he doesn't want the Chargers to be known as the Portland Trail Blazers of the NFL. The Blazers, of course, could have picked Michael Jordan in 1984, but took Sam Bowie instead.
Vick "is a guy that's kind of been cast out there as a unique
person," Riley said. "In that regard, I'd say, yeah, we don't
want to be thought of as the people who passed on him, if he ends
up being what everybody thinks he is. We feel real good about him,
obviously."
Vick, who left Virginia Tech two years early, will spend
Thursday touring the Chargers' headquarters, watching voluntary
workouts and spending time with Riley and offensive coordinator
Norv Turner.
Butler was asked if anything's surfaced that would lead the Chargers to pass on Vick.
"If he cuts in front of the chow line," the GM joked.
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