Rumblings persist that the Washington Redskins want to move up, perhaps as high as the Denver Broncos' No. 2 overall pick Thursday, to ensure they land a quarterback in the NFL draft.
Several general managers believe the Redskins, who are expected to cut ties with veteran Donovan McNabb, will make the move to land Missouri's Blaine Gabbert. The Redskins have strong reports on Gabbert and University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, and some inside the organization believe Gabbert is worthy of the No. 1 pick.
Gabbert could be available to the Redskins at No. 10, where they are scheduled to pick for now. But there are no assurances, and if Gabbert is a potential franchise quarterback, then Washington's desire to make sure it can secure him will be great.
With just two picks in the first four rounds and eight overall, the Redskins lack the assets in this draft to move up to No. 2, according to the charts that most teams use regarding trade compensation. But including future picks in the deal could offset the difference, and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has never shied away from doing that.
Also, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has ties to two prominent figures in the Broncos' organization -- executive vice president of football operations John Elway and general manager Brian Xanders. Shanahan coached Elway in Denver and worked directly with Xanders.
The Broncos, according to team sources, are very open to trading down and have interest in Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who could be available around the 10th pick. Denver, which is in rebuilding mode, covets additional selections and would greatly benefit from moving down in this economic climate.
