The Redskins have done all the preparing they can do with this week’s NFL draft approaching at long last.
“We’re going to do our best job not to lie to anybody today,” team president Bruce Allen cracked. Secrecy still reigns. There are 32 teams vying for the top college football talent and no one wants opponents to get a handle on their thinking. “If we mislead 31 other teams then it’s successful.”
But if Washington’s executives weren’t willing to divulge much beyond the process of evaluating their potential draft picks, they did provide other interesting tidbits: Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins, a potential trade chip with Robert Griffin III entrenched as the starter, isn’t in play right now, Allen claimed. But that could change as teams evaluate their own quarterback prospects and who they are able to acquire in the draft.
“No. No conversations,” Allen said. “As I said, we have three quarterbacks who can win for us and we’re happy to have Kurt on the team.”
Allen was also asked about the status of safety Tanard Jackson, who was suspended by the NFL prior to the 2012 season and has not played since. He was “conditionally reinstated” by the NFL on Monday and was expected to take a physical later on Tuesday.
“If he meets all of those conditions that the NFL has laid out for him, after meeting with him we might give him a chance,” Allen said.
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Jackson could serve as a backup to free agent signee Ryan Clark, but he also hasn’t played three of the last four seasons and has to make the team first. Allen said that Jackson’s presence “won’t affect the draft at all” and that the Redskins could target more safeties, a position of need going into the offseason.
• Brian McNally can be reached at bmcnally@washingtontimes.com.
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