As the Redskins make no secret of their interest in quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, and Colt McCoy -- and as they seem to be more than willing to allow the names of other potential pre-draft visitors to leak -- a growing number of league insiders are trying to figure out precisely what the Redskins plan to do with the fourth pick in the first round.
Some think the Redskins are laying the foundation for a move up to No. 1, in an effort to get Bradford. Others think the Redskins are hoping to trade down by creating a top-five market for Clausen.
The only sure thing is that the Redskins under coach Mike Shanahan and G.M. Bruce Allen know damn well what they’re doing -- even if no one else does.
Four years ago, Shanahan maneuvered into position to land quarterback Jay Cutler with the No. 11 pick in the draft at a time when Shanahan had not publicly courted the Vanderbilt quarterback. Today, with the Redskins already purging several big-name players and rumors flying that multiple other holdovers with high name recognition could be added to looming trade offers, the Shanahan-Allen regime is keeping everyone guessing as the draft approaches.
Regardless of how everything turns out, the fact that no one knows what the Redskins plan to do is creating an extra layer of anticipation and intrigue as the draft approaches.