Tennessee Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (12) throws a pass against the New York Jets during their game on Dec. 14, 2014, in Nashville.The NFL will change drastically this time next week.
There are so many different scenarios that the Washington Redskins are offering $1 million for anyone who can submit a perfect first-round mock draft.
So, yes, there's a lot to dissect.
And it's doubly meaningful for the two teams within a couple of hours of the Scenic City.
The Tennessee Titans have emerged as the swing team of next week's draft.
Jay GreesonBy almost all accounts, the Tampa Bay Bucs will take Jameis Winston No. 1. Then comes Tennessee at No. 2, and if the Titans do not want to go quarterback with Marcus Mariota, there are several teams looking to move up that believe Mariota is a franchise guy.
Here are four interesting scenarios that could be floated:
* We have covered the Chargers deal in this space previously. To recap, it would be the Titans dealing the No. 2 pick to San Diego for Philip Rivers and the No. 17 pick in round one. This has some appeal on a lot of fronts -- as long as the Titans are assured of being able to sign Rivers to another contract -- and addresses the team's glaring lack of a franchise face.
* The New York Jets are picking at No. 6, and there has even been talk about them moving up to No. 1 to make sure they get Mariota. Tampa Bay has since entered the "We'd be willing to trade the first pick" song and dance, but that feels more like a hollow offer and the Bucs trying to see if someone will pay a king's ransom.
Either way, the Bucs need a QB, and the only way they would move back to No. 6 is if they still believed they could get Mariota or Winston. The Jets may hold out a small glimmer of hope of that scenario -- after the Titans, the picks go Jaguars, Raiders, Redskins, and each of those teams has much bigger needs than quarterback -- but that's not assured. The Jets would offer a very high pick back to the Titans and likely would have to pay something similar to what Washington paid for Robert Griffin III, which became three first-round picks.
* There long have been whispers that the mad scientist who is Chip Kelly would love to make Marcus Mariota a Philadelphia Eagle, but Kelly already has four quarterbacks on his roster, including three former first-round picks. So there's that.
* Then there is talk of several crazy scenarios that include a host of teams such as St. Louis, Chicago and Cleveland. The Rams have a wealth of talent at positions such as running back and defensive line -- areas where the Titans could use help. The Bears are looking to part ways with Jay Cutler and would love to ship him to Nashville, but that would mean the Titans taking on his monster contract. This one would have to be very rich in picks for the Titans, and it seems a lot like the Braves' approach when they packaged Craig Kimbrel in a deal so the Padres would take Stinky Upton's awful contract.
Then there are the Browns, who now seem to be back among the interested parties looking at quarterbacks despite having taken Johnny Football last year. This seems like a stretch, but the Browns need something, and sometimes desperate times generate desperate offers.
We believe the first two scenarios could happen and the last two seem like long shots.
Either way, the Titans are the central point of the NFL draft. And it continues into round two, when the Titans have the first pick Friday, which means any projected first-rounder who falls and is coveted by a particular team could elicit enticing trade options.
And in some ways it works better for the Titans that they don't have the No. 1 pick if they are looking for a quarterback.
Most notably the team more than the quarterback determines whether a guy even has a chance to win a Super Bowl. Sure, the quarterback will become the biggest reason, but there really are only six or eight teams that have a legit chance at the Super Bowl, and none of them are looking for a QB.
Look at it this way: The last No. 1 overall pick quarterback to win a Super Bowl not named Manning was Troy Aikman in 1989.
Even as great as Andrew Luck is and will be, the Colts are multiple steps from being Super Bowl champions.
If we were forced to pick one, we'd likely go with Jameis Winston. We think he has a personality to be a franchise leader. Or serve time.
As for the Falcons, the debate turns to how much are you willing to risk on potential players with potential red flags.
The Falcons have emerged as a possible landing spot for Adrian Peterson. The team also could be in the mix for Randy Gregory, the former Nebraska pass rusher who has failed multiple drug tests.
Will they roll the dice on either? Hard to know for a franchise that needs an infusion of talent.
Especially considering the rare moment of truth offered this week by Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim.
Keim told reporters that if Hannibal Lecter ran a 4.3 40-yard dash, the phrasing would be that the cannibal killer from the movie "Silence of the Lambs" would have "an eating disorder." It's hard to argue with his honesty.
Less than a week from the first round and with the moving pieces starting to pick up speed, the questions continue to be intriguing.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him on Twitter at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.