Interesting take on the Taylor trade

So my post about the possibility of Jason Taylor in a Redskins jersey was decidedly muted because I just didn't think the deal was going to happen so quickly. But upon hearing the news, I posted my subsequent post about just how happy I am now.

Actually, relieved would probably be the better description, because I was really concerned with the make-up of this year's squad. No stars equals no playoffs and the move the Redskins made yesterday certainly added a star. The team had to make this move in order to keep up in the highly-competitive NFC East. Yes, they did go against their apparently newfound fondness of draft picks, but if Taylor gives the team double digit sacks for even one season, I think the trade is an even one. And if he plays for more than just next season, even better.

Now maybe this part of the trade only interests me (because I'm attempting to become a member of the press), but I don't think I'm the only one who noticed how much Vinny Cerrato straight out lied to the press yesterday as he pursued this deal. Jason La Confora, one of the Redskins beat writers for the Washington Post, details this in a blog post of his.

Here's what Cerrato said to local media:

"We haven't talked to anybody yet on anything." He then denied, again, any attempts to land Taylor to representatives of virtually every media entity that approached him at Redskins Park.

Here's what Cerrato said to ESPN this morning:

"We went out to practice at 3:00, and I talked to Bill Parcells probably like three times on the practice field, back and forth. We went and discussed some different terms, we came in after practice, talked to 3 or 4 of the veterans players, and asked them what they thought, what type of guy and everything, they said great guy. Everything was positive. Called Parcells back around 6:15 and told them, we'll do the deal. We faxed papers back and forth, got Jason Taylor on the phone and we were done."

And here's what he said to Peter King of Sports Illustrated:

"I'd called Bill a couple of months ago, I guess, like a lot of other teams did, doing their due diligence, asking him what he was interested in for Taylor,'' Cerrato said. "But nothing ever came of it. I didn't talk to him again about it 'til this afternoon. Then, during the afternoon practice, I'd say I talked to Bill three times about the terms, trying to work something out.''

I understand the need to keep these things quiet when you're still negotiating, but a good ol' fashioned "no comment" never hurt anyone. According to La Confora, a lot of the regulars who cover the Skins aren't very happy about how this all went down.