There are two kind of teams in the NFL: the ones that have a capable quarterback and the ones that don't.
The Buffalo Bills and the Ravens were in the latter category last year, which explains why they went 6-10 and 6-9-1 and wound up in the ninth and 10th spots in the draft, respectively.
The Bills couldn't win with Todd Collins and Alex Van Pelt. And the Ravens couldn't win with Vinny Testaverde, who has more talent than Collins and Van Pelt, but makes too many mistakes to be a winner.
That's why the Bills and Ravens have made two of the best moves so far in the off-season.
They went out and tried to fix their quarterback problem with the two best veterans available. The Bills traded first- and fourth-round picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Rob Johnson and the Ravens traded a third-round pick and swapped fourth-rounders with the Indianapolis Colts for Jim Harbaugh.
Johnson is a gamble because he really has played only one NFL game, the opener against the Ravens last year, when he was impressive on one leg while leading the Jaguars to a 28-27 victory.
But he's worth the risk because the Bills weren't guaranteed to get a franchise-type player with the ninth pick this year. At that spot, they wouldn't get any of the five blue-chip players in this draft -- quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf, defensive lineman Andre Wadsworth, cornerback Charles Woodson and running back Curtis Enis.
Johnson, who's only 24, could be the Bills' quarterback for a decade if he's as good as they hopehe'll be.
Harbaugh, at 34, is more a short-term answer, but he should be able to play two or three more years while the Ravens develop a young quarterback.
Harbaugh also gives the Ravens something they haven't had in the two years since they moved to town -- credibility.
By going with Testaverde instead of drafting a young quarterback like Danny Kanell or Bobby Hoying two years ago, the Ravens raised the question of whether they even knew how to judge the most important position in the game. The fans were much quicker than the Ravens in figuring out they were going nowhere with Testaverde.
Testaverde's Pro Bowl season of 1996 was a mirage. He threw for a lot of yards, but didn't make big plays with the game on the line.
On top of that, the Ravens gave Testaverde a big contract extension at the end of last season. That's why they're still on the hook for $4.3 million that will be charged to their salary cap after he's gone.
Their pursuit of Jim Kelly also gave the Ravens the image of being the gang that couldn't shoot straight. Kelly was once a player, but his days are over.
Harbaugh isn't a franchise quarterback, and the Ravens have to hope he can still be productive after the beating he took last year. But he's an upgrade over Testaverde and Kelly.
Now, the question is whether the Ravens will address their long-term problem. They still should try to trade up and draft Leaf. Quarterbacks of his potential don't come around every year. If not, they have to hope they can hit on one in the lower rounds.
The Ravens' quarterback situation has been similar to that of a homeowner with a burning house. The first priority is to put the fire out. Harbaugh should be able to do that.
The next step is the long-term job of rebuilding the house. The Ravens need a young quarterback to do that.
The first pick
At the scouting combine in Indianapolis a week ago, Manning virtually locked up his selection as the first pick in the draft.
He wowed the scouts by showing up in shape and displaying his polite, courteous manner.
"He's the kind of guy you'd like your daughter to marry," gushed one executive.
By contrast, Leaf showed up weighing 261 pounds and wearing a baseball cap backward. He also missed an interview with the Colts, though that may not have been his fault because the Chicago Bears requested he undergo a shoulder exam at the same time.
Despite all that, Leaf will be the second pick because good quarterbacks are such a rare commodity. The Arizona Cardinals, who have the second pick and are committed to Jake Plummer, are likely to get a good price for the pick.
Meanwhile, one team, the Carolina Panthers, hasn't given up trying to trade up with the Colts to get Manning.
The Panthers would like to package quarterback Kerry Collins in a deal to get him. Collins has a Colts connection because Bill Polian, the new Indianapolis general manager, drafted him in Carolina.
The Panthers didn't back off when Polian suggested it would take a package of seven draft picks and players to get the No. 1 selection.
Team president Mark Richardson said that price wasn't out of the question.
"No. If you get the guy you think you want, it's not," Richardson said.
If Colts owner Jim Irsay has a long memory, he won't let Polian make that deal.
He's old enough to remember when his father, the late Bob Irsay, traded away John Elway in 1983. He shouldn't let the Colts make another mistake like that. Manning isn't an Elway, but he'd be a popular player who would give the Colts a new look.
