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The following quotes are from NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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Dolphins executive V.P. Bill Parcells
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 “Bill Parcells demands loyalty out of his players, but he never gives it in return. Psychologists would go crazy with him. He’s got every explanation and reason why he has to leave jobs. Why leave Dallas? He was burned out. Why leave the Jets? He got burned out. I think he will quit in two years and blame it on the new owner and say, by the way, ‘Thanks for the $12 million.’ ”
“Is Parcells ever going to have a draft when he does not draft a Jimmy Sexton (Parcells' agent) client? At the end of the day, I think (Dolphins second-round pick DE) Phillip Merling is just a guy. He’s a solid run defender, but he is not special. He has an average motor. I was not enamored with him after meeting with him — he had sleepy eyes and looked like a typical Clemson kid.”
“The (former Chiefs DE) Jared Allen trade made a lot of sense. It was a win-win situation for both teams. I think the Vikings gave up a lot (a first-round pick, two third-round picks and a swap of sixth-rounders) — a lot more than I would have given away — but he’s going to help their football team. He had 15-something sacks, and he probably created 10 more for the other guys around him. He’ll bring accountability to the locker room.”
“(Cardinals first-round pick CB) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is tall, does not tackle, and he only has one kidney. That’s not a good combination.”
“The Matt Ryan talk in Kansas City was all a smokescreen.”
“(Jets first-round pick OLB) Vernon Gholston went to the right place. He needed to be in a 30-front. If the light comes on, he is going to be a terror. He is best when he has his hand on the ground and is coming forward.”
“The Falcons went from old and injured to young and on the rise. I like what they have done. They freed up the cap and got rid of some of the stars. They are starting fresh.”
“Is (Chargers GM) A.J. Smith that much smarter than the rest of us? (CB) Antoine Cason in the first round? Giving up a second-round pick to move up for (RB) Jacob Hester? Maybe I need to get out of this business. I don’t get it. Both of those guys would have been there a round, if not two, later.”
“It’s amazing how much money teams pay players to be fat. Look at (DTs) Ted Washington and Shaun Rogers and Kris Jenkins and Grady Jackson. The problem is that once they get fat, they are not ever going to get thin.”
“What were the Bears doing? I don’t know how you could pass on (OG-OT) Branden Albert for (OT) Chris Williams. And I’m not sure they realized how many times (RB) Matt Forté put the ball on the ground at Tulane. I was shocked they took both of those players where they did, but I’m not complaining. It just pushed more good players to us.”
“I had a hard time placing the right value on (Bills second-round pick WR) James Hardy. I would think he would be best with a team where he does not have to make an immediate impact. He does not play on special teams.”
“I could see why teams would think about (QB) Joe Flacco in the first round. When you are facing that situation where you don’t have a quarterback, you have to think about it. But take a look at most of the teams that reached at the back end of Round One to find a passer. Look at J.P. Losman. Look at Rex Grossman. Look at Patrick Ramsey. Look at Jason Campbell, who I am still not convinced will be a great quarterback. When you reach in the first round for that position, you just create expectations that are hard to meet. You’re much better off letting the board fall to you.”
“Someone needs to show me the tape where (Texans first-round pick OT) Duane Brown plays like a first-rounder. It does not exist. We had him in the fifth round.”
“I would never draft a safety in the first round unless he were rare. Ronnie Lott came into the league as a corner. You could take the Kenny Easleys — the guys that scare you coming across the middle — the guys that change game plans. But there are not many safeties that make you do that.”
“(Niners QB) Alex Smith has had four coordinators in four years. If he stays healthy, he could have a great year. From a mental and athletic standpoint, he is as good as anyone out there.”
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