On Wednesday, I explained that the Philadelphia Eagles were smart to perform due diligence on potential first-round draft pick/franchise quarterback Geno Smith, who was meeting with the team for the second time this spring. 

I do believe that taking a chance on the draft's top-rated quarterback could wind up being a necessary gamble for the Eagles, who simply can't get that first championship without a reliable and productive starter under center. 

But I also believe that the Eagles are smart enough to determine for themselves whether Smith is fit to lead this franchise.

There hasn't been a single quarterback pegged to be drafted in the top five in the last 10 years that caused this much uncertainty leading up to draft day, and I'm including JaMarcus Russell, Vince Young and Mark Sanchez in that assessment. 

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With the 2013 NFL Draft only 22 days away, I'd like to be able to say we're getting a better feel for what the New York Giants might plan on doing with that No. 19 overall pick. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

With so many holes on defense and still some room for upgrades on offense, the mock drafts, reports and rumors have been all over the map for Big Blue this spring. 

Here's a rundown of where a collection of national writers and experts are leaning...

Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)

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The 2013 NFL Draft is only 22 days away, and it's been years since I've seen so much disagreement regarding who will be picked where in the opening round. Barring a trade, the Dallas Cowboys will be on the clock with the No. 18 overall pick, and the experts remain quite divided on what "America's Team" might do with that selection. 

Inspired by colleague Andrea Hangst, I've scanned some of the most recent mock drafts from around the interwebs in order to see if there's any sort of consensus regarding the Cowboys' first-round pick. 

Spoiler alert: There isn't. 

Here are some of the names being thrown around...

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For the second time in three weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles are meeting one-on-one Wednesday with West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.

Assuming the team isn't setting up a massive smokescreen, that probably means Philadelphia is considering using its No. 4 overall pick on the draft's highest-rated quarterback.

This is pre-draft due diligence. We're talking about a multi-million dollar decision that will affect this franchise for the next five, 10, maybe even 15 years. The Eagles don't have a clear-cut quarterback of the future on the roster and a franchise quarterback is a requirement if you want to be a consistent Super Bowl contender in this league.

History indicates that the draft is almost always where you find such players, and the Eagles haven't possessed such a valuable selection since they took Donovan McNabb with the No. 2 overall pick in 1999.

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Last week, Tony Romo signed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history. Yeah, that Tony Romo. The guy with just one playoff victory to his name. The guy who supposedly shrinks in big games and hides when the spotlight is directed at him. That inconsistent, mistake-prone loser who has the opposite of ice (fire?) in his veins. 

Regular readers know that I think Romo has earned an extremely unfair reputation inside and outside of Dallas, based primarily on circumstances beyond his control. In various columns, I've listed them all.

Jerry Jones, the coaching staff, the defense, the running game, the pass protection, bad luck, injuries, Celine Dion. Whether or not they're "excuses," they've all been big-picture factors. Factors which I believe the majority of fans choose to ignore because they want—they need—somebody or something to blame for the fact that, since 1996, the Dallas Cowboys haven't gotten their way. 

So I decided to go back to the beginning and work forward in an attempt to gain a better, hindsight-assisted feel for what exactly Romo has and hasn't been able to accomplish during his 10 seasons in the National Football League. 

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At varying points since the start of the 2013 calendar year, it has looked as though the Washington Redskins were doomed to be dethroned. And who can blame us for the pessimism in regard to an organization that has strung together consecutive division titles only once since World War II. 

There was the Robert Griffin III injury and the lack of relief from that $18 million salary cap sanction, causing the 'Skins to release their most talented cornerback and sit on the sideline while free agency unfolded. Throw in that they're without a first-round pick (for good reason, but still) and it was just difficult to remain upbeat about their chances of repeating for the first time since 1984.

But now that they've found the cap space to bring back DeAngelo back Hall on a one-year, $2.25 million contract (per the Washington Post), I'm beginning to see more light at the end of the 2013 Redskins' tunnel. 

This development comes only days after they re-signed starting tight end Fred Davis, which means the only players of note they ended up actually losing this offseason are Madieu Williams, Cedric Griffin and Lorenzo Alexander. 

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When us "apologists" make our "excuses" for Tony Romo, high on the list is the fact that Romo is always running for his life behind a poor offensive line. So it would be fitting if the Dallas Cowboys were to use the money Romo freed up with his new contract extension by improving said unit. 

The deal Romo signed last week created about $5 million in cap space for a team that had only a five-figure surplus to that point. They'll still need some of that cash to pay draft picks and late additions after injuries, but this and a possible agreement with Anthony Spencer would give the 'Boys the ability to at least make a decision. 

Option A would be to spend the cash on a veteran contributor on the free-agent market. That could be guard Brandon Moore, whom they've shown interest in. Or it could be a running back, as ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins suggests. Or it could be an offensive tackle or another safety or fill in the blank.

Option B would be to do nothing. This is a team that has already restructured contracts for about 15 percent of the roster this offseason. Those bills will come due in upcoming offseasons, and while the NFL lifting its $5 million sanction will help, and the salary cap could rise a little, the 'Boys would make things a lot easier on themselves next offseason if they were to set that cash aside. Remember, in the new collective bargaining agreement, you can carry cap space over. 

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With free agency pretty much out of the way and the draft becoming the focus, the top story surrounding the New York Giants continues to be Victor Cruz's contract situation. Some are flabbergasted that Cruz, who is a restricted free agent, isn't jumping to accept New York's latest offer, but I think the wide receiver is smart to bide his time.

The New York Daily News reported in March that Cruz has a contract on the table that exceeds $7 million per year "with a sizable amount of guaranteed money." But that offer won't likely disappear this offseason, and Cruz has little reason to rush.

Teams still have 18 days to sign the Pro Bowler to an offer sheet. That's considered to be a far-fetched scenario, but such a move would force the Giants to match said offer, with a first-round pick hanging in the balance if they either couldn't afford to or opted not to. 

Cruz then has to decide whether or not to sign his one-year first-round tender, which would pay him just shy of $2.9 million in 2013 and would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next March. 

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