Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell or Gamble?

Many so-called draft experts expect the Washington Redskins to pick a quarterback with the No. 4 pick in the upcoming draft. Mel Kiper, Jr. thinks the Redskins will go with Jimmy Clausen, while most of the others (including Mike Mayock) believe Sam Bradford should be the choice.

In the words of Mike Mayock, "A franchise quarterback trumps all other needs." Assuming Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan agrees with this philosophy, and the Redskins draft a quarterback in the first round, what should happen to Jason Campbell?

There are two likely scenarios if the Redskins draft a quarterback in the first round. The first is that the Redskins keep Campbell around for one year under a transition tag.

If Campbell stays with the Redskins under a one-year deal, that would allow their rookie quarterback plenty of time to transition to the professional level. They would also have a veteran—although inconsistent—player to manage games while the team is in a rebuilding year.

The need for a veteran quarterback is also the key to the second scenario. Rather than keep Campbell, Washington could use him to trade for more draft picks and find a veteran quarterback elsewhere.

With Washington's numerous needs, the second option may be the best. If they could trade Campbell to a team such as St. Louis (for maybe their second and fourth round picks this year), it might allow them to fill some more pressing needs. For example, with the Rams' second round pick at No. 33, it might be possible for the Redskins to find a decent left tackle.

Of course, trading Campbell would depend on his market value. Outside of some Redskins fans, do any other teams believe that he could be a solid starter in this league? Feelings among NFL scouts about Campbell are mixed, as evidenced by the Denver Broncos choosing Kyle Orton over Campbell for Jay Cutler.

Still, it is very possible that the Rams will have interest in Campbell if they decide to pick Ndamukong Suh with the first pick. If they do take Suh, and the Redskins also pick Bradford, the odds may become much higher in favor of this trade happening.

Another variable would be whether or not Shanahan feels like he can find another veteran quarterback to lead the team while the rookie is being groomed. Would he take a gamble on a free agent, maybe even with Todd Collins or Colt Brennan?

Regardless of what happens to Campbell, the Redskins are certainly beginning a rebuilding year. There are no quick band-aids that will put them back into consistent playoff contention. It would be wise to pick up as many extra draft picks as possible, build around some new, youthful talent and to trade/release any player that doesn't figure into the long term plans.

If the Redskins draft a quarterback at No. 4, Campbell will obviously not be in those plans. So, in a year where Campbell's trade value might be highest, it might be best to pull the trigger on a deal to send him elsewhere.