So Far, So Good for Cerrato the Football Boss

If Cerrato's true measure of a full-time general manager is to be shown anytime soon, it will have less to do with how he spends Snyder's money and more to do with the draft. This is a copycat league, and the moment the Giants won a Super Bowl with young, almost anonymous players such as Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss and other inconspicuous rookies, finding that diamond in the rough took on a greater importance in the NFL.

The big question in two years may be, "Did Cerrato draft well?"

For now, there is only his past to go on, specifically eight previous seasons in Washington under Snyder and his nine years with the San Francisco 49ers during the George Seifert and Steve Mariucci eras.

Vinny's best draft pick: "Probably Lee Woodall in the sixth round," he said. (Woodall, an unknown linebacker drafted from West Chester University in 1994, started as a rookie for the 49ers' Super Bowl team and made two Pro Bowls in an eight-year career.) "T.O., too." (The 89th overall pick in 1996, Terrell Owens, Cerrato admits, almost fell into San Francisco's lap. The 49ers were three picks away before Buffalo and another team passed on Owens.) He also named Sean Taylor, saying he would have been the best safety to ever play the game.

Vinny's worst pick: "I would probably say [Jim] Druckenmiller." (The slow-footed and not quite mentally tough quarterback bombed out after the 49ers took him in the first round of the 1997 draft.)

Best free agent signing: "Griff [Cornelius Griffin], London [Fletcher] or Shawn Springs," Cerrato said.

Worst? Adam Archuleta. "He just didn't fit in to what we were doing."

Brandon Lloyd goes down as the worst trade he can remember. Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders and Mark Carrier never came up, which seems fair. Although Cerrato was involved in those deals, Snyder committed the money and years to other teams' aging stars that eventually crippled the team's salary cap.

From January on, as far as the front office is concerned, it's now solely on Cerrato.

"The hardest part of the new job?" he asked rhetorically. "Making sure everybody stays healthy."

The acquisition of Jason Taylor led to a few awkward moments with reporters for Cerrato, who went before the cameras and microphones to say he had not spoken to Parcells earlier in the day -- and then admitted later on he had in fact had conversations with the Dolphins' president.

Asked if "fibbing" (re: malicious lying) was part of his job, he said: "Absolutely. You have to do what's in the best interest of the organization.