By CARL KOTALA
Florida Today

Have you heard the one about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trading Warren Sapp to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 1 pick?

How about the New York Jets giving up their two first-round picks to move up to No. 3 and taking University of Miami wide receiver Andre Johnson?

There's nothing like the NFL draft to get the old trade winds blowing. And the closer we get to April 26, those winds will be whipping up quite a gale force.

It happens every year. Some deals, like Mike Ditka giving up his entire draft for Ricky Williams in 1999, actually happen.

Others, like last year's rumor that the Jacksonville Jaguars would deal running back Fred Taylor for a third-round pick - possibly to Miami - proved to be pure folly.

But this stuff sure does make for some interesting talk, because it's easy to see how the deals could work.

The Jets, who have the No. 13 and 22 picks in this year's draft, just lost wide receiver Laveranues Coles, so it would figure they would be looking for a young receiver to come in and take his place. Lo and behold, Johnson becomes one of the 20 draft-eligible players the Jets and other NFL teams are allowed to bring in for a visit.

It doesn't mean they'll make the deal. At least half of those 20 players are guys teams have no intention of drafting, but it makes for a good smoke screen. Between the NFL Combine, Pro Day, individual workouts and FBI-level background checks that each team does, they know plenty about each player they're interested in without having to bring them to headquarters for another look-see.

Of course, the Jets would love to be able to draft Johnson. But are they willing to give up at least two first-rounders to get him? Remains to be seen.

As for the Sapp rumors, you can thank The Cincinnati Post and that always-popular "NFL source."

The thinking here is that the Bucs won't be able to re-sign both Sapp and Anthony McFarland, both of whom will be entering the final years of their contracts. The 30-year-old Sapp has a base salary of $6.6 million while the 25-year-old McFarland is due $2.25 million.

While it's true that keeping them both will not be easy, don't expect Sapp to be taking his trash talking to Cincinnati. The Bucs and the Bengals both laughed at the idea that the trade would be made.

"How about that one?" Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis told the Post. "I don't know where you got your information, but it's bad."

While those rumors were quashed quickly, it didn't take long for another one to start. The latest rumor is that a team like the Houston Texans will try to swing a deal with the Bengals to move up and take Michigan State wide receiver Charles Rogers, who will otherwise go to Detroit at No. 2.

There's also talk that the New Orleans Saints will use their two first-round draft picks to move up and take Kentucky defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. Don't be surprised to see the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders - who also have two first-rounders - to be involved in a number of rumors leading up to draft day.

It's all part of the fun.

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