Posted on: Saturday, April 21, 2001

Chargers trade Vick-pick to Falcons

Associated Press

NEW YORK — It looks like Michael Vick will be a Falcon rather than a Charger.

San Diego, unhappy with its negotiations with the Virginia Tech quarterback, made the first move in the 2001 NFL draft yesterday by trading the first overall pick to Atlanta. The Falcons will use it to take Vick.

"We think he's an exceptional young man," Atlanta coach Dan Reeves said of Vick, who played just 20 games in college. "He's a great football player, but he's an exceptional young man who I think will set this franchise up for a long time to come."

A few hours after that trade, Kansas City acquired quarterback Trent Green from St. Louis for the 12th choice overall.

The Falcons gave the Chargers the fifth overall pick in the first round; their third-round pick, the 67th overall; their second-round pick in 2002; and wide receiver Tim Dwight.

The Chargers hope to use that fifth pick on TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

"We got this trade opportunity while we were working on the deal, and it was too good to pass up," Chargers coach Mike Riley said, adding that he still likes Vick but was worried about a holdout.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I was disappointed," Vick told reporters at the ESPNZone in New York. "I really like coach Riley. I really like coach Norv Turner. I would have loved being down there. But things do happen. I don't think they had any doubts about me, but there are some business decisions that have to be made."

In another deal, Green Bay and San Francisco swapped a total of eight draft picks between the second and seventh rounds.

The draft begins at 6 a.m. (Hawai'i time) today at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.