MORT'S MAILBAG: May 1

Q: The Rams and Seahawks had the best draft. How long does it take for a defense to mesh? Does a defense mesh faster than an offense? -- Collin Thomas, North Lauderdale, Fla.
MORT: Collin, defenses usually mesh much faster than offenses. An example I can give you is the expansion Carolina Panthers, whose free-agent strategy was to sign defensive veterans. They clicked very early and made the NFC title game in their second season. Now, the Rams have a much younger unit, and while young defenders may be more prone to mistakes, good use of their speed and athleticism should compensate for inexperience. Jimmy Johnson had great success with young defenders.

	Pittsburgh RB Kevan Barlow (43) dives for a touchdown against West Virginia last season. The 49ers drafted Barlow in the third round.

Q: I was wondering what you thought of the 49ers' draft this year. Do you think Bill Walsh went out with a bang? -- Will, Danville, Calif.
MORT: Will, I liked what the 49ers did. The key, for me, is whether Kevan Barlow becomes the featured back. He was a great value in the third round. But he also reported to mini-camp with a knee injury and will need arthroscopic surgery that will keep him out four to six weeks. So that was a setback. But, all in all, and knowing that the 49ers had a good draft a year ago, I think Walsh will have proven that he made the proper, albeit painful, moves to get the franchise back on track.

Q: How much of an issue will the lack of a top tight end be for the Giants because they failed to draft Todd Heap? -- KP, New York, N.Y.
MORT: KP, I think it's a little hole the Giants have, but I would expect them to get more production out of Joe Jurevicius, a pretty physical target at 6-foot-4, in their multiple-receiver sets.

Q: Are the Eagles really an 11-5 team, or did they just get lucky last season with an easy schedule? -- Jamie Keller, Coatesville, Pa.
MORT: Jamie, to quote Bill Parcells, "You are what you are." The Eagles are an 11-5 team. The schedule didn't hurt, but what was impressive is how they won without any premier receiver and with RB Duce Staley sidelined. QB Donovan McNabb is clearly a budding star, and they should only get better on offense. The defense needs some retooling over the next year, but defensive coordinator Jimmy Johnson is one of the true unsung bright coaches in the NFL. I don't think the Eagles are slipping to 5-11, if you catch my drift, as long as McNabb stays healthy.

Q: This isn't a question. It's a comment on the rumors you are spreading about my team, the New Orleans Saints. Look, if you and your buddies didn't report things that are false, maybe Ricky Williams wouldn't be such an anti-media player. Jim Haslett and Randy Mueller both said they are keeping Ricky. I don't know where you got your info from but it's false. Plus, use common sense. The Saints would take a huge cap hit if they got rid of Ricky. Until you prove me wrong, I'm just gonna see you as a dirt-sheet, rumor-spreading, tabloid writer. -- Nick, Chicago
MORT: Nick, I think you might be over-reacting. It is a fact, not fiction, that Jim Haslett called at least one team two weeks prior to the draft and asked if that team had any interest in Ricky Williams. However, most of my reporting during draft weekend was centered on the Saints fielding phone calls about Williams' availability after Deuce McAllister was selected; and that GM Randy Mueller informed those clubs that the salary cap made it prohibitive to deal Williams. I can assure you that if there were no salary-cap implications, the Saints would have already dealt Williams. Don't be naive, Nick, but stay a fan.

Q: Doesn't a Saints' trade of Ricky Williams make a lot more sense next year? It seems to me that a 2002 trade allows them to avoid the prohibitive salary-cap hit they would take in 2001, see how durable Deuce McAllister really is and put the Houston Texans in play given the natural fit for Williams there. Plus there would be some poetic justice in Charlie Casserly ending up with Ricky Williams after all. -- Vic Aguiluz, Houston
MORT: Vic, it does make more sense that the Saints wait one year to see how things work out with Ricky and Deuce, not to mention the salary-cap stuff. However, don't count on the Texans being that team, at least I don't think. It would not make sense for an expansion team to build around a veteran back. But I do like your sense of fate with Casserly (who grabbed all those Saints' draft picks when he was in Washington) ending up with Williams.

Q: Where do you see Trent Dilfer ending up? -- Joel Mejer, Madison, Wis.
MORT: Joel, most of the signs have been pointing toward Dilfer landing with the Redskins, but it's no lock because Steve Beuerlein is a possibility, too, unless Beuerlein signs with Denver, St. Louis or Indianapolis. What has happened to Dilfer is puzzling, and disappointing, because he is a very good man with some real physical talent. However, most coaches see his accuracy as a major issue, and that is what's diminished his marketability. Plus, Dilfer took a stand this offseason that he wasn't going to take a job at minimum wage or anything close to it.

Q: What happened in the trade for Trent Green? Did the Rams get something good in return? -- Tony Mills, Pine Ridge, S.D.
MORT: Tony, here's how we will judge the Trent Green trade: 1) Will Damione Lewis (the player they took with KC's pick) become a star defensive tackle? 2) Will Kurt Warner stay healthy? 3) If Warner is hurt, is Joe Germaine good enough to keep the Rams as a Super Bowl contender?

Q: With the addition of WR Santana Moss, do you think the Jets can be a Super Bowl contender if Vinny Testaverde plays well? -- mike, New York, N.Y.
MORT: Mike, I think the Jets have gone through too many changes to be a Super Bowl contender. I like Moss, but I haven't seen many (or any?) 5-foot-9 receivers who became instant impact players to propel a team to the Super Bowl. However, if Moss becomes a dynamic kick returner, perhaps he can do what Desmond Howard did for the Packers' Super Bowl team. But that's a tall order, because I think the quarterback spot, whether it's Testaverde or Chad Pennington, is a real question, and the Jets still need a big, physical wideout as a go-to guy.

Q: I have been dying to know if the Bengals are going to sign Corey Dillon. Does Cincinnati have a real chance of bringing back its only shining star? -- Ben Miller, Cincinnati
MORT: Ben, there is little indication that Corey Dillon will be playing anywhere but Cincinnati. The only thing that can happen is if the Browns look at their running backs in their first mini-camp this weekend and decide they have a gaping hole. It's a long shot, but maybe the Browns would take a shot then. However, Dillon comes at a high price, and he hurt himself when he fired his agent, Marvin Demoff, who is deeply respected across the league. I have been told by more than one team executive that the dismissal of Demoff reintroduced the character issue in Dillon's life. I expect Dillon to be a Bengal.

	Georgia QB Quincy Carter threw for 2,956 yards and 18 TDs as a sophomore before slipping some last season. The Cowboys drafted Carter in the second round.

Q: I thought the Dallas Cowboys' pick of QB Quincy Carter was excellent. He was great as a sophomore, although he had a sub-par junior year with a soft offensive line. I think he will gain more from a year of NFL tutelage than that of a new coach under a new system at Georgia. What are your thoughts? -- Quintin Martin, Suitland, Md.
MORT: Quintin, the issue for the Cowboys was whether they had to use a second-round pick on Quincy Carter. He is a very talented guy. But talent does not make you a great NFL prospect. What's the difference between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf? Is it talent? No, it isn't. Tony Banks has as much talent as any QB in the NFL, and he's still wandering around. Carter has to grasp the professional game, in every sense, for this to work. Maybe he'll do it. Maybe he won't. That won't make him any different than Donovan McNabb or Akili Smith.

Q: No disrespect to Ken Lucas, but I thought that Fred Smoot was a better cornerback than Lucas. So why didn't the Seahawks draft Fred Smoot with the 40th pick instead of letting Washington get him with the 45th pick? -- Devlin Piplic, Seattle, Wash.
MORT: Devlin, my guess is that Smoot's character issues made the Seahawks uncomfortable, although Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer really believes Smoot is a good kid who now has to cut the cord with a bad crowd.

Q: Why didn't Ron Wolf wait till draft day to trade Matt Hasselbeck? I can't get over the feeling he could have gotten more in return if he had and it's really bugging me. Thanks. -- John, Sparks, Nev.
MORT: John, I believe the reason Ron Wolf acted when he did is because he was aware that Mike Holmgren was ready to pull the trigger on either Hasselbeck or Elvis Grbac, who had just been released by the Chiefs. Plus, this was an unusually heavy market for veteran QBs -- Grbac, Brad Johnson, Doug Flutie, Trent Green, Steve Beuerlein, Trent Dilfer, Tony Banks were all available; and I'm not even counting Brian Griese, who was a restricted free agent at the time, or Mark Brunell. So I'm not certain Hasselbeck would have commanded a greater price. Ron really targeted Jamal Reynolds, and felt he had to be in the top 10 to get him. Also, getting an extra third-rounder was key -- Wolf has had pretty good success in that round. And I can tell you that veteran players on the Packers were somewhat amazed how good one of those third-rounders, Oklahoma linebacker Torrance Marshall, looked in the weekend mini-camp.

Q: I read that Mark Chmura might retire because he hasn't received a contract to his liking that would remove him from his Wisconsin home. If this is true, would/could he sign with the Packers for a year at the league minimum? -- Karen McDougal, Oxford, Ohio
MORT: Karen, I don't think Ron Wolf leaving the Pack changes the organization's attitude. The reason Chmura hasn't gotten an "attractive" offer is that he has real health issues, he hasn't played in almost two years and he has been tainted terribly by the well-publicized incident with a teenage girl, regardless of the acquittal. I don't believe the Packers are ready to welcome back Chmura.