Top Qbs No Longer High Picks

It certainly wasn’t a headline item, even in New York, when Danny Kanell moved up to No. 2 on the Giants’ depth chart at quarterback.

It was, however, another sign that the quarterback class of 1996 is making its presence known.

Last April’s draft was the first since 1988 in which no QB was taken in the first round.

But Tony Banks, chosen in the second, already is starting for the Rams. Kanell, a fourth-rounder, could be next if Dave Brown continues to stumble, and Denver’s Jeff Lewis (fourth round) and Philadelphia’s Bobby Hoying (third) seem to have bright futures.

That’s standard in a league where it’s no longer mandatory that successful quarterbacks be first-rounders.

In Washington, for example, Gus Frerotte, a seventh-round pick in 1994, is starting ahead of Heath Shuler, taken that year with the third pick overall.

Elvis Grbac, an eighth-round pick in 1993, has done well enough as Steve Young’s backup in San Francisco that he’s sure to start somewhere soon. Jacksonville’s Mark Brunell, whose potential often is compared to that of Young, was a fifth-round pick by Green Bay in ‘93, the year Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer were 1-2 in the first round.

Kansas City’s Steve Bono got his start as a strike replacement in 1987; Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomczak was an undrafted rookie with the Bears in 1985; Jeff Blake, an eighth-round pick by the Jets in 1992, was picked up by Cincinnati and ended up beating out first-rounder David Klingler; and Kent Graham of Phoenix was an eighth-rounder by the Giants in 1992.

Green’s odyssey

Minnesota’s 4-0 start quieted the rumors that coach Dennis Green would be gone after the season because of his personal troubles, namely a lawsuit by a woman claiming Green got her pregnant and then paid for an abortion.

But with losses to the Giants and Bucs, the rumors are circulating again.

And Green has been telling friends he expects to coach the Raiders next season. That makes a certain amount of sense. He’s got a good record, Al Davis rarely worries about personal problems and Green has ties to the Bay Area, where he coached Stanford and was a 49ers assistant.

Irsay not on death bed

Ailing Indianapolis Colts owner Robert Irsay is in much better condition than many believe, his wife said.

Nancy Irsay issued a statement to dispute “continuing national media confusion” about her husband’s condition.

Irsay, 73, suffered a major stroke Nov. 29. While generally confined to a wheelchair, he stood for 10 minutes recently and is slowly increasing his daily activity, she said.