LT, Leon Washington or wait for the draft to unfold?

I know it's tough for fans to be patient while following a league that somehow has managed to convince us all that every day is the biggest day of the year.

That's why people want Chester Taylor's replacement signed, sealed and doing wind sprints at Winter Park ASAP.

There's the group that seems to want LaDainian Tomlinson. And the Vikings reportedly have some interest there as well.

There's also a group that has thrown out Jets restricted free agent Leon Washington as an option. That has more to do with the fact Leon only has a second-round tender attatched to him.

I say be patient, folks. Let the draft unfold first before deciding on a third-down back that could become one of the team's key playmakers.

Tomlinson is 30 and has lost the quickness that made him a great player. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be unemployed.

Washington is 27 and he's coming off a broken leg. But even if he wasn't coming off a broken leg, I'd think twice about giving up a second round draft pick for him. Remember, folks, the second round is still a big deal. The second round produces players like Sidney Rice. Why give up a chance to get a 22-year-old playmaker for a 27-year-old running back with a broken leg?

Best is a 5-10, 199-pounder who runs a 4.35 and can catch the ball. He'd be one heck of a third-down playmaker to add to the mix at the right spot in the draft.

Around the league today ...

. I don't know bout y'all, but I'm finding it harder to give Ben Roethlisberger the benefit of the doubt.

. Poor Shaun Hill. The former rookie free agent QB is now better than TWO teammates who are quarterbacks and former No. 1 overall draft picks. Obviously, Hill's days are numbered in San Francisco now that David Carr was signed. But the former Vikings' third-stringer will report Sunday for the 49ers' offseason program.

Carr is expected to back up Alex Smith, two disappointing fomer No. 1 overall picks. Hill probably will be playing elsewhere in 2010. Just for the heck of it, here's a statistical comparison of the three:

Career completion percentage: Hill 61.7; Smith 56.3; Carr 59.8.

TDs-to-INTs: Hill 23-11; Smith 37-43; Carr 65-70.

Career passer rating: Hill 87.3; Smith 69.2; Carr 75.2.

. The minor knee surgery that cancelled two of Darren Sharper's free agent visits could end up with Sharper landing back in New Orleans, where he belongs. At 34, Sharper is too old for many teams to take a chance on. But in New Orleans, he's the perfect fit for Gregg Williams' defense.

. News that Seneca Wallace is in Cleveland could mean Brady Quinn ends up being available before the 2010 season starts. A year ago, I thought Quinn was a special player who had "it." Today, I think I was nuts a year ago. The Vikings never liked Quinn coming out of college, and I now see they were probably right. I wouldn't rule out Quinn becoming a good player somewhere, but I also wouldn't bring him in ahead of a guy like Tarvaris Jackson, who will be entering his fifth season in the same system.