Those crickets you have been hearing from this blog? Yeah, those are the same ones you can hear over at the hangar for Redskins One. I haven't written a whole lot around here lately simply because there isn't much to talk about. There are no free agents coming through the normally revolving door at Redskins Park and there aren't even any good rumors of anyone bound for D.C.
So as long as things are quiet I will come by to dust every so often but once things start rolling again, you can bet this blog will be humming.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Collins returns
In a sign of some continuity, the Skins have finally re-signed backup QB Todd Collins. I think this is a good move, especially since Collins got us to the playoffs after starter Jason Campbell went down with an injury.
I do actually have one small problem with this whole scenario however. As we are trying to get away from our free spending ways - i.e. no more big, long contracts that we continue to pay years after guys leave the league - I am puzzled by the contract Collins received.
Now I think Collins should be rewarded for what he did last season however, how smart is it to sign a guy turning 35 in May to a 3 year contract? Vinny Cerrato said at the bottom of the story that they are waiting for the market to come back down before they make any other signings but was the market for Collins really 3 years, $9 million?
Baby steps I guess ... but welcome back Todd. Great to have you sticking around.
I do actually have one small problem with this whole scenario however. As we are trying to get away from our free spending ways - i.e. no more big, long contracts that we continue to pay years after guys leave the league - I am puzzled by the contract Collins received.
Now I think Collins should be rewarded for what he did last season however, how smart is it to sign a guy turning 35 in May to a 3 year contract? Vinny Cerrato said at the bottom of the story that they are waiting for the market to come back down before they make any other signings but was the market for Collins really 3 years, $9 million?
Baby steps I guess ... but welcome back Todd. Great to have you sticking around.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Lloyd area officially ends
Well, another costly mistake is finally out the door as the Redskins released WR Brandon Lloyd today.
I hate to say that this move seemed obvious but when you spend an entire season in Joe Gibbs' doghouse and catch only 2 passes for 14 yards (which "bumped" his total number of passes caught with the Skins to 25, with no TD's), you know your time has to be short. It just seems to be a shame that during a season in which both starters battled injuries and veterans were signed midseason to try and help the passing game that Lloyd couldn't stay out of the doughouse long enough to get another shot.
It's mistakes like this which cost us two draft picks and $10 million in guaranteed money in a new contract that I hope truly are things of the past as was reported over the weekend. And I'm not just complaining about the steep price of getting overpaid talent here, but the fact that they will continue to eat at our salary cap long after they hit the retirement home it seems.
But I guess if we are moving in a new direction, we've got to start cutting the dead weight somewhere and Lloyd seems like the logical choice.
So here's to clearing out our locker room and salary cap by 2012.
I hate to say that this move seemed obvious but when you spend an entire season in Joe Gibbs' doghouse and catch only 2 passes for 14 yards (which "bumped" his total number of passes caught with the Skins to 25, with no TD's), you know your time has to be short. It just seems to be a shame that during a season in which both starters battled injuries and veterans were signed midseason to try and help the passing game that Lloyd couldn't stay out of the doughouse long enough to get another shot.
It's mistakes like this which cost us two draft picks and $10 million in guaranteed money in a new contract that I hope truly are things of the past as was reported over the weekend. And I'm not just complaining about the steep price of getting overpaid talent here, but the fact that they will continue to eat at our salary cap long after they hit the retirement home it seems.
But I guess if we are moving in a new direction, we've got to start cutting the dead weight somewhere and Lloyd seems like the logical choice.
So here's to clearing out our locker room and salary cap by 2012.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Jacoby at front of unemployment line?
Apparently 15 years after his retirement, Hog great Joe Jacoby has decided being a car dealer and radio analyst is not enough so he is at the NFL combine looking for a job?
According to the Washington Times, Jacoby has decided he wants to be an assistant coach somewhere. He's hit up old friends like Joe Bugel and Russ Grimm to prepare and apparently he is now officially looking for work.
After the career that man had as an OL for the Skins my only response to this is give this man a job.
According to the Washington Times, Jacoby has decided he wants to be an assistant coach somewhere. He's hit up old friends like Joe Bugel and Russ Grimm to prepare and apparently he is now officially looking for work.
After the career that man had as an OL for the Skins my only response to this is give this man a job.
Possible free agent targets
Now I by no means pretend to know what Vinny Cerrato has planned for the opening of free agency on Feb. 29 (and I don't think he does either) but the following projections are what I feel the team should do to address the holes we need to fill.
(Editor's note: I realize I promised the completion of my mock draft this weekend however, because I am so unfamiliar with most of the prospects right now I will post a new mock draft after the completion of the combine, once I can do more research on the topic.)
Despite Jim Zorn's recent comments about both Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El being good fits for the offense, it appears Cerrato and company think the Skins need a more durable WR. And even though free agents may not be a priority, the buzz is D.J. Hackett could be reunited with Zorn this offseason.
I personally think if we brought back midseason signees Keenan McCardell and Reche Caldwell, we should be fine. Size doesn't catch passes, talent does and I think there are enough guys in the current group with talent that we can get away with being a little undersized. This is not a position to worry about in free agency.
If we go after anyone in free agency, I think the one guy we should seriously consider is Justin Smith. This guy gets after the QB and paired with Andre Carter, these two would wreck havoc on opposing OL's and provide the type of pass rush we haven't seen since the days of Dexter Manley and Charles Mann. The only problem with this scenario would be that Dan Snyder would have to go back to his old ways of whisking people away on Redskins 1 before they knew what hit them. Smith will demand top dollar and will probably be out of our price range (is that an odd statement to anyone else?) 15 minutes after free agency opens.
An option at safety could be Mike Doss. If he too isn't vastly overpaid once this thing gets underway, he could be a valuable leader brought in to fill a tough hole. He isn't Sean Taylor by any stretch of the imagination but he could be the guy who helps seal the wound.
If you haven't gotten it from this post already, all signs point to the Redskins actually building through the draft for once. Gone seems to be the influence of George Allen bringing aging veterans looking for one last run. If that truly is the case, we may finally get that permanent turnaround we've been searching for since Snyder bought the team. Maybe the guy has finally learned his lesson.
(Editor's note: I realize I promised the completion of my mock draft this weekend however, because I am so unfamiliar with most of the prospects right now I will post a new mock draft after the completion of the combine, once I can do more research on the topic.)
Despite Jim Zorn's recent comments about both Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El being good fits for the offense, it appears Cerrato and company think the Skins need a more durable WR. And even though free agents may not be a priority, the buzz is D.J. Hackett could be reunited with Zorn this offseason.
I personally think if we brought back midseason signees Keenan McCardell and Reche Caldwell, we should be fine. Size doesn't catch passes, talent does and I think there are enough guys in the current group with talent that we can get away with being a little undersized. This is not a position to worry about in free agency.
If we go after anyone in free agency, I think the one guy we should seriously consider is Justin Smith. This guy gets after the QB and paired with Andre Carter, these two would wreck havoc on opposing OL's and provide the type of pass rush we haven't seen since the days of Dexter Manley and Charles Mann. The only problem with this scenario would be that Dan Snyder would have to go back to his old ways of whisking people away on Redskins 1 before they knew what hit them. Smith will demand top dollar and will probably be out of our price range (is that an odd statement to anyone else?) 15 minutes after free agency opens.
An option at safety could be Mike Doss. If he too isn't vastly overpaid once this thing gets underway, he could be a valuable leader brought in to fill a tough hole. He isn't Sean Taylor by any stretch of the imagination but he could be the guy who helps seal the wound.
If you haven't gotten it from this post already, all signs point to the Redskins actually building through the draft for once. Gone seems to be the influence of George Allen bringing aging veterans looking for one last run. If that truly is the case, we may finally get that permanent turnaround we've been searching for since Snyder bought the team. Maybe the guy has finally learned his lesson.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Mock Draft v1.0: Picks 1-10
I realize I promised a full mock draft, and it is still on its way however I decided to break it into parts and post it through the weekend. I will still keep on the rest of the schedule I promised, but for now here are my projections, based on nothing more then what I have observed, as to how things could shake out at the draft in April.
1. Miami - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Howie's boy is probably the one guy at the top of this board that best fits the Bill Parcells mold. Don't surprised if the Dolphins trade this pick to stockpile more in later rounds as the Fins need all the help they can get but if Miami stays put, this makes the most sense.
2. St. Louis - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Two picks and two Longs gone. The Rams need help along both lines so a DL could go here, especially if Miami trades down and Chris is still on the board. But if Chris is gone, look for the Rams to draft a franchise OL similar to what they did with Orlando Pace in the late 1990s.
3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
First the Falcons won the coin toss for the third pick and now they win the Matt Ryan lottery in this scenario. Ryan's pick not only signals the end of the QB problems that plagued the team last year but would officially help Atlanta get out of the Michael Vick era.
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Look for the Raiders to trade this pick if McFadden falls this far and look for Dallas to be licking its chops to move up here. McFadden could be the Adrian Peterson of this year's class where he may just be too good to pass up to the team he falls too, even if they are already set at RB.
5. Kansas City - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Despite a senior year in which the wheels fell off the Cardinals bus, KC has been desperate for a QB since Len Dawson retired and while Brohm may be too much of a reach for any other team in this spot, he may be too good for the Chiefs to pass up. Look for an OL to go in this spot as well.
6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
This first round is all about the pass rush this year and the Jets nab the second best DE with this pick. The Jets have plenty of holes throughout that need patching but Gholston is the safest pick with the most potential.
7. New England (from San Francisco) - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Despite the ramifications of "Spygate," New England still has this pick and will probably use it to acquire more picks so they can continue to stockpile talent. If by chance they don't, look for them to get McKelvin to fill one of the few holes they had on defense.
8. Baltimore - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Ravens would like to take another chance at finding that all-important franchise QB but if Ryan and Brohm are both off the board, it might be a little early to grab at any of the others. Ozzie Newsome has a knack for finding talent in the draft regardless of position and with Ellis probably the best talent left on the board, look for the Ravens to go here.
9. Cincinnati - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
The Bengals were a mess last year but they still seem to have plenty of talent on offense so once again the defense needs to be addressed. And with DL's flying off the board, this is where the Bengals get theirs, taking Harvey to boost a pathetic pass rush. Look for the Bengals to address defense early and often in the draft.
10. New Orleans - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Saints should look to bolster their secondary here and while the DB class this year is deep, the cream of the crop is thin and with only McKelvin gone at this point the Saints can cash in here with Jenkins.
The one thing about this year's class is that after the top 4, the name recognition diminishes. However, this will probably one of the classes that stocks the league for year's to come. Check back for the rest of my predictions throughout the weekend and let me know how far off the deep end you think I am.
1. Miami - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Howie's boy is probably the one guy at the top of this board that best fits the Bill Parcells mold. Don't surprised if the Dolphins trade this pick to stockpile more in later rounds as the Fins need all the help they can get but if Miami stays put, this makes the most sense.
2. St. Louis - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Two picks and two Longs gone. The Rams need help along both lines so a DL could go here, especially if Miami trades down and Chris is still on the board. But if Chris is gone, look for the Rams to draft a franchise OL similar to what they did with Orlando Pace in the late 1990s.
3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
First the Falcons won the coin toss for the third pick and now they win the Matt Ryan lottery in this scenario. Ryan's pick not only signals the end of the QB problems that plagued the team last year but would officially help Atlanta get out of the Michael Vick era.
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Look for the Raiders to trade this pick if McFadden falls this far and look for Dallas to be licking its chops to move up here. McFadden could be the Adrian Peterson of this year's class where he may just be too good to pass up to the team he falls too, even if they are already set at RB.
5. Kansas City - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Despite a senior year in which the wheels fell off the Cardinals bus, KC has been desperate for a QB since Len Dawson retired and while Brohm may be too much of a reach for any other team in this spot, he may be too good for the Chiefs to pass up. Look for an OL to go in this spot as well.
6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
This first round is all about the pass rush this year and the Jets nab the second best DE with this pick. The Jets have plenty of holes throughout that need patching but Gholston is the safest pick with the most potential.
7. New England (from San Francisco) - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Despite the ramifications of "Spygate," New England still has this pick and will probably use it to acquire more picks so they can continue to stockpile talent. If by chance they don't, look for them to get McKelvin to fill one of the few holes they had on defense.
8. Baltimore - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Ravens would like to take another chance at finding that all-important franchise QB but if Ryan and Brohm are both off the board, it might be a little early to grab at any of the others. Ozzie Newsome has a knack for finding talent in the draft regardless of position and with Ellis probably the best talent left on the board, look for the Ravens to go here.
9. Cincinnati - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
The Bengals were a mess last year but they still seem to have plenty of talent on offense so once again the defense needs to be addressed. And with DL's flying off the board, this is where the Bengals get theirs, taking Harvey to boost a pathetic pass rush. Look for the Bengals to address defense early and often in the draft.
10. New Orleans - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Saints should look to bolster their secondary here and while the DB class this year is deep, the cream of the crop is thin and with only McKelvin gone at this point the Saints can cash in here with Jenkins.
The one thing about this year's class is that after the top 4, the name recognition diminishes. However, this will probably one of the classes that stocks the league for year's to come. Check back for the rest of my predictions throughout the weekend and let me know how far off the deep end you think I am.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
What do the Redskins really need?
With the offseason Olympics ready to get underway, I decided the best place to start was at the beginning (I realize this is an earth-shattering concept) and determine what holes actually need to be filled.
While looking around the net I noticed a blog where the guy was completely off his rocker and in the same column he got on Dan Snyder for getting rid of the continuity put in place in the coaching staff right after he said the Skins should get rid of it seemed 2/3rds of the team's starters including Clinton Portis, Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas.
If it was this guy's intention to grab attention, well then he accomplished his job. If it was his intention to provide meaningful insight into what action the team will take then he fell well short of the mark.
"George" does make a solid point in stating that if there is a major injury on the offensive line next year there will be issues. However, we weathered a ton of injuries on that line last year (Jansen and Thomas included) and we were able to bring along some young, talented players. But, think of how much smoother next season would be if Jansen, Thomas and the rest of the guys can avoid injuries - you're talking about one of the best collective units in the game. Jansen and Thomas are not washed up and so talk of the O Line needing help is overly exaggerated although a late round flier, especially coached by Joe Bugel, never seems to be a bad idea.
But I am rambling and I want this to be more of a list so here are the needs of the team as I see them, in no particular order:
1. Defensive backs: We need both safties and CB's after the loss of Sean Taylor and the continuing struggles of Carlos Rogers. It was nice to have Shawn Springs healthy for a good chunk of time and Fred Smoot was a reliable asset too. Reed Doughty has proved himself worthy of a shot at a starting spot after taking over for Taylor but depth at both positions are crucial.
2. Defensive line: This group has been so sporadic the last few years that something needs to be added and if this were a car it would be a stabilizing bar. Many projections online have us taking a DT with our 1st round pick and that would definitely be a good move. Phillip Daniels isn't getting any younger either so it might be nice to find his eventual replacement this year too.
3. Offensive line: I already talked about this earlier but a late round pick to add depth seems like the smart play here. Stephon Heyer proved to be a valuable commodity despite not even being drafted so who's to say we won't need another Heyer this year?
4. Quarterback: Yes, Jason Campbell is the QB of the future but if he goes down again, how much longer can we rely on Todd Collins? This year could be the one to draft or sign a younger backup so he could get acclimated to the time and be ready if the situation ever arises. The rest of the offense seems to be in good enough shape (although it would be nice for the WR's to produce more this year) so drafting a future QB could be a luxury this year the Skins may not have next year.
In keeping with continuity, it seems many of these starters could already be the place and the emphasis then should be on selecting role players. I realize we were 9-7 but we were close and when we got on a roll we were one of the toughest teams to play at the end of the year. Adding missing pieces - and not making major renovations - could be just what this team needs to advance in the playoffs next year.
While looking around the net I noticed a blog where the guy was completely off his rocker and in the same column he got on Dan Snyder for getting rid of the continuity put in place in the coaching staff right after he said the Skins should get rid of it seemed 2/3rds of the team's starters including Clinton Portis, Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas.
If it was this guy's intention to grab attention, well then he accomplished his job. If it was his intention to provide meaningful insight into what action the team will take then he fell well short of the mark.
"George" does make a solid point in stating that if there is a major injury on the offensive line next year there will be issues. However, we weathered a ton of injuries on that line last year (Jansen and Thomas included) and we were able to bring along some young, talented players. But, think of how much smoother next season would be if Jansen, Thomas and the rest of the guys can avoid injuries - you're talking about one of the best collective units in the game. Jansen and Thomas are not washed up and so talk of the O Line needing help is overly exaggerated although a late round flier, especially coached by Joe Bugel, never seems to be a bad idea.
But I am rambling and I want this to be more of a list so here are the needs of the team as I see them, in no particular order:
1. Defensive backs: We need both safties and CB's after the loss of Sean Taylor and the continuing struggles of Carlos Rogers. It was nice to have Shawn Springs healthy for a good chunk of time and Fred Smoot was a reliable asset too. Reed Doughty has proved himself worthy of a shot at a starting spot after taking over for Taylor but depth at both positions are crucial.
2. Defensive line: This group has been so sporadic the last few years that something needs to be added and if this were a car it would be a stabilizing bar. Many projections online have us taking a DT with our 1st round pick and that would definitely be a good move. Phillip Daniels isn't getting any younger either so it might be nice to find his eventual replacement this year too.
3. Offensive line: I already talked about this earlier but a late round pick to add depth seems like the smart play here. Stephon Heyer proved to be a valuable commodity despite not even being drafted so who's to say we won't need another Heyer this year?
4. Quarterback: Yes, Jason Campbell is the QB of the future but if he goes down again, how much longer can we rely on Todd Collins? This year could be the one to draft or sign a younger backup so he could get acclimated to the time and be ready if the situation ever arises. The rest of the offense seems to be in good enough shape (although it would be nice for the WR's to produce more this year) so drafting a future QB could be a luxury this year the Skins may not have next year.
In keeping with continuity, it seems many of these starters could already be the place and the emphasis then should be on selecting role players. I realize we were 9-7 but we were close and when we got on a roll we were one of the toughest teams to play at the end of the year. Adding missing pieces - and not making major renovations - could be just what this team needs to advance in the playoffs next year.
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