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[mike oxlong]

State of the Team Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins start to seem like they are progressing and maybe after another off-season can actually make some real progress, then Joe Gibbs retires. I feel sorry for that team. First it appears like they have a no-brainer replacement, then they fire both the OC and DC. Sean Taylor gets murdered the team is bounced from the playoffs. A season no team should have to endure. It has always been 1 step forward and 2 steps back. This team seriously looks as though Vinny and Danny are living a frat dream and have no idea what they are doing.


Coaching Changes

Head Coach Joe Gibbs retires, Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders and Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams were fired and replaced with Sherman Smith and Greg Blache respectively. After being hired briefly as Offensive Coordinator, Jim Zorn was promoted to Head Coach after a tumultuous search resulted in nothing.

2008 Team Needs

Well, last season a big need was to generate a pass rush, they didnt address it and it cost them again. This season I think we will finally address the need all along the Dline. Especially with the Giants winning the Superbowl as teams always follow the scheme of the SB winning defense. Its a smart approach

Regardless how it became a need, DB is a need and. Laron Landry is a stud, but he needs some help back there and Taylor will be a difficult player to replace.

Once again WR is an issue in Washington for the same reason as before. They have a few little fast guys with no big guy controlling the defenders to help them get open.

The offensive line is a strong unit but there is almost no depth and most of the line is over 30 years of age, a fact that cannot be overlooked. Any chance to add useful youth and depth here must be taken.


Possible Free Agent Solutions

Usually the Redskins jump into Free Agency and blindly give money where they shouldnt and overpay players getting ready to check into old folks homes, but not so much this year. They wanted Berrian, but that wouldnt have helped much. I heard Johnson was in town but he left without a deal and frankly when Antonio Bryant gets signed ahead of DJ Hackett and Bryant Johnson, it makes me question what I dont know about those two. Their twp biggest signings are Rock Cartwright and Todd Collins, and both re-signings at that not exactly the juggernauts you have come to expect. Another season in the basement looms for a team in constant turmoil.


Possible Draft Solutions:

The Redskins currently hold the Following picks

21st (1st round)
51st (2nd round)
84th (3rd round)


In addition they have a 4th (115), 5th (148), 6th (179) & 7th (212). This also combined with compensatory picks in the 3rd and two in the 7th.

First off it must be strange to Washington Coaches and management to actually have a full allotment of draft picks. One would have figured that Samie Parker could have been had for a 2nd or that some team wasnt smart enough to figure out that if they signed Simeon Rice, then they could trade him to the Redskins for a 3rd. Here is what they do with those picks.

With the 1st rounder, the Skins without a doubt go DE. They have needed a pass rusher there for some time. Phillip Merling or Calais Campbell will fill that void nicely. Sweed is tempting, but I dont see them passing on one of the two ends that will immediately improve that pressureless Dline. Daniels is getting old.

in the 2nd round Washington gets maybe the best pure cover corner in the draft with USCs Terrell Thomas, who can put a hit on you but his aggressiveness sometimes gets him in trouble. He is a great value at pick 51 and eventual replacement for 33 year old Shawn Springs

Conclusion:

I really dont know what to make of them. A team on the rise in 2007 has to start again with a new chemistry for yet another season. Every season apparently brings some kind of change which inevitably brings a storm period for players and coaches to adapt to and overcome. How many times can a team go backward and still make the effort to bounce back?

[mike oxlong]

any thoughts?

[Ridin Burgundy]

State of the Team Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins start to seem like they are progressing and maybe after another off-season can actually make some real progress, then Joe Gibbs retires. I feel sorry for that team. First it appears like they have a no-brainer replacement, then they fire both the OC and DC. Sean Taylor gets murdered the team is bounced from the playoffs. A season no team should have to endure. It has always been 1 step forward and 2 steps back. This team seriously looks as though Vinny and Danny are living a frat dream and have no idea what they are doing.

I was a bit pissed initially about what happened with the search for a new coach but I don't think either Williams or Saunders were right for the HC job. I would have liked to see Saunders stick around for longer because it was pretty obvious Gibbs still had a big influence in the offensive play calling.
Spags was the first choice and after he turned us down the options wern't exactly great but after hearing Zorn speak and talk about his plans i'm confident he will do a good job and he will really help Jason progress.

2008 Team Needs

Well, last season a big need was to generate a pass rush, they didnt address it and it cost them again. This season I think we will finally address the need all along the Dline. Especially with the Giants winning the Superbowl as teams always follow the scheme of the SB winning defense. Its a smart approach

Its obvious to everyone we need help on the DL but i'm still not sure we will go that way in the draft. Its just not glamorous for Danny. I hope we do because there are teams with far worse secondarys than us who give up way less because they can get to the QB.

Regardless how it became a need, DB is a need and. Laron Landry is a stud, but he needs some help back there and Taylor will be a difficult player to replace.

I disagree that there is a need to fill at S now. Having Taylor and Landry there was more of a luxury than anything and its a real shame we will never get to see what they would have been able to do but Landry will stay in the FS spot and can play a similar role to what Sean did. At SS Doughty showed some potential but we should bring someone else in to challenge probably a mid round draft choice but we don't need another star there.

Once again WR is an issue in Washington for the same reason as before. They have a few little fast guys with no big guy controlling the defenders to help them get open.

We really need to bring another big guy in either through the draft or trade (and I think there is a strong possibility we do trade for someone).
The coaches seem to like Mix who should get some chances but we definitely need to add to the position.

The offensive line is a strong unit but there is almost no depth and most of the line is over 30 years of age, a fact that cannot be overlooked. Any chance to add useful youth and depth here must be taken.

We do have a little depth with Heyer who was a great suprise and Alexander has shown promise and will be a decent backup but I wouldn't be against us taking a guard as high as the first round and we really need to get someone on the first day.

Possible Free Agent Solutions

Usually the Redskins jump into Free Agency and blindly give money where they shouldnt and overpay players getting ready to check into old folks homes, but not so much this year. They wanted Berrian, but that wouldnt have helped much. I heard Johnson was in town but he left without a deal and frankly when Antonio Bryant gets signed ahead of DJ Hackett and Bryant Johnson, it makes me question what I dont know about those two. Their twp biggest signings are Rock Cartwright and Todd Collins, and both re-signings at that not exactly the juggernauts you have come to expect. Another season in the basement looms for a team in constant turmoil.

I'm happy we didn't do anything in FA.
Its was the weakest group in a long time and the money being thrown around was ridiculus. I would have liked us to have made an effort to add to one of thew areas of need but they obviously didn't see much in anyone and i'm more than happy to see us start to build through the draft more.

[mike oxlong]

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

I was a bit pissed initially about what happened with the search for a new coach but I don't think either Williams or Saunders were right for the HC job. I would have liked to see Saunders stick around for longer because it was pretty obvious Gibbs still had a big influence in the offensive play calling.
Spags was the first choice and after he turned us down the options wern't exactly great but after hearing Zorn speak and talk about his plans i'm confident he will do a good job and he will really help Jason progress.

Don't you have a concern that with the WCO being a difficult offense for a QB and it being Campbell's 5th or 6th system to learn, that it will stunt the progress that he already has made?

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

Its obvious to everyone we need help on the DL but i'm still not sure we will go that way in the draft. Its just not glamorous for Danny. I hope we do because there are teams with far worse secondarys than us who give up way less because they can get to the QB.

The last statement says it all, you guys do have a talented secondary, but even the most talented secondary can be rendered useless with no pass rush. If you give any QB time to throw at the nfl level, he will find an open guy

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

I disagree that there is a need to fill at S now. Having Taylor and Landry there was more of a luxury than anything and its a real shame we will never get to see what they would have been able to do but Landry will stay in the FS spot and can play a similar role to what Sean did. At SS Doughty showed some potential but we should bring someone else in to challenge probably a mid round draft choice but we don't need another star there.

I agree with that a mid rounder seems right

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

We really need to bring another big guy in either through the draft or trade (and I think there is a strong possibility we do trade for someone). The coaches seem to like Mix who should get some chances but we definitely need to add to the position.

that was my point, you need someone to control the field and allow those speed guys to do their work

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

We do have a little depth with Heyer who was a great suprise and Alexander has shown promise and will be a decent backup but I wouldn't be against us taking a guard as high as the first round and we really need to get someone on the first day.

maybe second day too, considering the first day is only the first two rounds now

Originally Posted by Ridin'Burgundy

I'm happy we didn't do anything in FA.
Its was the weakest group in a long time and the money being thrown around was ridiculus. I would have liked us to have made an effort to add to one of thew areas of need but they obviously didn't see much in anyone and i'm more than happy to see us start to build through the draft more.

After that recent past of FA I can totally understand that. Plus, you guys actually have a bunch of picks this year, that has to be exciting in itself. LOL

[Ridin Burgundy]

Originally Posted by mike oxlong

Don't you have a concern that with the WCO being a difficult offense for a QB and it being Campbell's 5th or 6th system to learn, that it will stunt the progress that he already has made?

Yeah it could take a while to really get going but Campbell is a smart guy and I think long term having Zorn around will help. Until then (provided we get a reciever) we have a solid group of players around him to help and take some of the pressure off.

The last statement says it all, you guys do have a talented secondary, but even the most talented secondary can be rendered useless with no pass rush. If you give any QB time to throw at the nfl level, he will find an open guy

I think we are (and have been for a while) 1 quality DE away from having a pretty dominant D. Carter is a very good player but Daniels offers nothing and Wilson doesn't have the size to be an every down DE.

maybe second day too, considering the first day is only the first two rounds now

Keep forgetting that. Still we should have 4 picks in the first 3 rounds (comp pick for Dockery) so hopefully we go DE, OG, WR, CB preferably in that order but any would be ok.

After that recent past of FA I can totally understand that. Plus, you guys actually have a bunch of picks this year, that has to be exciting in itself. LOL

Its like Christmas come early or late lol

We have actually drafted pretty well with most of the picks we have had recently so hopefully we do the same this year.