Kinda makes me wonder if Mike Florio might have a point in this little piece he posted on PFT.
Posted by Mike Florio on April 6, 2010 11:03 PM ET
With the Redskins paying defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth a $21 million bonus last week, we're told that the practical length and value of his contract is three years, $16 million, with $9 million guaranteed.
As a league source opined, "Every team in the NFL would have interest in that."
The question is whether and to what extent the Redskins would want reimbursement of the money paid last week. And that question depends on whether the Redskins prefer cash or draft picks -- and whether the teams that want him are willing to give up cash or draft picks.
In our view, coach Mike Shanahan likely would prefer to stockpile picks.
We've confirmed that the Redskins definitely attempted to trade Haynesworth before the $21 million payment came due. Others have reported that the efforts continue, with the Titans and Rams the teams most frequently mentioned. Now that the financial package has been reduced to a ridiculously affordable $16 million over three years, someone will bite if the price is right.
Meaning, of course, is there a possible strategic situation in which the amount of money or, more importantly, the number and location in the draft of picks that could, in Shanahn's mind, if not in the minds of some of the fans, justify letting Big Al go? Personally, I was willing to put up with his periodic game absences for pain or rest, or whatever purposes, because I watched what happened when he came back into the game. Offenses had to adjust-big time-he did, after all, take up two blockers and free Carter for QB hunting. He's a fat, lazy, and probably petulant but game-changing DT. It'd be a shame to lose him. But is there a possibility we could gain something else we need just as badly-or worse?
I also admit, this is the first time I've gone into eyebrow-raised "What the hell?" mode regarding an apparent direction Shanny's taken-but, for all his shortcomings, including his historically relentless "my way or the highway" approach, he's football smart-so, despite my admitted misgivings, I'm letting him slide here and if Big Al goes bye-bye, I'll be looking for something in return that reassures my initial perception that the direction of things has indeed changed and if the occassional move looks "goofy" there is, in all probably, some kind of method to the apparent madness.
Part of this, I admit, is that the change with Allen/Shanahn running things is so much nicer to me than before that I'm still in the a-giant-weight-has-been-removed-from-my-soul mode. So, if I seem too forgiving of Shananigans, that's at least a small part of it.
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