Burner's Burning Questions: 2014 Grades, Questions

2014 Grades, Questions​

Welcome to the last week of questions and grades for 2014 as we close out a season of frustration, misery, anger, and exasperation. It was a season to remember and a season to forget. Feel free to offer your own grades, opinions, suggestions, and ideas for 2014. Also, we have some questions to close out season.

Let

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2014 Grades, Questions​

Welcome to the last week of questions and grades for 2014 as we close out a season of frustration, misery, anger, and exasperation. It was a season to remember and a season to forget. Feel free to offer your own grades, opinions, suggestions, and ideas for 2014. Also, we have some questions to close out season.

Let’s take a look at the grades.

Quarterbacks:
Eenie, meenie, miney, mo – pick a QB for this week’s show. The carousel was not a fun experience. There were some good games and a cherished win over a rival. The “franchise” QB designee had some positives in the last three games.
Grade: D

Running Backs:
Alfred Morris was too under-utilized while Roy Helu had some good moments on passing downs. We wanted to see more of Silas Redd.
Grade: C

Wide Receivers:
DeSean Jackson had a fantastic year, but Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts struggled. Santana Moss provided a steady veteran influence later in the season.
Grade: C+

Tight Ends:
The tight ends took major steps in the wrong direction in 2014. Niles Paul was spectacular in the early season, but faded down the stretch. Logan Paulsen all but stamped his ticket out of town. Jordan Reed needs to shake the injury bug.
Grade: D-

Offensive Line:
The bottom line is that this unit needs a major overhaul and the quicker, the better. It affected and negatively impacted performances of the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, and tight ends.
Grade: F

Defensive Line:
The defensive line mirrors the offensive, but on a smaller scale. There were a few good games, but those mostly came against lesser competitors. The impact in key games and stronger opponents was negligible.
Grade: D

Linebackers:
Ryan Kerrigan continues to prove that he is amongst the best in the league. Keenan Robinson is just a few steps away from being an impact player as Kerrigan has become. Perry Riley took a step back this year and could lose his job to an upstart in Will Compton. Trent Murphy will help the organization move on from Brian Orakpo.
Grade: B

Cornerbacks:
David Amerson continued a season-long slide from mediocrity to underachiever. Bashaud Breeland could be a stud in the making. The lack of depth overall and losing DeAngelo Hall to injury put this unit on thin ice.
Grade: D

Safeties:
The 1974 Tornado Outbreak. The Hindenburg. Mount Saint Helens. The 1993 Storm Of The Century. The Titanic. The 2004 tsunami. The Alamo. The Great Potato Famine. Hurricane Camille. The Spanish flu pandemic. The Great Alaskan earthquake. The 2014 Redskins safeties.
Grade: F

Special Teams:
Tress Way had a superb season and his punting led the league. Kai Forbath had some strong competition in camp, but was able to fend it off and had a solid season. The return unit was unspectacular, but made few mistakes overall. The coverage was above average, but there were a few breakdowns early on and late in the season.
Grade: B+

Coaching:
The offense would shine at times and then they would sputter at the most inopportune moments. The changeover at the quarterback position didn’t allow for a strong leader to emerge at the most important position. The blocking was atrocious. The defense struggled for most of the season, especially the line and defensive backs. There were times when it seemed as if the defense was only going through the motions and playing without any heart.
Grade: D-

The 2014 season passes into the history books. How would you grade each position and the coaching staff? Who would you like to see as the new defensive coordinator? Is Bruce Allen ready to give up his GM football duties and take on PR/business responsibilities only? Are there any other assistants that should be replaced? On to the offseason!

See you again soon with more updates, free agency reports, and mock drafts.

Hail to the Redskins!

I would give the linebackers a c, too many blown assignments, and I would give the Oline an f- I watched too many games where chester got absolutely dominated, and frankly a 5-11 285 pound center isnt gonna get it done either. the sad thing is that the guys who played RT looked horrible but better than Polumbus. I almost wonder though if Polumbus could play inside, he just cant pass pro on the edge

Rymanofthenorth said:

I would give the linebackers a c, too many blown assignments, and I would give the Oline an f- I watched too many games where chester got absolutely dominated, and frankly a 5-11 285 pound center isnt gonna get it done either. the sad thing is that the guys who played RT looked horrible but better than Polumbus. I almost wonder though if Polumbus could play inside, he just cant pass pro on the edge

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Why do you keep saying that, he is 6' 2" and he was certainly not the weakest link on that line this year.

Like I said in the other thread. Put Iupati between the 1st round rookie acquisition, Taylor from Notre Dame or Scherff from Iowa, and Licht and that line is immediately upgraded.

I think you bring back Williams and Kory on the OL in 2015 and look to improve the other slots.

Chester is a rather easy call because he is going to be 32 and counts like $6.5M under the cap.

RT is a mess because Moses got hurt and won't be around for the offseason work while Tom Compton showed that he lacks the physical strength to be a key performer on the line.

He's okay as a swing backup at tackle for spot starts but not someone to count on for 16 games.

Players some want to keep that I think need to go:

Roy Helu - serious liability in pass protection. Third diwn back in his fourth year who still can't be counted on here? We can do better.

Brian Orakpo - injured too often and has too high an opinion of his standing in the league. He has never been truly elite. Time to find someone that can stay on the field.

Perry Riley - good athlete who has horrible instincts. He has no natural feel for the game at this level and makes even average tight ends look like Tony Gonzalez.

Chris Chester - as per above he is on the wrong side of 30 and is on the downside of his career with exorbitant cap hit in 2015.

Niles Paul - if Jordan Reed is you starter at 236 his backup needs to be a big, strong guy that can help out in the run game. Nice that Niles is conscientious on special teams, but teams find UFDAs that can play ST. I would not let that be the reason we stand pat here.

Andre Roberts - had a good camp and preseason but I ended up wondering by Game 16 if Andre could be productive as a receiver OR as a returner. Another Antwaan Randle El in the making.

Stephen Bowen - physically he looks done and at 31/32 like Chester appears to be all past and no future.

Brandon Meriweather - every year fans and media write him off because he is a very average performer who is over 30. But incompetent player acquisitions at safety continue to give him a starting gig THREE years after Bellichick said goodbye to his former first round pick.

You don't get rich sifting through Bellichick's refuse pile.

When he gives up on a guy he is usually done.

Meriweather turns 30 in 11 days.

If lick is 6 foot 2 then I am 6 foot 10

and not being the crappiest player on the Oline is not exactly an endorsement when the Oline was the worst unit on the team and perhaps one of the worst units in the league. even Good Olines will have bad days, our problem was that when this unit had bad days (which was often) it killed our chances at even looking decent.

Rymanofthenorth said:

and not being the crappiest player on the Oline is not exactly an endorsement when the Oline was the worst unit on the team and perhaps one of the worst units in the league. even Good Olines will have bad days, our problem was that when this unit had bad days (which was often) it killed our chances at even looking decent.

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OK, I get what you're saying, but you're ignoring the reality. He was solid enough to not be the positon of most need along the OL. We need to replace both Center and Guards...Licht, Chester or Lavaou first? We need to replace our RT and have a draft position to get a starter right away at that position?

Of the 3 on the interior of the line, we can replace one of them with a top tier free agent...that is a position the Front Office should be willing to spend. Do we try to replace another guard and the center...all four positions in one off-season.

The reality is you can't. We understand that Kory Lichtensteiger is not the best Center in the league, but he was better at that position than the either guard and our RT were at their's. You cannot replace all 4 next year when there are sooooooo many holes that need to be replaced.

Like almost all of your grades BB. Though I'd go F, on the TE's. Worse blocking from TE's I've seen on this team in 40+ years.

And a C- on Special Teams. The return game was abysmal. Both the blocking, and returning. I didn't share BigMike's early assessment of Roberts. But he surely did resemble Randle el for the last ¾ of the season.

Who would you like to see as the new defensive coordinator?

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I think we are going to, and should, stick with the 3-4. making Wade Phillips seem like the no brainer pickup.

Is Bruce Allen ready to give up his GM football duties and take on PR/business responsibilities only?

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I know I'm in the minority on this one, but I think for sanity's sake, we use his starting time of last offseason, as being the ultimate decision maker. He's had 1 year in that instance. I'll give another.

Are there any other assistants that should be replaced?

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Oline, TE, RB & secondary coaches are all expendable in my book.

I just don't see the need to address center in 2015 when there are three other spots on the line in worse shape.

You can't replace everyone. But what you can do is move the guys out that just can't compete at this level.

By that definition you are looking at Polumbus, Chester, LeRibeus, etc.

Lauvao is average and worth half of what they gave him in free agency.

The younger picks in Round 3, Moses and Long came in and looked like sixth and seventh rounders.

Another great draft.

Elephant said:

OK, I get what you're saying, but you're ignoring the reality. He was solid enough to not be the positon of most need along the OL. We need to replace both Center and Guards...Licht, Chester or Lavaou first? We need to replace our RT and have a draft position to get a starter right away at that position?

Of the 3 on the interior of the line, we can replace one of them with a top tier free agent...that is a position the Front Office should be willing to spend. Do we try to replace another guard and the center...all four positions in one off-season.

The reality is you can't. We understand that Kory Lichtensteiger is not the best Center in the league, but he was better at that position than the either guard and our RT were at their's. You cannot replace all 4 next year when there are sooooooo many holes that need to be replaced.

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I don't have the depth to address this vis o-line....but when I read assessments...there is constant reference to the skill of centers in recognizing the defense and calling out the right blocking scheme. Lich is supposed to be good at this. he is on the small side.....but this skill may carry more weight than many of us think.

anyone ever hear an official explanation for why Long didn't play more? given a 4-12 season....that one still puzzles me.

Replacing all these players is fine but if the same guys are coaching some of them then it's a waste.

We need new position coaches for the OL, DL, and DB, at a minimum, and maybe for WR and RB as well. I also wonder about the Strength and Conditioning coach but that one is harder to evaluate as a fan.

a topflight Oline coach is a must, but then I honestly think we should be poaching the great position coaches, look at who we had during the gibbs years, a dreamteam of coaches

The obvious reason the younger players didn't play more on the OL is that they were not as good as the team thought during the draft.

When you have THREE third round choices on the bench and an OL that gives up 58 sacks, that says MORE about the backups than it does about the starters.