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Marko Mitchell

Bulldog

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Today's RI points up an interesting case point in proper cap management.

A late round draft pick Marko Mitchell by his coach's own estimation has progressed the furthest of the younger receivers in camp but there appears to be no roster spot for him.

The 800 pound elephant that is walking across the table at Redskins Park is the rather obvious fact that ARE is going to be on the team as much for his contract as his anticipated contribution.

He has largely failed to produce on returns and is the most expensive slot receiver in the NFL.

Philly, NE, Pittsburgh would be in position right now to unload ARE and not have to let a promising younger player go to another club for them to develop cheaply.
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Practice squad, BD.

Not sure I'm with you on this one. Mitchell won't be ready to really contribute this year. No doubt he's got the physical tools, but his head won't be ready to be reliable on the NFL field of play for a while. Campbell needs guys who know where they're going. With a rookie out of a second-level conference, he'd never be sure.

Meanwhile, ARE, for all the negative pub, is a solid proven NFL commodity. He was never supposed to be split out wide--he's a slot and gimmick guy. If I'm a defensive coordinator, and have to worry about Moss out wide on one side, a legit #2 out wide on the other (Kelly, Thomas?), a wily veteran with good feet and hands (which ARE has) in the slot, not to mention Cooley and/or Davis ... and I'm frettin'.

I like what little I've heard and seen from Mitchell, but I'm not ready to believe he's a legit 53-man roster contributor. Not yet. I'd like to season him a bit---one year on the practice squad seems like the smart move to me.
 
and how de know this isn't just CP stirring the pot for feces and grins?
 
CP's not the only one to talk about Mitchell this fall ... and I have to wonder why CP would mess with the other hopeful WR's by singling out one over the others that way. CP's all about fun, but he's not a guy that messes with team chemistry by creating divisions. Seems to me this would be doing just that?
 
I would think, in the absence of significant on-air time, we'd have to totally defer to the coaching staff in evaluating a guy like Marko. None of us have enough eyes-on time to make a legitimate assessment or even form a valid opinion. This does go to the same general issue I raised with young QB talent though - the gist of which is, prioritizing the 'right now' over the 'possible future'. Only in this case, it may be that money is playing a huge factor.

Where I question this team is, how much pressure is being applied to an underachieving, overpaid guy like ARE to show he can get it done?

I seriously doubt there's much, although I grant there is no way to know that. This team has for far too long given guys who didn't get it done far too many opportunities. We're one of the fattest, happiest clubs in the NFL. And everyone knows it.
 
As evidenced by his performance tonight in making catches in both halves, I think Mitchell IS coming on quickly and will be able to contribute in 2009.

He has shown us at least as much as Kelly and Thomas in more limited time.

And unlike Marcus Mason, who has been a preseason maven for the club, Mitchell has the size and speed to be an asset during the regular season.
 
You would keep Mitchell as the active #5 over Hackett, Bulldog? Not saying it can't happen ... just not sure I'm quite ready to project Mitchell onto the field against the NY Giants on opening day just yet.

He did look good though, didn't he? :)
 
Does he play on Special Teams? Because Hackett doesn't...
 
Neophyte said:
Does he play on Special Teams? Because Hackett doesn't...
Click to expand...

This is Zorn's conundrum. The 5th receiver should be a guy who plays Special Teams however, Zorn is likely under pressure to win now and may not concentrate on the long term. Hackett is more polished NOW and probably knows the system a little better than Marko.

If you're Zorn, do you go with the guy you trust and provides more of a comfort zone or do you go with the guy who is coming on fast and potentially has the higher upside but would probably not be as good THIS year?

As for your question Neo, seems I read somewhere that Marko has been assigned ST duty but has not really impressed in that department yet.
 
Marko should win the 5th WR spot over Hackett. Will he? Probably not. And there is zippy chance he makes it through waivers, so you can forget about practice squad, Om. If he does win the 5th WR spot, I'll be pleasantly surprised. He showed last night he is ready to play in the NFL.
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I am guessing we see him this week against NE with the starters some, working against the first team D from the Pats. If he shows as well against them as he did the last two weeks I think it is tough to let him go, even with Hackett's experience. That experience doesn't do the team much good if he is injured and he has a history of it.
 
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Hackett dropped two passes so far in the preseason.

Outside of 2006, what has Hackett really done in the NFL?

He has spent most of his career in the shadows as a depth player.

The stats for his 5 NFL seasons equate in TOTAL to ONE good season for a veteran WR.
 
I'm glad some of our backup backups are having a good pre-season, but I'm not losing any sleep over which ones get to stay on the team. Sorry. :)

We do not have the greatest WR corps in the world. There is NO way you drop your #2 because your #5 or 6 or whoever looks promising. There's no 800lb anything in the room. Just pre-season darlings that, like every other pre-season in the history of the NFL, don't actually make the team.
 
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Om said:
You would keep Mitchell as the active #5 over Hackett, Bulldog? Not saying it can't happen ... just not sure I'm quite ready to project Mitchell onto the field against the NY Giants on opening day just yet.

He did look good though, didn't he? :)
Click to expand...

Yes, Om, he did look good-and so did Chase Daniel and now the entire QB applecart for the 'Skins has been upset. Mitchell may, IMO, represent just the type of approach the 'Skins need-explosiveness as opposed to dependability. He has an advantage in physical tools that would give the 'Skins something they've needed-the ability to scare an opponent. Orakpo does that on defense, and there has been a hue and cry for a deep passing game-which means a receiver who simply outmatches the secondary physically and I think Mitchell can provide that better than, say, Hackett. The really good teams don't get that way, I don't think, by erring on the side of being conservative and always going with the "steady" knowable but by having the ability to put the opponents mindset in a state of uncertainty. A tall, athletic receiver like Mitchell I think provides more of a chance to do that.
 
I'm with serv - Marko Mitchell may not pan out, but he's the fresh, young talent this team desperately needs to take a much harder look at. He's clearly got the skills to play the game, and I for one would love to see what he can do against NFL corners.
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Henry said:
I'm glad some of our backup backups are having a good pre-season, but I'm not losing any sleep over which ones get to stay on the team. Sorry. :)

We do not have the greatest WR corps in the world. There is NO way you drop your #2 because your #5 or 6 or whoever looks promising. There's no 800lb anything in the room. Just pre-season darlings that, like every other pre-season in the history of the NFL, don't actually make the team.
Click to expand...

Henry, I think the deal with preseason darlings is that we all LOVE bargains. What's better than finding a steal and, hopefully, a future Pro-Bowler in the 7th round? We want our own version of Marques Colston.

You're right, of course, about preseason darlings. How many have we had over the past seven or eight years and how many of them actually made the team and if they made the team, how many had a huge impact? Chris Horton is the only one that immediately comes to mind. Naturally, we want more Chris Hortons.

I also have to wonder why so many people think Marko Mitchell will automatically get picked up by someone else if we try to stash him on the Practice Squad. If he's cut, he'll be one of the last. Would another team really want to put him on their active roster just before the first game of the season? I'm not so sure. I think it's more likely he makes our Practice Squad and possibly gets activated in case of injury.
 
It was exciting to see a Redskin catch a fade route for a TD. But, I've read that Mitchell does not have special teams experience. That may be his downfall to the PS where he can pick-up some of those skills. OTOH, he may be a quick study and perform adequately on Teams and there will be no need to move him off the 53.

Who scouted this guy and can they find more like this? :)
 
I originally panned the Mitchell pick, among others. Admittedly, it was as much a knee jerk reaction as the information that I read about him. However, what's becoming clearer and clearer after looking at our past couple of drafts, is that this team is doing a much, much better job of drafting players that have got a decent shot at making the team, even in the late rounds.

Quite refreshing, I have to say. I don't know if it's Cerrato having control, or if it has more to do with M. Brown and S. Campbell. Either way, looked at comprehensively, I think our player personnel moves have improved markedly over the past two years...not counting the Henson/Glenn picks. :insane:

Given that improvement in our personnel evaluation, if he continues to improve, I'd have a lot more confidence in perhaps keeping Mitchell over Hackett, assuming we could find someone to play teams.

Even so, if Zorn is more comfortable with Hackett in the short term, I don't think it would be much of a gamble if Mitchell were to be one of the last cuts. At that point, I think the chances would be very good that he'd clear waivers and make his way onto our P.S. until next season. At that time, we'd have a much better idea of his abilities and work ethic (one of the knocks on him coming in) as well as what we have with Kelly and Thomas. Plus ARE would be one year closer to the end of his contract. Likewise, that would give us one more year to find a punt returner to replace ARE which is equally as important as his production on the offense.
 
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I think Mitchell is a guy we have to keep. We need some fire on the offense, and he brings it. Like you guys have said though, the HOW is the problem. If it's between Mitchell and Hackett, then I go Mitchell. Hackett's not a special teamer, so what's the advantage to keeping him? Experience? Lord knows we have enough WR experience.

As far as the practice squad, I think there's a fair chance Mitchell could be signed by another team. Even if that chance is low though, is it really worth the risk to keep DJ HACKETT? I mean, c'mon. It's DJ HACKETT.

Eloi? Meh. Nope.

ARE? Yeah he's WAY past his prime, but I agree with Om that he still has a place in the slot that none of the other guys could really take.

And Devin Thomas can take a hike for all I care, I'm about done with him.

I think Mitchell makes the squad at number 5.
 
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