Random Commanders Thoughts

I think one of the most encouraging aspects of what happened is that our new analytics leader was apparently a big part of the decisions made. I'm guessing he probably gave the stark reality of our 2023 playoff chances, the true impact of what Sweat and Young are contributing to the overall defense, and the value of the proposed compensation. That is in sharp contrast to making major decisions on the impulsive whims of an impetuous knowledge who had no real football knowledge. It almost doesn't matter how the decisions pan out for all parties. The fact that we made tough aggressive decisions on the basis of predictive analytics is a greatly positive sign.
 
SilentThreat said:
I think it's more about this, than it is punting the season.

It's being able to take an objective look at yourself, seeing a 3-5 record, and understanding how we got here. It's then looking at the offseason and seeing that these two guys are free agents and an extension is not on the table, whether that be on their side, or our side determining we can't continue to invest premium contracts into a single defensive unit. We all know the reasons..

Ultimately, I think it means that new ownership group is not punting, but also not prioritizing 1 or 2 wins in 2023 for a greater return beyond.
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Especially over-investing in a single unit that just isn't netting the results needed.
 
SilentThreat said:
I think it's more about this, than it is punting the season.

It's being able to take an objective look at yourself, seeing a 3-5 record, and understanding how we got here. It's then looking at the offseason and seeing that these two guys are free agents and an extension is not on the table, whether that be on their side, or our side determining we can't continue to invest premium contracts into a single defensive unit. We all know the reasons..

Ultimately, I think it means that new ownership group is not punting, but also not prioritizing 1 or 2 wins in 2023 for a greater return beyond.
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This 100%. I don’t expect to see any noticeable drop off. In my mind, Young and Sweat may have been marquis names but not marquis players worth the money that it would take to move forward with. Smart move by the new ownership group.
 


Glad the Redskins didn't pay him. Can't pay a guy who isn't a game changer that much.
 
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I would have been concerned if we gave him top 5 money. The market likely will reset and it won’t look as jarring in a year or two, but still
 
Good for him. He was our best DE this year and 10+ sack guys are still a commodity. Not sure I'd keep him for that price, but glad he found a home.
 
If the defense was performing at a level that supported Howell and the offense’s growth you would not have seen both of these trades.

The fact this unit is ranked 29th in the NFL with SIX #1 draft picks on it - Allen, Young, Sweat, Payne, Davis and Forbes speaks volumes about both roster construction and coaching.
 
Add to that, a lot of people said that Jamin Davis was a raw rookie coming in, but had all the physical talent in the world: Speed, Length, strength. Well, he's been here three years and while he's developed somewhat... he's still closer to a raw rookie than a Pro Bowl player. He still gets lost in space, still doesn't always contain the edge in the run game, etc. He is now a serviceable linebacker, an NFL quality starter, but not a player any team is jealous of. Now, a portion of that is on the player. I don't know how well Davis prepares or studies. I don't know how smart he is or how much "want to be great" he has in him, but he's a great example of us not developing a player to fulfill their potential.

Likewise, I thought the knock on Forbes was size and that as a ballhawk he might get burned. Turns out, he's raw or they've made him look like a raw player.

We should be seeing these players improve, not tread water, not regress from their college form.
 
When you're taking someone in the 1st round - they should be a ready to go, plug and play starter. Period. I don't get our penchant for drafting guys early who have concerns or major question marks. With Davis it was his lack of experience. For Forbes, his size and frame. Griffin and Haskins couldn't read defenses. Brandon Scherff was a tackle who we ended up having to play at guard. We've made some very good picks too. But our miss rate has been way too high. I think there's this desire to over-think early picks - looking for extreme 'potential' upside instead of going for players who already have a proven ability to play at a high level.

1st round picks should be outstanding long-term starters. If they prove unable to perform at that level, you've wasted a pick, and we seem to do that a lot.
 
To be fair though, even when we have taken the "no brainier, future super star" picks that 32 out of 32 GMs agree on, we don't get the player we thought we would get.
 
Boone said:
When you're taking someone in the 1st round - they should be a ready to go, plug and play starter. Period. I don't get our penchant for drafting guys early who have concerns or major question marks. With Davis it was his lack of experience. For Forbes, his size and frame. Griffin and Haskins couldn't read defenses. Brandon Scherff was a tackle who we ended up having to play at guard. We've made some very good picks too. But our miss rate has been way too high. I think there's this desire to over-think early picks - looking for extreme 'potential' upside instead of going for players who already have a proven ability to play at a high level.

1st round picks should be outstanding long-term starters. If they prove unable to perform at that level, you've wasted a pick, and we seem to do that a lot.
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I agree with this except for QB because I believe that's the one position that takes time to develop.

It's funny.....When you peruse social media, you see a lot of fans, now that the team has more picks, that want to give up on Howell and trade up for the next hot QB prospect in next year's draft. That it's a foregone conclusion after nine starts that Howell is incapable of being a starting NFL QB.
We don't know what Howell is yet because he's still developing and if you give up on him before he has a chance, you are starting all over again at that position. How long you giving the next guy? Four starts? Seven? Or just the Preseason? It's lunacy!

But in order to develop any position, you have to have a good staff...and it looks more and more like that doesn't exist in Washington.

Let me ask this.....Does anyone here think Jamin Davis wouldn't be a good contributor in San Francisco,Buffalo, Pittsburg or Baltimore?
How is it that we have two former linebackers as HC and DC and Davis is still a part time player? How is it he's not a chess piece that gets moved around to rush the passer?

Then you look at the Oline. How is it they can't handle stunts and twists that are common in today's game? Is that talent or coaching?
IMO, it all speaks to coaching. Letting Matsko go and not replacing him with someone other than Wharton was a big mistake. On the other hand, giving him table scraps every year and asking him to make ribeye steak was criminal too. But still, they should be capable enough to handle a stunt or a twist, so I blame coaching.

So if you draft a guy in round one or two, you should expect them to be immediate contributors unless your coaching staff sucks. And the Redskins staff sucks like a brand new Hoover.
 
Fair point on the QB position. But the thing is, it's also the position where it seems like guys either have the innate ability to play the position, or they don't. No amount of coaching was going to make Dwayne Haskins a long-term NFL QB imho. And in retrospect, the same was probably true of Griffin. But you are right, even if a young QB does have the skills needed, it takes time.

On some of our other dubious picks, I think we just tend to reach (as if we need to prove we are smarter than everyone else). This year was the perfect example. Christian Gonzalez, Jack Campbell, Dalton Kincaid, and most of the top OL prospects were sitting there, and we go with a very undersized Forbes who many scouts felt would be a 2nd round selection due to his lack of NFL size. He may prove all the doubters wrong, but right now, that looks like a total disaster of a pick for a team that has to come out of drafts with starters.

And yeah, coaching obviously matters a lot. But I still think most players worthy of a 1st or 2nd round selection are going to become reliable starters regardless of who they report to. That is - if you made the right pick :)
 
Well Boone....when Darrell Green makes the statement that Forbes isn't getting the help he needs...what does that say about the defensive staff?
 
Saw a recent article discussing whether the Patriots would be open to trading Belichick to the Redskins/Commanders in the off season as a way to avoid firing him and giving Harris & Co. and established HC. I would not be a fan of this move as he is 71 and quite frankly hasn't really done diddly poo since TB left. However, even though it was unfortunately short lived with Lombardi's death, we did previously take in a coach that was considered the GOAT to right the ship before. Granted that was before my parents bumped uglies and I was born.
 
I actually like Belichick but there's no way they should do that. Past his prime. If Bill was 42...heck yeah. Not now.

But you know what? I'd interview him. I'd want his take on the roster just for my own information.
 
DieselPwr44 said:
Well Boone....when Darrell Green makes the statement that Forbes isn't getting the help he needs...what does that say about the defensive
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I don't disagree that coaching matters. But that doesn't mean players like Davis and Forbes weren't major reaches. And Darrell Green's comments just seemed like typical DG - self-serving. Doesn't mean he's wrong though.
 
I don't see us going from a 'coach-centric' model to another one, even if it's Belichick. I think they'll go with a more traditional set up or at least I hope they do. Post-Brady Belichick looks a lot like Cleveland Browns Belichick to me. Besides - the team quickly dismissed that 'rumor' as baseless.
 
If Belichick came without compensation I could see this being an option the team at least would kick the tires on.

But the idea of giving up a #1 pick to NE at this juncture is a non-starter IMO.
 
Belichick the coach? Sure. Belichick the GM? No, thanks.

Belichick coaching but not having total control of the roster? Fat chance.
 
The drafts in New England have largely been stinkers since 2017.

Yes, Brady left with Gronk, but Bill has utterly failed to find any franchise players in the draft.

His free agent moves for Hunter Henry and a host of replacement level wide receivers like Nelson Agholor stand out as ineffectual moves.
 
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