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The Redskins have hit bottom. That much seems clear from a quick run up and down the roster. The ravages brought on by continual upheaval of coaches, systems, and personnel has netted a team that is bereft of starting caliber players at a critical number of positions and few younger players who have the demonstrable talent to be considered core players to build around.
In looking back the last time I saw an offseason start off with this type of challenge was back in 1994 after Richie Petitbon had been fired and Norv Turner came in the door at Redskins Park and inherited an aging team whose draft choices in recent years including Bobby Wilson, Desmond Howard, Tom Carter, etc. had largely failed to pan out. Norv and Casserly helped the process along in 1994 with Heath Shuler and again in 1996 with Andre Johnson.
Here in 2010 there is a Brian Orakpo. There is a Laron Landry. There is a Trent Williams and a Chris Cooley.
But it is difficult to find more than 8-10 players that you really wouldn’t want to see the team move, guys that you really believe in for the future. The slice and dice job done by the front office, owner, and past coaches has been that devastating.
This team needs to not only get younger, but faster and stronger as well. No one discussing the Redskins today talks about the team’s athleticism.
I know it’s not going to happen but in looking over the roster I conceivably point to 30-35 guys that could stand to be replaced. Everyone from the long snapper to the kicker to the quarterbacks to the entire defensive line.
What sort of compromise should we settle for?
A transition where goal number one is to get younger and more athletic. In some cases it may mean going with a middle or late round pick from 2011 for the upcoming season at a particular spot rather than a mediocre veteran whom Father Time is racing to tap on the shoulder.
Who should be gone?
1. McNabb (34) and Haynesworth (30). Obvious. Didn’t really want to discuss them, but someone would have noticed their not being on the list if I excluded mention of them.
2. Casey Rabach (33). I can’t think of a center in the NFC that would not be an upgrade on Rabach right now. He’s old and slow and lacks the size for today’s game inside. Centers that go 285 or so haven’t been around the NFC East in a long time.
3. Phillip Daniels (37) and Vonnie Holliday (35). Nice guys, good work ethic, solid locker room presence. But these guys are done. A 6-10 team needs 22 and 23 year old players that are learning and growing into roles for the future, not a stroll down memory lane with players whose prime was back in the Clinton Administration.
4. Artis Hicks (32). Hicks was a miss. I thought coming from Minnesota where he was a part-time starter the past 3-4 years, he would be a good 1-2 year bridge at OG or even OT. But he didn’t produce any push up front and was a revolving door in pass protection.
5. Maake Kemoeatu (32). Kemoeatu used to be a solid DT in Baltimore several years ago, but he now has a shoulder that needs surgery to go along with the Achilles injury he suffered in 2009. The Achilles can be a career ender by itself, just ask Jon Jansen, who never fully recovered from it either.
6. Clinton Portis (30). This one like McNabb and Haynesworth is obvious. He bought into the Shanahan program but Mike showed up 3 years and $20M too late to catch Portis when he still had the ability to run from scrimmage.
7. Mike Sellers (36). I don’t see anything special here. Sellers catches some balls in the flat for decent yardage as a change of pace, just like a handful of other secondary backs/fullbacks in the league. His blocking in short yardage is average and his play on special teams is colored too much by yellow for my liking.
8. Graham Gano (25). He’s only 25. But while you can’t teach youth, you also can’t teach clutch. Some guys like Vinatieri or Akers in their prime have it and others don’t. Gano doesn’t miss because he doesn’t have the leg, Gano misses because he can’t focus and block out the distractions. I have seen teams keep similarly talented kickers for several years before giving up in frustration with their inconsistency.
9. We don’t really have a punter, we need one.
10. We don’t really have a dependable long-snapper, we need one.
11. Rocky McIntosh (28). McIntosh is not a great fit for this defense. At 234 he is small for the ILB position in the 3-4. At 28 and with a history of knee problems, I am not signing him to a new contract for bigger dollars.
12. Andre Carter (31). Andre said he was gone when the season ended. He’s correct, the current staff doesn’t employ a scheme that maximizes his talent and he will do better elsewhere.
13. Reed Doughty (28). He’s not young, he’s not athletic and he can’t play a 'rover’ position covering as the backup for both SS and FS no matter what Jim Haslett thinks.
14. Roydell Williams (30). Roydell was done in the NFL 3 years ago.
15. Stephon Heyer (27). Heyer played in the NFL for 4 years. Amazing that a guy with his lack of technique and balance could last that long in a competitive league. A testament to him perhaps, but also to the failure of the Redskins on draft day to remedy the situation on the OL.
16. John Beck (30). Now that the novelty has worn off and the Shanahans have had a chance to 'look under the hood’ so to speak on a guy Mike evidently wanted to draft 4 years ago, we can be serious about Beck. Beck is 30 years old and hasn’t started an NFL game since his rookie season. He was traded for a defensive back in Doug Dutch that Baltimore used to fill a spot while their other corners were rehabbing from injuries in camp. He doesn’t have good NFL size and he doesn’t have a good NFL arm. Does anyone think he will be a better prospect at 31 or 32? The ship has sailed on this one.
In looking back the last time I saw an offseason start off with this type of challenge was back in 1994 after Richie Petitbon had been fired and Norv Turner came in the door at Redskins Park and inherited an aging team whose draft choices in recent years including Bobby Wilson, Desmond Howard, Tom Carter, etc. had largely failed to pan out. Norv and Casserly helped the process along in 1994 with Heath Shuler and again in 1996 with Andre Johnson.
Here in 2010 there is a Brian Orakpo. There is a Laron Landry. There is a Trent Williams and a Chris Cooley.
But it is difficult to find more than 8-10 players that you really wouldn’t want to see the team move, guys that you really believe in for the future. The slice and dice job done by the front office, owner, and past coaches has been that devastating.
This team needs to not only get younger, but faster and stronger as well. No one discussing the Redskins today talks about the team’s athleticism.
I know it’s not going to happen but in looking over the roster I conceivably point to 30-35 guys that could stand to be replaced. Everyone from the long snapper to the kicker to the quarterbacks to the entire defensive line.
What sort of compromise should we settle for?
A transition where goal number one is to get younger and more athletic. In some cases it may mean going with a middle or late round pick from 2011 for the upcoming season at a particular spot rather than a mediocre veteran whom Father Time is racing to tap on the shoulder.
Who should be gone?
1. McNabb (34) and Haynesworth (30). Obvious. Didn’t really want to discuss them, but someone would have noticed their not being on the list if I excluded mention of them.
2. Casey Rabach (33). I can’t think of a center in the NFC that would not be an upgrade on Rabach right now. He’s old and slow and lacks the size for today’s game inside. Centers that go 285 or so haven’t been around the NFC East in a long time.
3. Phillip Daniels (37) and Vonnie Holliday (35). Nice guys, good work ethic, solid locker room presence. But these guys are done. A 6-10 team needs 22 and 23 year old players that are learning and growing into roles for the future, not a stroll down memory lane with players whose prime was back in the Clinton Administration.
4. Artis Hicks (32). Hicks was a miss. I thought coming from Minnesota where he was a part-time starter the past 3-4 years, he would be a good 1-2 year bridge at OG or even OT. But he didn’t produce any push up front and was a revolving door in pass protection.
5. Maake Kemoeatu (32). Kemoeatu used to be a solid DT in Baltimore several years ago, but he now has a shoulder that needs surgery to go along with the Achilles injury he suffered in 2009. The Achilles can be a career ender by itself, just ask Jon Jansen, who never fully recovered from it either.
6. Clinton Portis (30). This one like McNabb and Haynesworth is obvious. He bought into the Shanahan program but Mike showed up 3 years and $20M too late to catch Portis when he still had the ability to run from scrimmage.
7. Mike Sellers (36). I don’t see anything special here. Sellers catches some balls in the flat for decent yardage as a change of pace, just like a handful of other secondary backs/fullbacks in the league. His blocking in short yardage is average and his play on special teams is colored too much by yellow for my liking.
8. Graham Gano (25). He’s only 25. But while you can’t teach youth, you also can’t teach clutch. Some guys like Vinatieri or Akers in their prime have it and others don’t. Gano doesn’t miss because he doesn’t have the leg, Gano misses because he can’t focus and block out the distractions. I have seen teams keep similarly talented kickers for several years before giving up in frustration with their inconsistency.
9. We don’t really have a punter, we need one.
10. We don’t really have a dependable long-snapper, we need one.
11. Rocky McIntosh (28). McIntosh is not a great fit for this defense. At 234 he is small for the ILB position in the 3-4. At 28 and with a history of knee problems, I am not signing him to a new contract for bigger dollars.
12. Andre Carter (31). Andre said he was gone when the season ended. He’s correct, the current staff doesn’t employ a scheme that maximizes his talent and he will do better elsewhere.
13. Reed Doughty (28). He’s not young, he’s not athletic and he can’t play a 'rover’ position covering as the backup for both SS and FS no matter what Jim Haslett thinks.
14. Roydell Williams (30). Roydell was done in the NFL 3 years ago.
15. Stephon Heyer (27). Heyer played in the NFL for 4 years. Amazing that a guy with his lack of technique and balance could last that long in a competitive league. A testament to him perhaps, but also to the failure of the Redskins on draft day to remedy the situation on the OL.
16. John Beck (30). Now that the novelty has worn off and the Shanahans have had a chance to 'look under the hood’ so to speak on a guy Mike evidently wanted to draft 4 years ago, we can be serious about Beck. Beck is 30 years old and hasn’t started an NFL game since his rookie season. He was traded for a defensive back in Doug Dutch that Baltimore used to fill a spot while their other corners were rehabbing from injuries in camp. He doesn’t have good NFL size and he doesn’t have a good NFL arm. Does anyone think he will be a better prospect at 31 or 32? The ship has sailed on this one.
