Release: REDSKINS SIGN CHRIS DRAFT

[Pappas]

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
May 7, 2010

REDSKINS SIGN CHRIS DRAFT

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have signed free agent linebacker Chris Draft.

Draft (5-11, 232) has appeared in 150 games, with 88 starts, over 12 seasons since entering the NFL in 1998. He played last season with Buffalo, seeing action in all 16 games, with three starts. He registered 43 tackles and interception on defense and added five stops on special teams.

Draft entered the league as a sixth-round selection of Chicago, where he played in one game as a rookie, and played seven games for San Francisco in 1999, mostly on special teams. In 2000, Draft was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, where he would spend the next five seasons, playing in 74 games with 53 starts. In 2003, he started all 16 games and recorded 122 tackles, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Born Feb. 26, 1976, Draft attended Valencia High School in Placentia, Calif.

From 2005-06, Draft played in 32 games, with 19 starts, for Carolina. In his final season for the Panthers, Draft registered 111 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2007-08, Draft played for St. Louis, where he played in 28 games with 16 starts.

 

[Aston Gambino]

LB Rocky McIntosh signed an injury protection agreemeent and will join Redskins offseason program in hopes of jump-starting negotiations.
...
McIntosj will not be signing tender anytime soon and this is designed strictly to encourage team to engage in talks about a long-term deal.
...
Redskins announced today that they have signed free agent linebacker Chris Draft.

Take it those "talks" aren't going very well.

 

[Bulldog]

I don't think the Redskins have any intention of giving McIntosh a long-term contract.

It's not clear to me that he fits the new defensive alignment. It's also not clear whether his knee problems are degenerative and will limit the length of his career.

All of this is weighing against what would otherwise be a no-brainer move to resign a 26 year old former #2 draft pick that should be just coming into his prime.

Chris Draft?

At 5'11 and 230 where does Draft fit into the 3-4 alignment. Great that he is a special teams ace but at 34 one would hope the team is looking for Draft to provide depth in case of injury.

He's definitely not an outside backer in the 3-4. Inside?

Is there a smaller inside backer in the 3-4 around the league than a guy 5'11 and 230?

Fletcher is 5'11 but is 255.

 

[Boone]

You'd better be DAMN SURE McIntosh can't be productive if you're not going to keep him in the fold. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't be able to utlize a player of his talents, whether he's ideal for their scheme or not. He surely is better than some 12 year vet of moderate talent...

I keep hearing about McIntosh's horrible injuries, and yet, he somehow keeps showing up for games despite them?

 

[Henry]

nevermind ...

 

[Bulldog]

well, I think the plan is for the Redskins to 'audition' McIntosh for a job in the 3-4 in 2010 and then see how things go.

My guess is they are not going to commit more than the one year tender amount for McIntosh and Rogers before the end of 2010.

Chris Draft is another vet on a short-term contract. He is not a long-term solution, but the fact the Redskins were not going to give Larry Foote an offer in the range of Arizona and Pittsburgh shows the team is not likely to dole out big deals to any current players until the current season shakes out.

Shanahan is not going to be stuck in 2011 with dollars sunk in players who don't fit in and who don't want to, as the team was in 2010 with Fat Albert.

 

[bird_1972]

I agree that this is a surprising move.

Despite his reputation, McIntosh has been very reliable and less injury-prone than I was afraid he might be coming out of college. Not only that, but he's had a very good attitude and has played solidly.

I think it would be a shame to lose him since he's still relatively young and I haven't seen any indication by the current regime that they would institute a well-needed youth movement.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

But where does McIntosh fit into the 3-4 scheme? OLB?