WPC: Losing the offseason

[Pappas]

http://web.warpathconfidential.com/?p=3230

Losing the offseason

By John Pappas
Warpath Confidential Editor

The Washington Redskins have a taken a new approach to free agency. After a decade devoted to buying every big name available, the new front office, led by general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Mike Shanahan, have decided to be more methodical in acquiring players in free agency. Through three days of free agency fans have been treated to largely silence, other than the signing of backup offensive lineman Artis Hicks. This is in stark contrast to past seasons when announcements of big signings would occur within hours of the start of the period.

This new philosophy is earning the team praise from fans and pundits. Finally, they say, owner Dan Snyder and the team have learned you cannot buy a Super Bowl, and that a more modest approach is best when building a long-term winner.

Normally, this argument would be one hundred percent correct. This year it could not be more wrong.

Click the link to read the entire article...

 

[@DCGoldPants]

Sorry, I believe that you couldn't be more wrong.

The free agent OL that are out there, aren't world beaters. Would it be nice to get them at fair deals? Yes. But like I said earlier...I think you need to have a number of guys come and go without a contract to send that message that Washington isn't only where you get paid....and that's it.

So, when Allen or Shanny say that this isn't rebuilding....that is what you should examine. This IS indeed rebuilding. Matter of fact....this is tearing the whole building down......saving a few pieces that could be used later, and starting all over.

I'm ok with all of this.

I still think they sign another OL, AND draft one early. I think if Parker passes a physical.....he'll be signed today. I think Sexy Rexy also. They are all pieces to help work towards building the team you want.

So, no.....the Redskins aren't LOSING the offseason. The culture change that has happened in Ashburn now needs to be visible to everybody outside of it.

Be patient.

 

[Hog Fever]

I too have to disagree. In all likelihood there will be a salary cap back in place some point in the near future. It would be foolish to pretend that that wasn’t the case.

Clifton is old and wasn’t really interested in leaving Green Bay. Pashos is a journeyman and hardly worth big money. Rolle and Dansby are both nice players but the cost issue comes into play there. The size of the contract we gave Haynesworth last year is already hanging like an albatross around our necks. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with any of the moves we’ve made thus far given all of the factors involved.

Perhaps if one of those guys were the final piece of the puzzle….no, NO! I’m not going to get sucked into that line of thinking. We definitely aren’t one player away, and thinking that we are is part of what’s gotten us into this mess. A team drafting 4th overall is not “almost there”.

How many times do we have to make the same mistakes to realize that money isn’t the answer to our problems here? Fixing our issues will take patience and we’re not even a week into free agency. I think you’re baiting us with the post brother.

 

[brandies]

Wouldn't it be the ultimate irony since Chicago is winning the off season, if we signed Grossman and he won the Super Bowl for us.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

It appears that Clifton never intended on signing with the Redskins. Unless they gave him a ridiculous contract, he was always going to return to Green Bay. Uncapped year or not, you don't give a mid-tier, 33 year-old OT who struggles against the premiere pass-rushers a monster contract. You just don't. And Tony Pashos? Why is he all of a sudden worth a ton of money?

In regards to RB help - Willie Parker, Ladanian Tomlinson and Thomas Jones are all still available. However teams continue to prove (Shanahan especially) that RBs are not hot-ticket items in free agency; they aren't worth breaking the bank for. Guys like Terrell Davis, Tashard Choice, Ryan Grant, Ahmad Bradshaw, Charlie Ward, Mike Anderson, etc. etc. etc. have shown that good RBs are available everywhere in the draft and as UDFAs.

At NT, I probably agree with you, but who has been available? Jamal Williams? He's 33. Grady Jackson? He's 37. We could always trade for someone, but that eliminates draft picks, and makes the situation worse.

I dunno, I think the situation doesn't matter, the more important point is that the FO is growing up. They are doing things right this year, and I for one like it. Not to mention, there may not even BE football in 2011; so essentially teams like the Bears are going for broke THIS YEAR, forget the long term. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have long-term success in DC than go balls to the wall for one year.

 

[@DCGoldPants]

exactly. There was a time when players used the Skins for big money, or to drive up their value with another team.

I think these guys came through over the weekend hoping for the same situation, and when it didn't happen. They left. Done and Done.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Wouldn't it be the ultimate irony since Chicago is winning the off season, if we signed Grossman and he won the Super Bowl for us.

I would like to think of it as poetic justice, lol.

 

[Sarge]

Hate to pile on, but I gotta agree with the others here. With the exception of Rolle, I didn't really see anyone out there worth throwing wads of cash at

 

[riggins44]

Not sure would have thrown too much cash at Rolle. What I do like, which goes unmentioned, is how we've resigned some out own URFA before they got out on the market. This is where good teams excel. Keep as many of your good homegrown talent as possible.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Not sure would have thrown too much cash at Rolle. What I do like, which goes unmentioned, is how we've resigned some out own URFA before they got out on the market. This is where good teams excel. Keep as many of your good homegrown talent as possible.

Yes, I love the Lorenzo Alexander signing. Technically none of them are "home grown," but I understand your point and its a valid one. Its what the Eagles do every year, and a large part of how they remain competitive. They cut the dead (old) weight, and extend their young talent. They just signed Avant to a contract extension.

 

[Sarge]

Not sure would have thrown too much cash at Rolle. What I do like, which goes unmentioned, is how we've resigned some out own URFA before they got out on the market. This is where good teams excel. Keep as many of your good homegrown talent as possible.

Yes, I love the Lorenzo Alexander signing. Technically none of them are "home grown," but I understand your point and its a valid one. Its what the Eagles do every year, and a large part of how they remain competitive. They cut the dead (old) weight, and extend their young talent. They just signed Avant to a contract extension.

I like it as well. Wonder what their contracts look like?

 

[LoyalSkinsFan]

I've got no issues with our current state of affairs. The new regime is clearly sending a message to not only the rest of the NFL but to our own players as well. I'm checking regularly online to see what new move we've made and have been happily disappointed nearly every time. I'm hopeful that we will continue to fill needs with quality, well-rounded role players. I'm also looking forward to see how the draft turns out. Do we draft a stud at #4 or do we trade down for picks?

It's all very exciting. A brave new world.

HTTR
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[The Burgundy Ghost]

Here's all you have to do:

Would you have paid as much as the Bear for Peppers?
As much as the Giants for Rolle?
As much as the Dolphins for Dansby?

I wouldn't have and I'm glad the Redskins didn't. We will find guys that fits Shanahan's needs and win with them. And while we do that, we start drafting guys who will be here for the next 5 years and develop from with in, thus never having the monsterous caps of the past and having a team that will gel long term.

That ladies and gents I believe is the plan.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWILhrSzw5o[/media]

 

[Pravda]

I'm happy to lose the offseason as long as we do better during the season.

It's gonna be ugly for awhile though. You don't build a new winning franchise overnight (as we all know).

 

[LoyalSkinsFan]

I do hope they lock down Hunter Smith for a while. Can't underestimate that position.
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[Skinsfan76]

We won the "off season Superbowl" last year by signing Albert Haynesworth to a hundred million dollar contract and then we went on to finish 4-12. I love the approach we are taking this year.

 

[Boone]

Sorry to be a stickler for details...

But Haynesworth's contract was a hundred bazillion-gazillion dollars.

 

[Skinsfan76]

Sorry to be a stickler for details...

But Haynesworth's contract was a hundred bazillion-gazillion dollars.

I stand corrected.

Speaking of the "hundred bazillion-gazillion" dollar man, do you think he plays Nose Tackle or Defensive End?

 

[brandies]

I thought it was "hundred bazillion-gazillion" dollars and 99 cents.

 

[Henry]

Pappas, thank you for again playing Devil's Advocate to conventional wisdom. It's a great service you do to give us someone substantial and real to verbally smack around, and it would be unfair of me to fail to acknowledge the brilliant job you are doing by ignoring it.

So here goes:

John, you ignorant slut. I think one thing we've learned about offseasons is that the individuals signed don't matter if they don't fit in with an overall plan. Simply signing players to big contracts because we can isn't 'winning' an offseason. I don't know if you've noticed but we always can do that. The cap hasn't been our problem. It's the fact that we sign an expensive Bunch O Guys rather than building a team that's our problem.

Suggesting that we continue to go with the expensive Bunch O Guys plan because we can, well, I whole-heartedly disagree. Been there done that. I want to see something with a little more thought behind it.

Maybe Shanahan and Allen don't have a better plan. Maybe they do. But we don't know yet. And it will have nothing to do with out-bidding every team for every player, regardless of how well they fit with the actual team.