Biggest Offseason Priority
 

With the Redskins still in the playoff hunt (even if they have to make a 1,000 yard pistol shot to make it), it's early to talk about the offseason. But oh, well here we go.

My priorities are:

#1 Retaining Gregg Williams
#2 Re-signing Fred Smoot
#3 Re-signing Antonio Pierce
#4 Signing a New Center
#5 Signing a Pass-Rushing DE

I know 4 of the 5 priorities are on defense (hardly our weakness), but I strongly believe that Gibbs, Portis, Ramsey, Coles, Jansen, Samuels, Cooley, and Thomas constitute a strong building block to build around. Other than a solid center and some depth around the O-line, I don't think our offense needs anything but time. Offenses need time to develop and we haven't given Gibbs the opportunity to get things squared away on offense.

The defense however, needs continuity. Gregg Williams was undoubtedly the single biggest offseason victory for the 'Skins and we can't afford to lose him. Gibbs' run teams need a solid defense and that's what Williams can deliver.

Smoot is the second offseason priority because he is a locker-room leader, a very solid corner, and I just happen to love (in a plutonic way) the man.

As noted in tomorrow's Washington Post article, Pierce has been a key to transferring Williams' system from the playbook to the field. Without Pierce, I don't think our defense ould be nearly as good against the run; he's been a monster.

A new center is need for obvious reasons; pass rushers have been getting somewhat decent pressure up the gut, and our run blocking has been atrocious. Jansen should help add some credibility to our line but we still need help at center.

Defensive end is not so much a priority as a wish. I'd love to see what our defense would be capable of doing if our linebackers were able to drop back into coverage (which Arrington, Washington, and Pierce are all capable of doing) and we were able to get consistent pressure just from the front four. A guy like Saints' DE Darren Howard (who should become a UFA at season's end with the Saints cap situation and abundance of DEs and DTs) would look really nice next to Cornelius Griffin.

As much as I love Fred Smoot, we must retain Gregg Williams.

[QUOTE=cpayne5]As much as I love Fred Smoot, we must retain Gregg Williams.[/QUOTE]

I agree, Fred has become one of my favorites but you can't replace a guy like Gregg Williams.

I agree but I thought I read an article in the WP that said he was going to stay and take over after Gibbs. So if he staying I say sign Smoot, he is young,gutsy, and playing great. Then I would say draft a DE either Marcus Spears, Erasmus James, or Chris Canty. We can always get a good center later.

If Williams stays, then I think next would be Smoot, and then resign Pierce. He's having a monster year.

It's a tough call but I think priority number one should be resigning Fred Smoot...because my name isn't greggsmack

Seeing as to how Smoot will be an UFA, whereas I believe Gregg Williams is under contract, his departure is more of an imminent threat and therefore a higher priority.

The only way Williams could leave, I think, is if he gets a promotion. That is to say, if he gets a head coaching gig. Losing Williams because he's getting another head coaching gig would be an easier pill to swallow than Smoot just going to play CB for another team. Not that either would be easy.

I put resign Smoot. I really feel good that him and Williams will both be back next season, and they are both huge, you really cant make a difference between them. Williams is a genius, but seems commited to being here. I think if he had stoped head coaching 3-4 years ago, we would have a bigger worry. However, I think he will still take more than the one season off, becasue he struggled so much @ Buffalo. I hope he takes over here after Joe.

wow. This is hard. Smoot because I don't feel we have to do anything to keep Williams. I think he likes his position, personel, and paycheck here!

i voted for smoot
i think williams will be back
but i would hate to lose pierce,hes had a hell of a year and should only get stonger in
this system and with lavar back at full speed next year

I don't think WIlliams will get a head coaching job this year. I remind everyone that Dick Lebeau is also doing a great job in pittsburg, but he's not gonna be a head coach next year either. THere are too many guys ahead of those two guys right now. Like Charley Weiss, Romeo Crunnel, Jim Fassel,

[QUOTE=skins009]I don't think WIlliams will get a head coaching job this year. I remind everyone that Dick Lebeau is also doing a great job in pittsburg, but he's not gonna be a head coach next year either. THere are too many guys ahead of those two guys right now. Like Charley Weiss, Romeo Crunnel, Jim Fassel,[/QUOTE]

I really like Williams but I think Weiss and Crennel should get their first shots before Williams gets his second. And I'm not saying that for selfish reasons. It's possible that Williams will be a better coach the second time around but it's also possible that he's just a great defensive coordinator and that's as good as he'll be.

I'd say it's got to all start with retaining Williams.

Smoot is a close 2nd.

I chose Smoot, because that's something we can control. In all honesty, we've done what was necessary to hold onto Williams already. He's paid $1.8 million a year, which prices him out of several markets. He has complete control of his scheme and players, which some head coaches don't even get (Raiders, Cowboys). The teams that will likely need head coaches either don't have the resources to pay him well enough, or don't have the talent level to make winning likely - which after his first experience in Buffalo has to be a priority for Gregg. I think we can retain him this year. After all, this isn't a situation like Marvin Lewis where he just wants his shot. Williams has been to the mountain - he knows the situation has to be ideal.

With his retention in place, the question becomes personnel. Smoot is more than a good corner, he is a spokesman and focal point for the team and the fans. Losing him would mean a great deal to the spirit of these Redskins. Pierce has shown himself to be a very talented LB, and I hope we can keep him - but not at the cost of Smoot.

The other personnel changes would be nice, but I don't know how necessary. I'd prefer to go into next season with our current roster - [u]healthy[/u] -than with a new center or DE. Let's evaluate the need for additions with Bubba Tyer, not with Vinny Cerrato.

I put Williams as I think he would be a monster loss for this team. I mean like a huge terrible insurmountable loss. Gibbs and Synder MUST do whatever it takes to keep Williams around. Smoot is my current favorite Redskin but I honestly think at this point it'd be easier to replace him than Williams. In any case I think all 5 choices are important.

#1 Retaining Gregg Williams
#2 Re-signing Fred Smoot
#3 Re-signing Antonio Pierce
#4 Signing a New Center
#5 Signing a Pass-Rushing DE

i thought we alraedy had pierce for like 4 years or something

Retaining Greg Williams #1.
Jim Fassel? He should go under the same category as Spurrier and Norv Turner. Great coordinators but not a good head coach. Spurrier, Turner and Fassel do not have the leadership skills to keep today's players in line. They are too nice.
Weiss and Crunnel on the other hand have not had a chance to prove if they got it or not. I hate to mention it, but I think one of those guys is an african american, so his chances are less that he will become a head coach. I wish that was not the case for African American coaches, but it is the truth. Black coaches do not get the same opportunities for promotion in college and pro football.

The biggest difference with Fassel is he did at least get the Giants into the Super Bowl as head coach. Unfortunately, after that year the Giants were not consistant.

Turner might have been a different story after the '99 season if it wasn't for the deep pockets of Synder, of course now its would've could've should've.

Spurrier might have eventually figured it out, but I think the NFL required a little more dedication than what he was willing to put in.

I read in the post this morning that Antonio Pierce said "I want to come back, but you never know how much they want you until the dollar signs come." As great as he has been this season, i dont want him demanding a huge contract or only taking the biggest contract thats offered to him as criteria for signing.....

def keep williams but hopefully he'll wanna stick around for a few yrs b4 attempting a 2nd stint as HC. some ppl are just better coords than HCs. like dude said about lebeau. also i agree with everything r-fan said. get smoot, a center, and if not a superstar on the DL, at least some decent depth. hard to complain about our top defense. also i agree that in time the 'skins offense will click, much like it did vs. NYG. go skins!

and go hokies for winnin' the ACC in their first year!
w00t!

I don't see Fassel as a hot head coach prospect this year.

He didn't receive much interest last year and I don't see what's changed to make his stock go up any.

We will retain Greg Williams so thats not an issue, he gets paid more than alot of head coaches out there, and he is happy in the position he in. Greg want to inherit the team after Gibbs departure so he's not going anywhere.

I picked a Run blocking center, maybe that guy from Michigan they talked about on sports center. But if we could get our o-line together we would be a force in the NFL, we have the talent in all the skill positions we just need the grunt workers up front to put it all together

I don't think Williams is going anywhere so I voted for Smoot. However, it seems like whoever the Skins put at corner, other than Ade Jimoh, plays well. I mean, look at Champ, he's not even that good in Denver. I think while people are making all of their comments about Portis being a "system back" how about somebody mention that Champ could have been a "system corner" because now he's a chump. He's Charles Woodson from a few years ago when he couldn't cover anyone.

So, I say that they need to rework Samuels deal and keep him. I know a lot of you don't think the line is any good, but Samuels is one of the best tackles in the league still. I don't think shaking up the offensive line again is the best idea this offseason. Maybe a center, but I think that's secondary. They need to get Jansen back and they'll be fine.

The Skins really need to get a good pass rusher. They shouldn't get him out of free agency. I think they definitely need to do it in the draft. The main reason I don't want to see Samuels or Smoot go is because they will use their draft pick to get a replacement for whichever one leaves town. I hope the Skins don't overhaul this team again, they are pretty close to having a good enough team next year. The only wholesale change that should be made is at defensive end.

[QUOTE=VTSkins897]
and go hokies for winnin' the ACC in their first year!
w00t![/QUOTE]


YES!!!! Go Hokies! I was lucky enough to attend a couple games this year. :food-smil

I think Samuels will renegociate or name the team he wants to be traded to because next year is his fianl contract year and he has a huge cap number a decision will be made this year about his future . That said I would want to keep him with Jansen back with Dokerty and Thomas at Guard we would have some much needed consistancy and hopefully an O line that live up to its billing.

I don't think Williams will be walking this year, only the Seahawks looks like an opportunity but that is not certian to come up. The deal in Miami is a mess, same in cleavland and he is only a year removed from the Bills disaster where he constantly put up great numbers defensivly but was still run out of town.

Sorry folks, but I voted "Other".

Because the reality of life is that the Skins need to do ALL of these things at the same time - - or else. And doing all of this will not be easy given that there will have to be a "splashy signing" in the free agent market mixed in here too...

Looks like Pierce has become the first priority...

[url]http://washtimes.com/sports/20041216-120606-9560r.htm[/url]

Definitey good to hear about Pierce, I think he's one of those core guys Gibbs is always talking about.

I voted to retain Williams, even though he wont go anywhere, if he left he would be our biggest loss. He practically seen him make water in to wine with our defense and we are not even close to being 100% healthy there. I dont think he is going anywhere though, he has it made here, not much pressure, a good paying job and a chance to take over as HC within a few years or so. Know one is for sure how long Coach Gibbs will stay. After that the needs would have to be on the O-Line.