[SWFlaSkinsFan]

As a long-time 'Skins fan (since '66), I've experienced the gamut of emotions in following this team (exilerating highs in '82, '83, '87 and '91) and humbling lows (most of the Norv Turner years). And yes, it appears that, at least under the current FO structure, the coming months are our time of year!

That being said, is it too much to hope for that we'd begin to take a more measured approach towards FA! Let's review for a moment, shall we, last years key signings ...

Andre Carter, DE - had some ??? regarding his skills as a full-time DL, and durability was an issue. But as the year wore on, AC became more of a force.
I go back and watch the tapes of the last month or so of the season, and he's making more and more plays, on a consistant basis. And he's still young enough to be a solid pick-up. He's not a feature DE, but he's a very good complimentary DE, if we had a real "stud" DE across from him.

Brandon Lloyd, WR - What, in the name of Vince Lombardi, were we thinking here? BL's reputation was well known around the league (a poor man's TO), and he's always been shy about running the crossing routes. He basically runs two routes ... a go route, and a 12 to 15 yd. curl ... and he made enough drops in crucial situations once JC got in the game (the drop to open the Tampa game was just brutal) to get his rear-end sent to the bench.
IMO, a boneheaded move by whoever is making the personel decisions here.

That said, can he rebound and be a viable part of this emerging offense in '07? It's all up to him ... perehaps he can take a few pointers from SM on how to be a team guy. He came here known as a guy who could make the spectacular catch ... uh, next year would be a good time to start makin' some.

Antuan Randle-El, WR/KR - I was on board with this signing from the start. ARE is, IMO, the consumate team guy, and made some nice plays down the stretch. His biggest value to the team is in the return game, but he acquited himself nicely once we had to go to him more in the passing game.
He's not a true #2, but he's serviceable, and would be a really dangerous #3
(ala Ricky Sanders). And he's probably got the second best arm on the team, after JC. I think we see him more comfortable in the offense next year.

Adam Archuletta, S - Can someone please explain to me how, after all of the alledged "hours of film study that he did with GW prior to signing here, we could so totally mis-use a player?? Here again, a players rep was well documented and known prior to coming here, and yet, when PP went down in the opener, we had no idea how to maximize AA's skills with our shemes and pkgs.??

But call me nuts, but I want to keep him here and make this work. And that task falls squarely on the broad, large shoulders of one Greg Williams. Haven't heard much out of Redskins Park from the coach's as to what they've taken from their review of last season's train wreck, and that's a good thing ... I prefer the quiet approach, for a change. GW needs to go back and take a cold, hard look at how the schemes were drawn up, how AA coould have been better utilized, how things could have been adjusted to allow AA, and others, to play to their respective strengths. A truely great coach accurately assesses his players' skills, and comes up with ways to get as much out of everyone as possible. When we were winning consistantly back in the '80's, the one thing that was always a trademark of this team was how well the coaches made adjustments to fit the personel available.

If I left anyone out, sorry ... it's early and I've gotta' get to work.

I remain optomistic that we will get this thing turned around, and we will be a solid, play-off caliber team in short order. Watching JC play last season, and with the skills he brings to the position, has to excite anybody who saw him play ... the kid has "onions"! A healthy CP, a more confident LB, a determined RC, a solid (and hopefully healthy) OL, and a re-dedicated WR corp, and this offense could be fun to watch. And the defense will rebound, because I believe that they were embarrassed last year, and now somebody's gonna' pay!!

Hail !!