ESPN 980's Chris Russell: 75% Chance Skins release Big Al this week

[Zorn on the 4th of July]

Imagine a co-worker of yours is purposely underperforming due to their unhappiness with their job, and yet they don't quit their job because of the great salary and benefits. Sure, that can be a distraction.

Eventually, management catches wind of the malcontent and, instead of firing him, they decide to move his desk into a broom closet, only bringing him out occasionally to help close a sale (with only mediocre results). While he's in the closet, he alternates between complaining and deliberately announcing how much fun he's having by NOT working. I bet that gets annoying.

Sure, you might work harder at the beginning, in order to prevent getting locked in a broom closet. Over time, though, you'll become preoccupied with management's weird refusal to do the obvious thing and fire the guy.

The answer is not to keep him locked in the closet, and it sure ain't bringing him back to the office full-time. The answer is to fire him.

End of metaphor. Although it's unlikely, I hope Haynesworth jumps on a playoff-bound team, averages 3 sacks a game, and singlehandedly wins a Super Bowl with his new team. Good luck and God bless. I hate the 3-4, too, so go find a 4-3 and thrive. **** it, go to the Giants and play for free. I have my own team to worry about.

I don't think Haynesworth's release would bring about any immediate improvements on the field. But that's fine. This team needs to focus on how they are playing and not management's vengeful handling of (re-starting metaphor) the whimpering malcontent in the broom closet.

You gotta release him. Kill the last vestige of the Cerrato era. Once the smoke clears, you can take an honest inventory of what you have left: a not-very-good football team. Then you start doing what you have to do to get better. It's obvious we can't play him anymore, so we're not getting anything for him now, and we're not getting anything for him later. I apologize if anybody else has already said this in the comments, but:

"What should be done eventually must be done immediately."