What's Considered Success for Next Season?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I've been pondering that question in light of the fact that we're out of the playoffs and many of us on Warpath have begun to discuss the off season and the 2007 campaign.

But what would be considered a successful 2007 season for a team coming off a losing record? Would 8-8 be considered a success? How about if we went 9-7, yet still missed the playoffs?

I'm torn between what I would like the Redskins to do and what I should realistically expect them to do.

Assuming modest upgrades here and there, and Jason Campbell progressing, how do we actually guauge whether this team turned it around.

Please feel free to weigh in, and Mods please feel free to start a poll.

12M

I think this all depends on how they approach the offseason. We have the cap potential to put all of our eggs in the 2007 basket, get some CB and LB help, draft an impact player on the D-Line, and cut guys like Arch and maybe even LLoyd after June 1, or before June 1 using the new rule to treat it like a post June 1 cut, and restructure deals which would put us over our 2008 cap limit with only about 25 players counting towards it. If we did that, we would need at least a division championship and probably a deep playoff run for it to be considered a success.

But we might approach it (hey, anything is possible) with an eye to the future, and be relatively dormant in free agency, trading down to get more picks, NOT dealing our 2008 picks away, making all necessary cuts PRIOR to June 1 and not restructuring many, if any contracts, allowing us to cut the guys who have overstayed their welcome at the point they do. We could go out and get Nate Clements still, but not do anything ridicious in free agency. If we took this route, I would just be looking for some improvement. Be in the playoff race the last two weeks of the season. That would be acceptable.

Though I fully expect us to take the first route, I think it could be successful for us. But when the window of oppertunity is one year, too much can happen to deter a SB run even if we had the best team. Not great foward planning.