The Redskins' new approach to free agency

[GTripp0012]

I think that we picked a pretty good year to sit tight. Last year, we needed to spend to improve. Next year, we will probably want to spent to either rebound or sustain the results of this season.

But this year, we have a QB who isn't quite in his prime yet, a new HC, a defense that is in the process of having younger players replace the aging vets (because we are adding the draftees while keeping the vets on the roster), and a minor rebuilding process on the OL.

All signs point to the goal being to sustain our playoff level of play so that we can ride Campbell when he's a 5th year pro in 2009. By not spending this year, we will have some cap room next year to build the team that might lead Jim Zorn to the top.

Plus we have a roster that could go further than last year if we get really lucky.

This situation was kinda forced by the cap mess we got into back in 2006, but teams are slowly starting to catch up to us in spending. Taking a year to let them is always a good decision.

The bad is that we are definately letting pass a few guys who could make this team much better, but it does no good if you have to tear it down in two years. We simply aren't close enough to warrant that.

[freddyg12]

There are still a couple of guys to restructure that will free up room. If a guy like Briggs or Hackett is still around next week & their price drops considerably, we'll see to what lengths vinny & danny will go to meet their demands.

With J. Smith signing w/SF, I wonder if they've still got another 20mil contract offer for briggs? I have a feeling that his asking price is way too high & that around the league LB is currently a osition w/a lot of parity + other free agents on the market that can do the job, though they're not stars.

If Briggs is willing to drop his price considerably I wonder if the danny will make a move, considering that they tried to trade for him last year. IMO that will be a litmus test for this new approach.

[Hogs Breath]

I believe that VC and DS maybe have learned somewhat from thier past. Vinny has a history with the cap and it's ramifications. Between his days at SF and his time with the Skins he has had some cap numbers blow up in his face. His statment regarding the player working out the full terms of his contract is reassuring. Some of the deals in the past you say to yourself "no way that guy sees year three of that deal, much less year five or six." I see some of the moves that have been made becoming a part of a lower key-higher yield nature. Do not get me wrong. Never a fan of Cerrato in the past. However, listening to him on Riggo's show as of late leads me to believe that he is more grounded in the "value" aspect of a prospect, more than being merely impressed by a name or a breakout season. In short the Skins will have probably two more seasons of this nature before they will put the pressure on Zorn to "make it happen" now that we got the lateset and greatest free agent prospect. I kinda like being the lunchpail Skins again.