If You Ran the Redskins...

[BigHairedAristocrat]

IF we keep Zorn (and it seems we will right now), this is what I would do:

1. Fire Cerrato. Give Scott Pioli whatever he wants to come here.

2. Give Zorn an experienced WCO Offensive coordinator and have the OC call plays.

3. Attempt to trade:
-Chris Horton (Low 1st/High 2nd rounder - No, i'm not crazy, see below*)
-Jason Campbell (2nd/3rd rounder-he doesnt fit the WCO, plain and simple)
-Jason Taylor (4th rounder)
-Randel El (4th-6th rounder)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (5th rounder - sorry, but we need a short
yardage back. Betts or Cartwright need to go to make room.)

4. Among starters, i would CUT:
-Griff
-Washington
-Taylor (if unable to trade)
-ARE (if unable to trade)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (if unable to trade)
-Rabach
-Thrash (I know, not techincally a starter)

5. Of starters eligible for FA, I would RESIGN:
-DeAngelo Hall (#1 player priority. I'd give him whatever he wants to stay)
-Pete Kendall (Not a long-term solution, but you cannot find a cheaper
starting caliber guard on the market.
-Montgomery OR Golston (or both if they are cheap)

6. In Free agency, I would acquire:
-QB Jeff Garcia (He is a veteran WCO QB and can start for 1-3 years while
we groom a young QB, whether that is Brennan or a draft pick.)
-RB Brandon Jacobs (if his asking price is too high, then we can go with a
cheaper option)
- WR Bobby Engram or Devery Henderson (both should be cheap and can
fill the role of a #3/#4 WR
- DE Terrell Suggs (Replaces Taylor)
- DT Shaun Cody (Far less expensive than Haynesworth - a good value)
- OLB Carlos Dansby (Replaces Washington)

7. I would use my top draft picks to sign
-Starting Center
-OT who can start at LT in 1-2 years (Samuels needs to move to RT
sometime soon)
-OLB who can start in 1-2 years (I dont trust McIntosh)
-WCO QB
-Big Power RB (if we are unable to sign one in FA)

**************************************************

* So why do I think we should trade Chris Horton?
We are building for the future and we need draft picks. But, you may ask: Horton was our best draft pick. He was the steal of the draft and a GREAT safety. He's young. Doesnt that mean he should be PART of our future? On the surface, that argument makes sense. However, Sundays game vs the Eagles made me realize something - Chris Horton is a poor mans Laron Landry. They both need to play SS to maximize their potential. We are wasting LL by making him sit 20yards back and play SS. Landry was able to do so much against Philly because he played SS while we had Shawn Springs back FS. We simply don't NEED two really good Strong Safeties. Horton has tremendous value right now. We could easily get a low first rounder or high 2nd rounder for him... a pick that could be used to address our needs at LB and along both lines. We could address the FS vacancy one of several ways:
-Sign dawan Landry from the Ravens. he's a FA and no doubt would love to come here and play with his brother.
-Extend/Renegotiate with Springs and move him to safety. (He has shown a reluctance to renegotiate in the past, but we may be able to make a deal that is favorable to both sides)
-Develop Kareem Moore
-Use a draft pick on 1st-3rd round pick on a FS. The least favorite option, to be sure.

[vallin21]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

IF we keep Zorn (and it seems we will right now), this is what I would do:

1. Fire Cerrato. Give Scott Pioli whatever he wants to come here.
(We can all agree on that)
2. Give Zorn an experienced WCO Offensive coordinator and have the OC call plays.

3. Attempt to trade:
-Chris Horton (Low 1st/High 2nd rounder - No, i'm not crazy, see below*)
-Jason Campbell (2nd/3rd rounder-he doesnt fit the WCO, plain and simple)
-Jason Taylor (4th rounder)
-Randel El (4th-6th rounder)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (5th rounder - sorry, but we need a short
yardage back. Betts or Cartwright need to go to make room.)

4. Among starters, i would CUT:
-Griff
-Washington
-Taylor (if unable to trade)
-ARE (if unable to trade)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (if unable to trade)
-Rabach
-Thrash (I know, not techincally a starter)
5. Of starters eligible for FA, I would RESIGN:
-DeAngelo Hall (#1 player priority. I'd give him whatever he wants to stay)
-Pete Kendall (Not a long-term solution, but you cannot find a cheaper
starting caliber guard on the market.
-Montgomery OR Golston (or both if they are cheap)

6. In Free agency, I would acquire:
-QB Jeff Garcia (He is a veteran WCO QB and can start for 1-3 years while
we groom a young QB, whether that is Brennan or a draft pick.)
-RB Brandon Jacobs (if his asking price is too high, then we can go with a
cheaper option)
- WR Bobby Engram or Devery Henderson (both should be cheap and can
fill the role of a #3/#4 WR
- DE Terrell Suggs (Replaces Taylor)
- DT Shaun Cody (Far less expensive than Haynesworth - a good value)
- OLB Carlos Dansby (Replaces Washington)

7. I would use my top draft picks to sign
-Starting Center
-OT who can start at LT in 1-2 years (Samuels needs to move to RT
sometime soon)
-OLB who can start in 1-2 years (I dont trust McIntosh)
-WCO QB
-Big Power RB (if we are unable to sign one in FA)

**************************************************

* So why do I think we should trade Chris Horton?
We are building for the future and we need draft picks. But, you may ask: Horton was our best draft pick. He was the steal of the draft and a GREAT safety. He's young. Doesnt that mean he should be PART of our future? On the surface, that argument makes sense. However, Sundays game vs the Eagles made me realize something - Chris Horton is a poor mans Laron Landry. They both need to play SS to maximize their potential. We are wasting LL by making him sit 20yards back and play SS. Landry was able to do so much against Philly because he played SS while we had Shawn Springs back FS. We simply don't NEED two really good Strong Safeties. Horton has tremendous value right now. We could easily get a low first rounder or high 2nd rounder for him... a pick that could be used to address our needs at LB and along both lines. We could address the FS vacancy one of several ways:
-Sign dawan Landry from the Ravens. he's a FA and no doubt would love to come here and play with his brother.
-Extend/Renegotiate with Springs and move him to safety. (He has shown a reluctance to renegotiate in the past, but we may be able to make a deal that is favorable to both sides)
-Develop Kareem Moore
-Use a draft pick on 1st-3rd round pick on a FS. The least favorite option, to be sure.

IF you trade C. Horton you're not getting a 1st or 2nd and a doubt even a 3rd given he is a rookie. The free agents I agree with execpt we dont need anymore #3 or 4 WR's. Cutting Cartright or Betts doesn't make sense, because you need three quality running backs (Giants). If I had to cut a RB it would be Cartright given that you can find a KR in the later rounds and the last time he broke one was 2 yrs ago.

Good post though

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by vallin21

IF you trade C. Horton you're not getting a 1st or 2nd and a doubt even a 3rd given he is a rookie. The free agents I agree with execpt we dont need anymore #3 or 4 WR's. Cutting Cartright or Betts doesn't make sense, because you need three quality running backs (Giants). If I had to cut a RB it would be Cartright given that you can find a KR in the later rounds and the last time he broke one was 2 yrs ago.

Good post though

If I were a betting man, I would be my annual salary we could get a pick in the 25-40 range for Horton. He is one of the top 5 defensive rookies of 2008. Any team in the range i mentioned above would chose Horton over a completely unproven player in the 2009 draft in a heartbeat. I would take something as low as a #50 for him, though. Having him and Landry is nice for Cobra packages, but other than that, they are redundant. Assuming Landry stays healthy, Horton has more value to us in terms of a 1st-2nd round pick than he does on the field. If we didn't have Landry, we wouldnt even be discussing this, of course.

As to your statement about needing 3 quality running backs, i agree - Cartwright is not a quality running back. Every year, we go into the season with TWO quality running backs and Cartwright who is only good on special teams. We need a big running back who can play teams AND contribute on offense regularly. A backfield with Portis, Jacobs, and Betts would be very solid. In goal line and short yardage situations, we could run the big guy behind sellers and we would actually get the yardage 99% of the time.

Going into next year, i'd have Devin Thomas as my #1 WR with Malcom Kelly as my #2. I'd then line up Santana Moss in the slot where he could really exploit being playing against slower corners/linebackers. Engram would be a solid #4/#2 when Kelly gets hurt. He knows the system and he would come cheap. He's a definite upgrade over Thrash and ARE.

[RMSkins]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

If I were a betting man, I would be my annual salary we could get a pick in the 25-40 range for Horton. He is one of the top 5 defensive rookies of 2008. Any team in the range i mentioned above would chose Horton over a completely unproven player in the 2009 draft in a heartbeat. I would take something as low as a #50 for him, though. Having him and Landry is nice for Cobra packages, but other than that, they are redundant. Assuming Landry stays healthy, Horton has more value to us in terms of a 1st-2nd round pick than he does on the field. If we didn't have Landry, we wouldnt even be discussing this, of course.

As to your statement about needing 3 quality running backs, i agree - Cartwright is not a quality running back. Every year, we go into the season with TWO quality running backs and Cartwright who is only good on special teams. We need a big running back who can play teams AND contribute on offense regularly. A backfield with Portis, Jacobs, and Betts would be very solid. In goal line and short yardage situations, we could run the big guy behind sellers and we would actually get the yardage 99% of the time.

Going into next year, i'd have Devin Thomas as my #1 WR with Malcom Kelly as my #2. I'd then line up Santana Moss in the slot where he could really exploit being playing against slower corners/linebackers. Engram would be a solid #4/#2 when Kelly gets hurt. He knows the system and he would come cheap. He's a definite upgrade over Thrash and ARE.

There is absolutely, positively no way we would get a 1st or 2nd round pick for Horton. Just because Don Banks, from SI of all places, says that Horton would go in the 1st round in his redo of the draft doesn't mean that other teams are going to want to give up a valuable pick for a 7th round rookie that has only played one season. Also, why would we want to trade one of our young, up-and-coming players?

[Drift Reality]

Originally Posted by RMSkins

There is absolutely, positively no way we would get a 1st or 2nd round pick for Horton. Just because Don Banks, from SI of all places, says that Horton would go in the 1st round in his redo of the draft doesn't mean that other teams are going to want to give up a valuable pick for a 7th round rookie that has only played one season. Also, why would we want to trade one of our young, up-and-coming players?

Agree completely. It just doesn't make any sense.

[Drift Reality]

BigHairedAristocrat...

I would agree that they should look at bringing additional resources or at least re-allocating existing resources to take some responsibility off of Zorn's plate.

The personnel moves you suggest however are fantasy-football. They aren't going to happen.

[jeff569]

sign Suggs-cut Washington
trade 1st for low 1st and 2nd-draft Curry and Unger
draft Levitre in 3rd
start Brennan, Kelly, and Thomas in place of Campbell, Moss, & ARE
watch Redskins win Super Bowl

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by jeff569

sign start Brennan, Kelly, and Thomas in place of Campbell, Moss, & ARE
watch Redskins win Super Bowl

Please tell me you aren't serious.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

IF we keep Zorn (and it seems we will right now), this is what I would do:

1. Fire Cerrato. Give Scott Pioli whatever he wants to come here.

2. Give Zorn an experienced WCO Offensive coordinator and have the OC call plays.

3. Attempt to trade:
-Chris Horton (Low 1st/High 2nd rounder - No, i'm not crazy, see below*)
-Jason Campbell (2nd/3rd rounder-he doesnt fit the WCO, plain and simple)
-Jason Taylor (4th rounder)
-Randel El (4th-6th rounder)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (5th rounder - sorry, but we need a short
yardage back. Betts or Cartwright need to go to make room.)

4. Among starters, i would CUT:
-Griff
-Washington
-Taylor (if unable to trade)
-ARE (if unable to trade)
-Rock Cartwright OR Betts (if unable to trade)
-Rabach
-Thrash (I know, not techincally a starter)

5. Of starters eligible for FA, I would RESIGN:
-DeAngelo Hall (#1 player priority. I'd give him whatever he wants to stay)
-Pete Kendall (Not a long-term solution, but you cannot find a cheaper
starting caliber guard on the market.
-Montgomery OR Golston (or both if they are cheap)

6. In Free agency, I would acquire:
-QB Jeff Garcia (He is a veteran WCO QB and can start for 1-3 years while
we groom a young QB, whether that is Brennan or a draft pick.)
-RB Brandon Jacobs (if his asking price is too high, then we can go with a
cheaper option)
- WR Bobby Engram or Devery Henderson (both should be cheap and can
fill the role of a #3/#4 WR
- DE Terrell Suggs (Replaces Taylor)
- DT Shaun Cody (Far less expensive than Haynesworth - a good value)
- OLB Carlos Dansby (Replaces Washington)

7. I would use my top draft picks to sign
-Starting Center
-OT who can start at LT in 1-2 years (Samuels needs to move to RT
sometime soon)
-OLB who can start in 1-2 years (I dont trust McIntosh)
-WCO QB
-Big Power RB (if we are unable to sign one in FA)

**************************************************

* So why do I think we should trade Chris Horton?
We are building for the future and we need draft picks. But, you may ask: Horton was our best draft pick. He was the steal of the draft and a GREAT safety. He's young. Doesnt that mean he should be PART of our future? On the surface, that argument makes sense. However, Sundays game vs the Eagles made me realize something - Chris Horton is a poor mans Laron Landry. They both need to play SS to maximize their potential. We are wasting LL by making him sit 20yards back and play SS. Landry was able to do so much against Philly because he played SS while we had Shawn Springs back FS. We simply don't NEED two really good Strong Safeties. Horton has tremendous value right now. We could easily get a low first rounder or high 2nd rounder for him... a pick that could be used to address our needs at LB and along both lines. We could address the FS vacancy one of several ways:
-Sign dawan Landry from the Ravens. he's a FA and no doubt would love to come here and play with his brother.
-Extend/Renegotiate with Springs and move him to safety. (He has shown a reluctance to renegotiate in the past, but we may be able to make a deal that is favorable to both sides)
-Develop Kareem Moore
-Use a draft pick on 1st-3rd round pick on a FS. The least favorite option, to be sure.

I think you're dead wrong on Campbell vs. the WCO, and obviously trading our franchise QB doesn't help improve the team, puls we wouldn't get anything for him right now because teams like to draft their own QBs.

I also think Dawan Landry has a similar skill set to LaRon, for all the obvious reasons. I don't disagree with your Horton assessment, but I'm not sure what the problem is with having two similar safeties.

Other than that, solid, well-thought out and explained, post.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think you're dead wrong on Campbell vs. the WCO, and obviously trading our franchise QB doesn't help improve the team, puls we wouldn't get anything for him right now because teams like to draft their own QBs.

I also think Dawan Landry has a similar skill set to LaRon, for all the obvious reasons. I don't disagree with your Horton assessment, but I'm not sure what the problem is with having two similar safeties.

Other than that, solid, well-thought out and explained, post.

Franchise QB my ass!!!!!! The guy is average tops, and Snyder knows it. Why do you think he is waiting on giving him an extension? If he was the franchise guy, don't you think he would have gotten a deal by now?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

Franchise QB my ass!!!!!! The guy is average tops, and Snyder knows it. Why do you think he is waiting on giving him an extension? If he was the franchise guy, don't you think he would have gotten a deal by now?

No, we're in the middle of a season, and he's got a year remaining.

Your love of the Skins pales in comparison to your desire to see Jason Campbell fail.

If only we could win a bunch of playoff games while Jason Campbell underachieved, instead of the other way around. You'd be as happy as a pig in mud!

[GMScud]

If I ran the Redskins I'd love to have Jerry Hughes (DE) from TCU. Wow. He leads the nation in sacks and is having a helluva ball game vs. Boise State tonight.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think you're dead wrong on Campbell vs. the WCO, and obviously trading our franchise QB doesn't help improve the team, puls we wouldn't get anything for him right now because teams like to draft their own QBs.

Features - NFL pro football articles and coverage from Pro Football Weekly

Three of the NFL’s first-time head coaches — Mike Smith, Tony Sparano and John Harbaugh — finished the season with 10 or more victories. Only Jim Zorn, who finished the second half of the season 2-6 after a 6-2 start, did not reach the double-digit mark. The key thread in Atlanta, Miami and Baltimore was very sound decision-making in the personnel department. All three won with new quarterbacks and reshaped rosters. As for Zorn, it was the front office that selected its head coach based in large part on his ability to develop the quarterback already in place, a plan that faltered down the stretch as it became increasingly evident that Jason Campbell did not fit Zorn’s West Coast offense. It would not be a surprise, if Zorn has his way, if Colt Brennan is starting at some point next season, or if Campbell were traded rather than extended long term.

Also, you say trading our "franchise QB" doesnt improve the team... Campbell hasnt done anything to show he is a franchise QB. Jason Campbell = Trent DIlfer and nothing else. He is a guy who doesnt make many mistakes and can manage a game. Thats it. he is GREAT for a gibbs offense but the exact opposite of what we need in the WCO. Campbell might be able to improve, but he will never "fit" this system. He will never reach HIS potential in this system and the system will never reach ITS potential as long as he's the QB.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

Features - NFL pro football articles and coverage from Pro Football Weekly


Also, you say trading our "franchise QB" doesnt improve the team... Campbell hasnt done anything to show he is a franchise QB. Jason Campbell = Trent DIlfer and nothing else. He is a guy who doesnt make many mistakes and can manage a game. Thats it. he is GREAT for a gibbs offense but the exact opposite of what we need in the WCO. Campbell might be able to improve, but he will never "fit" this system. He will never reach HIS potential in this system and the system will never reach ITS potential as long as he's the QB.

You've got a lot of definitive statements there. If the NFL proves one thing year after year, it's never say never.

Time will tell if JC is our franchise guy. I think you have to give him another year in this offense to really see how he fits exactly.

He showed some nice growth this year, but I guess since he didn't become the next Peyton Manning over night it's not enough for some, but for the opinion that really matters, Zorn, he liked what he saw to stick with JC another year.

[SFREDSKIN]

Bring back Bill Musgrave as our OC assistant, look at what he's done with Matt Ryan.