A.J. Smith to be Redskins GM?

[Ruhskins]

Dianna Marie Russini ‏@NBCdianna 7m7 minutes ago
I can confirm Scot McCloughlan will be new Redskins GM. I'm told Bruce Allen will be President of Redskins.

[Fiversons]

This move is not without risk... But hands down the best decision Synder has made since he has owned the team... I am in shock that we actually hired a top 5 personnel guy as our GM... Holy Shit!

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

I don't think he's a bumbling idiot in the way that Vinny was. Vinny just did and said things that were embarrassing, like a goofy uncle who thought he was cool.

Allen just seems out of his depth in football operations. Mike Jones said in his e-mailbag that he always thinks he's the smartest guy in the room and is surprised when he's not and doesn't handle it smoothly. Another description I read last year is that he was born on third base, thought he hit a triple and isn't interested in moving. Basically he's really content in being who he is and doesn't really care what you think about it. He doesn't have the fear and hunger of a scout and I think he has an air of entitlement so he doesn't think he has to put in the hard work necessary to improve.

Bumbling idiot, no. Smug jackass, quite possibly.

Sounds like a reasonable description. If true, then who is behind the personnel move? Danny? Or is BA really going to cede power of his own volition?

I like the names being bandied about -- Smith, McCloughlan (yes, I know he has the alcohol risk factor), and Phillips. My skepticism, however, is at an all time high. W/out fundamental structural changes, I see no room for improvement. I think the best we can currently hope for is something like:

1. Gruden picks his coaches. Period. None of this group think stuff. Coaching staff and final roster are entirely at Head Coach's discretion.

2. Scott McC or AJ Smith is the talent accumulator epicks the players with Gruden's input in terms of "I need WR's that block well even if they are not speedsters (or vice versa); I need power O-Linemen rather than athletic ones; I need CB's that play man better than zone," and etc. Trades, drafting, UFA's are all under this person.

3. BA negotiates the deals. As someone said earlier, Smith / McC pick the players and BA pays the players. BA has NO say in who to acquire and who to keep. BA also serves as the go between / buffer between Coaches & Talent Acquisition and Dan Snyder.

No matter how you cut it though, I still see this as being a management nightmare with BA at its head. In the above, who mediates between Talent and Coaching? Inevitably, they will clash at times. If it is BA, I don't trust his ability to do anything right in the personnel arena. [Question, if anyone knows - Who was negotiating the trades on draft day? Did Shanny say, "get us into the 2nd spot BA" and then BA did it? Or was the negotiating all (or mostly) done by Shanny?]

I dunno. The only think I think is a sure thing is that, somehow, even if the Skins find qualified people, they will manage to f*** it all up.

[SFREDSKIN]

But he is a West Coast, he must not be good Ha, ha best hire in years, now let him pick our future DC.

[JoeRedskin]

So as I was typing that, I discover that Scott McC is all but certain to become GM.

If he can keep his demons in check, if BA can truly step aside, and if McC and Gruden are a good fit, this looks like a really big bonus.

Dunno, lot of BIG ifs in that previous statement.