Odell Thurman Cut:

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by DGreene28

Hmm... having a 25 year old linebacker who was considered a top 8 talent overall at LB in 2007 as a backup on our team at a bargain salary doesn't make a lot of sense.

It's not even worth considering.

I mean it's worth considering, but as a fan you're basically just banging your head against the wall. The Redskins don't like signing guys that are down in the count (ie two strikes). I'm surprised that people haven't mentioned that Odell has actually failed two drug test (the one he missed and another one that he actually took).

On top of that I have a problem with signing a guy that has f'ed up in the past as much as Odell and taking away reps in practice from guys that work their ass off while walking the straight and narrow. If history is any indication then one of the linebacker's on our roster will emerge as a solid contributer at OLB.

Take 2004 when the team got rid of Trotter, of course we signed Barrow but I think people knew that he wasn't going to suit up once we hit training camp. I'm pretty sure everyone was nervous as hell when they found out that Antonio Pierce would be our starting MLB and look how that turned out.

That same year Lavar was having problems staying healthy, and who emerged? Lamar Marshall. I doubt that anyone was talking about the guy before the season started but by the end of the year most of the people that followed the team knew who he was. And on top of that he gave us a pretty good year at MLB in 2005.

2006.......lets not talk about 2006.

2007 HB Blades emerges as a jack of all trades, and is now considered a possible succesor to Fletcher. Was anyone really talking about him before the season started? Doubt it, though some of the draft junkies probbly expected good things.

Plus if it turns out that we leave 2008 needing a LB, well your in luck because the 2009 draft is projected to be as good, if not better then the 2006 class in terms of LB's. Of course it's still early but at this point we're talking about LB prospects not QB's who seem to have a harder time staying on top.

If the team felt it needed another LB, then it would make a play for Odell, but they haven't so what does that tell you? The Redskins make me nervous sometimes but when it comes to Linebackers, 9 times out of 10 their usually right. Of course if history is any indication then Khary Campbell or Matt Sinclair will emerge as the mystery guy I'm alluding to, but Gatewood and Bryan Wilson also seem to be possible contribuers down the line though for now Wilson will play special teams as will Gatewood, but I can easily see the team using Gatewood as a rush LB on 3rd down situations. Not saying that those two undrafted guys are the answer, but as backups that will see extensive action in maybe 2 or 3 games well that I'm fine with.

And if worse comes to worse they'll probably just sign a former starter shortly after the season starts like they did last year with Godfrey, but next time please just pick on Matty instead of me. That way I won't feel compelled to write an essay.

Almost forgot, for what it's worth Matt Sinclair was one of the better players in NFL Europa when he played for Frankfurt, and on top of that he has experience at all 3 LB positions.

news - NFL: EUROPE: Matt Sinclair replies

Plus if Odell is the same player that you alluded to being a former top 8 linebacker, then why hasn't anyone else taken a chance on him? Theres 30 other teams he could go to. Why did he get suspended for two years? I'm sure there were some things he did during his first year off that compelled Godell to give him another year, and even the Bengals said they "had not seen the right steps taken by him."

Look my point is theres more to this story then a skiped drug test, DUI, and dropped assault charge. The problem is we don't know what it is, but I'm pretty sure that every director of personel around the league does. Otherwise teams would be salavating over the chance to get a guy that was playing at the level Thurman was.