Chris Cooley/Fred Davis

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

At the end of the year Davis is a free agent and will go where he can start

So the team can tag him if they seem fit to do so or extend him if he excels this season. I think both Cooley and Davis need to have a good year regardless and the trade talk is a bit premature (unless the team wants to gamble on keeping Davis and trading Cooley for little value).

[tryfuhl]

I'm not saying trade Cooley now, just it's not to soon to put Davis in and make it his job to lose, with the weight loss and speed increase they should find ways to get him.time at TE, WR, and maybe out of the backfield

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

So the team can tag him if they seem fit to do so or extend him if he excels this season. I think both Cooley and Davis need to have a good year regardless and the trade talk is a bit premature (unless the team wants to gamble on keeping Davis and trading Cooley for little value).

You're tagging Davis over Landry though? I mean, I'm a huge Fred Davis backer, but Landry is the only piece in our secondary I actually expect on this team three seasons from now.

If the plan is to make Davis the starter, there won't be a need to use the franchise tag on him because we can pretty much match his market value effortlessly. No one is giving him a Derrick Dockery Buffalo contract. If he's going to be a backup here though, he can pretty much walk and go get paid like a starter elsewhere.

Basically, we just need to make a decision. Chris Cooley and Logan Paulsen is a very good one-two at TE. But if that's not the future of our TE position, then Davis needs to start, immediately. Not next year. Now.

[rbanerjee23]

Yeah, I have a feeling Davis is really going to emerge this year -- I disagree about Landry being on the team longer than Davis however. I am pretty confident that the FO would feel much more comfortable letting Landry go over Davis.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

You're tagging Davis over Landry though? I mean, I'm a huge Fred Davis backer, but Landry is the only piece in our secondary I actually expect on this team three seasons from now.

If the plan is to make Davis the starter, there won't be a need to use the franchise tag on him because we can pretty much match his market value effortlessly. No one is giving him a Derrick Dockery Buffalo contract. If he's going to be a backup here though, he can pretty much walk and go get paid like a starter elsewhere.

Basically, we just need to make a decision. Chris Cooley and Logan Paulsen is a very good one-two at TE. But if that's not the future of our TE position, then Davis needs to start, immediately. Not next year. Now.

I think this year is going to be key for all the guys mentioned here. As talented as Landry is, we have to see how his health holds up. Unfortunately for him, he got injured just when he seemed to be headed for a Pro Bowl year. I'm sure Landry will be a priority to re-sign this season, and hopefully he heals up from this achilles injury and comes back 100%.

Right now I just don't see enough from Davis to anoint him as the starter. And I just don't think Cooley is going to gives us in return a good enough draft pick. Also, unless Davis has a monster year, I just don't see him easily walking away from the team. I think the team needs to figure out a way to get both Davis and Cooley to produce and see whether Cooley is still good enough to be the starter (and possibly gain value for a trade) and to see whether Davis can replace Cooley as the starter.

[freddyg12]

Landry & Davis are definitely 2 big decisions the team faces next year. I hope both can be re-signed, Davis will want a big raise if he plays as well as I think he will this year.

As for keeping Davis & Cooley, from my understanding of Cooley's deal it was fairly cap friendly. I'll defer to the experts here on that, but keeping both would be good for the team. I see Davis becoming the main recieving target of the two & Cooley becoming the blocking TE that catches a no. of passes near the line.

Cooley really improved his blocking last year IMO & he has more value to the Skins than he will elsewhere. I think he's enough of a team guy that he would play in a reduced role rather than walk out of pride. He seems like he'd be likely to restructure to stay as well.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

Landry & Davis are definitely 2 big decisions the team faces next year. I hope both can be re-signed, Davis will want a big raise if he plays as well as I think he will this year.

As for keeping Davis & Cooley, from my understanding of Cooley's deal it was fairly cap friendly. I'll defer to the experts here on that, but keeping both would be good for the team. I see Davis becoming the main recieving target of the two & Cooley becoming the blocking TE that catches a no. of passes near the line.

Cooley really improved his blocking last year IMO & he has more value to the Skins than he will elsewhere. I think he's enough of a team guy that he would play in a reduced role rather than walk out of pride. He seems like he'd be likely to restructure to stay as well.

I don't believe we should give Landry a "Polamalu contract" until he proves that he can stay healthy. The fact that his Achilles didn't heal during the longer offseason is very troubling.

As for Davis, I have been a harsh critic of Vinny for drafting him, but from all reports, Davis looks like he's ready to break out. As great as Cooley is when healthy, Davis may have an even higher upside. I say sign him before he can hit the open market.

[MTK]

Funny since Polamalu has had more injury issues than LL. Before last season LL had missed 1 game in 3 seasons.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

I don't believe we should give Landry a "Polamalu contract" until he proves that he can stay healthy. The fact that his Achilles didn't heal during the longer offseason is very troubling.

As for Davis, I have been a harsh critic of Vinny for drafting him, but from all reports, Davis looks like he's ready to break out. As great as Cooley is when healthy, Davis may have an even higher upside. I say sign him before he can hit the open market.

An even better reason not to give Landry a "Polamalu contract" is that Landry is not nearly the player that Polamalu is.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

An even better reason not to give Landry a "Polamalu contract" is that Landry is not nearly the player that Polamalu is.

If last year was any indication of what's to come, he's getting damn close to TP's level.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Matty:

Troy Polamalu - - given his injury situation in the last couple of seasons - - is far more likely than LaRon Landry to be on the downslope of his career. Landry - - injury free - - will be in the NFL when Polamalu is gone.

However, Landry has to show a LOT more than "jacked-up" highlights to be the player Polamalu has been. One of Landry's significant deficiencies compared to Polamalu is his ability to cover pass receivers. Landry is not a coverage guy and his mistakes in that phase of the game cost the Skins lots of yardage and points.

When he learns to cover better he might approach the level of an elite safety in the NFL but not before...

[MTK]

TP is not a great cover guy either, like LL he's best around the line of scrimmage.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

TP is not a great cover guy either, like LL he's best around the line of scrimmage.

i thought he was terrible in last year's Super Bowl. He gambles alot, and makes big plays, but I agree that coverage isn't TP's strength.

[MTK]

Yeah TP gambles and often his instincts are good, but he can be burned at times too.

[warriorzpath]

Polamalu's role is more ball hawk and run defender rather than covering or playing the receiver. That's what the cornerbacks role is. The safety plays the qb more than he does the receivers. And when healthy, polamalu is the best at what he does. He's the only non-redskins player I will give props to. He's the biggest difference maker on that team.

But he is on the downside especially with his injuries.