Who Stays-Who Goes? (Offense)

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Agree that 10 wins would have been an unrealistic goal for this roster, but maybe not for a roster with better design. I think Shanahan and his staff are really struggling with game management. But I don't think he (or many others) could have coached this team to 10 wins. Last year's team definitely had more potential, and had to be considered a much bigger disappointment overall.

I do wish people would stop saying this roster now has a plan attached to it without ever going into even the first detail of what the plan is. It's not just you, but that seems like a fundamental (and completely) unjustified belief of the last two years: we've been following a plan. Well, actually, we've just been making moves that don't point in any specific direction in terms of the present or future. Sometimes Shanahan values discipline over talent, other times talent and character over discipline. And it just seems to matter how he feels when he gets up that morning.

I agree that the 2009 team didn't have much of a focus either. We were heavily invested in defensive talent, but couldn't been less invested in the coaching or performance of the defense. The offense was under a microscope because there was no return on investment on the picks at WR, making the entire passing game dependent on Randle El (who had some very good years). Zorn stopped calling west coast plays after two weeks, stripped the offense back to it's Gibbs-era routes, then lost his playcalling duties so we went back to being a west coast team. It really was a mish-mash of successful and failed strategies.

And yet, the similarities between then and now are staggering. I think they've gotten consistently better at making fewer unforced mental errors, but then you see the Eagles game and you just have to wonder if it was all a mirage. It was a bad note to end on for sure. That game was as poor an effort in preparedness as any in the Zorn era.

As much as I wish this was true...its not. I think the probability of one of Foles/Tannehill/Jones/Cousins being targeted as the next Redskins QB is pretty darn high.

And I don't think Foles is second tier at all, but that's my evaluation and no one should hold the Shanahans to that.

Here is where we differ in our interpretation of the 'plan'.
2010, see if he can win with the roster in place with a few tweaks.. Bringing in McNabb, changing to a 3-4 with many of the same pieces, minor roster modifications. Stayed with Haynesworth, Portis, Griffin, Daniels, brought in older vets to try to 'make a run' and see if he could make chicken salad from chicken ----.

2011, fix the defense and start changing the roster. Draft was primarily about the defense, free agency was almost all about the defense. He's committed to a 3-4, thinking it is the foundation for championships so he wants to build that first. Offense is secondary and no real effort (or significant money) is spent on that side of the ball. Our combined QB group makes less than any other starting QB alone. Our combined WR group has no committed money past 2013. Our RB group had 2 rookies and a pending free agent. There's nothing but flexibility to fix that side of the ball with no money or immovable roster spots.

2012, fix the offense. Free agency will be spent on WR, OL and RB. QB will be addressed in the draft. 2012 will be the beginning of the team that will define the Shanny era in DC.