Somebody please try to convince me that the FO has a plan.

[KI Skins Fan]

I am one frustrated Redskins fan. Here's what I see.

We've gone back to the same bad habits that have cost us draft picks and cap space and that I believe will surely doom us to continued mediocrity. The Jason Taylor fiasco, another of our customary panic moves, cost us dearly in draft picks. Albert Haynesworth, as great as he is, represents a whopping chunk of our cap space which seems to have precluded our making other FA moves.

Meanwhile, we have holes to fill - big holes. We need a RT, a SLB, a RDE, OL backups, a Kicker, a Punter, a PR, and maybe more. Right now, it looks like we might bring back Daniels and Washington. That's nice, but, at this point in their careers they're only stop-gap solutions.

Even with Haynesworth, this doesn't look to me like a team that is poised to make a playoff run in the tough NFC East. Sure, I wanted Haynesworth, but what do I know? I'm just a dumb fan who loves to watch great football players do their thing in B&G. I don't need to have a plan. But shouldn't the FO have one? If they do, I just can't see it.

If you can detect a plan in all this, clue me in. Also, what do you think the plan should be?

[koepke25]

Don't get down just yet. It could be worse. We will address either DE, OT or SLB with our 1st pick in the draft. There will still be some players cut before training camp that we can pick up to hopefully help us in the other positions.

The AH signing helps us with the DE position as well. Whoever lines up next to him will have a huge advantage even if he isn't a stud. Heyer/Jansen are can handle the position (short term) if we go SLB or DE in the draft.

As for K, P & PR I think we could be better but I wouldn't worry just yet. ARE sucks so hopefully we will use either Moss or Hall to return punts.

Don't forget that our defense was pretty good last year without AH. Both Washington and JT had bad years and missed a lot of time. I also think by bringing back Dock we have intantly upgraded the OL.

We still have holes that need to be addressed but I am holding out hope!

[MTK]

They don't have a plan. They tack up pictures of free agents and draft picks and toss darts at them. They also get a lot of their info from playing Madden and simming through the franchise mode.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

They don't have a plan. They tack up pictures of free agents and draft picks and toss darts at them. They also get a lot of their info from playing Madden and simming through the franchise mode.

What do you know? Listen, let me tell you how it works...they use a Ouija board

[dblanch66]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

What do you know? Listen, let me tell you how it works...they use a Ouija board

...and a magic 8 ball.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Matty:

Be careful here. You might give away the fact that you have a secret camera located in the Skins' FO Conference Room. If they find it, they'll confiscate it.

[SC Skins Fan]

There is not much to say to defend the Jason Taylor decisions (both the trade and the release). As you say, it was a panic move prompted by not making long-term plans at DE and lacking proper depth at that postion/not having confidence in your depth (Demetric Evans) who probably could have done the job. Then you cut Taylor and lose any potential for reaping some reward for the high price that you paid for the guy. Now if you can use that money to fill in some holes, specifically then maybe it works out alright.

The money for Haynesworth, on the other hand, is far less significant. Most people who know think the the NFL will go uncapped in 2010 and will probably not come back after that. So you spend the big money on the best player (by far) in the 2009 class anticipating 1) no cap in future years 2) the uncapped rules will significantly water down the 2010 free agent class ... it might be one of the worst ever with the extra tags and extended time to UFA. Plus, Haynesworth is a game changer in both the run and pass games, a dominant line player that the Redskins have not had since ... Plus, the cap hit on Haynesworth this year is only $7 million. That really is not inhibiting the Skins ability to make moves and they got the very best player available in UFA while he is still in the prime of his career. Don't buy all the $100 million hype, this was a good move. At the outset of free agency I probably would have said that I'd rather get Canty at a lower price, but having Haynesworth at an average cap hit of $9.7 million/year over the next four years is not that bad a price and it's not like Canty was coming here for chump change. So basically I think the FO did have a plan with Haynesworth ... Taylor, not so much. If we could do more Haynesworth deals and get rid of those Taylor-type trades (i.e. giving away picks) then we'd really be doing something.

[FRPLG]

We haven't had one of these in a bit. Who is gonna bite?

[SC Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

We haven't had one of these in a bit. Who is gonna bite?

right here.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan

So basically I think the FO did have a plan with Haynesworth ... Taylor, not so much. If we could do more Haynesworth deals and get rid of those Taylor-type trades (i.e. giving away picks) then we'd really be doing something.

Well, if they follow a step forward with a step back, then they're not going anywhere.

[Pocket$ $traight]

They have a plan, a marketing one. Football comes second with this owner. Always has, always will. Not to say I don't like a lot of the moves so far but the Giants have definitely killed us in the offseason to date.

[Hog1]

The old......DART plan, ehh................Sound wisdom!
The old .....OUIJA board plan, ehh........Sound wisdom!
The old .......MAGIC 8 ball plan, ehh......Sound wisdom!
-Vinnie C.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

I understand being upset with some of the moves the FO has made, but theyve made far more good personnel moves since the 2007-2008 offseason than bad ones. Was the trade for Jason Taylor a panic move? Yes - but in the end, the only significant thing the move cost us was the 2nd round pick in this years draft. Could we have taken a great player with that pick? Possibly. But its also possible the guy we would have taken with the pick would be a bust - theres no way of knowing.

Overall, i'm very please with last years draft. We had all 22 starters from 2007 coming back, so we were able to pick up alot of project and depth guys - guys who didnt need to start right away. I think atleast 6 of the 2008 draft class are poised to play a significant role for the team in 2009.

As for this offseason - so far its been phenomenal. Free agency is two weeks old yet and so far weve signed:

Albert Hayneworth - Pro-bowl starter. Best DT in the league.
DeAngelo Hall - Pro-bowl Starter. Playmaker, interception machine.
Derrick Dockery - Starter
Ethan Albright - ST Starter
Anthony Montgommery - Starting quality DT
Kedric Golston - Starting qualtity DT
Alfred Fincher - Solid backup LB and great special teamer.

4 of those players will start in 2009. The other 3 will play extensively.

Right now our main needs are SLB, RDE, ol depth and RT (Kickers are positions we can address at any point.) We very likely will bring back Phillip Daniels to help out at DE. We may bring back Marcus Washington and Pete Kendall as well. So our immediate needs at RDE, SLB and backup OL are more or less solved. If we address RT somewhere in free agency, then we can enter the draft with the ability to pick the best player available if we stay at 13. Thats a great position to be in.

You say the FO doesnt have a plan? I see a front office that has already dramatically improved the main weaknesses of our team last year - the lines. I see a team that is getting younger and better. I see a team that is poised to add one stud player or several quality depth/future starters in this years draft. I see a team that will enter the uncapped 2010 season with a near-full complement of draft picks and very few glaring needs.

Sure the FO has missed on a couple things, but, with the exception of the Taylor trade, this team has showed a clear commitment to building for a stable, successful future the past two years. In my opinion,the franchise is moving in a better direction now than ive seen it move in a long, long time.

[Trample the Elderly]

Originally Posted by dblanch66

...and a magic 8 ball.

You guys are all wrong! They use tea leaves.

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

They don't have a plan. They tack up pictures of free agents and draft picks and toss darts at them. They also get a lot of their info from playing Madden and simming through the franchise mode.

Aahhh.
That is why our draft last year sucked. I hope their aim is better this year.