The Redskins Thread

[MassNYYfan]

The Skins have added Jerry Gray to their all-star coaching staff. I think it makes 4 former head coaches and three coordinators now.

Another nice move for the Redskins. Enjoy UCLA, Coach Walker.

[yankeesAZ]

Eagles fan sues mother of Clinton Portis for punching her at the Jan 1st game:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/13936081.htm

[MassNYYfan]

Well, Redskins fans, it's another season in cap hell for our boys in burgundy and gold.

3rd round pick in 2006 and 4th round pick in 2007 traded to San Fran for Brandon Lloyd.

In town for visits as we speak:

WR Antwaan Randle El (PIT)
DE Andre Carter (SF)
SS Adam Archuleta (STL)
QB Todd Collins (KC)

[YankyDave]

Randel El signed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2365504

[RIyankee]

Randle El signed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2365504

The Skins won't regret that signing. El is an underrated WR who will also help out on Teams. I had hoped the Pats would get him, but when teams started bidding for him, I knew it wasn't going to happen.

Salute.

[MassNYYfan]

Yeah, Brunell will have a few more guys to throw to this year.

[MassNYYfan]

Add Christian Fuaria to the Burgunday and Gold.

Redskins One was in Rhode Island today. Thought they were going after Vinatieri myself. Now we see who it really was.

[MassNYYfan]

John Abraham also in for a visit after Carter departs for a trip to Denver.

[yankeesAZ]

Yeah, Brunell will have a few more guys to throw to this year.

The offense is going to just be sick next year. What a great day.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

	Antonio Brown	WR	28	5-10	172	3	West Virginia
13	Ataveus Cash	WR	26	6-1	205	1	Hampton
86	Jimmy Farris	WR	27	6-0	195	3	Montana
12	Steven Harris	WR	24	5-10	192	R	Arkansas
84	Taylor Jacobs	WR	24	6-0	202	3	Florida
81	Ron Johnson	WR	25	6-2	225	3	Minnesota
85	Brandon Lloyd	WR	24	6-0	184	3	Illinois
89	Santana Moss	WR	26	5-10	190	5	Miami (FL)
80	David Patten	WR	31	5-10	190	9	Western Carolina
17	Richard Smith	WR	25	5-10	191	1	Arkansas
83	James Thrash	WR	30	6-0	205	9	Missouri Southern State
6	LaShaun Ward	WR	25	5-11	198	1	California

At least Randel won't intimidate anyone in this group by towering over them.

[YankyDave]

Archuleta signed. No link yet but it's from a reliable source.

[Pepper03]

The Skins won't regret that signing. El is an underrated WR who will also help out on Teams. I had hoped the Pats would get him, but when teams started bidding for him, I knew it wasn't going to happen.

Salute.

How do they keep signing all these players and stay under the cap?

[YankyDave]

How do they keep signing all these players and stay under the cap?

CASH.

[Pepper03]

CASH.

I thought that didn't matter.

I know about ths "cash over cap", is that what you mean?

They seem to have cap problems every year but are able to keep spending, and I just don't understand how it never catches up to them.

[YankyDave]

They never have cap problems. There are all kinds of sportswriters who know nothing about the cap (most who work for SI) and they keep declaring the Skins in cap hell and then it doesn't happen. The cash over cap thing was talked about but apparently no limit was installed in the new CBA. By having cash on hand, the Skins can give signing bonuses and defer them over 5 years. Before they could only defer them 4 years so the new CBA helped a team with money.

[NelsonMuntz]

The Skins won't regret that signing. El is an underrated WR who will also help out on Teams. I had hoped the Pats would get him, but when teams started bidding for him, I knew it wasn't going to happen.

Salute.

Why do you feel that he is underrated? I've always thought of El as being somewhat of a "gimmick" receiver and was a little puzzled by all of the attention he received as a free agent. I know he's fast, but he's really undersized. Am I underestimating his talent as a wide receiver?

[MassNYYfan]

Archuleta signed. No link yet but it's from a reliable source.

Yep, also confirmed by WTEM and Sports Illustrated now.

[MassNYYfan]

They never have cap problems. There are all kinds of sportswriters who know nothing about the cap (most who work for SI) and they keep declaring the Skins in cap hell and then it doesn't happen. The cash over cap thing was talked about but apparently no limit was installed in the new CBA. By having cash on hand, the Skins can give signing bonuses and defer them over 5 years. Before they could only defer them 4 years so the new CBA helped a team with money.

Don't forget ESPN. Every day Mort was on there telling us how the Redskins were hosed and I just chuckled. There's a dozen guys running around out here on Redskins message boards who had the cap figured out and these guys on TV are up there looking like fools.

[MassNYYfan]

81 Ron Johnson WR 25 6-2 225 3 Minnesota

#81 in his fookin' dreams.

[RIyankee]

Why do you feel that he is underrated? I've always thought of El as being somewhat of a "gimmick" receiver and was a little puzzled by all of the attention he received as a free agent. I know he's fast, but he's really undersized. Am I underestimating his talent as a wide receiver?

Good Question.

I go by two things. What I see and what I read.

From KC Joyner's book, Scientific Football: 2005

Antwan Randle El (2004)
A much better player than he's given credit for, Randle El's stats were surprisingly good. He ranked 12th in completion percentage and 17th in yards per attempt. He also ranked 7th in tight/good coverage percentage.

The good news for Pittsburgh is that Randle El didn't pile up these stats on one depth level. He was good at all levels, placing 31st, 21st, and 11th in deep, medium, and short completion percentages. His medium and deep pass percentages weren't that high, but that was because he wasn't used vertically until Burress was injured. Twelve of Randle El's thirteen deep pass attempts came in weeks 11-19, as did 7 of his 13 medium passes.

The Steelers are obviously anticipating Randle El to partially take Burress' place deep, and he very well may be able to do that. This is his 4th year and is his opportunity to have a breakout year, albeit within the confines of the Steelers limited passing offense.

Since SF: 2006 won't come out until June, I'll have to go by what I've seen in 2005. El had a career highs with 15.9 YPR and a 5.7 YAC average. El is an accomplished return man and a former college QB would can be used on trick plays. He brings more to the table than any other WR in FA.

I used to think WRs that were bigger were better. Any WR that was 5'9", I'd dismiss as inferior. After seeing Troy Brown and Deion Branch play over the years and noticing what T.O., Randy Moss, Keyshawn Johnson, and Plaxico Burress all have in common (no rings), I now come to the conclusion that the "bigger means better" criteria for WRs is just a myth.

[YankyDave]

I think after watching what Santana Moss and Steve Smith did last year that anyone who doubted what a small WR could do would have changed thier tune.

[NelsonMuntz]

Good Question.

I go by two things. What I see and what I read.

From KC Joyner's book, Scientific Football: 2005

Since SF: 2006 won't come out until June, I'll have to go by what I've seen in 2005. El had a career highs with 15.9 YPR and a 5.7 YAC average. El is an accomplished return man and a former college QB would can be used on trick plays. He brings more to the table than any other WR in FA.

I used to think WRs that were bigger were better. Any WR that was 5'9", I'd dismiss as inferior. After seeing Troy Brown and Deion Branch play over the years and noticing what T.O., Randy Moss, Keyshawn Johnson, and Plaxico Burress all have in common (no rings), I now come to the conclusion that the "bigger means better" criteria for WRs is just a myth.

Thanks for the info. I haven't followed his career closely enough to know what kind of stats he has been putting up. For the most part whenever I've seen him in highlights he has been used in trick plays.

I think after watching what Santana Moss and Steve Smith did last year that anyone who doubted what a small WR could do would have changed thier tune.

I'm actually a big Santana Moss fan. My skepticism around El wasn't based entirely on his size, but rather, the fact that in addition to being small he is a converted WR. I also wasn't aware of the numbers he put up last season. Moss was an outstanding Wide Receiver in college so I knew he was capable of putting up good numbers in the NFL. El on the other hand is a converted QB so I was skeptical that he could be as good as Moss.

[RIyankee]

I think after watching what Santana Moss and Steve Smith did last year that anyone who doubted what a small WR could do would have changed thier tune.

I'm kicking myself for not mentioning those two earlier. Smith was the NFL's most productive WR in 2005.

[yankeesAZ]

Why do you feel that he is underrated? I've always thought of El as being somewhat of a "gimmick" receiver and was a little puzzled by all of the attention he received as a free agent. I know he's fast, but he's really undersized. Am I underestimating his talent as a wide receiver?

He's a #2 or #3 WR and can return punts, something we were lacking last year. By himself, he doesn't blow me away, but combined with Moss and Lloyd, he
fits in nicely. Perhaps we overpaid, but Snyder needed some more offense badly.

[NelsonMuntz]

He's a #2 or #3 WR and can return punts, something we were lacking last year. By himself, he doesn't blow me away, but combined with Moss and Lloyd, he
fits in nicely. Perhaps we overpaid, but Snyder needed some more offense badly.

You could have just drafted Devin Hester...




I kid, I kid. I think Hester made a huge mistake leaving college early. He was the most overrated player in college football last year.

[yankeesAZ]

You could have just drafted Devin Hester...




I kid, I kid. I think Hester made a huge mistake leaving college early. He was the most overrated player in college football last year.

Don't matter, we hardly have any draft picks this year.

[RhodyYanksFan]

How do the Redskins afford all their players?

[yankeesAZ]

How do the Redskins afford all their players?

Synder and his staff know how to work that cap, despite what SI or ESPN may tell us. This is an owner willing to spend what it takes to field a winner.

It did help that the cap went up after the new agreement and the Skins unloaded some players before the agreement.


Check out this article too:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5395320

[NelsonMuntz]

Don't matter, we hardly have any draft picks this year.

True. I was just kidding though. I like to take any chance I can to point out how foolish it was for Hester to leave college early.

Any concern about going into next season with Brunell and/or Campbell at QB? I've heard that Gibbs wants to give Campbell a long look this year.

[MassNYYfan]

Any concern about going into next season with Brunell and/or Campbell at QB? I've heard that Gibbs wants to give Campbell a long look this year.

May the best man win. Honestly I hope Campbell blows Brunell away in camp, but that's just personal preference. Whoever puts up the wins.

[RIyankee]

How do the Redskins afford all their players?

From the good folks at www.profootballtalk.com

POSTED 2:27 p.m. EST, March 13, 2006

'SKINS GO FROM CAP STRAPPED TO CAP HAPPY

As the Washington Redskins continue to amass new players days after they supposedly were teetering at the edge of cap hell, plenty of folks around the league are scratching their heads.

The 'Skins are spending big again, making a big splash in free agency by reeling in receiver Antwaan Randle El, safety Adam Archuleta, and tight end Christian Fauria. The Redskins also picked up receiver Brandon Lloyd in a trade on Saturday with the 49ers.

Randle El reportedly gets $11.5 million in bonus money, a ridiculously high amount for a guy who'll be No. 3 at best on the depth chart.

Then, on Monday, the 'Skins scalped safety Adam Archuleta, formerly of the Rams, on a deal that we're told is worth $30.18 million over six years. We're told that the package includes $10.585 million in guarantees, making it the richest deal ever signed by an NFL safety.

So where are the supposedly cap-poor Redskins coming up with the cap space to get these deals done?

They freed up $4.4 million a week ago as part of the deal that made linebacker LaVar Arrington a free agent, and they shed several veterans on the eve of free agency to create more room. Likewise, it was reported that they planned to convert $13.5 million in roster bonus payments into guarantees, which would then be spread over five years.

And don't forget about the extra $7.5 million in cap room that popped onto the books as part of the new CBA.

Our guess is that these new deals will leave the 'Skins close to the $102 million ceiling for 2006, and that there will be more tinkering with contracts in order to free up more money for more signings. Eventually, they'll need cap space to sign their incoming rookies.

As our official site miserable guy Dante observed in our newest PFT PodCast, the extent to which teams are overspending in the early stages of 2006 free agency suggests that there really would have been a flood of new money into the market if the uncapped year had come to fruition.

[YankyDave]

Skins are signing Andre Carter. Link to follow.

[MassNYYfan]

[yankeesAZ]

Peter King is right on cue to bash the Skins and even takes a small jab at Steinbrenner:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...mqb/index.html

"In 1992, when the league faced the imposition of a free-agency system by a federal judge in Minneapolis, Tagliabue and the union sat down and figured out an equitable way for players to be free when their contracts expired after a minimum of four years of accrued service, along with a salary cap to make sure no one Steinbrenner-ed the game."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...13/mmqb/3.html

I think the Redskins are officially out of their minds. Washington dealt a third-round pick this year and a fourth next year to San Francisco for wideout Brandon Lloyd. This is Lloyd's NFL résumé: three seasons, 105 catches, 14.4 yards per catch, 13 touchdowns. He is a nice deep threat with good hands. But didn't the Redskins already have one of those guys in Santana Moss? In fact, by signing Antwaan Randle El on Sunday (what?!!!!!), the Redskins now have four of the same receiver at spots one through four on the wideout depth chart.

[MassNYYfan]

Peter King always has been and always will be a Redskins-bashing assclown.

[gdn]

What's the deal with Ryan Clark? I see he signed with the Steelers.

[MassNYYfan]

What's the deal with Ryan Clark? I see he signed with the Steelers.

I liked Clark, sorry to see him go. But, he wanted to start somewhere and he wasn't going to break in the lineup with Taylor and Archuleta here now.

Lays the wood on hits for a guy his size.

Pittsburgh fans will like him I think.

[yankeesAZ]

Peter King always has been and always will be a Redskins-bashing assclown.

He actually answered a couple letters from Skins fans:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...4/peter/1.html

STOP RIPPING THE REDSKINS. From Jeff of Philadelphia: "Since 2000, all of the experts have been telling me how bad the Cap Hell will be for the 'Skins. In 2003 they were supposed to be in Hell from the 2000 signings. They weren't. I was told that the 'Skins would then have to pay the piper in 2004 ... didn't happen. Then it was supposed to be 2005 for sure ... didn't happen. Then it was a stone-cold guarantee the 'Skins would be in undeniable Cap Hell in 2006. There was no way they could get out of it.... Um, didn't happen. Mr. King, how can this be true? How can the predictions constantly be wrong? At what point does the media correctly predict the 'Skins Cap Hell? Or is it just that Dan Snyder & Co. do a much better job at cap management than anybody in the media is willing to give them credit for?''

PK: Maybe they do. But what have they won in the Snyder Era?.....

Another letter is further down the page.


Funny how he's somewhat admitting he was wrong on "cap hell", but covers it with a "what have they ever won".

[RIyankee]

A must read...

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insid..._kc&id=2368085

[YankyDave]

He actually answered a couple letters from Skins fans:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...4/peter/1.html

STOP RIPPING THE REDSKINS. From Jeff of Philadelphia: "Since 2000, all of the experts have been telling me how bad the Cap Hell will be for the 'Skins. In 2003 they were supposed to be in Hell from the 2000 signings. They weren't. I was told that the 'Skins would then have to pay the piper in 2004 ... didn't happen. Then it was supposed to be 2005 for sure ... didn't happen. Then it was a stone-cold guarantee the 'Skins would be in undeniable Cap Hell in 2006. There was no way they could get out of it.... Um, didn't happen. Mr. King, how can this be true? How can the predictions constantly be wrong? At what point does the media correctly predict the 'Skins Cap Hell? Or is it just that Dan Snyder & Co. do a much better job at cap management than anybody in the media is willing to give them credit for?''

PK: Maybe they do. But what have they won in the Snyder Era?.....

Another letter is further down the page.


Funny how he's somewhat admitting he was wrong on "cap hell", but covers it with a "what have they ever won".

It's a constant twist and turn for King. When he predicts the Skins will be in cap hell and they aren't, he asks if they win. When he predicts 4 wins and they win 10 and a playoff game, nary a word from him. I honestly have zero respect for him. He clearly has a personal vendetta and nothing anyone can say will change it. I advise people to just not read his trash.

[RIyankee]

Happy 92nd Birthday to "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh!!!
One of the all time great QBs!!!

[MassNYYfan]

Shoot we need our own thread bumped, who cares if we only got to make 1 pick on day 1. We look down our noses at the draft, anyway.

So we get our Lavar replacement in Rocky McIntosh after Moss and Portis highjack the War Room and draft another player from Miami.

I was hoping against hope that D'Qwell Jackson or McIntosh would fall to us at 53, so glad to strike quickly when Jackson went off the board to get our guy (ok, so maybe we wanted Jackson and got duped a pick sooner, but I don't wanna look at it like that, so there. Besides, I trust Gibbs and Williams 100% on this one).

HTTR.

[RIyankee]

I going around the team threads post some interesting tidbits from ESPN's Chat Wrap with KC Joyner...

TYPCA = Total Yards Per Catchable Attempt

Matthew (Modesto,CA): Who is this years sleeper team?

KC Joyner: I really like what the Redskins have been doing. I think they overpaid for Brandon Lloyd, but having Lloyd and Randle El will give the depth at WR they sorely lacked last year. I also like the pickups of Andre Carter and Adam Archuleta. It will be a tough division to win but Gibbs knows how to pace his team for the playoff run.

Ron (DC): How does your system rank Santana Moss who exploded offensively last season.

KC Joyner: Santana Moss was the #1 receiver in TYPCA last year. He averaged 28 yards per deep pass attempt, which is a ridiculously high number. He wasn't just good last year. He was dominant.

Terrence ( Chicago): Are you trying to say Santana Moss was better than Steve Smith?????

KC Joyner: When you take the entire season into account, Moss did have a better season than Smith. Smith started out like gangbusters and then tailed off. Moss had an excellent start that was somewhat obscured by Smith's start, but Moss kept it going. While Smith was getting kicked out of the Dallas game, Moss was lighting up the Giants. Smith still ranked 2nd in TYPCA, so I'm not saying he had a bad season. I'm just saying Moss had a better overall one.

[yankeesAZ]

0-4 in preseason! We got them right where we want them!

[yankeesAZ]

Thank you Peter King for picking us to finish last. He went to the "Mike Lupica/Dan Pasquerelli Scholl of Sports Journalism":

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...mqb/index.html

NFC East

1. Dallas, 11-5: John Madden's right: The most impressive unit of this preseason was Dallas' defense. Great move making Greg Ellis, who was a bit physically overmatched as an every-down defensive end, a latter-day Willie McGinest as strongside linebacker -- even though Bobby Carpenter's going to be a good one eventually -- and this is a deep front seven. Bill Parcells might have an interesting safety in 6-foot-5, 215-pound Pat Watkins, who'll be the tallest safety in recent history. Re: T.O., he won't destroy the chemistry here. Just a gut feeling.

2. * New York Giants, 10-6: Everything's on Eli Manning's shoulders. Agreed. But the awful way he finished '05, in the playoff embarrassment to Carolina, should not make moot how he started it. One of the most amazing stats of last season was that Eli threw for 15 more yards than his brother. Having said that, I trust Tiki Barber will be great again, and I think the defense will improve significantly from it 24th-ranking of last year because the linebackers and secondary will be better. But I truly have no idea how Manning will play. And the Giants' schedule, as I've pointed out this summer, is absurd. They might be very good and still lose their first three (Indy, at Philly, at Seattle).

3. * Philadelphia, 10-6: The Eagles had the best depth in the trenches of any team I saw this summer. Especially on defense, where they're a legitimate four-deep at tackle (Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn), and in the interior of the offensive line, which I don't think will get pushed into Donovan McNabb's face as much as it was last year. Remember, the Eagles won 13, 12, 12, 11 and 11 games in the five seasons before last year's injury washout.

4. Washington, 8-8: I am violating a very intelligent mantra about preseason football. "Ignore whatever you see in the preseason,'' Phil Simms says. "It means nothing.'' Maybe. But to me, this means something: With a new play-caller, Al Saunders, taking over the offense for the first time in Joe Gibbs' head-coaching career, Washington's first-team offense had the ball for five quarters of the preseason and scored zero points. Five quarters, 14 drives, no touchdowns, no field goals. Simms will probably be laughing at me in November, when Washington's 10-0 and running away with the division. But even with Clinton Portis returning in seven days for the opener, I don't have a lot of confidence in this offense.

[MassNYYfan]

Peter King is a putz.

We might wind up 8-8, but this does not change the fact that he's a putz who should die.

(was that too harsh?)

[yankeesAZ]

Peter King is a putz.

We might wind up 8-8, but this does not change the fact that he's a putz who should die.

(was that too harsh?)

We are not going 8-8. I dream of meeting Mr. King one day. He's one notch behind meeting Lupica. I have a lot of pent up angry things to say.

[MassNYYfan]

We are not going 8-8. I dream of meeting Mr. King one day. He's one notch behind meeting Lupica. I have a lot of pent up angry things to say.

I'd like to beat him over the head with the case my Art Monk autographed football is in.

[yankeesAZ]

I want Brunell benched now!

Forget Al Saunders 700 page playbook. It's one page with 4 plays:

1st down run, 2nd down run, 3rd inc pass or comp pass 3 yards short of the 1st down marker (or int), 4th down punt.

[MassNYYfan]

Bleh. Damn they suck now. Can't even rely on the defense this year so far, either. Stopping someone on 3rd down would be nice.

Brunell's done. If his sucks this bad now, I can only imagine what he'll be like once he gets worn down. And holding on to the ball when there's TWO FRIGGIN GUYS wide open and taking sacks, he's gonna wear down quick.

We sorely miss Portis and Springs, too.

14-2 will have to be good enough?