Brunell and Redskins Reportedly Close to Restructured Deal

Let's shed a little salary cap light on the subject. Cutting Brunell would save the team $2.1 million in 2007.

But if he drops his base salary down from $5 million to the vet minimum, he saves us $4 million. Then of course you have to add in any incremental signing bonus he's getting as part of this restructure. If it's a $2 million bonus, then we can spread that over the 4 years he's still with us, adding $500 K to his cap figure. All in all, this method would create $3.5 million in cap space, that's quite a bit more than the $2.1 we'd get from axing him.

Doesn't make sense to cut the guy. Not when he's still more than capable of playing a backup role very well. All you can ask of a backup QB is to come in when you need him and not lose games. You can have a McNabb and Garcia situation for half a year, but if your backup is that good, you either can't afford him or he finds a starting job. Brunell is a solid backup, and this has all the makings of the smartest move possible given the circumstances.

Good analysis & great point. I hadn't figured in the cost of cutting him.
I think you have to add his shoulder surgery to the equation though. Gibbs must believe that he'll recover fully or near it. My concern w/keeping a roster space for him is that he realistically may be only a 3rd string qb when the season starts due to his recovery.
I know the team knows better than us, but it also seems that they've let him play through some pain when it may have been to the detriment of the team.
Just hope JC doesn't get hurt!

Good analysis & great point. I hadn't figured in the cost of cutting him.
I think you have to add his shoulder surgery to the equation though. Gibbs must believe that he'll recover fully or near it. My concern w/keeping a roster space for him is that he realistically may be only a 3rd string qb when the season starts due to his recovery.
I know the team knows better than us, but it also seems that they've let him play through some pain when it may have been to the detriment of the team.
Just hope JC doesn't get hurt!

I didn't get the sense that the injury was so major that he would have any problem coming back.

Carson Palmer came back from a destroyed knee in 8 months. Now Brunell's no spring chicken like Palmer, but arthroscopic shoulder surgery? This isn't a major deal. I think he'll be OK.

In fairness to the team, and the offense, I hope Gibbs let's Collins compete for the #2. Brunell should not have the back-up job handed to him just becase he has game experience.

collins is probably going to opt out of his deal and leave.

I didn't get the sense that the injury was so major that he would have any problem coming back.

Carson Palmer came back from a destroyed knee in 8 months. Now Brunell's no spring chicken like Palmer, but arthroscopic shoulder surgery? This isn't a major deal. I think he'll be OK.

He'll probably be limited in camps but as the starter JC would get the majority of the reps anyway. Besides, rest is probably the best thing for him.

I was really hoping he'd go (or be let go) so that he wouldn't have to continue to put up with mindless crap from the fans. He could literally pay Dockery's, Springs, Clements', and Fletcher's contracts, discover a cure for cancer, bring peace to the Middle East, and joy to Mudville...and people would still complain about him.

Or, he could take a team with a great wideout, a solid TE, Clinton Portis and a top ten offensive line, complete 11-25 passes, 65 yards, 0 tds, 0 ints, throw the ball out of bounds on third down and lose 19-3 -- and some people will wonder why fans are so hard on him; so much so in fact, that they're worried his feelings might be hurt and maybe he should just leave town.

I didn't get the sense that the injury was so major that he would have any problem coming back.

Carson Palmer came back from a destroyed knee in 8 months. Now Brunell's no spring chicken like Palmer, but arthroscopic shoulder surgery? This isn't a major deal. I think he'll be OK.

You may want to talk to somebody that has had arthroscopic shoulder surgery about it not being a big deal. I know 2 guys in their 30s that have had it and said it is the most painful thing they have ever experienced. In fact one of the guys said if he had to have it again he'd just tell the Dr to chop his arm off (LOL) because the apain was unbelievable. No matter how you sit stand or lay it hurts.

Or, he could take a team with a great wideout, a solid TE, Clinton Portis and a top ten offensive line, complete 11-25 passes, 65 yards, 0 tds, 0 ints, throw the ball out of bounds on third down and lose 19-3 -- and some people will wonder why fans are so hard on him; so much so in fact, that they're worried his feelings might be hurt and maybe he should just leave town.

Well, as we've discussed many times over you can't pin everything on him, I think that's the basic point here. The year before he did help guide the team to the playoffs. Last year was a disaster across the board.

You may want to talk to somebody that has had arthroscopic shoulder surgery about it not being a big deal. I know 2 guys in their 30s that have had it and said it is the most painful thing they have ever experienced. In fact one of the guys said if he had to have it again he'd just tell the Dr to chop his arm off (LOL) because the apain was unbelievable. No matter how you sit stand or lay it hurts.

Of course there's pain associated with any type of surgery, but arthroscopic surgery is pretty tame compared to a major reconstruction.

Brunell may only be 36, but has been beaten up like he was 10 years older... I like the idea of having a former starting QB as a back up and mentor to Campbell... but come on... we need someone we can count on. Remember, we started Campbell because Brunell could not get it done.

You may want to talk to somebody that has had arthroscopic shoulder surgery about it not being a big deal. I know 2 guys in their 30s that have had it and said it is the most painful thing they have ever experienced. In fact one of the guys said if he had to have it again he'd just tell the Dr to chop his arm off (LOL) because the apain was unbelievable. No matter how you sit stand or lay it hurts.

I don't care what the pain is like. The pain is temporary. Every injured player deals with post-op pain.

I care about the structure of the joint. To my knowledge, it was a partially torn labrum. Pitchers come back from that in 8 months all the time, I see no reason Brunell can't.

It's not like his arm fell off or his knee has been reconstructed.