A Clarification on whether the Redskins are Re-Building

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Official Theatrical Trailer - YouTube

If you really think about that movie it is just Forest Gump backwards.

Why?Because if everybody says rebuilding it suggests a problem in the way that I presented the evidence. I was trying to evaluate, not persuade.

You got me with the RBs, but Hankerson is still a question mark as a potential starter. The fact that we acquired Garcon and Morgan should have us fans thinking about what the coaches think about Hankerson. Riley and Jenkins are good, but we do need a few guys that can at least contend for Pro Bow honors. Those guys would just be able to make it as an average starter. I know there are gems to be found Ruh, and there are first round busts, but for one year we start off with a third round pick. I just hope our scouts earn their money. They are going to have to be the ones to pick up the slack with the RG III deal.

I think there is cause to be concerned, but you have to understand we have a lot of young players to work with right now. Sure it sucks to not have first round talent, but if we are able to a.) develop the young talent we have right now and b.) continue our ability to get mid-round players that can start, I think we will be alright.

Imo, when your HC is also your GM the FO will sometimes operate at cross purposes.
The resulting schizophrenic personnel decisions can impede the team building process.
That doesn't mean that the team cannot be successful.
I've always felt the saving grace for Mike Shanahan the GM is the acumen of Mike Shanahan the coach.
What I've heard and observed from Mike Shanahan suggest to me that like most coaches, he will always believe any team that he coaches can win now.

or the more direct answer: not rebuildingI agree, though I think if the team had gotten pre-2006 Mike Shanahan instead of what we've had on the sideline the last two years, its very possible (maybe probable) that we'd have at least a winning season with him.

What year is it that we are starting with a 3rd round pick? Did we become New Orleans overnight?

To answer the final question, yes, I think there is a plan and has been since 2010. 2010 evaluate the roster and start the 3-4 transition, try to win with core players plus a couple of additions. 2011 focus on building a playoff defense through the draft and free agency. 2012 focus on building a playoff offense, focusing on skill positions (that's why I don't think an early pick on a RB is out of the question) and specify areas of need. The cap penalties probably derailed our full plan this offseason but we targeted players to address one of our major shortcomings in recent years, team speed and explosive players.How would you rectify this outline with Shanahan's belief that he had already built a playoff offense his first two years here, and then obviously the talent upgrades from the 2012 draft?

Your outline seems to suggest that multiple issues have been targeted then solved, but I'm not even sure the Redskins ever correctly identified what was causing the losing. It seems like after the failure in 2010, they just attributed it to being too old/prone to injury/lacking in depth to compete in the modern NFL. So then they overhauled the roster with younger players, and when that didn't solve the problems, they attributed it again to injury.

I suppose its possible that the attribution is correct and that the annual injury problem was fixed by the 2011 (and 2012) youth injection, and that last years continuation of pretty much every problem from the last eight years was a coincidence. It's at least possible that Mike Shanahan is the genius and we're the fools who didn't see that he fixed every problem with the franchise during a 5-11 season. But on the other side of the coin is the chance that Shanahan was never right about where the problems were, and that youth can't cure the problems with the training staff and the coaching staff.

Am I wrong in that suggesting that any plan that follows the pattern that you suggest here necessarily requires that Mike Shanahan understood most or all the issues with the team from the beginning? But then you go to mid-season last year and post-2011 and comments at least suggest that he was off (by a lot) in his assumptions (and willing to admit that -- to a degree).

I think your plan to rebuild the franchise would be very rational in hindsight, I just don't think it's particularly relevant to what has actually occurred with the Redskins the last two years.

I like to think that we aren't rebuilding just doing what's needed to compete. Year 1 of Shanny we thought we could plug in some vets and an established qb then we'll win, it didn't happen. He found quickly that age was the issue and a culture change was needed badly.
2nd year we used the uncapped year to clean house and get younger. The quality of QB was not available through freeagency. The draft was not an option do to the lockout. Therefore we traded down, acquired picks and focused on the defense getting 3-4 players and WR's. Now we have a decent defense. The secondary regressed and we need more production from the wideout position. It was nessesary to get a blue chip qb. We didn't tank the season and Barkley stayed for his senior year so the only option was trading up.

I like to think that we aren't rebuilding just doing what's needed to compete. Year 1 of Shanny we thought we could plug in some vets and an established qb then we'll win, it didn't happen. He found quickly that age was the issue and a culture change was needed badly.
2nd year we used the uncapped year to clean house and get younger. The quality of QB was not available through freeagency. The draft was not an option do to the lockout. Therefore we traded down, acquired picks and focused on the defense getting 3-4 players and WR's. Now we have a decent defense. The secondary regressed and we need more production from the wideout position. It was nessesary to get a blue chip qb. We didn't tank the season and Barkley stayed for his senior year so the only option was trading up.

Good assessment. The defense is strong enough to be playoff caliber and the offense just needs a few more play makers. We gained that through free agency. Although the offensive line is in question, I like our O line. With the addition of either RG3 or Luck, that would put the Redskins into a position to greatly improve and be highly competitive.

I don't understand why people talk about rebuilding in the NFL. No team in the NFL rebuilds. You have a plan set out for the franchise and putting the right pieces in place if that be long term or short is how you win.

Do we have young players? Yes, but many draft picks in the past 5-7 years that are not even 30 have been traded, released etc.

There is no such thing as rebuilding in the NFL.

Rebuilding, not rebuilding. It's not an important question. The real question is did we get better or worse than we were last season and have we positioned ourselves for long term success.

I think we will miss Landry more than people think even considering his injuries. Fletch is most likely going to get old in a hurry. Not loving the secondary or the depth at several spots most notably ol. Is RG3 going to be any better in his rookie season than the beck/grossman combo?

On the flip side RG3 has given us a potential stud QB. Jenkins should be back. Helu, hank and the other young guys will get a full offseason under their belts.

Personally, I'm renewing my Sunday ticket package with the hopes of winning 6-7 games, being competitive in another 6-7 games, and drinking heavily in the 2-4 games we will get blown out due to RG3 having a rookie QB game.

I'm also renewing because I think in three years we can be really special.