All is quiet--for now
 

Some interesting tidbits:

Tandler's Redskins Blog Ver. 02.01.07--It's been slow as far as Redskins news but that's about to change. It says here the Monk is in, Grimm is out, Branch is coming to DC but Clements is not.

Read more: [URL="http://redskins.scout.com/2/614763.html"]All is Quiet--For Now[/URL]

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I read that...the Clements thing scares me...we need a corner

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He makes a great point though. Everyone needs a corner, corners want money, and others have a lot more money. Thus, we will not get a corner that others want.

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Perhaps a more conservative approach regarding free agency is on the horizon?

I know, it sounds ridiculous.

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Yeah, maybe the Redskins have handicapped themselves into something that fans might approve of (a draft-centered approach). Either that or they will simply trade for guys so they don't have to compete with other teams on the open market for free agents.

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A few weeks back I read that the Rams are probably going to make a big push for Clements and that they seem to have enough room to get him.
Maybe we've gotten spoiled into thinking that any player that we want is just a quick flight in Redskins 1 away.

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Don't the Rams have $20M+ in cap room?

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[quote=Mattyk72;273978]Perhaps a more conservative approach regarding free agency is on the horizon?

I know, it sounds ridiculous.[/quote]

I have to admit I read this post and started laughing. While I love the action in the off season in FA, as what else is there? I want to see no more Archuleta's.

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Since it doesn't seem like we're getting Clements, does that mean that we will address the corner position in the draft or sign a FA that isn't as "splashy" as Clements?

Or could it mean that we're not addressing it at all and sticking with the current personnel? The thought of that scares the hell out of me.

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There's no way we can stand pat with our current CB crew.

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72;273986]There's no way we can stand pat with our current CB crew.[/QUOTE]

I agree. What other corners are available besides the obvious guys (Clements, Samuel)?

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I'm not sure I'd write off the possibility of Clements just yet. If we were to make a splash in free agency I think corner is the one spot worth going after hard and heavy.

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I didn't read anything but one mans opinion in that article.

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[QUOTE=celts32;273993]I didn't read anything but one mans opinion in that article.[/QUOTE]

Yeah exactly.

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Well, we can probably agree on one thing. Danny is the MASTER of pulling off the impossible, financially speaking. Don't write off anybody yet

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[quote=Mattyk72;273986]There's no way we can stand pat with our current CB crew.[/quote]

So do you think we should over pay for one of the top corners? Or bring in maybe a 2nd tier corner? And we might as well forget about Samuel becasue he's not coming here. He wants Champ Bailey type of money. He has a tatoo that says "get paid." So that leaves Nate and I'm sure there are other teams that will pay him more than we can. Perhaps a team like Cinn.

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[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;273979]Yeah, maybe the Redskins have handicapped themselves into something that fans might approve of (a draft-centered approach). Either that or they will simply trade for guys so they don't have to compete with other teams on the open market for free agents.[/quote]

generally a draft-centric approach requires draft picks though :/

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I disagree with his analysis on Clements. The team will be able to clear enough space to match or beat any deal on the table for Nate Clements, if they so choose.

When all is said and done, by March 1st I'd estimate the Skins will have at least $15 million in cap room to work with. The writer is clearly not considering the restructures the 'Skins are currently working on/going to work on.

Every year people say the Skins are strapped, the Skins are strapped. And every year, they're all left scratching their heads, wondering how the 'Skins continue to massage the cap year in and year out, allowing them to spring on whatever free agents their heart desires. It's just not going to happen. These writers just don't understand the cap. The 'Skins are in good shape. If they want Clements, they WON'T be outbid.

Now whether the free agency strategy is a good plan is a whole other ball of wax. But regardless, if we want Clements, rest assured we'll get him.

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If worse comes to worse, there's always Hood or Smoot.

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[quote=Schneed10;274010]I disagree with his analysis on Clements. The team will be able to clear enough space to match or beat any deal on the table for Nate Clements, if they so choose.

When all is said and done, by March 1st I'd estimate the Skins will have at least $15 million in cap room to work with. The writer is clearly not considering the restructures the 'Skins are currently working on/going to work on.

Every year people say the Skins are strapped, the Skins are strapped. And every year, they're all left scratching their heads, wondering how the 'Skins continue to massage the cap year in and year out, allowing them to spring on whatever free agents their heart desires. It's just not going to happen. These writers just don't understand the cap. The 'Skins are in good shape. If they want Clements, they WON'T be outbid.

Now whether the free agency strategy is a good plan is a whole other ball of wax. But regardless, if we want Clements, rest assured we'll get him.[/quote]

the only reason it didn't happen already is cause of the new tv deals... BUT, we are DEFINITELY at a competitive disadvantage every year, since we lead the league in dead cap, which is money spent on player's that are no longer working for you, and the price/performance deals dan snyder and crew make for free agents are vastly inferior to those made by most teams, which again, puts us at a disadvantage.

if the skins clear 15$mill and st louis has $20mill clear, we can't win unless they let us. we CAN be outbid, cause the skins overspent immediately once the cap raised when other clubs didn't, and now the lions may have $40mill or something insane in cap space, and we have to hustle new contracts to existing players for more future dead money to make space. we're just paying on credit instead of with cash, but it really does hurt the team and its ability to maximize talent over a longer period of time.

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[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;274011]If worse comes to worse, there's always Hood or Smoot.[/quote]

I doubt Smoot will come back. Is he going to be cut? I think he is still under contract with the Vikes. He just left 2 years ago.

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Word is he's just about gone.

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Is Clements that good? Has he put together consistent seasons of progress to justify the hype around his free agency? We may be better off not being able to sign him.
Dallas Sucks.

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[quote=That Guy;274018]the only reason it didn't happen already is cause of the new tv deals... BUT, we are DEFINITELY at a competitive disadvantage every year, since we lead the league in dead cap, which is money spent on player's that are no longer working for you, and the price/performance deals dan snyder and crew make for free agents are vastly inferior to those made by most teams, which again, puts us at a disadvantage.

if the skins clear 15$mill and st louis has $20mill clear, we can't win unless they let us. we CAN be outbid, cause the skins overspent immediately once the cap raised when other clubs didn't, and now the lions may have $40mill or something insane in cap space, and we have to hustle new contracts to existing players for more future dead money to make space. we're just paying on credit instead of with cash, but it really does hurt the team and its ability to maximize talent over a longer period of time.[/quote]

Yeah I'd definitely prefer a more draft-centric approach. It would, as you say, maximize talent over time.

But the cap space still wouldn't be a problem for the 'Skins unless Nate Clements was somehow now worth a $20 million signing/roster bonus or something ridiculous. Which he's not. The Rams, in your example, have plenty of cap space to outgun us if they wanted to. But they still wouldn't totally bust the payscale just because they have the cap room. Besides, if any team has shown the propensity to overpay and blow up the payscale for players, it's us. We're still likely to win any race in which we earnestly enter for a player's services.

I'm not arguing that overpaying for Clements is a good idea. But if the team wants him, I think they'll get him.

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CLEMENTS IS NOT WORTH THE $ HE'S GOING TO GET. Nice player but is he Champ Bailey? Hell no. But some team out there with the $ is going to overpay for him. Hopefully it won't be us.

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[quote=Schneed10;274028]Yeah I'd definitely prefer a more draft-centric approach. It would, as you say, maximize talent over time.

But the cap space still wouldn't be a problem for the 'Skins unless Nate Clements was somehow now worth a $20 million signing/roster bonus or something ridiculous. Which he's not. The Rams, in your example, have plenty of cap space to outgun us if they wanted to. But they still wouldn't totally bust the payscale just because they have the cap room. Besides, if any team has shown the propensity to overpay and blow up the payscale for players, it's us. We're still likely to win any race in which we earnestly enter for a player's services.

I'm not arguing that overpaying for Clements is a good idea. But if the team wants him, I think they'll get him.[/quote]

yeah, i don't disagree with any of that. We're just not in the best relative shape compared to other teams. clements probably wants a champ bailey deal though (salaries rise yearly since its a growth industry, and the new tv deals also created massive pay inflation). If they put a lot of the money in the first 3 years, it'd really f with our ability to get him plus dock (or other OG) and a LB (we also have a #6 draft pick to pay).

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As much as I want the Redskins to nab a #1 corner, I would be upset if they paid an $18M bonus (Champ Bailey money) to Clements or Samuels. I'd rather suffer through another bad season.

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[quote=Mattyk72;273989]I'm not sure I'd write off the possibility of Clements just yet. If we were to make a splash in free agency I think corner is the one spot worth going after hard and heavy.[/quote]
this seems to be snyders signature. getting a high profile free agent, that everyone thinks that there is no way they end up in washington. remember last season how randle el was on his way to chicago?

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72;273978]Perhaps a more conservative approach regarding free agency is on the horizon?

I know, it sounds ridiculous.[/QUOTE]

We are in a tough spot, we need a serious d-lineman who can either rush the QB or collapse the pocket, Branch may be the best out there, haven't seen any film on Adams, or Anderson, but as you said, it is going to be very hard to stay pat with our current secondary, to take a conservative aproach via free agency would be fine except this year where we have really only 1 significant pick. Do we trade down and accumulate more picks to address more needs with possibly lesser talent? Or do we take a top Lineman in the draft and hope to strike lightning in a bottle with a couple lower tier free agent signings?

We need to see if there is a lineman or 2 that will be around in the second round that can make an impact? If not then we have to draft 1 high, leaving us with no ability to draft a quality guy for the secondary.

And here it is in a nutshell, we now face a situation that has been brought upon us by constant mismanagement of the draft, by individuals who really do not understand the significance of the draft for building a team.

We could have addressed these areas in the past and be looking at 2 possible all pro type recievers right now in Johnson and Garrett, but we are stocked to the Gill's with WR's, 2 of whom are probably not going to be anywhere's near as good as the 2 kids coming out this year.

And yes we need to start clearing out cap space some how starting with AA, take the hit and move on.

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I would rather trade the pick than spend it on a defensive tackle. We have much more pressing needs at other positions (DE,CB, LB). I don't know why people are expecting to get huge sack numbers from the interior of the defensive line. It's a rare thing in the NFL. In addition DT is the only position on the team at which we actually saw promising play from not one but two rookies. Anyone who thinks the interior of the line is the problem wasn't watching the same team I was last year. Unfortunately if this article is to be believed that apparently includes Greg Williams.

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there are other corners out in free agency besides clements, we will bring at least 1 in, whether its him, samuel, harper (too old IMO), macklin (solid 3rd corner, local guy), or we trade for one. there are severan RFA's as well. i have a feeling it could be samuel

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[quote=artmonkforhallofamein07;274021]I doubt Smoot will come back. Is he going to be cut? I think he is still under contract with the Vikes. He just left 2 years ago.[/quote]


LOL...Roderick Hood can suck an egg and Smoot probably doesnt want to come back. Like Malcolm said, I heard he's heading out the door also. I would much rather have Clements that Samuels. Samuels is a lot of flash and this and that but, he has some strong positions backing him up too. Clements is solid, a little older than I would like, but solid. And thats what we need. We need a #2 CB that can catch when the ball hits him in the damn hands, unlike Mr. Rogers, who should get moved into the #3 CB spot with that.

Schneed10: You sound pretty educated in your analysis and you seem to be spot on. I hope to GOD you're right!

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[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;273983]Don't the Rams have $20M+ in cap room?[/quote]The Rams spent a first rounder on Tye Hill last year.

Wouldn't stop them from spending on Clements, but it's the kind of deterrent that could make them not chase him if we give him a lucrative contract offer.

Not sure yet whether that will be a good or bad thing.

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Further down the blog was a little something to further stimulate interest:

AKH's Bold Predictions: Washington deals #6 pick to Baltimore for Dawan Landry, the rights to Dan Cody, and the Ravens 1st & 3rd rounders. Will sign Nate Clements, Mike Rucker (if he's cut) and London Fletcher, and the rest of the NFL will have the Federation of American Scientist to examine how they were able to squeeze those three and Dockery into 6-7 million of cap space in 07. Interesting how that concept could have been consumated as far fetched as it sounds.

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I would rather see them sign another #2 corner and a MLB than Clements.

First of all, Clements comes from a loser. Second, he is looking for the big check. As the Redskins have proven, the year after the payday is usually a disappointment.

Plus, if they don't find a way for the front 7 to get pressure, they could sign Champ and Clements and it wouldn't matter.

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[quote=70Chip;274139]I would rather trade the pick than spend it on a defensive tackle. We have much more pressing needs at other positions (DE,CB, LB). I don't know why people are expecting to get huge sack numbers from the interior of the defensive line. It's a rare thing in the NFL. In addition DT is the only position on the team at which we actually saw promising play from not one but two rookies. Anyone who thinks the interior of the line is the problem wasn't watching the same team I was last year. Unfortunately if this article is to be believed that apparently includes Greg Williams.[/quote]Well, the truth is I have no idea if the tackles were more at fault then the ends, but IMO its moot. There wasn't a strong point of the defensive line in 2006. Both the ends and the tackles need upgrading.

I think the D Tackle situation is much more easily fixed. We take Branch. Crisis averted. We then have a guy who can grow into Saleve'a's role (completely off topic, but how in the f gramatically can you show possession of a noun to Joe Saleve'a? Can you put in two apostrophes?) since 2007 is the last year of Joe's contract. It's not like the rookie, no matter who it is, is going to be a quick fix. DT is a great position to make the pick at, IMO.

End of course is also a possibility but I think it's important to give Carter one more season to show how he fits into our scheme. If he doesn't we may very well draft a pure pass rusher in 2008 (1st round). If he does, we can try to find value in a run anchorer in the 3rd or so. But I think the wait and see approach is the best way to go with the end position.

No matter what we do, this D Line is going to be an imperfect unit next season. It why I want the pick there as rookie players in the back 7 tend not to play for Grilliams in year one. Some light FA help can improve the defensive back seven for us, maybe even to the point were we can hide the obvious holes in the D Line.

Here's hoping.

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[quote=Grim21Reaper;274208]I would rather see them sign another #2 corner and a MLB than Clements.

First of all, Clements comes from a loser. Second, he is looking for the big check. As the Redskins have proven, the year after the payday is usually a disappointment.

Plus, if they don't find a way for the front 7 to get pressure, they could sign Champ and Clements and it wouldn't matter.[/quote]Well, as for a No. 2 corner, we already did that last year. Kenny Wright was the No. 2 on a damn good 2005 Jacksonville defense. Apparently with the crappy state of the D Line, we are going to need someone better.

But you're right, theres no guarentees that that signing would immediately improve our pass D. The problem is on the DL and there are no quick fixes there.

Not sure how coming from a loser is relavent to anything. We have 53+ guys who are coming from a loser.

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[quote=GTripp0012;274213]Well, as for a No. 2 corner, we already did that last year. Kenny Wright was the No. 2 on a damn good 2005 Jacksonville defense. Apparently with the crappy state of the D Line, we are going to need someone better.

But you're right, theres no guarentees that that signing would immediately improve our pass D. The problem is on the DL and there are no quick fixes there.

Not sure how coming from a loser is relavent to anything. We have 53+ guys who are coming from a loser.[/quote]

If they are going to pay Springs 6 or 7 milion, he is the number one corner on opening day. It makes no sense to dump 12+ million in guaranteed money on a cornerback when you need an interior lineman, possibly a D-end and arguably 2 linebackers.

When is the last time that Buffalo was relevant? Breaking the bank on Clements is no different than hoarding 49ers. If I had to choose between Clements or Samuel, I would take Samuel. He has been on a winning defense and I have never seen Manning afraid to throw to one side of the field like the championship game. Either way the team is cheating itself if you sign either one of them.

You build a good defense from the inside out, not the outside in.

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[quote=Grim21Reaper;274215]If they are going to pay Springs 6 or 7 milion, he is the number one corner on opening day. It makes no sense to dump 12+ million in guaranteed money on a cornerback when you need an interior lineman, possibly a D-end and arguably 2 linebackers.

When is the last time that Buffalo was relevant? Breaking the bank on Clements is no different than hoarding 49ers. If I had to choose between Clements or Samuel, I would take Samuel. He has been on a winning defense and I have never seen Manning afraid to throw to one side of the field like the championship game. Either way the team is cheating itself if you sign either one of them.

You build a good defense from the inside out, not the outside in.[/quote]Well, if you think that we can rely on Springs to stay healthy for 16 games AND keep his level of play where it was in 2005, then we don't really need corner help at all. The only reason I would want the Skins to add a corner is because we have to prepare for life without Springs. This year that could be temporary, but in future years it could be permanent. There's no problem with moving Springs to the nickle, IMO. I just don't think its reasonable to rely on him for a 16 game season and to expect him to be the same guy he was two years ago at his age.

CB isn't a huge need compared to the DL, but if we are serious about winning THIS year, it's an issue that we can fix without picks. DL is going to take some time to fix, so its pointless to burn our cap room there. We do need a MLB also. I like London Fletcher.

It wouldn't have mattered if Clements played for the Patriots and Asante Samuel was a Bill. Not significant in any way. We are talking about guys to add to the Redskins. If they both played for the 49ers, neither would be any different as a player or potential Redskin (we may view them differently, but thats what player evaluation SHOULD eliminate). I actually think Samuel is a tad better based on observation, but GW likes the bigger physical corners and thats what Clements brings to the table.

I agree with the inside out philosophy, but I think building from the front to the back is more important. And since it's going to take time to build that front through the draft, having a dominant secondary is the only way this D will stay competitive.