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Redskins Insider: This Should Hold You Over

[url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/2007/06/this_should_hold_you_over.html#more]This Should Hold You Over - Redskins Insider[/url]

Alright gang, here is the rest of the stuff I have for now (well, almost all of it; some things I am still working on).

Please keep the comments and emails coming as to what you want to read about on this thing the next three weeks, and as always I'll do my best to oblige.

Lance Briggs - The Skins and Bears have not talked about the linebacker in quite some time, and, in fact, there has been virtually no interest in the Pro Bowler, league sources said. Some execs would not be shocked if at some point the Bears just cut him - Briggs vows to holdout the first 10 games anyway, and Chicago has no intentions of giving him a longterm deal and he'll carry a huge salary as a franchise player - when the Skins would likely pounce.

Dan Snyder already let Briggs know he would get a fat contract here during trade talks earlier this offseason, and I doubt anyone would outspend him for Briggs, particularly given the paucity of offers for him on the trade market. Would the Bears end up just taking a low pick for him - maybe, perhaps. Either way it continues to look like he may have played his last game for the Bears.

Cooley - As of the weekend talks on a contract extension had not begun sources said (although I have no idea what they are waiting for). The Skins have made keeping him a priority and Chris knows as much, and they'll start negotiating by next month I am sure. I would be all about getting this done before the start of the season, by all means, and I know that Coach Joe's goal. The price will be cheaper and they don't want another Dockery situation. Skins currently $5.1 million under the cap (and still have rookies to sign, although only one, Landry, who will make any real money). Once the Skins are ready to throw the figures around, I know Chris is eager to listen.

Brunell - Is being limited to mostly short passes for now coming back from a torn labrum, but has been sharp I hear. Team is watching his reps closely and he can't try to throw deep yet, but is coming along well. Should he suffer no setbacks I envision the Skins eventually letting Collins go. Mark has a base of $1.5 million this season (non-guaranteed, of course) and two roster bonuses geared to his health. He gets $250,000 if on the roster June 27th and another $250,000 on Aug. 15, sources said.
(As for other QBs, Bramlet - who got some blog luv way back when - is tearing up NFL Zooropa (I hate U2 post-Boy but couldn't resist), and like I've been saying for a while I think he's the No. 3 QB. I could see Palmer on the practice squad, again, just taking a long-view guess here. Also, Jason Campbell could be the bargain of the NFL with a base of $572,500 this season. However, should he play 80 percent of the snaps in 2007 - a near certainty barring injury - he could make about $1.5 million in escalators that would add to his modest base salaries in 2008 and 2009.)

Other Stuff:

Some of you guys emailed me about Ray Brown, and whether he is still serving as an adjunct coach/conduit between players and coaches. Well, he hasn't been around this offseason and told me this afternoon from the golf course that, "I think this will be my year off," meaning a year to relax and enjoy his retirement. Ray said he won't be on staff this season but will do some local TV work and still pop his head into Redskins Park quite a bit. For that I am grateful. It was always great to shoot the breeze with Ray, and it wouldn't be the same 'round here without him.

Also, a bunch of people asked about the Zach Hilton signing/cutting, as he was released within days of being signed. Well, according to the tight end's father,, Hilton, a local product, was told that after an injury to a RB (the Portis tendonitis setback in all likelihood), the team decided it needed a roster spot for a better blocker, someone more like a FB/H-back. The team told Hilton's agent that Zach's run blocking wasn't strong enough - no shock there as he is primarily a pass-catching TE with great size - but there's a chance he could be re-signed later in the offseason.

Final results on the autopsy on former Redskin Kevin Mitchell, who died in his sleep in April at age 36, are still not available according to the Virginia Medical Examiner. The initial autopsy revealed a massive heart attack, but more thorough analysis should provide a full picture of the causes (sleep apnea was one possibility).

I hear that Rocky McIntosh and Cooley have both been standouts during OTAs. At least that's what their teammates are saying. Of all the rookies on the roster not named Landry, the veterans tell me that Byron Westbrook looks to be a real potential diamond in the rough.

We should get another update on Clinton Portis, and his knee tendonitis, on Thursday. I heard he was around The Park last week - when OTAs were not ongoing- working out. However, there remain some concerns about how much - or little - he will be able to do in the preseason. Like I've said all along on this one, the guy is a true gamer on Sunday - as fierce as they come - but has never been a big offseason/preseason/practice guy. A lot of his work habits will have to change and we'll see how his body responds to his first major injuries as a pro - and after carrying the ball about 700 times from 2004-2005.
Hence the unwillingness to move Ladell Betts despite there being repeated interest in him by other teams this offseason, to say nothing of the fact that Ladell seems poised to prove he can be a very efficient back as well (I know Earnest Byner is working hard with him on the fumble-itus issues).