Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

So this is designed to give everyone a better sense of the front office at Redskins Park from Cerrato on down. I’m sure I’m missing some people, but this should give everyone a general sense of who the major players are and what their roles are. I also threw in a little nugget about some prior experience.

[B]EVP/General Manager Bruce Allen (2009)[/B]
Focus: Oversees all personnel (scouts, trainers, video editors, etc.), long-term strategist for draft and free agency
Experience: Senior Executive Oakland Raiders (1996-2003) General Manager Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004-2008)

[B]Director of Player Personnel: Scott Campbell (2008)[/B]
Focus: Oversees all scouting, leads preparation leading up to draft day (think of him sort of as an Offensive Coordinator of scouting). He’s the point person in the off-season.
Experience: Scout with the Falcons (1990-1997), Director of Pro Personnel with the Bears (2000) and Redskins (2001,2006-2007), Director of College Scouting with the Redskins (2002-2005)

[B]Area Scout: Tim Gribble (2003)[/B]
Focus: Colleges in the Northeast (like all scouts, he's given a mission statement essentially, put together by the top executives including Zorn and his top assistants to find certain types of players and unearth hidden gems)
Experience: Pro Personnel assistant with the Redskins (i.e. paper pusher) (2002)

[B]Area Scout: Shemy Schembechler (2001)[/B]
Focus: Colleges in the Midwest
Experience: Scouting assistant with the Chiefs and Bears (1996-2000)

[B]Area Scout: Jim Zeches (2005)[/B]
Focus: Colleges in the West Coast
Experience: Area scout with the Niners (2001-2004)

[B]Area Scout: Chip Flanagan (2008)[/B]
Focus: Colleges in the Southwest
Experience: Scouting assistant with the Redskins (2005-2007)

[B]Area Scout: Bill Baker (2009)[/B]
Focus: Colleges in the Southeast
Experience: College Scouting Coordinator Pittsburgh Steelers (2000-2002); Southeast regional scout Miami Dolphins (2003-2008)

[B]Director of Pro Personnel: Morocco Brown[/B]
Focus: Oversees practice squad personnel, pro player evaluation (including free agents and other leagues such as CFL), in charge of advanced scouting of next opponent. He’s the point person in the regular season.
Experience: Assistant Director of Pro Personnel Bears (2002-2007), assistant scout with the Redskins (2000-2001)

[B]Pro Scout: Alex Santos (2009)[/B]
Focus: Assists Morocco Brown with advanced scouting and pro player evaluation
Experience: Pro Personnel assistant with the Redskins (2006-2008)

[B]Pro Scout: Don Breaux (2008)[/B]
Focus: Just lending his eyes and ears and years of NFL experience
Experience: None in scouting

[B]VP Football Administration: Eric Shaffer (2004)[/B]
Focus: Manage the money
Experience: Player agent with IMG

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Good stuff Smoot

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Good insight smoot, i like it

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

good thread/post Smoot

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Three Questions:

1. Is Shemy Shembechler related to Bo Schembechler?

2. Does Scott Campbell do any scouting of players on his own?

3. Who does the "quality control" on the regional scouts? Do they pick the games they should see or does someone direct them to see specific games?

The reason I ask #2 and #3 is that I did some basketball scouting for an NBA team MANY years ago and watching a game live is very different from watching the same game on tape. You can assess skills better on tape because you can re-run and break down plays, but if you want to know if the guy is a "real player" you get that much better in person than on tape.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Now, someone needs to question them as to how often Vinny/Snyder listens to their input. If it's hardly ever then Vinny must go as all have said. If it's almost all the time....

Fire them all and start anew.

Someone sucks and it's either player eval or player aquisition. or both. We've kept maybe one or two players on the team every yr from the draft since 2000. Our two best yrs were 2007 and 2006. I guess you can count 2008....Moore, Kelly, Thomas, Davis, Horton, Tryon and Rob Jackson.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Eric Shaffer is one of the best in the business. nice post

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

this is why the warpath has no equal!

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

SmootSmack for GM :) Thanks man. I really had no idea who most of our scouts were. Who's Don Warren?

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=NM Redskin;522796]this is why the warpath has no equal![/quote]

True dat... but I think there are probably lots of other reasons too :)

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

I noticed there is no area scout for the Southeast, do we not have one or was that an omission?

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=BaltimoreSkins;522814]I noticed there is no area scout for the Southeast, do we not have one or was that an omission?[/quote]

everyone knows Florida teams have no talent :)

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

^and yet we keep picking up Miami players. Go figure.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Awesome stuff. I little nugget on how long they've had their repsponsibilities might help some out. Like for example, Cerrato has only been in charge of football matters this one past season. Before that he held a job mostly similar to Campbell's. And was chief yes man according to a certain amount of fans who know better than all of us.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=BaltimoreSkins;522814]I noticed there is no area scout for the Southeast, do we not have one or was that an omission?[/quote]

We must, I just don't remember who it is

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=FRPLG;522829]Awesome stuff. I little nugget on how long they've had their repsponsibilities might help some out. Like for example, Cerrato has only been in charge of football matters this one past season. Before that he held a job mostly similar to Campbell's. And was chief yes man according to a certain amount of fans who know better than all of us.[/quote]

yeah, that's probably something I can edit into the original post when I have time

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=sportscurmudgeon;522743]Three Questions:

1. Is Shemy Shembechler related to Bo Schembechler?

2. Does Scott Campbell do any scouting of players on his own?

3. Who does the "quality control" on the regional scouts? Do they pick the games they should see or does someone direct them to see specific games?

The reason I ask #2 and #3 is that I did some basketball scouting for an NBA team MANY years ago and watching a game live is very different from watching the same game on tape. You can assess skills better on tape because you can re-run and break down plays, but if you want to know if the guy is a "real player" you get that much better in person than on tape.[/quote]

1. Yes, it's his son

2. At this point, he's really more of a "second opinion" kind of guy. I don't think he does as much traveling

3. It's really up to the scout to know the schools and the players and go to the games from August through November. This is for the college scouts. They will generally go a school and watch film with the coaches and then watch the player actually practice. Pro scouts tend to do more film research than "live" research, as I understand it. At the end of the year, the pro scouts will present their findings to Cerrato and the position coaches present their review of their own players. And then Cerrato, Campbell, Brown, Zorn and I'm not sure who else will sit down and discuss and rank each player and determine if there are free agents they want to target or players on their own team they do or do not want to re-sign. Also, forgot to mention, before the meeting VC (or actually I think Campbell runs this now) will present the scouts' recommendations to the position coaches so they can review film of the players and see how they might fit in. Anyhow, once this list is finalized then it's given to Snyder.

College coaches face three big challenges 1.) the amount of days they are allowed to visit schools and players is restricted because of NCAA rules. 2.) More and more Juniors are entering the draft but they can't be scouted until they declare and 3) The scouts set their schedules based on what players they know will fit best in the head coach's system. But with us changing systems so often it's a crap shoot. You spend all fall scouting for the Fun and Gun and then suddenly Marty is hired. You focus on the Gibbs' offense and next thing you know we're going West Coast Offense

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=SmootSmack;523019]yeah, that's probably something I can edit into the original post when I have time[/quote]

made the edits, they might be slightly off. But I think they're pretty accurate

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Smootsmack:

Thank you.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Nice job here SS, this deserves a sticky

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Thanks SS. This has been most helpful.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Mattyk72;523078]Nice job here SS, this deserves a sticky[/quote]
We don't want to know what a "sticky" is but you two have fun.[IMG]http://www.thewarpath.net/images/icons/icon10.gif[/IMG]

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Let me just expand on the scouting process for a second. It's not up to Cerrato or Campbell or Brown to review and grade players and hand it over to Zorn or Snyder. That's not how it works.

So let's look at how Devin Thomas, for example, becomes a Redskin. We'll do it in timeline fashion (the timeline is a rough approximation, something could happen one year in late January and another year in early February depending on the NFL season)

[B]August 2007:[/B] Shemmy Shembechler, as college scout of the midwest, will prepare his schedule of schools to watch which will include Michigan State, for the college football season. Since we're talking about Devin Thomas here, let's just focus on wide receivers. As Shembechler evaluates each wide receiver he's looking for players that fit into Coach Gibbs'system. As head coach and team president, Gibbs will have final say over the roster. Shembechler will attend games, school practices, and watch film with the position coach, coordinator and head coach of each player he's targeting. He'll also try to do some digging on intangibles, for example he'll talk to professors about his character and demeanor in the classroom, his study habits, etc.

[B]September 2007:[/B] Pro Scout Don Warren begins a weekly process of reviewing every NFL game for the teams he has been assigned to and begins compiling reports on every player, with a particular focus toward impending free agents and potential trade options. Warren will follow the same pattern as Shembechler, but with pro players

[B]September 2007:[/B] In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Stan Hixon is compiling weekly notes on the current players he's coaching

[B]January 2008:[/B] Cerrato and Louis Riddick sit down with Don Warren and the other pro scouts and review the scout's analyses of all the players in the NFL, CFL, Arena Football, etc. that they have graded high enough (I don't know what the scale is) and believe would be an improvement over the current roster. t

[B]January/February 2008:[/B] Stan Hixon, as WR coach, is given the list of players along with game films prepared by the pro scouts and does his own review and ranks the players (So we're mainly talking about guys like Jerry Porter, DJ Hackett, Bryant Johnson, etc) under consideration as determined by Cerrato, Riddick, and the pro scouts.

[B]February 2008:[/B] Cerrato, Riddick, Gibbs and the offensive staff will basically lock themselves up in a room for several days. They go through each player (usually 5-10 players). Let's suppose one of Don warren's responsibilities is AFC West teams. Warren, as the pro scout, representing (for lack of a better word) Jerry Porter will present his report of Porter to the group. Then Hixon will present his review. Then the group wil watch game tape. Then there will be a discussion across the room and a final ranking will be determined. Let's say it's a scale of 1-10 (1 being the highest) and Porter has been given a 4. Next they'll move on to the next player, let's say it's Bryant Johnson, and repeat the same process and they'll rank him compared to Porter. So let's say he gets a 3, now he's ranked above Porter. Remember, everyone is trying to find the best players to match what Gibbs wants based on the select few players chosen by Cerrato, Riddick and the scouts from a much larger list compiled by the scouts. After all the potential WRs on other teams and in other leagues are evaluated, the current Redskins WRs are layered into the equation.

This process repeats for every position and for college as well with Scott Campbell and college scouts sitting in on the meetings in place of Riddick and the national scouts (though sometimes I think all are in meetings together)

[B]February 2008:[/B] Cerrato prepares the final report based on the meetings and presents it to Gibbs and Snyder for final approval. Snyder's role at this point is to approve spending the expected dollar amount, or be willing to exceed if deemed necessary, to land the free agents targeted by his staff. Eric Schaffer plays a prominent role here in determining the budget and preparing for negotiations. But if there's any place where Snyder is "meddlesome" it's with the contracts portion of the personnel, not with the actual evaluation of talent.

[B]March 2008:[/B] Ok, let's jump ahead here (because I have actual work to do) and move on to mid-March where the bulk of free agency is pretty much done and the focus is now almost exclusively on the draft. As the Redskins start preparing for the draft, Gibbs, Snyder, Campbell, and Riddick (If I recall correctly, it's just them at this point) will start grading across the board. So they'll try to determine if a WR rated a 3 is better or more necessary than a RB rated a 3, for example. And their big board is created for draft day.

In the weeks leading up to draft day, Snyder, Gibbs, and Cerrato will meet regularly with each other and ultimately with the top players targeted in the draft.

[B]Draft Day 2008:[/B] As the draft proceeds, each position coach ranks the best available players at his position versus current Redskins. Gibbs and Cerrato will take those rankings as the day proceeds and measure across the board as noted above.

So clearly there a lot of problems with the process above. Here's 5 right off the bat

1. Thomas wasn't a senior and didn't declare until January so by rule the most Shembechler can do is watch Thomas in games during the 2007 regular season. He can't attend practice, watch game films, talked to coaches or professors until Thomas officially declares so the scouting of Thomas is a mad scramble.

2. All the scouts are spending the entire fall finding the best players for Gibbs, but come January he's suddenly gone and we don't know who's replacing him. Not only that but Williams and Saunders are gone too. Side note, a coordinator's opinion, if strong enough, will weigh more heavily in the rating process. His vote may count as two.

3. Not only is Gibbs gone but before you know it, Director of Pro Personnel Louis Riddick is gone as is pro scout Terry Ray and on the college side scout Mike Faulkiner has passed away. And now we've decided to use the WCO. So you're going into free agency and the draft with a new offensive system, a new head coach, and two key scouts and all the leg work they did over the season to prepare for the off-season.

4. Coaches are given films to watch and review the player, but they rarely are asked to review the person. Which is odd considering the high emphasis on character. That judgment is reserved for the executives, again based primarily on the findings of the scouts.

5. You've got guys like Don Warren who really probably did nothing to earn his position as a scout other than being a player 15 years ago. I mean I like the guy but what are his credentials?

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

this is a good post

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

I also think greg blache is a good d coordinator and the personel is the real problem. mainly d line and we are weak at lb even though fletcher can cut these guys a lto of slack.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Great stuff SmootSmack! Very informative. Appreciate it.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

PFT RUMOR: [url=http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/01/28/reeves-to-dallas-looks-to-be-a-done-deal/]ProFootballTalk.com - REEVES TO DALLAS LOOKS TO BE A DONE DEAL[/url]

Something around the rumor mill has Dan Reeves going to the cowboys in a Bill Parcells type roll. This may be the first of the "Wild S---" that was predicted for dallas this offseason.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Skinny Tee;523754]PFT RUMOR: [url=http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/01/28/reeves-to-dallas-looks-to-be-a-done-deal/]ProFootballTalk.com - REEVES TO DALLAS LOOKS TO BE A DONE DEAL[/url]

Something around the rumor mill has Dan Reeves going to the cowboys in a Bill Parcells type roll. This may be the first of the "Wild S---" that was predicted for dallas this offseason.[/quote]

Not sure why you posted that in this thread, but yeah Reeves has been known to be trying to get back in the league for a couple of years now. Actually, surprised his name was never publicly rumored here. I like Reeves, let's see if JJ listens to him though

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=SmootSmack;523755]Not sure why you posted that in this thread, but yeah Reeves has been known to be trying to get back in the league for a couple of years now. Actually, surprised his name was never publicly rumored here. I like Reeves, [B]let's see if JJ listens to him though[/B][/quote]

Ah..and there's the rub. JJ listens to the voices inside his head and that's about it.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=SmootSmack;523755]Not sure why you posted that in this thread, but yeah Reeves has been known to be trying to get back in the league for a couple of years now. Actually, surprised his name was never publicly rumored here. I like Reeves, let's see if JJ listens to him though[/quote]

It wasn't big or reliable enough to be in a new thread. I thought the front office topic was close enough so I put it here.

What's funny about this is that talent-wise the cowboys don't really have a problem. I don't know what Reeves could do to help there except be super-coach over Phillips. If Jones neuters him than he won't do well in the personel department.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Skinny Tee;523757]It wasn't big or reliable enough to be in a new thread. I thought the front office topic was close enough so I put it here.

What's funny about this is that talent-wise the cowboys don't really have a problem. I don't know what Reeves could do to help there except be super-coach over Phillips. If Jones neuters him than he won't do well in the personel department.[/quote]

[url]http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-locker-room/28050-nfl-com-dan-reeves-could-next.html[/url]

Interesting how Reeves would be joining Phillips, who succeeded him in Denver and Atlanta

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

Get rid of vinny, snyder minds his own business, get a football gm in there and lets see how it runs

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Chief PA;553400]Get rid of vinny, snyder minds his own business, get a football gm in there and lets see how it runs[/quote]

You're 3 months late to the discussion. :smashfrea

Welcome to the Warpath though. :headbange

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

SmootSmack, I think this is the most important and educational thing that I have read about the Redskins in a long time in any venue. This is terrific! Thank you a thousand times!

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Ruhskins;553431]You're 3 months late to the discussion. :smashfrea

Welcome to the Warpath though. :headbange[/quote]



Thanks for the welcome

The front office discussion will go on forever or as long as danny remains the stubborn arrogant owner he is. He has run this franchise for 10 years and all we have to show for it is a 48 per cent success rate

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Chief PA;553400]Get rid of vinny, snyder minds his own business, get a football gm in there and lets see how it runs[/quote]

Welcome newbie!

But you have to be careful how you talk about "GazeintomyeIIs" and "Snidley".

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[QUOTE=backrow;553557]Welcome newbie!

But you have to be careful how you talk about "GazeintomyeIIs" and "Snidley".[/QUOT

Hello, Thanks I came over from extremeskins, getting tired of an owner owned site

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Chief PA;553569][QUOTE=backrow;553557]Welcome newbie!

But you have to be careful how you talk about "GazeintomyeIIs" and "Snidley".[/quote]

Hello, Thanks I came over from extremeskins, getting tired of an owner owned site[/QUOTE]

Well this is definitely not an owner site, and you will find a lot of great discussion, but also a lot of people who appreciate DS as the owner, even if we disagree with a lot of his choices.
Don't worry though, there will be a lot of people who hammer at him if you want to join that side of the discussion.
Here is a good thread if you want to see what has been discussed here (one of many, I assure you):
[URL="http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-locker-room/28861-somebody-please-try-convince-me-fo.html"]http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-locker-room/28861-somebody-please-try-convince-me-fo.html[/URL]

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Chief PA;553569][quote=backrow;553557]Welcome newbie!

But you have to be careful how you talk about "GazeintomyeIIs" and "Snidley".[/QUOT

Hello, Thanks I came over from extremeskins, getting tired of an owner owned site[/quote]

Not true. You can say anything you want.

It's the tired and cliched thoughts that get old though. People rehashing 2000 as a reason why Haynesworth is a bad move for example.

Re: Getting to Know the Redskins Front Office
 

[quote=Mattyk72;553582][quote=Chief PA;553569]

Not true. You can say anything you want.

It's the tired and cliched thoughts that get old though. People rehashing 2000 as a reason why Haynesworth is a bad move for example.[/quote]

LOL! Maybe I needed a smiley face after my GazeintomyeIIs and Snidley to show my sarcasm.