Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Basically, we're renting JT for one more season at $8.5M. If we don't go deep into the playoffs this season with JT as a key contributor, then that $8.5M will have been wasted.

On the other hand, if that same cap room were to be used on a couple of good young players at positions of need we may still get to the playoffs and we'll be building on our foundation for the future. We may even be able to trade JT for a draft pick. Tampa Bay, with about a zillion dollars in cap room, comes to mind as a possible trading partner.

For one thing, we need a solid RT. I don't know what the plan is to fix that position but if the plan is to hand it to a rookie, then it's a bad one because that's just too risky. Maybe the plan is to rent a Tra Thomas or Marc Colombo for a year. That would probably work. But wouldn't it be a better idea to sign Ray Willis who is an up and coming RT and is only 27 years old?

Also, with the cap room we save we should be able to bring back Demetric Evans, 29, who is a solid player at DE. What's wrong with giving Evans a nice raise and a promise that he will be the starter? He's earned it and he'll do a good job.

We may even be able to pick a FA SLB to help us out.

If we were to do all of these things, then we would have the freedom to draft the best available player, regardless of position, with each and every one of our draft picks. That should strengthen our team even more.

So here are the choices as I see them:

Jason Taylor

or

Ray Willis,
Demetric Evans,
Journeyman LB, and
Draft Pick

What are your thoughts on this topic?

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Looking at the situationn as it is, it has become clear to me that there was an agreement made when JT was signed that if JT commits for two seasons he would earn all the money left on his contrat. This has to be why The FO would not use that money in some other way. Either way, it is cleared off the books next season.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=TheBloodSkin;532571]Looking at the situationn as it is, it has become clear to me that there was an agreement made when JT was signed that if JT commits for two seasons he would earn all the money left on his contrat. This has to be why The FO would not use that money in some other way. [b] Either way, it is cleared off the books next season.[/b][/quote]
Exactly. It's been debated about whether he's worth it or not, for some he never will be because he had a terrible '08 and cost us a draft pick while others are willing to see it play out with the '09 defense. His number is off the books in '10 so cap or not we will have that money free rather than tied up in other players.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

No. But it looks like that's not on the table so far.

Keeping him seems to smack of face saving on vinny/danny's part. Awfully expensive acquisition when you combine salary + a 2nd round pick. I will admit that at the time I liked the trade, yet a 2nd round pick these days is pretty high. Cassell was just traded for a 2nd rounder & he may be a franchise qb. Granted, it was an early 2nd.

Looks like Evans is gone no matter what. Maybe he could sign here for vet min. if he's desparate, but they've already given his # to AH.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=TheBloodSkin;532571]Looking at the situationn as it is, it has become clear to me that there was an agreement made when JT was signed that if JT commits for two seasons he would earn all the money left on his contrat. This has to be why The FO would not use that money in some other way. Either way, it is cleared off the books next season.[/quote]

He would still get all the money if he were traded.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

I would keep him around for another year. You cant expect all the injuries and he still is a great player. He finally looked like he did in Miami in the game against Philly (second one) and if we can get that next year every game, he deserves to stay.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Re-working his deal still isn't out of the question.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Well looking at Canty's deal, I don't think that $8.5 for Jason Taylor is that bad. Also, you mentioned Evans and a journeyman linebacker. Do you really think that the team is better off with those parts than a healthy Jason Taylor?

Plus, I think that Willis is going to sign a big deal so I am not convinced they could sign him, Evans and an LB.

We have four draft picks including the 13th pick. If we cannot find a couple of starters in our draft, we will never be a contender. The draft has to be productive.

So Jason Taylor has a low sack total but plays through two potential season ending injuries and the team would be better served with a part time lineman and a journeyman linebacker? I think he deserves a little more credit than that.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=TheBloodSkin;532571]Looking at the situationn as it is, it has become clear to me that there was an agreement made when JT was signed that if JT commits for two seasons he would earn all the money left on his contrat. This has to be why The FO would not use that money in some other way. Either way, it is cleared off the books next season.[/quote]

Agreed. As Matty said, reworking his deal isn't out of the question, but if we assume your logic is correct, it's only likely if he still gets his $8.5 in full. If he's going to be here, I sure hope they don't restructure w/him just to push his cap #s to future years.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Mattyk72;532579]Re-working his deal still isn't out of the question.[/quote]

Can they convert his salary into a bonus and use that for cap room to sign a RT like Willis?

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=KI Skins Fan;532568]Basically, we're renting JT for one more season at $8.5M. If we don't go deep into the playoffs this season with JT as a key contributor, then that $8.5M will have been wasted.

On the other hand, if that same cap room were to be used on a couple of good young players at positions of need we may still get to the playoffs and we'll be building on our foundation for the future. We may even be able to trade JT for a draft pick. Tampa Bay, with about a zillion dollars in cap room, comes to mind as a possible trading partner.

For one thing, we need a solid RT. I don't know what the plan is to fix that position but if the plan is to hand it to a rookie, then it's a bad one because that's just too risky. Maybe the plan is to rent a Tra Thomas or Marc Colombo for a year. That would probably work. But wouldn't it be a better idea to sign Ray Willis who is an up and coming RT and is only 27 years old?

Also, with the cap room we save we should be able to bring back Demetric Evans, 29, who is a solid player at DE. What's wrong with giving Evans a nice raise and a promise that he will be the starter? He's earned it and he'll do a good job.

We may even be able to pick a FA SLB to help us out.

If we were to do all of these things, then we would have the freedom to draft the best available player, regardless of position, with each and every one of our draft picks. That should strengthen our team even more.

[b]So here are the choices as I see them:

Jason Taylor

or

Ray Willis,
Demetric Evans,
Journeyman LB, and
Draft Pick

What are your thoughts on this topic?[/b][/quote]

Per Schneed and CC the Skins have enough room to have all the pieces you mention and Jason Taylor at $8.5 for 2009 (and totally cleared off the books in 2010 ... just in case). So you might be setting up a false choice. That is unless Willis gets significantly more money than Dockery and in that case would you really rather have him than a 1st rounder at RT?

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Paintrain;532593]Can they convert his salary into a bonus and use that for cap room to sign a RT like Willis?[/quote]

You don't know what Willis is going to sign for but what is wrong with using a draft pick. Every other (good) team fills positions in the draft.

Personally, I think that the tackles in the draft (especially Oher and Smith) will be better than Willis.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Can we even trust Vinny to draft a starting RT at #13? Who knows what Vinny, with his "Best Available Player" philosophy, might do?

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=KI Skins Fan;532601]Can we even trust Vinny to draft a starting RT at #13? Who knows what Vinny, with his "Best Available Player" philosophy, might do?[/quote]

Vinny's first round picks have been pretty good.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Pocket$ $traight;532603]Vinny's first round picks have been pretty good.[/quote]

All of the 1st rounders have been "no-brainers", meaning you can't give him credit for anything. ;)

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=KI Skins Fan;532601]Can we even trust Vinny to draft a starting RT at #13? Who knows what Vinny, with his "Best Available Player" philosophy, might do?[/quote]

Unless you just absolutely distrust the FO, which is certainly a lot of people on this board, everything I have heard reported was that the lines were the area that they need to concentrate on. Vinny's comments on 980 Friday were that last years picks need to step up so he's not going with WR/TE. Along with getting a solid DT in Haynesworth, and the DB's are set, why would we not get an OL guy? Not much reason to think we would do otherwise that I can see.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

If we can afford it, why not? It's only one year, and the one reason that sticks out to me that makes it more OK (cause I am not 100% onboard with it) is that he already knows the system, and he performed a lot better in the latter part of the season. Of course injuries took their toll on him, and now that he's a year older, that is a serious risk, but he does have a great work ethic. So, again, as long as we can afford it, sure.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Mattyk72;532604]All of the 1st rounders have been "no-brainers", meaning you can't give him credit for anything. ;)[/quote]

I don't think people realize how many teams use the best available player philosophy (Packers, Ravens, Colts, just to name three off the bat)

Anyway, we'll take an OT at #13 I'd imagine, but if the best OTs are gone by 13 we'll go LB. We're not taking William Beatty, for example, at 13

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

he's definatley not worth 8.5 actually he should owe us 8.5 after last year..They are sayig that we made atwo year commitment , when are we going to ge the 1st year?..

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Eknox;532637]he's definatley not worth 8.5 actually he should owe us 8.5 after last year..They are sayig that we made atwo year commitment , when are we going to ge the 1st year?..[/quote]

Lol. The man played through a severe knee sprain and came back after a life threatening injury.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Pocket$ $traight;532641]Lol. The man played through a severe knee sprain and came back after a life threatening injury.[/quote]

touche'

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

It's hard to say if Jason Taylor is worth $8.5 million dollars, in regards to NFL contracts, it's all monopoly money anyway. He did play through a life threatening injury. I will have to give him a pass and see what he does this year healthy. With the acquisition of Albert Haynesworth, I think Taylor will have a big year. I'm an optimist.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Not only is he worth 8.5 but when he comes out in 09 and has a monster season. We will be asking him for another 2 years. Watch and see.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

C'mon guys. Jason is two years removed from being the defensive mvp and still did a good job in Miami in his last year out of position. He had an awkward injury that he played through all year that really held him back. So now everyone is just dismissing him as old slow and weak? I find that very hard to believe. He didn't pan out to be what we dreamed of last year but give him a chance this year. If he doesn't do well next season then fine, he's out of here, no strings attached. But if he does well it's going to be funny to see what we might do to try and keep him. JT is a great player and didn't become old and feeble within one year of the Redskins.

Demetric Evans > Talk about a lack of a pass rush!

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=gmoe;532656]C'mon guys. Jason is two years removed from being the defensive mvp and still did a good job in Miami in his last year out of position. He had an awkward injury that he played through all year that really held him back. So now everyone is just dismissing him as old slow and weak? I find that very hard to believe. He didn't pan out to be what we dreamed of last year but give him a chance this year. If he doesn't do well next season then fine, he's out of here, no strings attached. But if he does well it's going to be funny to see what we might do to try and keep him. JT is a great player and didn't become old and feeble within one year of the Redskins.

Demetric Evans > Talk about a lack of a pass rush![/quote]

Good first post gmoe. I agree

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=44ever;532660]Good first post gmoe. I agree[/quote]

Cant say that Im willing to chance Taylor having another bad year! Hes already 30+...Put him out there for a trade during the draft,
and if we can cut him...The offensive line needs more of an upgrade..Add Willis at RT right away, as well as OLB(Angello Crowell Or Kevin Burnett) Draft a DE in add OL, & OLB help in the later rounds

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=44ever;532654]Not only is he worth 8.5 but when he comes out in 09 and has a monster season. We will be asking him for another 2 years. Watch and see.[/quote]

LOVE to watch and see that...but we'd overpay for him for those two years. Just like Bruce Smith. Love to see him stick around, he's a GREAT guy and he has an outstanding work ethic...he's good for the team and the community.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=44ever;532654]Not only is he worth 8.5 but when he comes out in 09 and has a monster season. We will be asking him for another 2 years. Watch and see.[/quote]

I can easily see this happening if 2010 is uncapped. Haynesworth changes everything for our defense. The guy makes everyone around him better. I think Taylor will be worth every penny we spend on him in 2009, although i'd like to talk to him about an extension now to free up some cap space.

If we could cut his cap number in half this year, it would give us space to go after a starting caliber LB, FS, or a WR like Devery Henderson in free agency.
I say FS and WR would be nice to address because in FA because theyre both fairly cheap and theres some good players out there (compared to OL and DL) and they are positions where we could use some help. I'm 90% sure Landry will be moved to SS this year and itd be nice to give kareem Moore some competition for the starting FS spot. By all appearances, ARE will be gone in 2010, moss needs to move to the #2 or slot position sometime soon, and if we dont upgrade the position soon, it means we're counting on Kelly and Thomas to BOTH turn out to be good. I think Thomas can be a star but Kelly may only end up being more of a #3/posession WR.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=jsarno;532684]LOVE to watch and see that...but we'd overpay for him for those two years. Just like Bruce Smith. Love to see him stick around, he's a GREAT guy and he has an outstanding work ethic...he's good for the team and the community.[/quote]

Let me rephrase my first post. He's worth the 8.5 but not the picks we lost for him.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=BigHairedAristocrat;532695]I can easily see this happening if 2010 is uncapped. Haynesworth changes everything for our defense. The guy makes everyone around him better. I think Taylor will be worth every penny we spend on him in 2009, although i'd like to talk to him about an extension now to free up some cap space.

If we could cut his cap number in half this year, it would give us space to go after a starting caliber LB, FS, or a WR like Devery Henderson in free agency.
I say FS and WR would be nice to address because in FA because theyre both fairly cheap and theres some good players out there (compared to OL and DL) and they are positions where we could use some help. I'm 90% sure Landry will be moved to SS this year and itd be nice to give kareem Moore some competition for the starting FS spot. By all appearances, ARE will be gone in 2010, moss needs to move to the #2 or slot position sometime soon, and if we dont upgrade the position soon, it means we're counting on Kelly and Thomas to BOTH turn out to be good. I think Thomas can be a star but Kelly may only end up being more of a #3/posession WR.[/quote]

Agreed BHA. But the question is does JT see himself playing past 2010?

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Pocket$ $traight;532597]You don't know what Willis is going to sign for but what is wrong with using a draft pick. Every other (good) team fills positions in the draft.

Personally, I think that the tackles in the draft (especially Oher and Smith) will be better than Willis.[/quote]

Nothing is wrong with using a draft pick. I'd rather get a 25 year old RT with NFL starting experience and draft a position of long term need (DE to replace Taylor or LB to replace Fletcher) than draft a tackle now and still have both of those needs next offseason.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

I think JT will be cut for an instant savings of 8.5M, but I reserve the right to be wrong. I also think that we are hellbent on trading down, which makes some sense. Who would trade up? Lots of teams have extra picks in the second round, and DET has 1, 20, 33 which is a lot of ammunition.

at #13 there will be someone still on the board that a team out there craves, whether it's Stafford, Sanchez, or Andre (Awol) Smith.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Mattyk72;532604]All of the 1st rounders have been "no-brainers", meaning you can't give him credit for anything. ;)[/quote]

I wonder if we would have signed Haynesworth had we taken Okoye instead of Landry. Of course the freedom thing among defensive lineman seems to be an issue so I doubt he would have been as succesful here but you have to wonder.

Glad to see people still talking about Ray Willis but it seems less and less likely that we'll bring him in hear. Which is kind of exciting as it means the front office is probably thinking hard of getting one of the big 4 or worst case scenario one of the elite 8.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=Dirtbag359;532772]Glad to see people still talking about Ray Willis but it seems less and less likely that we'll bring him in hear. Which is kind of exciting as it means the front office is probably thinking hard of getting one of the big 4 or worst case scenario one of the elite 8.[/quote]

or it could also mean we give Heyer a full year of starting at RT before replacing him.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=BigHairedAristocrat;532777]or it could also mean we give Heyer a full year of starting at RT before replacing him.[/quote]

Personally I really doubt that they are willing to take that chance.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

No, it's a terrible use of cap space. They could have added 2 or 3 free agents with that cap space. It's like they are determined to get a good season out of him so that they can feel better about the 2nd round pick they traded. It seems almost more about saving face then an actual smart football decision.

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

I have no link but just saw on espn that the Redskins have released Jason Taylor. Crazy!

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

Bye Jason Taylor, you were a complete waste of time/life as a Washington Redskin

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

ESPN redskins release JT

Re: Is paying Jason Taylor $8.5M the best use of salary cap dollars?
 

[quote=celts32;532782]No, it's a terrible use of cap space. They could have added 2 or 3 free agents with that cap space. It's like they are determined to get a good season out of him so that they can feel better about the 2nd round pick they traded. [B]It seems almost more about saving face then an actual smart football decision[/B].[/quote]

we need a poll of how many people really believe this. I know I can't understand the concept, but I hear it repeated over and over on this board. Can't it simply be that in their assessment, a player still has a shot at being worth the value? JT came on at the end of the year (amazingly weeks AFTER his injury had time to heal - imagine that) and maybe they expect, based on tape and workouts, that JT will be an impact player. I seriously doubt that DS sits in his office thinking, if I do x move, then the media/fans/whoever will think I have lost face. He would never make another decision again. I think it a lot more likely that they think, I am going to do x move and if people cry/media spins/etc then so be it. If they were in face saving mode, would they, knowing the media frenzy, go out and get Haynesworth. I doubt it. If anything they probably thought:

(rubbing hands together Dan says to Vinny) Man the media is going to go NUTS over this - hey can we find a way to ratchet it up to 110Mill without us having to pay it hehe that'll really get them good.
(Vinny grinning to Danny) Hehe Eric just got it up to 115Mill man its gonna be fun!

(inspired by, though not as good as, Skinny Tee;) )