Quote:
Originally Posted by freddyg12
Mike, you beat me to it!
I actually almost posted a thread about the parallels to R. White right after we signed him. I remember a Wash. Post Magazine article in the mid 90s or so about how the team fell from super bowl winner in 91 to bottoming out when the free agency period started.
In that article, it said (don't quote me on the no.s) that White's agent told the skins he was theirs for $4mil a year. The skins had only offered 3.5, and they said no to the 4. G. Bay offered 4 & he took it. According to the story his final choice came down to the money, but he would've liked to play in DC over GB. The story kind of left a 'what if' scenario, implying that maybe signing white would've prevented the collapse of the mid 90s.
I wonder if Snyder, who was a fan in his 20s during that time, read that article or was told by older people in the organization how close the team was to signing white. I think Snyder feared that passing on Haynesworth would be like passing on R. White.
Of course, both wore 92 & went to UT, so the parallels are convenient at least!
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Even bigger than letting White slip away was the Skins poor draft record during that era.
In '92, the FO traded the #6 and #28 overall to move up to #4 overall, selecting Desmond Howard. Troy Vincent was there for the taking at #6 and Carl Pickens at #28, both quickly established themselves as Pro Bowlers while Howard was a total bust.
In '94 the FO selected Health Shuler #3 overall, hoping he would develop into our Troy Aikman. Another bust.
In '95, Michael Westbrook was selected #4 overall to be our Michael Irvin, but aside from a single 1000 yard season, he was a chronic underachiever. And BTW, Warren Sapp was available at #4.
Three top five draft busts in 4 years - that's almost hard to do. That said, Reggie White was the greatest D-lineman of all-time IMO, and he would have certainly solidified the Skins D during that era.