[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by Zorn on the 4th of July

Agreed, but Shanahan has consistently shown the ability to get high performance from relatively low profile backs. He traded Portis 5 years ago because he was confident that he could maintain success in the running game while getting the maximum value for Portis to shore up his defense.

I think Portis stays precisely BECAUSE he's not the Portis from 5 years ago, and his trade value is slightly lower than his value to the Redskins as their primary running back. If I'm Shanahan, I might as well work with somebody who is a known quantity, somebody who I might be able to motivate to get more involved in practice. Portis' mental algorithm that decided whether he practiced or not probably was based on risk-vs.-reward, which not only takes into account the state of his body, but the state of the team as well. All the up-and-comers behind Portis obviously had more to gain and less to risk by going all-out in practice. With a fresh start under Shanahan, the equation in Portis' brain changes a little. I actually can't blame Portis for sitting out, even before the concussion. The Redskins weren't a team worth risking your health for. Period.

From what we've learned, Bruce Allen was hired because Shanahan wanted him. He's a GM who admittedly is more of a contracts kind of guy rather than an evaluator of personnel. Just because he doesn't like people who don't practice every day doesn't mean he has any power to do something about it. He's a contracts guy, which is perfect.

2010 is going to be exciting, and not in the "this-year-might-be-our-year" kind of way. Don't forget that the salary cap may be coming off in 2010. Doesn't make too much of a difference for the 2010 season itself, but I'm now looking down the road. With our team's value and revenues, we may not be the NY Yankees of the NFL (Dallas), but the Boston Red Sox are definitely an appropriate comparison.

The Redskins are not a team worth Portis risking his health for: I doubt he has any problem finding his way to the bank. If that's actually the way he felt then that's a sad, sad proclimation coming from one considered to be a leader on your team.