Will we draft a WR or get a free agent

[Shane]

Originally Posted by smootsmack

I don't want to read too much into this, but I did find it kind of interesting that in his press conference Gibbs reiterated that finding a WR was a priority, as if to say, once again, that the person lined up behind center wasn't reallly the issue regarding the poor offense

I thought his singling out of the wide receiver position as the top priority was interesting. It says, along with some other comments he made, a few things to me:

1) Coles is no longer regarded as the receiver the Redskins will build around. There will be no surgery, and there is no feeling that we can count on him returning to peak form, though we all hope that it happens.

2) Gibbs said we are going to look at free agency to see if we can get a wide receiver we can build around, and to me what he left unsaid out of politeness is - to replace Coles' role as the cornerstone receiver.

3) Gibbs has very high hopes for Taylor Jacobs and the implication is that Gibbs sees him as a very productive starter in the reasonably near future, and maybe for next season. Yet, he is not seen as the cornerstone at this time.

4) If Jacobs becomes a starter, then he may pair with the cornerstone we hope to get in free agency. That leaves Coles as the #3 receiver.

5) Gibbs talking about free agency and cornerstones does lead me to think he has one receiver in particular in mind: Plaxico Burress. I'm not sure who else is out there as a free agent WR that would be likely to be seen as a cornerstone.

6) Yes, it suggests that Gibbs is saying that the quarterback is not the issue. Patrick Ramsey is seen as a guy who can do all the things you need to win a Super Bowl, and we have a lot of hope that we will have a solid offensive line to protect him - and thereby allow Clinton Portis to have a chance to shine, which in turn will make life much easier on Ramsey.