Redskins Release WR/KR Jerome Mathis

[MTK]

From JLC:

This just in from JLC, who is driving to Bethesda to appear on Washington Post Live:

Wide receiver/return specialist Jerome Mathis, the only outside free agent the Redskins have signed this offseason, has been released, according to the team. Mathis, who has been injury prone and has had legal issues, was a longshot to make the team in the first place. After the Redskins selected pass-catchers with their first three picks of the draft last month, Mathis became expendable.

[Schneed10]

Thrash is very valuable on kick and punt coverage - thereby bringing a proven skill set that we don't otherwise have at the WR position. We already had enough kick return talent on the roster, Mathis didn't bring any skill sets that we don't already have.

Mathis was never going to be worth a crap as a WR. Neither is Thrash. But Thrash can tackle and takes good angles to returners.

Thrash still could get cut if Mix looks good as a kickoff coverage guy. But Mathis brings even less to the table than Thrash does. Not to mention character, and cutting Thrash would cause us to carry dead money. Releasing Mathis doesn't. So it's really a no-brainer.

But thanks for playing, Jsarno.

[Dirtbag59]

Man people are pretty quick to call for Thrash to be cut in light of the fact that he's been one of the more solid players on special teams, as well as a decent reciever when we needed a third or fourth guy. Of course thats not the case this year, but to replace him with Jerome Mathis when we already have guys that can return the ball?

Maybe Mix will replace him (Thrash) due to the fact that he seems to have more talent as a reciever as well as a history of playing well on special teams. Not to mention the fact that he's young, and the team already thinks highly enough of him to list him as a starter, even if it is only to motivate Thomas and Kelly.

Either way as far as we know Thrash is well liked in the locker room, and has always been a very good contributer on special teams. Mathis on the other hand was injury prone and even if you ignore the character concerns, he's still probably just a shadow of his former self. Anyway the only way this debate can be reasonably settled is if another team decides to take a chance on him, then we can see how he does but I'm not loosing any more sleep over Jerome Mathis.

[skinsnut]

Mathis has character problems.
Thrash has exceptional character

Mathis has crappy experience as a WR.
Thrash was a starter for years.

Mathis has no experience with the Skins.
Thrash has been on this team for years.

Mathis costs nothing to cut
Thrash would

Mathis only returns kicks (i believe)
Thrash also plays coverage

Mathis got injured recently
Thrash didn't.

I still see Thrash as our #3 reciever until a rookie or mix proves otherwise.
Should he be our #3....probably not...but #5 is probably where he belongs.
Not so with Mathis.

Bottom line....Mathis has crappy character....we should have never signed him in the first place....especially with a rookie head coach....I'm glad he's gone.
As of now....I don't think we have a single guy with character issues...I like that.
Gibbs had a great influence there....it was a great move to ditch this guy.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by skinsnut

Bottom line....Mathis has crappy character....we should have never signed him in the first place....especially with a rookie head coach....I'm glad he's gone.
As of now....I don't think we have a single guy with character issues...I like that.

Great post, but for the sake of playing devils advocate you could argue that Fred Smoot has character concerns but he's been a model citizen ever since he came back. We also don't know how Kelly's character will shape up, but if anything if he ends up having character problems then they'll be more of the Chad Johnson variety as opposed to the Chris Henry variety.

Other then that I can't really think of anyone. Ironically the guy we cut for Mathis, Mapu was a pretty good Tackle at Tennessee with excellent character, I mean the guy took two years off from football to do a church mission. Wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him make the final roster.

Also as far as Thrash is concerned, Mix already supplanted him as the teams #3 receiver. He worked with the starters during mini-camp while everyone else (Kelly, Thomas, Thrash) worked with the second team. I mean it's probably just a way of getting Thomas and Kelly to earn their stripes, but if the depth chart was released today then Mix would be the #3 reciever.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Great post, but for the sake of playing devils advocate you could argue that Fred Smoot has character concerns but he's been a model citizen ever since he came back. We also don't know how Kelly's character will shape up, but if anything if he ends up having character problems then they'll be more of the Chad Johnson variety as opposed to the Chris Henry variety.

Other then that I can't really think of anyone. Ironically the guy we cut for Mathis, Mapu was a pretty good Tackle at Tennessee with excellent character, I mean the guy took two years off from football to do a church mission. Wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him make the final roster.

Also as far as Thrash is concerned, Mix already supplanted him as the teams #3 receiver. He worked with the starters during mini-camp while everyone else (Kelly, Thomas, Thrash) worked with the second team. I mean it's probably just a way of getting Thomas and Kelly to earn their stripes, but if the depth chart was released today then Mix would be the #3 reciever.

I know you're just playing devil's advocate but just let me say I'd rather have a guy on my team that parties with strippers on boats rather than a guy who beats his pregnant wife.

[That Guy]

the skins were being nice and giving a local guy a shot after he had some "issues"

they expected to get CJ at that time.

since then, they drafted 3 pass catchers, at least one of which could be a good return guy too, so they didn't need a #6 WR after everything was said and done.

they kept thrash over him because he has tenure, he's been a stand up guy, and he works hard/helps others in practice and the weight room.

seriously, even thrash may not make it, since we'd probably line up davis/cooley as a wideout before him now... (moss/el/thomas/kelly/mix/cooley/davis). there's really no reason to keep more than 6 WRs, with possibly one more on the practice squad.

did i miss anything?

[dmek25]

to me, this draft isn't near as good as we think it is, if Thrash makes it. being a stand up guy can only keep you around so long. if Mix gets cut, it proves he cant play in this league

[mike340]

So you cut the guy who (a) had the longest punt-return average in the league last year, as well as
(b) the first TD made by the WRs last year
because he's "over the hill"?