Mega-Merge: 2010 Free Agency Rumors and Reports Thread

[Pocket$ $traight]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Anyone else read this? I couldn't disagree more with this:

Losing the offseason*|*Warpath Confidential

1000% wrong. This article should have been shelved as soon as the author pointed to the Bears as who we should emulate. The Bears are the same team that traded a starting quarterback, two first round picks, a third round pick and a 5th round pick for a guy who was an absolute disaster. The Bears are in panic mode! Their entire front office is fighting for their jobs and they had no first or second round pick. They had no choice.

This person does not understand what they are trying to do at the park. If it was just about having the most talent on the field, then we probably wouldn't have cut most of those guys. This year is an organizational change where a new philosophy is being implemented.

First step (executed) - get rid of the offensive contracts where the player was significantly overpaid for their production to date and likely future production. The pundits would say "What about Portis!!" Well, Portis has $7 million guaranteed and despite all of the critics, he is/was the best runningback on the roster. No available FA is clearly better than him. Cutting Portis and paying him 7 million then having to pay a few million to a different guy who may or may not be better that Portis just does not make sense. Plus, Portis was ridiculous in Shanny's system. Isn't it worth trying to see if he can regain the magic?

Second step (in process) - Use free agent WISELY. Washington is no longer where you go to get paid. The new regime wants Washington to be where you go to win. This free agent class just isn't that talented. To say that they should be throwing money around is poor analysis. The author is just as impatient as "joe the fan" who is upset that we didn't have 4 guys signed in 24 hours. That approach is gone because it doesn't work (see the last 10 years as evidence).

Third step, the draft (upcoming) - Washington definitely needs to improve here. We have 5 picks and we need ALL FIVE to contribute. No punters, no deadweight linemen or fullbacks who will never see the field. And for the love of Pete....If we draft someone like Cody Glenn and Antonio Dixon, is it too much to ask for them to remain on our roster? I don't want to see them in playoff games helping out other teams.

Bad article all around. Just an example of they are damned if they do, damned if they don't.