Worst Mistake of the Shanahan Era

[HailGreen28]

I've said we had a "top 10" defense before Shanny and Haslett. Looked it up on nfl.com (example link):

2013(so far): #28 yds/g, #31 pts/g.
2012: #28 yds/g, #22 pts/g.
2011: #13 yds/g, #21 pts/g.
2010: #31 yds/g, #21 pts/g.
------------------------------
2009: #23 yds/g, #18 pts/g.
2008: #4 yds/g, #6 pts/g.
2007: #8 yds/g, #11 pts/g.
2006: #31 yds/g, #27 pts/g.
2005: #9 yds/g, #9 pts/g.

It's a bit rosy colored to suggest we had a sure top 10 D the past few years, but changing our D is still the worst mistake Shanny's made. How much of this blame is the switch to the 3-4, and how much is Haslett, I dunno.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

To be honest, how much value did any of these guys have to begin with? Fred was a free agent this off-season and garnered really little to no interest. Should he have just played Fred even though Reed outplayed him, just so he could get his value up?

In regards to Haynesworthless, how much value could we really garner from him? Exactly what was he supposed to do with him? We heard what Cooley had to say about this clown. We saw him giving up on plays and laying down during the Philly MNF massacre.

Well specifically on Haynesworth there was an opportunity as late as draft day 2011 to get a 2nd round pick for him. Not straight up, but it would have involved a later round swapping of picks.

[skinsfaninok]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Well specifically on Haynesworth there was an opportunity as late as draft day 2011 to get a 2nd round pick for him. Not straight up, but it would have involved a later round swapping of picks.

should have

[RFKRat]

That's easy, hiring Shanazorn to begin with. I didn't like the hiring then and he's proven everything I was concerned about back then. Denver sent him on his way due to failing with results and not bringing in proper personnel. Sounds familiar. This year will make one playoff win in his last fifteen seasons coaching. Disgraceful.

I like how people are throwing the 18 million in cap space out there, as if every good free agent is going to flock to this mess of a franchise. As if there won't be more attractive options out there. Or, let's say they have about 6 or 7 real quality guys total on both sides of the ball. Everything else is garbage. Will 18 million be enough to buy 14 or so good quality players? Nope. Will it eliminate the lack of preparedness, the lack of adjustments, poor clock management, and everything else fundamentally wrong with this team that is the coach's fault?

Nope.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Devaluing Haynewsworth and Davis to the point we wasted chances to get something good for them

Not to mention the $36 million cap penalty that is associated with Haynesworth. Double f-up. The Davis thing will be Antonio Pierce & Carlos Rogers all over again. He's going to go somewhere next year where someone will overlook his lack of being perfect and find a way for him to make plays and he's gonna be a beast.

[CrustyRedskin]

Nepotism .

[GTripp0012]

The McNabb move was pretty inexcusable. Going into the second season with Grossman on top of the depth chart and Ryan Torain at RB was pretty much the death knell on the Shanahan era.

Mike was a dead man walking prior to the cap penalty. The RG3 trade was a blatant attempt to liquidate future assets to put a winning product on the field immediately, because after two full seasons there was zero foundation.

[irish]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

The McNabb move was pretty inexcusable. Going into the second season with Grossman on top of the depth chart and Ryan Torain at RB was pretty much the death knell on the Shanahan era.

Mike was a dead man walking prior to the cap penalty. The RG3 trade was a blatant attempt to liquidate future assets to put a winning product on the field immediately, because after two full seasons there was zero foundation.

Gimme a break! Everyone and I mean everyone was onboard with the move to get RG3. The same people now saying it was too much to give away would have been screaming bloody murder that this organization wont do what's needed to win if they hadnt pulled the trigger to get RG3.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by irish

Gimme a break! Everyone and I mean everyone was onboard with the move to get RG3.

I wouldn't say that. There were some that were neither for nor against the move all together. I loved RGIII as a prospect, but I was very cautious about giving that much up for a team that needed so much. I'll still say that even if he turns out to be a HoFer. Also, you can look at my post history and verify this as well. It's not that I didn't think RGIII wasn't worth what we gave up, but that we weren't in the shape to give up that much. Once the trade is done though, there is no sense of worrying about what was given up though. It's a gamble, one that could pay off or set us back. That is still to be determined.

[Chief X_Phackter]

It's hard to argue the point about changing the defense. It is obvious that hasn't worked out at all.

I would say a close second is bringing in his son to be the OC. I can understand why he did it as a father, but not as the head coach...

So if you believe that bringing in Kyle was a mistake, then it can be argued that he has made poor decisions with all three coordinators: Offense, Defense and Special Teams...

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Going into the second season with Grossman on top of the depth chart and Ryan Torain at RB was pretty much the death knell on the Shanahan era.

This is what I can't get with in terms of logic. Exactly who else was he supposed to get? Don't forget, his first year in the uncapped year, there was a lock down on Free Agents so he was limited, and year 2 was the lock out.

So who exactly should have have gotten?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

This is what I can't get with in terms of logic. Exactly who else was he supposed to get? Don't forget, his first year in the uncapped year, there was a lock down on Free Agents so he was limited, and year 2 was the lock out.

So who exactly should have have gotten?

If you honestly think that he was that devoid of options, which isn't reality, he should have kept McNabb. Just releasing McNabb and making no other QB moves is not a solution. Matt Hasselbeck was available, just to name an unexciting veteran.

The 2011 draft was one of the better drafts for QBs. The 2010 draft was not, but there were non-first rounders who could have helped this teams situation, although that would have meant no roster spot for John Beck, so you can see the solution there.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

If you honestly think that he was that devoid of options, which isn't reality, he should have kept McNabb. Just releasing McNabb and making no other QB moves is not a solution. Matt Hasselbeck was available, just to name an unexciting veteran.

Ok, and tell me what he ended up signing for with the Titans and then tell me would you have signed him. Still you haven't given any options other than...."it was bad". Let's hear some options, and look at the salary ramifications on those people you would have signed. Come on GT, put some effort into it.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Ok, and tell me what he ended up signing for with the Titans and then tell me would you have signed him. Still you haven't given any options other than...."it was bad". Let's hear some options, and look at the salary ramifications on those people you would have signed. Come on GT, put some effort into it.

$7 mil/yr. Would I have signed him? As opposed to what the Redskins did? Of course. However, iirc, he wasn't even on top of my FA rankings that year. Better options were available.

Here is the drafted QB class of 2011:

Draft Finder Query Results - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Newton would have cost a Griffin-like package to get, but after actually giving up those picks for Griffin, you can't even say he was unobtainable.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

The 2011 draft was one of the better drafts for QBs. The 2010 draft was not, but there were non-first rounders who could have helped this teams situation, although that would have meant no roster spot for John Beck, so you can see the solution there.

For arguments sake, here are the QB that were available in the respective drafts at our draft slot in the Shanahan era.. Is there anyone in the list you'd rather have over RGIII, even considering the price?

2010 Tebow, Clausen, McCoy
2011 Gabbert, Ponder, Dalton, Kaepernick, Mallett
2012 Tannehill, Weeden, Osweiler, Wilson, Foles

IMO, perhaps Dalton but I'm not sold that he hasn't already reached his ceiling. Kaepernick or Wilson I'd be fine with but only because of the cost of picks. Also think that Dalton or Kaepernick would have meant 'over drafting' them in the 1st round that year or trading picks to move up in the 2nd round.