..::The Direction of the Franchise- VOTE NOW::..

[Destino]

Today you are hired as the GM. Snyder has decided that Six Flags requires all of his attention and that he no lnoger has time for his Redskins. You have all the control you need. Today however you have to decide on the plan moving forward. For some reason you can't explain and will never understand you only have three options available to you and you must choose one... or you could distract yourself with some cake.

What do you do? Vote in the poll now or I will subtract 10 points.



Rebuild!
After looking at this team it’s clear we aren’t as close to having a superbowl or long time winning team as some thought. Time to unload some older players, stock up on draft picks, and build around some of the good young talent we have. After a few years depth along the line should be improved and hopefully you can snag a good prospect at RB and WR. The problem here is that if you draft poorly you're in bad shape for a long time.

Have more of a conventional coaching staff. Perhaps hire an up and coming coach instead of a legend with the idea that they are more driven then those returning who may be more motivated by money or something other than winning. You might end up with a bad coach (Ask Miami and St Louis)



Stay the course!
Continue to trade picks for players that can help you in the short term. Add a little talent at a high cost each and every year. Keep it up and sooner or later, assuming the injury bug doesn’t get you too badly, you should have a contender! Just think of what this team could be we a healthy O Line and a good big wide out?

Keep a very unconventional coaching staff that costs a fortune. With so much knowledge in one team sooner or later greatness will occur! Gibbs is the CEO and has two of the best coaching minds on each side of the ball. We don't need no steenkin changes.



Go for broke!
This team is close and it’s time to go for it. Spend amazing amounts of money and trade all draft picks needed to win next year. We need players that can help us now! We will figure out how to survive down the road when we get there. Right now it’s all about the superbowl! 2008 is our year!

Keep a very unconventional coaching staff that costs a fortune. With so much knowledge in one team sooner or later greatness will occur! Hire a few more great ones to help out if possible. Gibbs can control any amount of ego you throw at him be it in uniform or coaches.

[ttr77]

I go with Option A, Bob. This team is no where near being an elite team. Time to start over.

[Craig]

Doesn't matter. Until a GM is hired, the aura of confusion, indecision, and losing will hang over Redskin Park.

[illone]

So far it's 7-0.

:laugh:


*edit: 7

[McMetal]

This team has never gone through a conscientious, thorough rebuilding process. It's not always a necessary step, but when trying to overcome a culture of losing that has entrenched itself, blowing things up is probably the only way.

[Larry Gude]

This question should not be asked until after the 2008 season. Gibbs, barring health problems, should be presumed to honor his contract. The dumbest move Snyder could ever make, and that is saying something, would be to cut Joe loose if Joe wants to be here for 2008.

[USS Redskins]

Depending on who is the next coach, they probably will have to rebuild.
The D is Greg Williams baby, built to his needs, unless he is the nest HC - but he wont stick around if he is not.
The O line is getting on in years and if they can get healthy they are at least 2 players away from being great.
Portis and Campbell are the 2 that you keep - Portis is proven and still a threat and JC might be a good QB. He still needs some learning time. Cooley is a keeper.
The Receivers are all too small - Smurfs dont win championships!

[TD_washingtonredskins]

This team has never gone through a conscientious, thorough rebuilding process. It's not always a necessary step, but when trying to overcome a culture of losing that has entrenched itself, blowing things up is probably the only way.

They went through one when Norv was hired. We started from scratch and it worked to an extent.

We won 3 games in year 1, 6 games in year 2, 9 games in year 3...Norv wasn't able to get us over the hump as a coach, but we actually did the rebuilding thing correctly. We built through the draft and added relatively smart FAs.

We need to start that process over...the key is getting a GM.

[UNC-Skins]

it's pretty obvious what the OP wants us to choose. Why am I the only one who wants some cake??

[Muzzah]

stay the course and get some new coaching. We have the talent but lack the discipline and design.

[VBHOGG]

I voted rebuild... but how do you rebuild when you really haven't started to build. We've been duct taping and window dressing this team for well over 10 years now.

[.Guy.]

mmmm cake
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9933/99455275br9.jpg
hope someone gets the reference :D

[SoCalSkins]

Go for broke. At least we can be off season champs again. Let's get a new number 85 from Cincy. Get a new QB that can be a decent backup or challenge JC for the starting position. Whathever CB is available plus overpay for a LT, DE and MLB. Gas up Redskins One.

[CallMeGreen]

The Eagles yesterday, backs to the wall, beat a hated division rival on the road to possibly turn around their season. Week 3, Giants did the same thing not losing since our game [until yesterday]. Packers, had some doubters when we played them, yet they haven't lost since playing us.

Maybe, now that the Redskins have just about thrown away all of their mulligans for the season, they'll realize their season now depends on the Cowbell game. A win on the road against an 8-1 team? How much sweeter could it get than that?

And because this season is still not finished, I'm saying stay the course! We've all seen how pulling the plug in the middle can unwind things. We were still in the chase when Norv was fired and we ended up tanking from that point on. Expect more tanking if that were to happen again.

[Taylor4Life]

Hopefully the team moves towards building a spectacular O-Line and D-line. I will jump for joy if it looks like the FO is focusing on that this next offseason.

It most likely will take a while for an O-Line or a D-Line to become "great," but I believe that it is the right course of action. If you win the battle at the LOS, then the skill players will look better than they really are.

I haven't completely given up on this season yet, but I don't think that the Skins consistently win the battle at the LOS enough to be a big contender this year. (i.e. losing offensive lineman to injury, not being able to consistantly pressure opposing QBs with the front 4 DLs)

[Xameil]

I was told there'd be punch and pie?

[Apache516]

It's all about MONEY for Dan. The Redskins rank number one in merchandising. If Snyder wants to keep it that way, he better do something QUICK!!!

[DGreenistheBest]

mmmm cake
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9933/99455275br9.jpg
hope someone gets the reference :D

The cake is a lie!

[PeterMP]

Is there in between option? Can I keep my draft picks for next year, focus on identifying some young FA's and sign them for a reasonable amount if I can get them at the price I want, w/o letting go of most of the vets and pulling a slash and burn?

I will say that at certain positions, I'd be for cutting the "vets" NOW and signing some guys off somebody elses practice squad. Why is Caldwell on the team?

Wouldn't we better off cutting him and signing somebody off of anybody elses practice squad or our own?

[Chump Bailey]

If I were in Dan's shoes I would not do anything unless a person you have targeted as HC material would become available. For me that person would be Jon Gruden.

Barring that, I would not do anything until after Joe's last contractual season. I also think that if we invest heavy into the defensive line in the offseason, this team could easily make a legit full on SB run in his final season.

A good, smart, focused draft with almost a full compliment of picks, a few nice UFA pickups possibly and going hard and heavy after Albert Haynesworth and/or Justin Smith, Jared Allen - I say that would do it personally.

Place an emphasis on the DL in FA - focus on offseason conditioning in an effort to stay healthy and prevent nuisance injuries - a good draft - pray for Gregg Williams to return to his 2004-2005 self + a little luck in the health/injury department and I think we'll be okay for his final season.

[s0crates]

Rebuild? At midseason, we have matched our win total for last year, and you want to rebuild? We have assembled a group of young talented players at skill positions on both sides of the ball (Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Carlos Rogers, Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, Rocky McIntosh), and you want to rebuild? We have solid veterans on the offensive line, as well as other positions (Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs, London Fletcher, etc), and you want to rebuild? Obviously we have areas of our team that need improvement (most notably the defensive front four, offensive line depth, and wide receiver), but does that mean we need to start over?

I still believe that this team has made great strides since Joe Gibbs took over, but progress takes time. The key to reestablishing the Redskins as contenders is to keep building, as we have over the past three and a half years. You can construct a straw-man argument about "staying the course," as the original poster did, but the fact remains that consistency is the key to success in the NFL. Rebuilding every 4 years will get you know where. Haven't we learned this by now?

[Mooka]

This team has never gone through a conscientious, thorough rebuilding process. It's not always a necessary step, but when trying to overcome a culture of losing that has entrenched itself, blowing things up is probably the only way. Spurrier.

[Destino]

Rebuild? At midseason, we have matched our win total for last year, and you want to rebuild? We have assembled a group of young talented players at skill positions on both sides of the ball (Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Carlos Rogers, Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, Rocky McIntosh), and you want to rebuild? We have solid veterans on the offensive line, as well as other positions (Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs, London Fletcher, etc), and you want to rebuild? Obviously we have areas of our team that need improvement (most notably the defensive front four, offensive line depth, and wide receiver), but does that mean we need to start over?

I still believe that this team has made great strides since Joe Gibbs took over, but progress takes time. The key to reestablishing the Redskins as contenders is to keep building, as we have over the past three and a half years. You can construct a straw-man argument about "staying the course," as the original poster did, but the fact remains that consistency is the key to success in the NFL. Rebuilding ever 4 years will get you know where. Haven't we learned this by now?

What is the strawman argument that I've constructed. We have payed a high price for the talent we've brought on board during the Gibbs years and I'll happily back that up.

What was Jason Campbells cost in picks?
What was the cost of Portis?
How many picks did we have to use to get Cooley?
Why did we need to draft Rogers that year and use our #1?
What did we pay for a running back we never used?
What was the cost of Brunell in draft picks? How many seasons did that give us?

rarely does this team simply use it's draft picks outside of the first round. We trade and end up getting one for the price of two.

[VBHOGG]

Hopefully the team moves towards building a spectacular O-Line and D-line. I will jump for joy if it looks like the FO is focusing on that this next offseason.

It most likely will take a while for an O-Line or a D-Line to become "great," but I believe that it is the right course of action. If you win the battle at the LOS, then the skill players will look better than they really are.

I haven't completely given up on this season yet, but I don't think that the Skins consistently win the battle at the LOS enough to be a big contender this year. (i.e. losing offensive lineman to injury, not being able to consistantly pressure opposing QBs with the front 4 DLs)

This post nailed it. I don't think that we need to rebuild with our skilled players but I do think that we need to pay more attention to our O and D line.

Specifically depth on the OL and talent on the DL.

With a solid OL; any QB/WR combo can beat any defense in the league.

Good teams realize that it all starts on the line.

[Donita35]

I voted for stay on course but I think a little of both is needed (rebuilding and staying on course). This may piss a lot of people off but this team has no heart and it is a reflection of the head coach on down. We should be 8-1 right now instead we are 5-4 heading to Dallas, which we are not known to have big games when we need one.

Some key people need to go and yes Gibbs is one of them. Perhaps the game has passed him by or he is depending to much on pound for pound football when he really has a finesse team. With that said it is not his fault that we could not convert with six tries from the 10 yard line. :doh: Heart is the biggest problem, talent is not. We need players that play with emotion. For example, Cromartie picking off Manning yesterday is a good example of heart and wanting that "W". We don't have that overall. Sure few players standout but not very many.

I say, we get rid of Gibbs next year and really use Saunders offense without abandoning it at the first sign of trouble. We have too many chiefs in the kitchen. That is probably why the players have no heart. They are being very professional about it by not blowing up to the media but I can see it coming. Lastly, I want to reiterate that talent is not the problem. We need to add a big receiver in the draft and o-line and d-line help and we should be okay heading into next season hopefully without Gibbs. :doh:

Like someone said earlier, the season is not over. We can certainly get a wild card spot if we take care of business. Here's to a win in Dallas this week. :cheers:

I know this post is all over the place but my emotions are running right now because I am so pissed about yesterday.... :mad:

[SHYSTER411]

I voted for rebuild, but that's only because it was closest to what I would like to see, i.e. keep draft picks etc. I would like a mix, sort of what was outlined by PeterMP below.




Is there in between option? Can I keep my draft picks for next year, focus on identifying some young FA's and sign them for a reasonable amount if I can get them at the price I want, w/o letting go of most of the vets and pulling a slash and burn?

I will say that at certain positions, I'd be for cutting the "vets" NOW and signing some guys off somebody elses practice squad. Why is Caldwell on the team?

Wouldn't we better off cutting him and signing somebody off of anybody elses practice squad or our own?

[illone]

Rebuild? At midseason, we have matched our win total for last year, and you want to rebuild?.....Rebuilding ever 4 years will get you know where. Haven't we learned this by now?



Well, the reason why everyone is getting so impatient NOW is because Gibbs future here explodes for sure in two years, quite possibly one. He came back to win the Superbowl and after 3.5 years, most expect things should be better than what they are now. The easiest thing to assume is that the team would know how to finish games as well as MAKE second half adjustments because that's what Gibbs was known for. That hasn't happened and the team has gone the opposite direction after making the playoffs in 2005.

Point being, if it hasn't worked up to this point, what makes anyone think it's going to work in the next 1.5 years? At some point you have to be realistic. Nobody wants to rebuild, but we're going to be facing major decisions anyways in the coming 1-2 seasons. No sense in keeping Gibbs around for another sub-par performance only to get a new staff in 2009. Might as well start now and look to the future.

If the team had taken steps after the 2005 season, made improvements, and taken more steps forward in 2007, nobody would want anything to change and I'd bet everyone here would be clamoring for Gibbs to get extended. Instead, the Redskins went backwards and got worse.

[Reaganaut]

The team has enough good players right now to win. Now... how do we avoid injuries to all of our primary receivers, our primary running back, almost the entire offensive line, our key linebacker, key safety, our first round draft pick corner, our older #1 pick corner... on and on. With that many injuries you are just another mediocre team.

[ldysknzfn1]

I voted to rebuild. At this point we have no other choice in my mind. We need to look to the future and what's gonna sustain this team in the long run. We need youth and hunger!

As for the rest of this season...play you've got nothing to lose..take every chance and every opportunity to grind your opponent into the ground. Leave no doubt!

[s0crates]

What is the strawman argument that I've constructed.A straw man argument may be defined as "a weak argument set up only to be easily confuted." The arguments you provided in the orignial post to justify staying the course were just that. I thought it was fairly obvious that you did not present a very strong argument for staying the course. A few good arguments you ignored are the value of consistency in the NFL, the fact that Al Saunders offense has historically taken 3 years to develop, the fact that we have young players at several positions who are still maturing, the fact that we are only in year 4 of a 5 year plan, and the fact that we have made strides since last season. Furthermore, you undeniably mocked the position you wished to refute, a clear indication of a straw man argument.


We have payed a high price for the talent we've brought on board during the Gibbs years and I'll happily back that up.
I understand the case you are making, and believe it has some merit, for we certainly could have benefited from acquiring a few young offensive or defensive linemen the past couple seasons, something we were unable to do because of our lack of draft picks and salary cap room. However, I maintain that how players are acquired is far less important than which players are acquired, and I believe we have improved our roster significantly in the past 3 years.

There are still some holes to be filled and improvement to be made, of course, but to me this points more toward "staying the course" by continuing to improve and develop our roster as we have been recently.

[s0crates]

Well, the reason why everyone is getting so impatient NOW is because Gibbs future here explodes for sure in two years, quite possibly one. He came back to win the Superbowl and after 3.5 years, most expect things should be better than what they are now. I thought we were on a 5 year plan, not a 3.5 year plan.


Point being, if it hasn't worked up to this point, what makes anyone think it's going to work in the next 1.5 years?Well, I think things will start to work better in the next 1.5 seasons, and here's why:

The Redskins strike me is a team coming up, not going down. Our starting quarterback has yet to play his first full season, but seems to be steadily improving. We have several other players who have yet to reach their peaks as well, including a great young secondary with huge potential. Al Saunders is only in his second year, and it has historically taken until year three for his offense to take flight. We already have an established offensive line and running game, which is the first piece of the puzzle, and the other pieces are coming together as we speak. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we will likely have a healthier team next season.

[FrFan]

Rebuild from top to bottom. An owner who's not just a fan and seems to care more about business, but a football pro. A real FO (Gibbs would fit here) a new coaching staff. Stop messing with the draft, and rebuild the team around core players.

[alwaysaskin]

Hopefully the team moves towards building a spectacular O-Line and D-line. I will jump for joy if it looks like the FO is focusing on that this next offseason.

It most likely will take a while for an O-Line or a D-Line to become "great," but I believe that it is the right course of action. If you win the battle at the LOS, then the skill players will look better than they really are.

I haven't completely given up on this season yet, but I don't think that the Skins consistently win the battle at the LOS enough to be a big contender this year. (i.e. losing offensive lineman to injury, not being able to consistantly pressure opposing QBs with the front 4 DLs)

QFT: The Lines have been our issue, we have a patchwork O-Line and are going with a youth movement on the D-Line. If healthy our O-Line has no glaring weaknesses (only depth) and I think we should get a stud pass rusher in the draft or maybe another all-American CB

[cakmoney61]

This post nailed it. I don't think that we need to rebuild with our skilled players but I do think that we need to pay more attention to our O and D line.

Specifically depth on the OL and talent on the DL.

With a solid OL; any QB/WR combo can beat any defense in the league.

Good teams realize that it all starts on the line.

Agreed!!! The Pats won three SBs with a strong OL and an outstanding QB. The other skill-position players were average at best. Success begins with the OL, DL, and QB.

Of course, you need coaches who know how to utilize the talent they have, which is another problem the Skins have.

[illone]

Anything that involves keeping ALL of our draft picks for 10 years, if just for experiment, would be one direction to take.

[Touchdown Redskins]

What direction?

[MDSkinz47]

can't help but wonder what kind of head coach Grimm would be unless he's on the perm s list for some reason

[Skins110]

Hopefully the team moves towards building a spectacular O-Line and D-line. I will jump for joy if it looks like the FO is focusing on that this next offseason.

It most likely will take a while for an O-Line or a D-Line to become "great," but I believe that it is the right course of action. If you win the battle at the LOS, then the skill players will look better than they really are.

I haven't completely given up on this season yet, but I don't think that the Skins consistently win the battle at the LOS enough to be a big contender this year. (i.e. losing offensive lineman to injury, not being able to consistantly pressure opposing QBs with the front 4 DLs)

I don't think it could have been said any better. Its all about winning the battle at the LOS. I would also like us to use all of our draft picks this year to provide depth. We have little depth on this team, which is a reason that injuries seem to hurt us more than other teams when they occur.

[MondayNightCowboyKilla89]

This question should not be asked until after the 2008 season. Gibbs, barring health problems, should be presumed to honor his contract. The dumbest move Snyder could ever make, and that is saying something, would be to cut Joe loose if Joe wants to be here for 2008.


No, the dumbest thing is that someone wants Joe around for 2008. I really can't believe you said that. Have you been watching the games this season? We have been outplayed twice as far as I'm concerned (NE obv and Arizona), yet we have 4 losses and only 5 wins. No more excuses, no more hiding behind HOF credentials, Gibbs better resign after this season or else SNyder better pull the trigger. I'm sick of this team being soft, it's all a reflection of the man in charge. Period. The attitude and corporate culture of this team stinks and it's contingent on Joe Gibbs and his bs. We do not have soft-attitude players, yet are team is soft. DO the math

[illone]

I thought we were on a 5 year plan, not a 3.5 year plan.

Well, I think things will start to work better in the next 1.5 seasons, and here's why:


I heard that line in 2004, 2005, and 2006. This team has nothing to show for it over that time. Nothing. Would you rather have Gibbs flash in the pan for one year to save his legacy only to leave and watch the Skins suck again for 12 years while Snyder counts money and we cry about it on the internet...

Or, would you rather face reality now, hire a GM, and let Football men make Football decisions.....?

Gibbs first stint here needs to be looked at objectively. A large part of the credit most fans hand to Gibbs should be shared with Casserly, Beathard, Petibon, and JKC. Gibbs didn't pick players. He turned diamonds in the rough into good players, sure, but those were players picked by someone else.

[Forever21]

bologne poll. I didn't vote because I don't agree with any of those things. I believe the team is strong and needs work but staying this exact course is not good and neither is rebuilding. Somewhere in between is what is needed. So that is what I vote for.

[Gerald362]

I also went with rebuild because it was the closest thing to what I would like to see. I agree that at some of the skill positions we have pieces in place, but what I havent seen is the things that built our championship squads. We havent really gotten many young stud OL for Buges to work on developing, as our line is getting older. We havent gotten solid DT's to stop the run consistently. We havent gotten bookend DE's to put the pressure on. We have been slowly building at QB, and Secondary, with some true potential at LB. We do need to look at CP to see if he will fit the plays, and not try to force him to run where he is weaker.

I am not saying throw the baby out with the bathwater, but the building has gone too slowly, we have not gotten a possession receiver, but we do have some solid #2 WR. A true #1 would help them out tremendously. Small receivers are great when they are speedsters, but you still need that #1 who will catch the ball consistantly in traffic, has enough speed to make you burn a safety when he goes over the middle and can pace with just about any DB.

My biggest concern is the lack of killer instinct in the 2nd half. I tend to believe that that is the fault of the coaching staff, who plays not to lose instead of to win. This incarnation does not remind me of JG during the winning years. Maybe my memories are old and faded, but I would love to see it again as I remember.

[redskinsbandnerd]

http://www.pub.umich.edu/daily/1998/oct/10-29-98/photos/weekendcake.gif
They said we should rebuild

[Mass_SkinsFan]

In my mind it's time to rebuild. It's been time to rebuild for three years now.

I believe this team needs to literally blow the whole thing up and start over. Only a handful of the players and none of the coaches should be retained. The entire management wing needs to get leveled as well.

It will never happen, which is why this team is not likely to win again anytime in the near future.