Yahoo Sports: Redskins make big moves without big splash

[jferraro]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=lc-carpenter_redskins_shanahan072811

click link for entire article

Redskins make big moves without big splash

By Les Carpenter

When you are working for Daniel Snyder, you are never working on the long-term plan, so Mike Shanahan can’t figure to have much time to turn around the Washington Redskins. The clock has been ticking on the head coach’s tenure from the moment he arrived in Washington with the expectation that hiring him guarantees winning.

It always seemed the most important offseason would be this one. By then he would understand the kind of team he had, the players he needed and the salary cap space to make it happen. So these three days that constitute something of a normal football winter might be the most important in Shanahan’s time here. If he chooses wrong and 6-10 repeats itself, he might not get another opportunity. He has to win now to win later.

Once again the Redskins are lining up to be champions of an offseason, and yet for the first time they might be doing it right. The moves Shanahan has made in the past two days – dumping Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth while adding Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen, Josh Wilson, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney – are solid. It’s what the Redskins have needed to do for years: ignore the glamour of big names while adding solid, anonymous pieces that make a decent team.

In the past, Shanahan has never been tempted by the shiny names that so dazzled Snyder and his GM Vinny Cerrato. Winters were never good if they didn’t include one or two big packages with giant bows out in front of Redskins Park. But, aside from London Fletcher, the big signings rarely had value. All they did was clog the halls with egos. Shanahan’s predecessor Jim Zorn never had a chance the moment Haynesworth walked in the door. Haynesworth, his money counted, had little interest in trying.

Shanahan has his own impatience. And has proven flawed as a talent evaluator. Some who have worked with him say he relies too much on his instincts, watching highlight tapes of free agents and draft prospects, while not listening to the advice of the scouts and assistants around him. When those players don’t work out, he fails to mask his disappointment. Things often don’t end well.

But Shanahan has also thrived on players who slip under the radar – low-round picks that come to him without pretense or ego – and he coaches them into winners. No coach may burn to win as much as Shanahan. He despises six-win seasons so much that he pushes as hard as he can for nine and 10 wins, sometimes at the price of long-term growth. Last year’s team, as miserable as it was, would have probably won a couple of more games were it not for the inability of Shanahan and McNabb to find common ground.

The Redskins are now better. Gone is the quarterback whose dispute with the coach divided the team. Gone is Haynesworth, who was never going to play here and whose presence on the roster angered everyone. New on the roster is Cofield, who will help the pass rush, and Bowen, whom the Cowboys appeared to still want. Wilson is an efficient corner who won’t drop all the interceptions Carlos Rogers did. When healthy, Stallworth has always been an effective receiver and Gaffney knows Shanahan’s offense from Denver. None are superstars but the Redskins don’t need superstars, they need decent players who will buy into Shanahan’s system.

Those who have had to adjust to Shanahan over the years say it takes a season to learn the madness of his offense. Linemen struggle to remember the variations and terminology. But once they grasp the system the blocking is always magical, holes open so well any running back, no matter how unknown, instantly becomes a star. Washington will probably run a lot with a new quarterback, John Beck, in charge. But the receiver threat that was missing last season should be there this fall. The Redskins should score points. They should be competitive.

People forget how much NFL teams get better as they cut away the old and broken down. Behind McNabb and Haynesworth went several players who had become worn down and beaten up. In the previous regime’s zeal to win fast with as many impressive names as possible, Washington got too old to compete. Two days into the winter that really is a week in July, Shanahan fixed that.

The Redskins are younger and as a result, a little bit better.

Once again they have won the offseason.

Only this time, they might really have done some good.

[Tochenzo]

Finally getting excited for this season again

[Rocky21]

"It’s what the Redskins have needed to do for years: ignore the glamour of big names while adding solid, anonymous pieces that make a decent team."

Can I get an Amen?

[2STaylor1]

"It’s what the Redskins have needed to do for years: ignore the glamour of big names while adding solid, anonymous pieces that make a decent team."

Can I get an Amen?

amen

[SkinsNoles21]

So many fans still screaming for the big sign. We are doing things the right way ... guys like Bowen and Cofield and Wilson don't have big resumes of past production ... thats when you are supposed to sign guys. Obviously signing all pros doesn't work for us. It's time to build with solid under the radar talent.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

"It’s what the Redskins have needed to do for years: ignore the glamour of big names while adding solid, anonymous pieces that make a decent team."

Can I get an Amen?

I agree to a certain extent.


Like you, I want the Skins to build with solid pieces but thats doesn't mean that you ignore any big name player.


I guess Skins fans have been burned so much in the past, that some of us are reluctant to spend any big money....on anyone.




Edit: I'm not necessarily advocating that we go out and spend on a "big name" but I'm not scared to do it either.

[SkinsNoles21]

I agree to a certain extent.


Like you, I want the Skins to build with solid pieces but thats doesn't mean that you ignore any big name player.


I guess Skins fans have been burned so much in the past, that some of us are reluctant to spend any big money....on anyone.

Fans don't have anything to do with who we sign. The staff and front office are going after players they feel fits the team and plans for the future of the Skins.

[lovetoaster]

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[andy614]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=lc-carpenter_redskins_shanahan072811

None are superstars but the Redskins don’t need superstars, they need decent players who will buy into Shanahan’s system.



Exactly!!!! We need players who will work hard and buy into the system Shanahan has in place.

[Teller]

I think a legitimate argument can be made that this team is in its best hands since the days of Beathard and Gibbs. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't think an argument can be made to the contrary.

I LOVE the Cofield signing especially. He's Cornelius Griffin Pt. II, but better and younger, IMO. If you ask 90% of casual fans, they wouldn't even recognize his name though. And I'm just fine with that. I would much rather have strong unheralded players filling vital needs, than making that big-name FA splash.

I love this team with every fiber of my damn soul. And it's nice to have that confidence once again that it's in excellent hands.

[Boss_Hogg]

Exactly!!!! We need players who will work hard and buy into the system Shanahan has in place.

LMAO

what's with your avatar?

[paloosa]

The best signing so far out of all the FA's IMHO is Barry Cofield because he will be the inside presence in the 3-4 that Haynesworth was envisioned to be. Stuff the run and push the pocket back into the QB. Bowen is another good signing that we stole away from the Cowgirls. We are addressing some of the needs we had but not spending big bucks to get them. We have signed about 6 or 7 good players instead of two or three big names of the past. We could still get Namdi but do we really need him is the question? He may come at a cheaper price after seeing what is happening here and because of Hall's relationship with him when he was in Oakland. Could happen but unlikely.

[grego]

Gaffney knows Shanahan’s offense from Denver.

was josh mcdaniels running shanahans offense?

[MLiverpool]

I'm curious how the Skins are doing with cap space, considering all these signings. They're not making mega deals, but big deals. I don't see anything posted, but then again it seems like difficult information to find (google search provides nothing).

[Bibby]

As long as we are solid and we all can see promising potential from this team, thats all I ask for. Like the Pirates and Nationals, two teams that arent blowing the competition away winning and losing games but you can see great potential for them in the near future.

[jflow78]

The one I'm most excited about is actually Chris Chester. The guy was made for the ZBS and wasn't a fit for Baltimore's power blocking scheme at all. He's super athletic, especially for an interior lineman, a lot of his numbers (including 40 time) matched Trent Williams'. In fact, he's athletic enough that the Ravens even started him at TE for several games. And it helps that he's 28 this season.

If we can sign Brown or Harris at RT we should have a much improved OL this season.

I really like the way the FO has been doing things this week. I hope it keeps up, these really feel like the right moves at the right prices. A HUGE change compared to the past.

---------- Post added July-29th-2011 at 09:34 AM ----------


I'm curious how the Skins are doing with cap space, considering all these signings. They're not making mega deals, but big deals. I don't see anything posted, but then again it seems like difficult information to find (google search provides nothing).

Yesterday it was estimated we were at about 20-25 million in cap space either just before or after signing Chester.

[grego]

I'm curious how the Skins are doing with cap space, considering all these signings. They're not making mega deals, but big deals. I don't see anything posted, but then again it seems like difficult information to find (google search provides nothing).

http://rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/was/washington-redskins

not everything youre looking for, but some good info on contract #'s

[Califan007]

was josh mcdaniels running shanahans offense?

Yeah, you hate seeing stupid gaffes like that in a positive article about the Skins :ols: :doh:...he should have known better.

[pjfootballer]

I was looking for news on Free Agent signings yesterday to find player movement for my Fantasy Football league and I came across Walterfootball. These jackholes analyze the moves that teams make and it swear, in every move me made, they reference Dan Snyder and spending money. Here are alot of quotes from them

Redskins sign G/C Chris Chester (5 years, $20 million): B- Grade
Chris Chester is inconsistent and Daniel Snyder is overpaying a bit, but the Redskins are desperate for offensive line help. Unlike some of Snyder's other moves, this one isn't too bad.

Redskins sign DE/DT Stephen Bowen (5 years, $27.5 million; $12 million guaranteed): C- Grade
It's amazing that after all of these years, Daniel Snyder still hasn't learned that you don't win in the NFL by spending in free agency. The Colts, Packers and Steelers have proven that you need to build through the draft; not spend $27.5 million on players with just 11 career starts. Stephen Bowen played well in 2010, but this is an awful lot of money to pay to an unproven commodity.

Redskins sign CB Josh Wilson (3 years, $13.5 million; $6 million guaranteed): A+ Grade
I'm usually not a fan of Daniel Snyder's frivolous offseason spending, but I really love this deal. Josh Wilson emerged as a quality starting cornerback last year, so getting him for only $13.5 million over three years is quite a bargain.

Redskins sign NT Barry Cofield (6 years, $36 million; $12.5 million guaranteed): C+ Grade
Barry Cofield will be Washington's new nose tackle. He's a talented player, and unlike many of Daniel Snyder's signings, he's under 30. Cofield has never played in the 3-4 though, so that's a pretty big concern for me. Giving a player $36 million to play in a brand new system is pretty risky.

Redskins sign FS O.J. Atogwe: 5 years, $26 million - Bad Move
I'm going to be honest. Daniel Snyder is a f***ing moron. Look, O.J. Atogwe is a really good player. But what the hell are the Redskins going to do with him? He turns 30 in June. Washington is a team in rebuilding mode. When they're finally capable of competing for a playoff spot, Atogwe will be old and ineffective.

Just horrible, horrible writing. Seriously? Dan is still acquiring the players? What a bunch of turds.:mad:

[#98QBKiller]

So many fans still screaming for the big sign. We are doing things the right way ... guys like Bowen and Cofield and Wilson don't have big resumes of past production ... thats when you are supposed to sign guys. Obviously signing all pros doesn't work for us. It's time to build with solid under the radar talent.


So, so true.

[Thiebear]

I would love for 5 continuous years of just adding regular pieces and keeping the playcalling exactly the same.

[JimmyConway]

I agree to a certain extent.


Like you, I want the Skins to build with solid pieces but thats doesn't mean that you ignore any big name player.


I guess Skins fans have been burned so much in the past, that some of us are reluctant to spend any big money....on anyone.




Edit: I'm not necessarily advocating that we go out and spend on a "big name" but I'm not scared to do it either.

Completely agree with you, however the Redskins are in no place to spend so much money on one FA. We have too many holes, no franchise QB, and little depth.

[Califan007]

I was looking for news on Free Agent signings yesterday to find player movement for my Fantasy Football league and I came across Walterfootball. These jackholes analyze the moves that teams make and it swear, in every move me made, they reference Dan Snyder and spending money. Here are alot of quotes from them

Redskins sign G/C Chris Chester (5 years, $20 million): B- Grade
Chris Chester is inconsistent and Daniel Snyder is overpaying a bit, but the Redskins are desperate for offensive line help. Unlike some of Snyder's other moves, this one isn't too bad.

Redskins sign DE/DT Stephen Bowen (5 years, $27.5 million; $12 million guaranteed): C- Grade
It's amazing that after all of these years, Daniel Snyder still hasn't learned that you don't win in the NFL by spending in free agency. The Colts, Packers and Steelers have proven that you need to build through the draft; not spend $27.5 million on players with just 11 career starts. Stephen Bowen played well in 2010, but this is an awful lot of money to pay to an unproven commodity.

Redskins sign CB Josh Wilson (3 years, $13.5 million; $6 million guaranteed): A+ Grade
I'm usually not a fan of Daniel Snyder's frivolous offseason spending, but I really love this deal. Josh Wilson emerged as a quality starting cornerback last year, so getting him for only $13.5 million over three years is quite a bargain.

Redskins sign NT Barry Cofield (6 years, $36 million; $12.5 million guaranteed): C+ Grade
Barry Cofield will be Washington's new nose tackle. He's a talented player, and unlike many of Daniel Snyder's signings, he's under 30. Cofield has never played in the 3-4 though, so that's a pretty big concern for me. Giving a player $36 million to play in a brand new system is pretty risky.

Redskins sign FS O.J. Atogwe: 5 years, $26 million - Bad Move
I'm going to be honest. Daniel Snyder is a f***ing moron. Look, O.J. Atogwe is a really good player. But what the hell are the Redskins going to do with him? He turns 30 in June. Washington is a team in rebuilding mode. When they're finally capable of competing for a playoff spot, Atogwe will be old and ineffective.

Just horrible, horrible writing. Seriously? Dan is still acquiring the players? What a bunch of turds.:mad:

Walterfootball has never impressed me much with their analysis. Your post didn't change my viewpoint :ols:...

---------- Post added July-29th-2011 at 12:10 PM ----------


I was looking for news on Free Agent signings yesterday to find player movement for my Fantasy Football league and I came across Walterfootball. These jackholes analyze the moves that teams make and it swear, in every move me made, they reference Dan Snyder and spending money. Here are alot of quotes from them

Redskins sign G/C Chris Chester (5 years, $20 million): B- Grade
Chris Chester is inconsistent and Daniel Snyder is overpaying a bit, but the Redskins are desperate for offensive line help. Unlike some of Snyder's other moves, this one isn't too bad.

Redskins sign DE/DT Stephen Bowen (5 years, $27.5 million; $12 million guaranteed): C- Grade
It's amazing that after all of these years, Daniel Snyder still hasn't learned that you don't win in the NFL by spending in free agency. The Colts, Packers and Steelers have proven that you need to build through the draft; not spend $27.5 million on players with just 11 career starts. Stephen Bowen played well in 2010, but this is an awful lot of money to pay to an unproven commodity.

Redskins sign CB Josh Wilson (3 years, $13.5 million; $6 million guaranteed): A+ Grade
I'm usually not a fan of Daniel Snyder's frivolous offseason spending, but I really love this deal. Josh Wilson emerged as a quality starting cornerback last year, so getting him for only $13.5 million over three years is quite a bargain.

Redskins sign NT Barry Cofield (6 years, $36 million; $12.5 million guaranteed): C+ Grade
Barry Cofield will be Washington's new nose tackle. He's a talented player, and unlike many of Daniel Snyder's signings, he's under 30. Cofield has never played in the 3-4 though, so that's a pretty big concern for me. Giving a player $36 million to play in a brand new system is pretty risky.

Redskins sign FS O.J. Atogwe: 5 years, $26 million - Bad Move
I'm going to be honest. Daniel Snyder is a f***ing moron. Look, O.J. Atogwe is a really good player. But what the hell are the Redskins going to do with him? He turns 30 in June. Washington is a team in rebuilding mode. When they're finally capable of competing for a playoff spot, Atogwe will be old and ineffective.

Just horrible, horrible writing. Seriously? Dan is still acquiring the players? What a bunch of turds.:mad:

Walterfootball has never impressed me much with their analysis. Your post didn't change my viewpoint :ols:...

[HailGreen28]

Just horrible, horrible writing. Seriously? Dan is still acquiring the players? What a bunch of turds.:mad:Yeah, but that breakdown still worries me that things haven't changed that much, even with the new leadership. We're just spending big on a few FA players instead of one.

I'm now hoping year one was Shanny seeing how the old guys on the team were. Year two he's bringing in known quantity "his guys". And year three he'll keep building with at least getting a lot of players like he did last draft, with a base already established. But I feel I'm reaching here.

[Califan007]

I was looking for news on Free Agent signings yesterday to find player movement for my Fantasy Football league and I came across Walterfootball. These jackholes analyze the moves that teams make and it swear, in every move me made, they reference Dan Snyder and spending money. Here are alot of quotes from them

Redskins sign G/C Chris Chester (5 years, $20 million): B- Grade
Chris Chester is inconsistent and Daniel Snyder is overpaying a bit, but the Redskins are desperate for offensive line help. Unlike some of Snyder's other moves, this one isn't too bad.

Redskins sign DE/DT Stephen Bowen (5 years, $27.5 million; $12 million guaranteed): C- Grade
It's amazing that after all of these years, Daniel Snyder still hasn't learned that you don't win in the NFL by spending in free agency. The Colts, Packers and Steelers have proven that you need to build through the draft; not spend $27.5 million on players with just 11 career starts. Stephen Bowen played well in 2010, but this is an awful lot of money to pay to an unproven commodity.

Redskins sign CB Josh Wilson (3 years, $13.5 million; $6 million guaranteed): A+ Grade
I'm usually not a fan of Daniel Snyder's frivolous offseason spending, but I really love this deal. Josh Wilson emerged as a quality starting cornerback last year, so getting him for only $13.5 million over three years is quite a bargain.

Redskins sign NT Barry Cofield (6 years, $36 million; $12.5 million guaranteed): C+ Grade
Barry Cofield will be Washington's new nose tackle. He's a talented player, and unlike many of Daniel Snyder's signings, he's under 30. Cofield has never played in the 3-4 though, so that's a pretty big concern for me. Giving a player $36 million to play in a brand new system is pretty risky.

Redskins sign FS O.J. Atogwe: 5 years, $26 million - Bad Move
I'm going to be honest. Daniel Snyder is a f***ing moron. Look, O.J. Atogwe is a really good player. But what the hell are the Redskins going to do with him? He turns 30 in June. Washington is a team in rebuilding mode. When they're finally capable of competing for a playoff spot, Atogwe will be old and ineffective.

Just horrible, horrible writing. Seriously? Dan is still acquiring the players? What a bunch of turds.:mad:

Walterfootball has never impressed me much with their analysis. Your post didn't change my viewpoint :ols:...

[SKIN4WAHOOZ]

Edit: I'm not necessarily advocating that we go out and spend on a "big name" but I'm not scared to do it either.

Awesome. Call Asomugha and stroke him a check for us.

Since you are buying, does that go against our cap room?

[jtpop]

I think so far so good, would like to still see some more OL come on board but we have finally seemed to have learned a lesson. Now if we just have the patience to see it through.

[Bobbyst21]

That article really pumped me up.I mean for so many years that redskin hype was running rapid through me during FA and TC,leading up do a disappointing season.But now i see change on the horizon, some light at the end of the tunnel, and progress to be competitive,not just this year but for the foreseeable future.My only concern is the QB position.
Hand me the kool-aide, and i hope i dont choke on it. again.

HTTMFR!!!!!

[RiggosMohawk]

So many fans still screaming for the big sign.

I hate the media smartguys that demand the same thing too. Clayton was on Mike & Mike this morning saying how the Skins lack of a big FA WR signing was a real headscratcher. He even dropped that we needed to go after Braylon in order to do "something".

What a bunch of chumps. I sent him a message on twitter about how wrong he was. We made the best/smartest FA WR move we could make - bringing back Moss.

[Dirk Diggler]

Gaffney never played for MS. So I'm not sure why he'd know his offense.

[iMeast]

I am still buying in the the Shana-plan. I hope he makes a believer out of all of Redskins Nation and the naysayers out there as well.

HTTR

[skinny21]

Gaffney never played for MS. So I'm not sure why he'd know his offense.
He DID play in Houston, but pre-Kubiak. Close but no cigar. Nonetheless, I think he's a pretty good pickup for us. Should be good competition for our young guys.

I'll admit that I was hoping to see them rely on the younger guys, but competition is good, especially in a shortened season.

[charles mannley]

was josh mcdaniels running shanahans offense?

I was thinking the same thing.

[MrSilverMaC]

Yeah, you hate seeing stupid gaffes like that in a positive article about the Skins :ols: :doh:...he should have known better.

I think he means in texas with Kyle.

[Peregrine]

Yeah, but that breakdown still worries me that things haven't changed that much, even with the new leadership. We're just spending big on a few FA players instead of one.

I'm now hoping year one was Shanny seeing how the old guys on the team were. Year two he's bringing in known quantity "his guys". And year three he'll keep building with at least getting a lot of players like he did last draft, with a base already established. But I feel I'm reaching here.

How is what we paid spending big? None of these are the deals other players are getting. We have 120 million in cap space. 30 players, composed of a lot of rookies, or backups, or 2nd year players are making less than 1 million per year. On average its around $500k each. So that leaves 105 million to spend on 21 starters, or impact players. So....us spending 3-6 million a year on starters kind of makes perfect sense.

[pjfootballer]

I hate the media smartguys that demand the same thing too. Clayton was on Mike & Mike this morning saying how the Skins lack of a big FA WR signing was a real headscratcher. He even dropped that we needed to go after Braylon in order to do "something".

What a bunch of chumps. I sent him a message on twitter about how wrong he was. We made the best/smartest FA WR move we could make - bringing back Moss.

We're damned if we do and damned if we don't. If we sign big name players, its "Same old Redskins and Dan Snyder, trying to buy a championship," but if we don't its "the Redskins will never be any good until they get some impact big name players." Eff the media. They haven't a clue what BRUCE and MIKE are trying to do.

[War Paint]

Redskins sign FS O.J. Atogwe: 5 years, $26 million - Bad Move
I'm going to be honest. Daniel Snyder is a f***ing moron. Look, O.J. Atogwe is a really good player. But what the hell are the Redskins going to do with him? He turns 30 in June. Washington is a team in rebuilding mode. When they're finally capable of competing for a playoff spot, Atogwe will be old and ineffective.

What a bunch of idiots. Walterfootball is right. We would be better off with Reed Doughty. Unless they are the Onion of football, they are morons.

[HogHeaven84]

I'm curious how the Skins are doing with cap space, considering all these signings. They're not making mega deals, but big deals. I don't see anything posted, but then again it seems like difficult information to find (google search provides nothing).

Don't know how accurate this is, but I heard someone on here mention we still have to spend 22 million to reach the floor which is.....95% of the cap this year or something like that.
We're doing things the right way...that's what we should've been doing throughout Snyder's entire tenure as owner. I hope Shanahan AND Allen are getting the right players, it certainly seems like they have a coherent plan. (I have serious doubts about John Beck...and if you don't have a QB you don't have anything). However, I do take major exception to the "Shanahan has to win now to win later" comment. Not only is that bad football policy...but the Dan better have learned. If Shanahan wins less than 6 games this year does not mean he's failed and needs to be fired.....it means he still has holes to fill. You can fix 10+ years of Dan's and Vinny's Aging Fantasy Football team approach in 1.5 off seasons. Regardless......Shanahan deserves a good 4 years.

[Jericho]

I'll take a different approach to these signings and to the Redskins in general. I've seen many in the media and many on this board talk about the "big" signings the Redskins traditionally make. And I think to myself, really? The Redskins signed "big" names? And there's his perception that they spend poorly in free agency. Personally, I think it's a misconception.

I know the stink of Albert Haynesworth is still fresh in everyone's mind. And yeah, it was a pretty big disaster. But let's get real here. In the past decade, how many truly bad signings have the Redskins made? Off the top of my head, I can think of two: Haynesworth and Adam Archuleta. And as much as you want to criticize the team for these moves, they did manage to trade both guys for draft picks. So they managed to get something out of the poor deals. Sure, you can go back further and find bad deals. Deion, Jeff George, and Mark Carrier would be included. But that's going back over a decade. In the past 10 years, most of the free agent signings were fine. The cream of the crop include guys like Shawn Springs and London Fletcher. But guys like Randy Thomas, Marcus Washington, Walt Harris, Philip Daniels, Cornelius Griffin, and Casey Rabach all seemed to be adequate signings. Maybe they didn't earn every dollar of the contracts they signed (which were often inflated for salary cap purposes), but they were not disasters. Even the other signings were the players did little were not disasters. And I'm not sure any of these guys would be consider big names. Most of them never appeared in a Pro Bowl prior to joining the team and most played lower impact/lower priority positions. Outside of Haynesworth, not sure how you get away calling any of the signings "big".

So when I see the team signing Bowen or Chester or Cofield, those don't really look that different from signing Randy Thomas or Cornelius Griffin. And I'm okay with that, since those signings were fine. Maybe people want to confuses the free agents with the Redskins' trades, which often WERE disastrous (e.g. trading for Jason Taylor, trading for Brandon Lloyd, trading for Mark Brunell, giving up an additional 2nd for Portis). But after the Deion fueled free agent binge, it seem the Redskins learned long ago to spend money on younger players. And mostly it's worked out. The real change I see of this year's team and prior Redskin regimes is based on the draft.

[ciresolstice]

I think the right moves are being made, I like the approach, but it's a long term work in progress..hardly anything to really get "excited" about for this season. We shall see though.