What do you do if you were GM

[alstontka]

How do the Redskins fix a last-ranked defense when they currently have ~$2.2 million in cap space, the cap penalty next year, and no first round draft picks for the next two years?

[LetThePointsSoar]

alstontka - while a very valid question, doubtful this couldn't have gone in a dozen other threads. Welcome to ES, but fair warning, this thread might not end well.

The answer to me, to humor you, is quite simple - with the cap penalty, we're FORCED to spend wisely in free agency with limited resources. In the draft, we STILL HAVE A LOT OF PICKS. Period. Yes, we don't have the luxury of a first rounder. But we've been pretty successful in finding late round talent, and we still have a lot of picks in the next two drafts. We need secondary help, OL depth, LB, NT and WR help. Take the BPA that fits those needs. Championship. The End.

[alstontka]

Thanks for the input....I have been trolling for years and this is my first thread...I am a skin's fan for life....HTTR, all in at this point. Agree BPA is the way to go.

[LD0506]

I'd try to do everything possible to help outside those restrictions, ie. as some have mentioned before I'd want the absolute best, largest, most effective scouting department imaginable and the best coaching staff possible. Maximize your efforts outside of the Mara-straitjacket.

[my_friend_goo]

I'd like to hope you were a lurker rather than a troll. As a Skins fan, I'm guessing you are!

[alstontka]

LoL a Lurker...I live and die Burgandy and Gold...slingbox my Skins every weekend when not on AFN

[da#1skinsfan]

Not a bad thread - this is a discussion board right? And this is a very thought-provoking question up for discussion, right? Don't see an issue - better than "danny sucks, fire everyone, rah rah rah!"

If Im the GM, I continue on the same course we have been on. Draft and acquire more talent with regards to skill positions, Griffin needs help making plays. Time to get some DLinemen with more of a motor to push the line back, we're not getting enough pressure without the blitz. Need secondary help bigtime - again, I'd address this through the draft and go to free agency for positions that are traditionally more successful from that channel. I would do a complete overhaul of our training/conditioning staff...don't care who's who, we have a disproportionate amount of injuries nearly every year, and constant complaints from players about misdiagnoses. Finally, I would can Danny Smith - you cant have such a poor performing ST unit year over year and not be held responsible.

Other than that, no firings, no crazy twists and turns, no giving up on the plan....Shanny and team are here for 5 years, minimum, and we need to stick to that. Uprooting the system and everything associated will only do more harm than good for everyone, including the guy we bet everything on in RG3.

[RyansRangers]

Dont forget we will be getting rid of dhall so thats 8 mill...i have a feeling fletch might be done so theres 4mill.

[SWFLSkins]

Very difficult to answer, do you jump ship on Shanahan or do you stick with him two more years but force his hand in changing the DC position? When he came here the offense was anemic, the D was good. Now the opposite is true. In this case the GM does not acquire the talent nor the coaches, so getting players is not an option. I would personally beef up the personnel department and search out UDFA, the CFL and late round unknown gems. Without the money this is going to be where you can build depth. I would push to spend money on a safety, a corner and maybe a WR if you can pull it off within the budget.

[alstontka]

Not a bad thread - this is a discussion board right? And this is a very thought-provoking question up for discussion, right? Don't see an issue - better than "danny sucks, fire everyone, rah rah rah!"

If Im the GM, I continue on the same course we have been on. Draft and acquire more talent with regards to skill positions, Griffin needs help making plays. Time to get some DLinemen with more of a motor to push the line back, we're not getting enough pressure without the blitz. Need secondary help bigtime - again, I'd address this through the draft and go to free agency for positions that are traditionally more successful from that channel. I would do a complete overhaul of our training/conditioning staff...don't care who's who, we have a disproportionate amount of injuries nearly every year, and constant complaints from players about misdiagnoses. Finally, I would can Danny Smith - you cant have such a poor performing ST unit year over year and not be held responsible.

Other than that, no firings, no crazy twists and turns, no giving up on the plan....Shanny and team are here for 5 years, minimum, and we need to stick to that. Uprooting the system and everything associated will only do more harm than good for everyone, including the guy we bet everything on in RG3.

You said something very compelling here about the training/condition staff. It seems every year we have more injuries than any team in the NFL. I am going to do some research and find out where the SKINS stand as compared to others. Makes you wonder about Carlos Rogers and his bad hands....the 49ers recommended he where contact lenses....well we know how his season was last year.

[Khun Kao]

I would work with the NFLPA to put pressure on the NFL to ease the cap hit we were forced to take by John Mara's cronies for "violating the spirit of the cap" in an uncapped year. I would put pressure on Mike Shanahan to replace Jim Haslett after this season (with someone OTHER than Raheem Morris) and also force him to SERIOUSLY consider replacing Danny Smith.

[MLSKINS]

Other than that, no firings

Screw that. I saw the Texans fire their Coordinator and bring in Wade Phillips. In 20011 and this year that defense has been good.

So my first step would be to hire a defensive coordinator with a proven track record. I heard somebody say that they hope the jets fire Rex Ryan and he can come here, I wouldn't be mad at that. If that doesn't happen, we should look at Keith Butler, or maybe even Mike Singletary.

If that didn't work, I would risk hiring that defensive coordinator from Norte Dame, Bob Diaco. I think a college defense is easier to transfer than a college offense.

As far as the draft goes, I would go BPA in all rounds. Free Agency would be to bring in quality defensive players and maybe an offensive linemen or two.

[CoolHandLuke]

Numerous people in the draft database thread have mentioned that the draft should be used mostly for BPA as opposed to need because your building depth for the next 2-3 years. Well it's been almost three years since ShanAllen have been here. I think if we continue the same path we've been going in the draft, and with the return of our 8 or 9 injured starters/depth players, we would be very surprised at how the team will start to come together in years 4 & 5.

Obviously we need a new DC, however we should try and target someone experienced in the 3-4. Preferably someone already familiar with our system a la Lou Spanos. Our pass rush was very effective last season and I think he had more to do with it than Haslett. Bringing him back would save us a lot of time as far as getting familiar with the players and the system we're running.

Just my two cents

[pjfootballer]

Dont forget we will be getting rid of dhall so thats 8 mill...i have a feeling fletch might be done so theres 4mill.

My guess is Hall, Fletcher, Moss, J. Black, J. Brown (June 1st cut), Cooley (again, but for age not salary since his original cap hit was voided when he didn't make the opening roster), C. Griffin, Madoo-doo Williams and Golston will all be gone.

[RandyHolt]

If a viable defense can't be implemented in 3 years, I am not sure I have faith in the powers to suddenly fix it in the 4th.

Fix the offense instead. Draft a RT, a RB and TE. Hope the injuries on D are minimal and keep the focus of the GM duties on supporting THE player they committed to, and the player that we all know have to win games for us. The QB.

QB's win games in the modern era, not defenses.