Samuel's Article

Bugel is the perfect coach for anyone, hell, he could turn me into a hog! ;)
That'd be the day!

I rembember Samuels after getting drafted the big thing with him was not allowing a sack in so many games. Lets hope that he can get that string back. I think anyone on this board could of thought of better blocking schemes than last year.

I think Samuels' string of sackless games was when he was in college. It's much easier to do when you're in college than when you're in the NFL and lining up against people like Jevon Kearse and Simeon Rice.

It's true. The amazing thing is, the two rookie O-linemen-- Wilson and Molinaro, taken in the 5th and 6th rounds, respectively-- would ordinarily be very ordinary linemen. Bugel can turn both of these guys into great Hogs. Bugel's coaching methods and philosophy are a huge part of that, but you also have to give them credit for scouting these guys out and recognizing them as potential Hogs when other teams overlooked them.

Although I'd like to see Samuels, Thomas and Dockery out there getting some reps together, I think it's great that these young guys and backups are getting a ton of work in the minicamps-- it can only strengthen the depth, and accelerate those players' development and understanding of the offense.

I think the coaching staff has a pretty good grip on what the starter's can do, the big question from them is who can step in if one of them get's hurt, and how fast can they teach these guy's what it is to play in the NFL, so if they need to step up if someone goes down, they can have a little comfort level knowing that player is at least prepared, it seem's Gibb's plan's for the worst case scenerio, and hope's for the best, this way he is prepared for anything.

I feel confident that Samuels will rebound this year.

A larger issue is his cap number for the next three years, which will eat up a huge chunk of our cap room.

I know premiere LTs make a lot of money, but his cap number of around 9 million is just ludicrous.

That being said, I have a feeling the reason we drafted two tackles this year, is in the hopes that one of them (or perhaps Winey) will develop into a viable alternative in case we need to cut Samuels.

If Samuel's has a breakout year, there will be no need to cut him, because team's will be lining up for his services, but if he doesn't then he has a prob., because he want's to stay in DC, he will also probably know he wont be able to get the kind of contract he want's else where, and would prob. renegotiate if we wanted him at all at that point, I think if he has a big year and we have a lot of success thing's will work out for the best, winning help's cure a lot of problem situation's, and I doubt he would want to move on when we are poised to contend for a SB, especially after the last couple of year's.

There is no incentive for Samuels to renegotiate this year, he had a bad 2003.
There might not be any offers from other teams for Samuels in the future, since teams know we will have to cut him if his salary cap number for 2005 does not come down. Why would a team give up something (draft pick or player), when they can have a chance to get him for free.
Samuels needs to renegotiate for us to keep him past this year.
Other NFL teams know this and will use it against us.
Same reason we have not had any offers for Trotter.

There is no incentive for Samuels to renegotiate this year, he had a bad 2003.
There might not be any offers from other teams for Samuels in the future, since teams know we will have to cut him if his salary cap number for 2005 does not come down. Why would a team give up something (draft pick or player), when they can have a chance to get him for free.
Samuels needs to renegotiate for us to keep him past this year.
Other NFL teams know this and will use it against us.
Same reason we have not had any offers for Trotter.

So a team can guarentee that they get him, Samuel's might not be interested in every team out there, and as a free agent he may not give them a chance, where as if they trade for him, he has a contract he has to honor.

I read somewhere that Samuels did not want to restructure this year but is willing to negotiate a long term extension next offseason. If so, that would solve the cap problem he presents. I think he wants to make sure the 'Skins are, in fact, turning it around and want to be sure Gibbs/Bugel are in it for more than a couple of years.