No progress in Derrick Dockery Negotiations....

While I think he'll get signed, the problems are definitely the precedent the Skins have set for overpaying people in the past. He'll want a Jansen-like deal I would guess.

There is no way he is looking for a deal like Jansen's. 1. Jansen was considered one of the best right tackles when he signed that deal. 2. Guards are not nearly as coveted as tackles. Hell, Steve Hutchinson's deal wasn't as lucrative as Jansen's and he is light years ahead of Dock.

That's what people need to focus on. I'm not saying "give him whatever he wants." However, they need to keep this group together. There are usually some growing pains when an offensive line gets a new guy...see: Casey Rabach. That didn't go so smoothly his first season. I think they need to keep this group together and hope that they continue to improve.

Portis set the franchise record and they went to the playoff's in Rabach's first season.

Why does it seem like the negotiations in signing our own players are always "far apart" and painful. But throw a Free Agent into the mix and all of sudden we have a contract in seconds flat.

It's like we worry about salary cap ramifications with signing our own players but in signing these big time free agents we don't care.

Interesting to say the least and very frustrating.

You have just stated principal number one of the Dan Snyder marketing machine.

- Covet another's at the expense of your own.

I would think that they would want to keep Dock because Samuels wants to keep him and he offered to restructure to help.

There is no way he is looking for a deal like Jansen's. 1. Jansen was considered one of the best right tackles when he signed that deal. 2. Guards are not nearly as coveted as tackles. Hell, Steve Hutchinson's deal wasn't as lucrative as Jansen's and he is light years ahead of Dock.

You seem to forget who signs the paychecks though. :(

Jansen hasn't been to the Pro Bowl, neither has Dock, and I bet Dock is basing all this on those numbers.

I would give Dockery something in the neighborhood of 5 years, $20M, $7M SB.

They are not going to revolt. What are they not going to show up for work and cash their large paychecks? Boycott becasue Dock didn't get paid? I don't think so. I'm sure they will be disappointed but they realize that this is business. Guys come and go all the time. Look at the guy that left Seattle for Minn? It's all about who's going to pay me the most money. If Dock can't get the deal he wants here, and someone overpays for him, then let him walk. He's a good player buy not the best and he should not be paid like the best.

Not a revolt in the sense that they'll boycott practice and all that kind of crap. But a revolt in the sense that they'll get all pissed off at the front office, and we'll have guys complaining anonymously to Tom Friend about how the front office just pays lip service to retaining "Core Redskins."

If Gibbs is going to toss around this "Core Redskin" stuff, he better make sure that the players feel like it means something to be a "Core Redskin." The perception is growing amongst the players that the front office values outside free agents over home grown players - and I can't blame them for it. It's hard to run through a wall for your coach when you are feeling like you're not valued as much as an equal guy out on the market.

Player perceptions of your coaching structure should not be discounted, they have an impact on the locker room. The trouble we have is that Gibbs is GM and coach all wrapped into one. So if the players have a problem with how the 'Skins are valuing their homegrown talent, they have a problem with Gibbs. (Probably the biggest reason why the coach needs to stick to coaching, and GMs need to stick to contract negotiation. We could use a separate GM.)

Gibbs may have to make a tough decision. Overpay a little bit for Dockery, or risk losing standing in the minds of the offensive line - probably the most valuable and most respected unit on the team. Plenty of players are already frustrated at him for letting Clark go and signing crappy Archuleta for a pile of money. Same with Antonio Pierce. Let's not repeat the same mistakes.

Portis set the franchise record and they went to the playoff's in Rabach's first season.

I didn't say they sucked, I was merely pointing out they had some growing pains...didn't they have some issues in pass protection early? I actually don't remember anymore, but I thought they were shaky in pass coverage early, could be wrong.

I smell trouble on this one, a whole heap of trouble.

Gibbs has a way of digging in his heels, insisting that Marcus Washington was better than Antonio Pierce, so Pierce should not have been paid more than Marcus. I'm guessing they're thinking along those lines for Randy Thomas and Dock. I'll bet Dock is asking for Randy T money, and Gibbs/Snyder and company won't budge.

...
Using that logic, I suppose that Gibbs thought Archuleta would be a better player than Sean Taylor.

Using that logic, I suppose that Gibbs thought Archuleta would be a better player than Sean Taylor.

That's exactly what annoyed the players so much. The 'Skins apply that relative salary logic to their homegrown players, but they'll blow open the pay scale for outside free agents.

Speaking of Clark, I've been talking with some people on AIM and wondering what the likelihood would be for him to come back.