John Clayton: Spotting some early free agency trends

I really dont think a TE is a pressing issue at this point but, say Cooley gets hurt? Who's behind him? Fauria? Good luck getting him to catch a pass and take ANY kind of hit like CC. Todd Yoder? Only time he appeared on radar was TB game. I dont know....CC is awesome. Should have made pro-bowl last 2 years IMO but.....

I really dont think a TE is a pressing issue at this point but, say Cooley gets hurt? Who's behind him? Fauria? Good luck getting him to catch a pass and take ANY kind of hit like CC. Todd Yoder? Only time he appeared on radar was TB game. I dont know....CC is awesome. Should have made pro-bowl last 2 years IMO but.....Plus in 05, we had Royal blocking on the outside. At the beginning of last year we had no one (because Fauria can't block and never could), and Pucillio did a good job in that role. However, when Pucillio is in, everybody in the stadium knows its a run. It'd be nice to have competant blocking on the outside with at least the threat of a pass.

Theres also no guarentee that Pucillio will be back next year. Theres a chance he could be back as a starter.

Different approach for Redskins' Snyder? Even though this would be Dan Snyder's type of market, watch for a change in the Redskins' strategy. Snyder and Joe Gibbs are starting to realize the dangers of free agency. Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6460) and safety Adam Archuleta (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5467) didn't work out last year. Plus, it's becoming harder and harder to get players in the restricted free agency market. The Redskins will be shopping their first-round pick at the combine with the idea of moving down and getting more draft picks. They will dabble in free agency but not as aggressively as in the past.

Full article: ESPN.com - NFL - Clayton: Spotting some early trends in free agency (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2767986&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines)

This tells me that they realize the past mistakes. I hope we do move down and get some extra picks.

briggs, justin smith, and samuel have all been tagged so thats 3 less big targets already. i wouldnt be dissapointed if we traded down to around 11 or so and got okoye if available.

briggs, justin smith, and samuel have all been tagged so thats 3 less big targets already. i wouldnt be dissapointed if we traded down to around 11 or so and got okoye if available.That wouldn't be bad. 11-14 isnt a bad place to be sitting in this draft. However, I think only a 2nd rounder PLUS would be sufficient to drop out of the top 12 or so.

We can't be looking to get rid of our pick. That leads to bad deals. If some team calls on draft day and wants to give us a lucrative deal for our pick, then you pull the trigger.

We can't be looking to get rid of our pick. That leads to bad deals. If some team calls on draft day and wants to give us a lucrative deal for our pick, then you pull the trigger.

I have been trying to get this point across to people around here. I keep reading "we should trade down" like that should be THE PLAN. You can't plan on it. I think you have to approach Free Agency as a time to prudently fill gaps. That means finding as many players as possible who can play a role for you and do it well while paying them a market value deal. Flecther is a good idea but only if we get a market deal on him. IE: not some crizazy contract that we get stuck under in 3 years. To say he is too old is to say we shouldnt' take him at all when I think what everyone means is that he is too old to give a lot of money too. We fill holes in FA as possible and use the draft to fill other areas of need as long as we are getting solid value out of the pick. If someone comes along with a deal or if we can cook one up then go for it. But those deals don't materialize until well after free agency so considering trading our pick to get more picks to fill holes we don't know if we'll even have is silly.

I totally agree with the 'We can't be looking to get rid of our pick' mode of thinking.

i said id like to trade down to around 11 because the article posted in the thread specifically said we would shop our pick.

I'd only shop if Branch is taken

If we drop in the first round, should we still try to address the DL? It seems like there's a number of good defensive linemen this year. Or do you think we'll try to build the secondary should we trade down, since there's probably going to be a big DL push towards the beginning of the draft.

I think a guy like Reggie Nelson could be a great compliment to ST. I know Springs is probably going to get shifted to safety, so that still leaves us short a starting CB. Leon Hall could be around later in the 1st round or Darelle Revis. I just wonder what the Skins strategy will be should they slide in the order.

I'd really like to draft a defensive linemen. I know a lot of you feel we should trade down if Alan Branch isn't available at 6, but what if Amobi Okoye is? I mean he's only 19, and he is a hoss. Gaines Adams or Jamal Anderson would most likely drop to the #6 if branch isn't taken. Shouldn't we snag one of those two? I don't think we'll be able to address our DL problems through FA.

If we drop in the first round, should we still try to address the DL? It seems like there's a number of good defensive linemen this year. Or do you think we'll try to build the secondary should we trade down, since there's probably going to be a big DL push towards the beginning of the draft.

I think a guy like Reggie Nelson could be a great compliment to ST. I know Springs is probably going to get shifted to safety, so that still leaves us short a starting CB. Leon Hall could be around later in the 1st round or Darelle Revis. I just wonder what the Skins strategy will be should they slide in the order.

I'd really like to draft a defensive linemen. I know a lot of you feel we should trade down if Alan Branch isn't available at 6, but what if Amobi Okoye is? I mean he's only 19, and he is a hoss. Gaines Adams or Jamal Anderson would most likely drop to the #6 if branch isn't taken. Shouldn't we snag one of those two? I don't think we'll be able to address our DL problems through FA.

If Branch is gone before #6 (with Tampa Bay picking ahead of us, it's very likely - they love picking defensive linemen) then we should stick with the D-line and take either of the two top defensive ends -- unless there's a blockbuster trade offering.