Our WRs in 2009... My Thoughts

The receivers are fine. Zorn needs to find ways to better utilize the backs & TEs, protect the QB and develop either Thomas OR Kelley (hopefully both). They have much bigger needs elsewhere.

Remember how crappy the Falcons receivers were when Vick was their QB? Remember all the Vick apologists saying he had no one credible to throw to? Remember all the talk of TO going to the Falcons and how that would improve Vick's numbers?

Well those same WRs are there now and look at what they did this year. Roddy White's a pro-bowler. What's different? Hmmm...

Tj would be a great move, and I bet you could get him for a decent price also. He has to be tired of the BS in Cincy by now. At some point these guys do want a legacy, meaning a ring. He has no hope of that with Ocho Cinco and the oft injured Palmer. Marv Lewis sucks as a HC. Snyder did well in not giving him our HC position.

Tj would be a great move, and I bet you could get him for a decent price also. He has to be tired of the BS in Cincy by now. At some point these guys do want a legacy, meaning a ring. He has no hope of that with Ocho Cinco and the oft injured Palmer. Marv Lewis sucks as a HC. Snyder did well in not giving him our HC position.

TJ is going to cost too much. If they can find a diamond in the rough, I say go for it. Look at what Tampa got out of Antonio Bryant this year. Otherwise, they need to work with what they've got.

The top WRs in the league will likely be watching the Super Bowl from home this year (just like the top cornerbacks). WRs, like most skill positions other than the QB, don't win championships. Good coaching, good line play and great defense is what it takes.

we drafted 2 wrs last year, they need to develop during the offseason. we need to get help on lines. but jason is going to have to improve this offseason, even when had time to pass the ball, he locks onto one wr, he needs to learn not to lock on one guy

It would be absurd to draft a WR in 2009. We need to focus on O-line, D-line, and maybe a LB in the later rounds with Fletch getting older and MW falling off.


I agree, draft should go to rebuilding the O line, a LB, and a CB for depth. I do think making a play for TJ would be good though via FA. Guy is a gamer stuck on a crappy team. Trade Randle El if need be for more picks, but I think the idea of acquiring TJ isn't so crazy.

I agree, draft should go to rebuilding the O line, a LB, and a CB for depth. I do think making a play for TJ would be good though via FA. Guy is a gamer stuck on a crappy team. Trade Randle El if need be for more picks, but I think the idea of acquiring TJ isn't so crazy.


randle el isnt tradable

I think the best teams are the ones who get the most out of what they've got (see Bill Parcells). Here's how I think the Skins can improve the passing game:

1) Move the pocket - If the O line is struggling, then move the pocket or get good at HB screens and other plays that negate a good pass rush, etc. Zorn should have called more bootlegs this season, including naked bootlegs on the goal line. Campbell is good at making tacklers miss once he gets going, so I don't know why he couldn't rush for more TDs.

2) More imaginative play calling - we've seen Portis and ARE be successful throwing the ball (remember the TD pass from ARE to Cooley against the Eagles) and other teams made effective use of the Wildcat formation all season long. Look at what the Ravens did all year and the Steelers used to do under Cowher. They were good for 2-3 "trick" plays every game, and we're effective running those plays because it was part of their identity.

3) Get the backs involved in the passing game - I hear lots of complaints about our receivers, but the last time I checked, RBs were allowed to catch balls as well. Why Portis hasn't been more of a receiving threat during his career I'll never understand. Who were the Chiefs all-world wide receivers when they were one of the top scoring offenses in the league? Does the name Priest Holmes ring a bell?

4) Go to a 2 or 3 back system - Feature backs are almost a thing of the past. And even teams that do rely heavily on a primary RB get significant production from the backup RB (Chargers, Vikings, Falcons, etc.). The best running teams platoon their backs - Giants, Titans, Panthers, Patriots, etc. Having a consistent, healthy running game will help the passing game remain a factor all season long. The Skins can't continue to give Portis 340 plus carries each year. I think the Skins can use Portis, Betts and Cartwright much like the Ravens and Giants use their backs.

5) Get young and better on the O line - Campbell is a servicable QB when he has time to throw. Better play calling, another year in Zorn's system (this excuse gets discredited time and time again by other teams, but OK), better pass protection and the development of Thomas and/or Kelly and Davis, should produce better results next year. Remember, the Skins just needed to beat the Bengals, Rams and 49ers to be 11-5 and in the playoffs (I know, ifs and buts are like elbows). Someone said we used to have great receivers when we won those Super Bowls in the 80s and early 90s. No we didn't We had great O lines and pretty decent QBs (none of which are in the HOF). Rick Sanders had 9 catches for 193 yards in the Super Bowl for crying out loud. Who the hell is Ricky Sanders?

6) Encourage Campbell to take more chances - Maybe it was Gibbs that did it to him, but Campbell has developed a crippling phobia of interceptions. I know he only had 6, but his team also finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. To throw for only 156 yards in a loss against a poor pass defense in a meaningless game is a sin. Let 'er rip! I remember when Brian Griese had 19 TDs and only 4 INTs for the Broncos. How did his career turn out? And I've got news for everyone who complains that our receivers never get open. It's the NFL. Receivers aren't always open. Receivers make plays ALL THE TIME with defeners draped all over them. And if our wide outs are too short to out jump the defender, then throw the ball short and let the wide receiver come back to the ball. The Skins once had a receiving corp that was so good it was given a nickname. That nickname was "The Smurfs". So spare me the garbage about our receivers being too short. The single best season produced by a Redskins WR was delivered by Santana Moss with friggin Mark Brunell as his QB. Where will TO, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson be watching the Super Bowl from? They're living rooms.

The Skins had less pass interference calls than any other team in the league and couldn't outscore the first team to go 0-16. Maybe if Zorn gave Campbell the green light to take more chances, he would be more willing to throw into tight coverage. This would solve his problem of holding onto the ball too long. Single coverage is open in the NFL.

The bottom line is that the wide receivers aren't the problem. Most of the biggest and baddest receivers in the game will be sitting this year's Super Bowl out while a guy like Ricky Sanders or Deion Brach could very well be the difference maker.

4) 2 or 3 back system. Strongly agree. I just posted earlier in the FA thread how I would love to see Jacobs in the back with Portis. But Betts will do. I believe it can be very effective and add pass protection as well. We used to use this back in the old Gibbs days with John riggins and Joe Washington. And some of the best teams still do

I agree with everyone that states that the offensive line is a much bigger priority than the WR position. Our Wideouts were fine in the first half of the season, when there was some semblance of pass protection, and Portis ran the ball well.

If we are going to look at tweaking our WR group, then I really don't think you need to get a TJ Housh. I think our rooks have talent, and have the potential to be very good next season. They got their kinks out of the way this year, and they will have a full training camp to get them up to speed, which in turn will help them get in sync with Campbell. That along with Moss, ARE, and Cooley, I just don't see the need to bring or draft anymore wideouts, save maybe for a replacement for Thrash.

Earlier I criticized the coaching of wideouts, b/c I noticed throughout the latter part of the season, that in those rare moments when Campbell had time to throw, the WRs were not open beyond the 1st down marker. I think this even happened earlier in the season when they were doing well. So maybe a new position coach can help develop the rookies, and help our wideouts get open.

I wish they did get their kinks out this year. Remember all the drops DeShaun Jackson had against the Skins? We can expect games like that from Thomas and Kelly next year, while DeShaun Jackson will be much improved. Next season will essentially be a learning year for our guys, since Zorn decided to red shirt them this year. Even so, either of them will be a better option than Randle-El.

4) 2 or 3 back system. Strongly agree. I just posted earlier in the FA thread how I would love to see Jacobs in the back with Portis. But Betts will do. I believe it can be very effective and add pass protection as well. We used to use this back in the old Gibbs days. And some of the best teams still do

I agree. Betts is a player. Anyone who can put together 5 100 yard rushing games in a row has my attention. There was nothing fluky about it either. What a waste of a potentially lethal offensive weapon to only give him 60 or so carries this year. And Cartwright has proven what he can do in the open field. Give him 5 or so carries a game and I have no doubt he'll break off a few long runs for scores.