Free Agency/Franchise Tag thread 2011

Sorry paintrain, but this is the same way of thinking that has gotten the redskins to this point. There are no shortcuts in the NFL. Throwing money at free agents and trading away draft picks are 2 shortcuts that haven't worked for the redskins for the past decade. It's time to go the other direction.

So then educate me. Show me a winning team whose roster is primarily comprised of 'low profile good players who are motivated' or 'young hungry players' that eschews free agency and doesn't add talented players by all means (draft, trade, free agency).

The Packers are largely homegrown, right? Their 5 best players (Rodgers, Woodson, Jennings, Raji, Matthews) are all 'high profile' first round (with the exception of Jennings) players. They had role players step up for injured starters but now we're talking about depth, not primary playmakers. Roster spots 42-53, I completely agree, give me youth, give me hunger, give me athleticism but for my first 22, give me talented playmakers and I'll kill the mess out of your young, hungry, low profile team.

For the record, I am completely against trading any of our picks this year and I hope they trade down from 10 to acquire additional picks. However, head in the sand thinking of 'it hasn't worked before so it won't work now' isn't close to the solution either.

Health issues?

They'll prob tag Kalil.

I think it's more of stewart being the guy now and they also have a good young RB with him.

I'd like williams but Id rather go WR and DL first. Of course OL also

I think it's more of stewart being the guy now and they also have a good young RB with him.


Mike Goodson I think his name is. I had him on multiple fantasy teams.


Williams is more injury-prone than Portis at this point. I'd keep CP in a limited role, 3rd-down RB, blocking back on passing plays over him. Very limited carries but we need his blocking.

I think it's more of stewart being the guy now and they also have a good young RB with him.

I'd like williams but Id rather go WR and DL first. Of course OL also

Actually, it is better for them to use the tag on Kalil, a 25 year-old two-time Pro Bowl center is a better investment than a guy that was on IR.

And Carolina tags Kalil

Adam Schefter
Carolina is placing its franchise tag on C Ryan Kalil.

And Carolina tags Kalil

Adam Schefter
Carolina is placing its franchise tag on C Ryan Kalil.

Sucks but not unexpected.

So then educate me. Show me a winning team whose roster is primarily comprised of 'low profile good players who are motivated' or 'young hungry players' that eschews free agency and doesn't add talented players by all means (draft, trade, free agency).

The Packers are largely homegrown, right? Their 5 best players (Rodgers, Woodson, Jennings, Raji, Matthews) are all 'high profile' first round (with the exception of Jennings) players. They had role players step up for injured starters but now we're talking about depth, not primary playmakers. Roster spots 42-53, I completely agree, give me youth, give me hunger, give me athleticism but for my first 22, give me talented playmakers and I'll kill the mess out of your young, hungry, low profile team.

For the record, I am completely against trading any of our picks this year and I hope they trade down from 10 to acquire additional picks. However, head in the sand thinking of 'it hasn't worked before so it won't work now' isn't close to the solution either.

OK, let's get straight what we're talking about. We're talking about deciding to pick up yet another high profile free agent, not anything else.

And regardless of how you dresss up that decision to try to acquire that high profile player, it still doesn't hide the fact that this is the NUMBER ONE reason why the redskins are in the position they are in. It's investing too much into a select number of proven high profile players rather than investing intelligently to both proven low profile veterans and young players with potential and talent.

I never focused on one particular player to use as an example. Hell if the redskins can get any of the players that you are considering for a bargain, then by all means sign him to a contract. But if you're gonna break the bank and give him what a high profile free agent EXPECTS, then I will be there to tell you so when the redskins aren't doing well as a team AGAIN. And this is regardless of how that high profile free agent player performs.

However, head in the sand thinking of 'it hasn't worked before so it won't work now' isn't close to the solution either.

Just a comment to this -- isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

... and just because you pass or decide against an action, that doesn't mean you are passive.

I just have to shake my head at all of these free agent discussions because I feel like I'm in football fandom hell. We as redskins fans have been living this football nightmare for over a decade.

OK, let's get straight what we're talking about. We're talking about deciding to pick up yet another high profile free agent, not anything else.

And regardless of how you dresss up that decision to try to acquire that high profile player, it still doesn't hide the fact that this is the NUMBER ONE reason why the redskins are in the position they are in. It's investing too much into a select number of proven high profile players rather than investing intelligently to both proven low profile veterans and young players with potential and talent.

I never focused on one particular player to use as an example. Hell if the redskins can get any of the players that you are considering for a bargain, then by all means sign him to a contract. But if you're gonna break the bank and give him what a high profile free agent EXPECTS, then I will be there to tell you so when the redskins aren't doing well as a team AGAIN. And this is regardless of how that high profile free agent player performs.

Actually THE NUMBER ONE reason why the Redskins are in the position they are in is poor talent evaluation. In 2008 we had 10 draft picks. In the hands of a competent GM and scouting staff that should have set us up for the next 3-5 years of 'young, hungry, low profile talent' but we have one contributing player. The fact we've spent more FA money, traded more picks and missed on more drafted players has far more to do with poor execution than it does poor strategy. The Steelers, Packers, Eagles, Ravens, Patriots, etc. who are perennial winners do one thing better than any others, evaluate talent. We have failed at that task for damn near since Beathard left DC. Don't fall into the camp of 'free agency is bad', we've been terrible at bringing in the right people.

I agree, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. If we were to go out and sign players in the 30's to large contracts, set the market at each position, trade our early round draft picks for role players and expect the Lombardi, you'd have no argument from me. To essentially to ignore talent free agents because free agency hasn't worked before is genuinely insane.