Absolutely Stunned.

Hope our draft is better..........

I'm not all that unhappy that we saved some money by not re-signing Smoot. I think that we have a replacement on the team that will step in and play better (yes, I said it) than Smoot has. Smoot was a great personality to have on the team, and was an above average player. I do not believe, though, that he is irreplaceable in this defense. He had his flaws (how many times did he miss a sack on a corner blitz because he jumped on a pump fake?).

I'll miss him, and Pierce for that matter, but I just don't think the defensive play will drop off considerably because of their departure.

First off, NOBODY should be surprised that we lost Smoot. We all saw the writing on the wall.

That said, Joe Redskin for President. He's right, this team needs smart management. No more overpaying for players. No more winning the offseason. No more installing new offenses. No more integrating new players. No more new defensive coordinators. No more short-sighted planning.

The Skins are being smart with the situation they're in. Not enough people here on the Warpath are focusing on years 2006 and beyond, in my opinion. Everyone is concerned what happens to our cap in 2005, but nobody's talking about how much better our 2006 cap looks now. I'm very excited, because when I look at it now it's telling me that we can actually keep our players and not have to blow up the team like the Titans did.

Bad things about this year:
- Lost Smoot
- Lost Pierce
- Lost Coles

Good things about this year:
- The same D coordinator as last year (hasn't happened in a long ass time).
- Ramsey starting for a full season, instead of for only 7 games.
- A team atmosphere, getting rid of the players who don't want to be here.
- An O-line with stability, in the same scheme as last year (they'll jell faster this year).
- More draft picks than last year.
- Ramsey growing in the offense.
- Healthy Jansen.
- Healthy Lavar.
- Casey Rabach
- David Patten
- Santana Moss
- A pledge by Gibbs to go deep and use the speed he just acquired at WR.

Not being able to keep our free agents was frustrating. But I think when all we ever talk about is offseason moves, we forget the situation the team takes into next season. All those positives are the reasons we're going to be better than we were last year.

Playoffs baby, playoffs.

Let's ask ourselves this very simple question, are the losses of Smoot, Pierce and Coles going to doom our 2005 season?? I'd be willing to bet there is an entire team and coaching staff that would beg to differ.

Pierce wasn't even on our radar before Barrow went down. I loved him last year but let's not forget Marshall filled in and did a very admirable job in Arrington's place, in fact, we had guys filling in left and right on the D and they never missed a beat.

We lost one of the top corners in the league just a year ago in Bailey and the D actually improved after he left. Go figure. Smoot is a nice young corner but he won't be impossible to replace.

As for Coles, he's a better overall WR than Moss, but Moss isn't exactly a piece of crap either. The loss of Coles is a case of addition by subtraction.

The past few offseasons we've been spoiled by all the splashy signings, only to spend all year complaining about how the team throws money around too much and we're doomed to end up in cap hell.

Now the team is showing some financial sensibility and all we hear is how we should have upped the ante on Pierce, we should have upped our offer on Smoot...we can't have it both ways guys.

Much like in Marty's first year here when he cleaned house a bit to get the team back in a solid financial state, Gibbs seems to be taking the same approach. They have a financial plan and they're holding strong and not putting an individual's demands above the needs of the team as a whole.

I know it's been a while since we didn't win an offseason so obviously some people are going to scratch their heads and wonder why we just don't outbid everyone in sight, but hey, welcome to the way the rest of the league operates.

The sky isn't falling guys, everyone around the league is losing valuable members of their teams right now. This isn't a problem exclusive to the Washington Redskins.

Smoot - the whole point is I didn't want to "win" in march. I just didn't want to lose anyone!

Rabach was a great signing, Patten I'm not sold on -- we'll see.

Time to start drinking.

I agree, man. I don't know wtf we're thinking this offseason. I love the signings we made, but I would have liked to have kept Smoot or at least signed an adequate replacement.

As for the drinking part...I'm not legal yet, but now that I've been accpted to Tulane School of Engineering, I'm sure I'll find time. That's right I'll turn 21 about 3 weeks after I get there. :laughing2

In all seriousness, though, college announcements aside. We finished with a losing record with em, I'm sure we can do it without em.

i won't lose any sleep over the departure of smoot, he's not really that good anyway. some people like him because he is out spoken and kinda cocky but he always talked a better game then he played. he was 2nd to bailey, then he was 2nd to springs.

After letting the emotions settle down.......... I think Cpayne, Schneed, and Matty are right regarding the overspending for free agents ....and there is some good signings
at center, WR I'm pleased with Patten, and a healthy Arrington and Jansen should improve the team from last year. Coles was just a no win situation.

Smoot - Pierce - Coles + Arrington + Jansen + Rabach

While I don't like all the losses, we could be okay.

I'm trying real hard to see the positive here.

In all seriousness, though, college announcements aside. We finished with a losing record with em, I'm sure we can do it without em.

Right, it's not like we're a team coming off a Super Bowl win, we're a team that's been mired in mediocrity for the last decade and it's going to take some time, patience and tough decisions to right the ship.