Setting Expectations

I think these idiots like Mike Wise are missing the point of the whole thing.

Even if we did have cap space, we wouldn't extend bigger offers to Smoot and Pierce because:

1. You can't have a young-in like Pierce making more money than Marcus Washington, who was our best LB last year, and the only Pro Bowl starter.

2. You can't have a relative young-in like Smootie making more money than Springs, who was clearly the best CB last year.

If Smoot/Pierce were offered more money than their superior counterparts, what message would that send to the latter? I think it would distort incentives even more.

Too bad we lost both these guys, but its best this way given the fact that they weren't willing to accept less than Marcus Washington and Springs. This way, we are building around the people that want to be Redskins, and including only those that want to be here - a la the New England team model. The defense will be fine without them, and we will hopefully draft some defensive players this year, who will help maintain continuity in the defense for atleast the next 3 years.


Good points, Hurrykaine. When I read that Pierce is getting more than Washington, it made things more clear. Same with Smoot. Unfortunately, we're not yet good enough, nor have we had the new regieme in place long enough to get guys to sign for a little less to be here. Much as I loved Smoot, I hope he misses DC everyday, and cheers for us when he watches us on TV during the playoffs from his snowed-in, frozen Minnesota pad. As for Pierce, hey, the guy got a serious payday, and we couldn't match. It's gonna happen sometimes.

Lang is the classic example of a wust. He, like Coles' and Sanders, had unrealistic career goals. He sought to be reunited with his college coach as if he was guaranteed to win the SB year after year. Kalu who? Smith, Coleman, and Wilkinson, served thier time. Barber was hurt. It's been proven that Trotter is only a pro-bowl player with the team that spawned him. He would've had a similiar tenure with KC as he had with us. As for Schottenhiemer (and Spurrier), isn't that what you, the fan, asked for? Do you remember all the rant about being a boring football team? In comes the high-flying Fun 'n Gun and Davis' demise. Davis was as unhappy in a pass oriented offense as Coles was in a run oriented offense. Give me a legit coach and a player who believes in him. :oink:

Excellent post, BossHog. My thoughts exactly.

We need to be fiscally responsible but with that much dead money on the bench you can never convince me its about fiscal responsibility.... SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? its disturbing.

It's about FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. Sorry, but that's what it is.

Brunell was a huge mistake. For his sake, Gibbs and co. will never admit that. But they made their bed, and now they have to lay in it. If someone paid me way more money than I was worth, I'd laugh at them if they asked me to give it back. I'm a God-fearing Christian man, too, but that doesn't mean I'm a sucker!

Now that what's done is done, the Skins need to do everything they can to ease the burden of past mistakes. Yes, it's disturbing when you lose key players like Smoot and Pierce-- I loved rooting for those two as much as the next guy-- but the Skins offered them as much as they could RESPONSIBLY afford in regard to the next few cap years, and it simply wasn't enough.

Now they have to do what other fiscally responsible-- and successful-- teams do: find cheaper talent to do the same job better.

That's the name of the salary cap-era game.

its really funny when you look at it. the mold for the super bowl for the past couple of years has been home grown talent. Pierce was a prime example. he was signed undrafted by marty and has lasted through 3 head coaches and 4 cordinators without being a big name or a high impact player. when he got his chance he stared, ibeleive the quote by g. williams was " the smartest player i have ever coached". i dont care how much money he wants we could have done this, it should have been done in january, but no , vinny and dan had to focus on whcih "other" teams players we wanted. its a sad day when a perfect blueprint has been laid out (patriots, eagles, etc...) and we fail yet again to have a clue, and we not only lose a " super smart , core guy", but we lose him to a division rival, absolutely absurd!

I think you might change your tone when he is thrown into a scheme that may not be right for him and become a Brunell-like bust.