Pasquarelli with some praise for our CB situation

[MTK]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insid...len&id=2897429

Redskins load up at cornerback: Washington owner Dan Snyder has never been much for heeding conventional wisdom. But one football axiom to which Snyder must have paid attention is the old saw that you can never have enough cornerbacks. The Redskins, already rich at the position, got a little fatter at that premium spot on Thursday when they signed free agent Jerametrius Butler, the six-year veteran released by St. Louis earlier in the week after two injury-ravaged seasons. In landing Butler, 28, the Redskins actually got their man on the second attempt, and at a much thriftier price than it would have cost them the first time around. In the spring of 2004, the Redskins actually signed Butler to a restricted free agent offer sheet, a six-year deal worth $15 million that included a $4 million signing bonus. But the Rams retained Butler, an emerging young cover man at the time, by matching the offer sheet. Unfortunately, Butler suffered a knee injury in training camp in the summer of 2005, then after working hard to rehabilitate, sustained a severe hamstring injury in 2006. In his final two seasons with the Rams, the former Kansas State standout, who had nine interceptions in 2003-04, played in only six games. On Thursday, the Redskins landed him for the bargain-basement price of $595,000, the minimum base salary for a six-year pro. If he is healthy, and that's really a big if, Washington may have gotten a steal.


And they will certainly have gotten markedly deeper at what was already a pretty well-stocked position on the depth chart. In addition to starters Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers, the Redskins added Fred Smoot (Minnesota), David Macklin (Arizona) and Butler, all former starters. That's a lot of veteran cornerbacks, and one has to wonder if Washington can keep them all. For now, there is no odd-man out, but keep an eye on Springs, the 10-year veteran who resurrected his flagging career with the Redskins in 2004, but is now 32, banged up and starting to show some erosion. Washington was shopping Springs in trade talks earlier this offseason. In terms of base salary, Springs is the priciest of Washington's cornerbacks, with a contract that calls for base salaries of $4.88 million (2007), $5 million (2008) and $6 million (2009). The big money could put a bull's-eye on his chest if the Redskins need cap room and eventually decide that they are sufficiently girded at cornerback.

[skinsfan_nn]

I'm in shock......pasta praising the SKINS. Bout time he did something right, nice to see something positive.

Our CB situation is so good, I think it would be hard for anyone with any logic, to throw darts at that part of our D.

[MTK]

Well he does toss in that Butler's health is a big if, which it is, and he mentions Springs' health concerns and his big cap #.

If the Skins can somehow land a big name DE, I would think that Springs could definitely be on the chopping block to clear up room.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

I'm in shock......pasta praising the SKINS. Bout time he did something right, nice to see something positive.

Our CB situation is so good, I think it would be hard for anyone with any logic, to throw darts at that part of our D.

Easy there, we're deep, but I don't know if we have any shut-down CBs. We're deep enough to take away any team's 3rd and 4th WR when they roll out a spread formation. But I wonder if our top 2 CBs are good enough to shut down an offense's top 2 WRs, that's a much different story.

If Springs is healthy then yeah, we look solid at CB, because he can still cover most #1s (especially TO), and I like Rogers or Smoot matched up against #2 WRs. But if Springs is gimpy for us this year, I don't like Rogers or Smoot up against the #1s.

We definitely figure to be better off than last year though, so that's a plus.

[hesscl34]

It will be a nice change to see other teams try and make plays against us other than throwing deep this year!

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Easy there, we're deep, but I don't know if we have any shut-down CBs. We're deep enough to take away any team's 3rd and 4th WR when they roll out a spread formation. But I wonder if our top 2 CBs are good enough to shut down an offense's top 2 WRs, that's a much different story.

If Springs is healthy then yeah, we look solid at CB, because he can still cover most #1s (especially TO), and I like Rogers or Smoot matched up against #2 WRs. But if Springs is gimpy for us this year, I don't like Rogers or Smoot up against the #1s.

We definitely figure to be better off than last year though, so that's a plus.

You still have to like our quality of depth compared to last year.

Smoot >> Wright
Macklin >> Rumph

[hesscl34]

The point of depth is that the other teams won't be so quick to throw deep...

[MonkFan4Life]

The forecast is blitzing, a whole lot of blitzing. I think we are going to see a whole lot of '04 '05 type stuff from our defense this year.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by MonkFan4Life

The forecast is blitzing, a whole lot of blitzing. I think we are going to see a whole lot of '04 '05 type stuff from our defense this year.

Tighter coverage will definitely = an aggressive blitzing philosophy

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

You still have to like our quality of depth compared to last year.

Smoot >> Wright
Macklin >> Rumph

Yeah that's what I mean by us being better off than we were last year, our ability to cover the #3 and #4 WRs is greatly improved.

But I don't know that we've improved our ability to cover the #1s.

Replacing Archuleta will probably go a long way there, and GW's changing philosophy on releasing the DEs to rush the passer may help there too.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

But I don't know that we've improved our ability to cover the #1s.

True, that will obviously depend greatly on Springs... and Taylor to a degree.

[jbcjr14]

What we need is Taylor and Landry to step up and cover the damn TE! It always seems like on crutial down and distance plays we have been getting beat across the middle by the TE (Witten, Shockey, etc).

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

I feel that our cornerbacks and secondary period is maybe one or two in the league, as far as depth wise. Now if all those former starters could translate that to success on the football field. (Springs, Smoot, and Butler return to their 2004 form. Carlos proves why he was the 9th overall pick.) And Sean Taylor and Laron Landry mess together as well as we think they will, I see no reason why we cant lead the league in interception in 2007.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

And Landry will be able to guard Brian Westbrook 1 on 1 which has been a serious problem over the past couple of years.

[Longtimefan]

My wish would be that our DL was as deep as our CB situation. While Butler was signed at a bargain price, he's obviously no the same player he was when we origionally sought to aquire him. It's going to be interesting to see which of these guys actually make the final 53.

Too much emphasis is placed on what is called a "shut down corner", not many who can actually claim that title in the league. The way teams play defense now with all the many combinations of coverage's "shut down" is in many ways an overstated phrase.