Veteran punter Hunter Smith to get workout

[Dirtbag59]

Now time to find a way to bring back Red Snapper and then the 4-3!

Veteran punter Hunter Smith is headed back to Redskins Park.
Smith, among the team's top performers regardless of position last season, is scheduled to work out for the team on Tuesday at the complex, a person familiar with the situation said late Sunday night.

The Redskins declined to offer Smith, 33, a contract despite his impressive performance last season, opting to sign veteran punter Josh Bidwell, who was the only punter on the roster through training camp and the preseason. But Bidwell suffered a hip injury during pregame warmups Sunday before Washington's 30-16 loss to the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome.

After finishing worst in the league in punting in 2008, the Redskins had a top unit during the 2009 season. With the highest net average (36.8 yards) of a Redskins punter in 10 seasons, Smith played a key role in the improvement of the coverage team with effective hang time.

Washington allowed no punts to be blocked, and Smith, who was a positive influence in the locker room, rushed for one touchdown and passed for another. Smith's teammates often spoke of what a difference it was to have him on the field.

The team's punters during the 2008 season - Durant Brooks and Ryan Plackemeier - were wildly inconsistent, making life especially difficult for special teams coordinator Danny Smith. With Hunter Smith at the position, the Redskins' coverage team suddenly didn't look so bad.

Washington was among the NFL leaders in fair catch percentage and other coverage statistics, members of the former coaching staff said after last season. The Redskins did not give up any punt returns for touchdowns.

By Jason Reid | September 27, 2010; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (19)

[Alvin Walton]

Great, we should have re-signed him anyway.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Alvin Walton

Great, we should have re-signed him anyway.

Exactly. That call still doesn't make sense to me.

[Dirtbag59]

Seriously though I want Red Snapper back. I feel like I can time James Dearth's snaps with a sundial. Anyone want to take a gander on this weeks kicking snafu? Will it be:

A. Blocked Field Goal
B. Blocked Punt
C. Botched Snap (Field goal or Punt)
D. Blocked kick returned for a TD
E. Short Field Goal returned for a TD that ties an NFL record for longest return
F. Botched snap that leads to a safety

Winner of this weeks kicking snafu contest will get a gatorade. Winner must pay for own gatorade.

[mredskins]

Well on the bright side our special teams even make extra points exciting.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by mredskins

Well on the bright side our special teams even make extra points exciting.

For the other team. For us it's the peace of mind you get when you've accepted death while in the execution chamber.

[SBXVII]

I'm confused who's fault is it for the blocked punt? I'm just wondering cause I thought it was the OL failure to block or slow the gunner down, and now they bring in another punter?

They should have brought in another field goal kicker after week two's blocked FG.

[MTK]

Bidwell is hurt, in case you didn't hear. That's why Gano was punting.

[SBXVII]

Sorry didn't read the OP. my bad. Just pissed they are bringing in someone else after another gaff, but if the punter did sustain a hip injury during warm ups who punted the ball? the punter with the hip injury? nice.

[aceinthehouse]

"Swinging Gate"

[MTK]

Again, our kicker Gano was punting. Did you see the game?

[diehard]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

Exactly. That call still doesn't make sense to me.

This FO or coaching staff has a bad habit of making uneccessary changes.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Bidwell is hurt, in case you didn't hear. That's why Gano was punting.

Thanks. My Sun. was rather busy with a b-day party right during the game, then we went down 14 points at the beginning and probably just like the team zoned out who was playing what, when, and where. Between getting pissed off at the play selection, players miscue's, and the Rams playing better, the Refs kept pissing me off.

I know no team should leave the game up to the Refs and we shouldn't have to blame the Refs but .... OMG, between our bad plays and the Refs handing the Rams the game I was just pissed.

I'll say it again.... Remember the Lions week 1 catching the TD pass in the endzone, which almost every normal human being called a TD, but the Refs applying some rule said "no TD" because the ball moved after the WR made a perfect catch with both feet in bounds, a football move by turning and facing the back of the endzone the whole while controling the ball up until he hit the ground with it and it rolled out of his hand. The rule shouldn't have mattered.... he caught the ball, in the endzone and controlled it for atleast 3 steps, TD. but no.

Then yesterday during the Rams game pass thrown to the WR at the 1 yrd line who got hit and while falling the ball hit the ground and bounced up and hit him in the face mask, but he grabbed it back up. The Refs gave them the spot at the 1 yrd line. If the rule is to be applied equally across the board then that was no catch because the ball moved when it hit the ground. The player did not control the ball.

That was just one play. I saw holding by the Rams OL all day. Rogers got a penalty that I guess was a good penalty, although I felt he had a right to go for the ball also, but the Refs over look the holding call on the Center keeping us from getting a sack. WTF?

[MTK]

I really didn't think the refs had much to do with our overall crappy, sloppy, and uninspired play.

They lost their best player in Jackson, and still managed to control the game with a rookie QB no less.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by diehard

This FO or coaching staff has a bad habit of making uneccessary changes.

The question is when have our bad feeling ever not come back to bite us. Here's a short list.

- Drafting Jason Campbell in the first round of the 2005 draft
- Promoting Vinny to EXVPOFO
- Not hiring Gregg Williams
- Hiring Zorn
- Drafting 3 pass catchers in the 2nd round
- Not fixing the O-Line
- Signing Haynesworth to a $100 million contract
- Bringing Zorn back
- Hiring Haslet
- Switching to the 3-4
- Not resigning Red Snapper and Hunter the Punter

I've started to learn to trust the bad first impression. In fact the only bad first impression that I can think of that turned out to be completely wrong was drafting Trent Williams. Can anyone else think of an example of bad first impression that turned out to be overblown (ie when we rejected the null)?