Redskins November 2010 - - The Good...

[sportscurmudgeon]

This is the first of three threads about the Skins - - The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.

Here is what is GOOD:

1. With the coach and the best available QB signed for multiple years, the Redskins have the basis to establish some offensive continuity. Read what I said; I did not say Donovan McNabb is the best QB in the league; he is not; I said he is the best QB available. I do not have access to every NFL contract but I believe that the top QBs available as free agents at the end of 2010 include:

Bruce Gradkowski
Jon Kitna
Patrick Ramsey
Alex Smith

Maybe there are a couple of others to add to that list - - but they are all of the same caliber. Even if you think Donovan McNabb is an overpaid stumblebum whose cardiovascular conditioning is suspect, you have to agree that he is a better QB for 2010 - 2011 than anyone on that list. And it really isn't a close call.

The Skins' alternative is to draft a college QB. With 4 wins in hand and probably a few more coming, the Skins will not have the top pick in the 2011 draft and may not have a top 5 pick. So, if you want this year's version of Sam Bradford/Matt Ryan/Matthew Stafford, you are going to have to "trade up". And to trade up, you have to give up your first round pick PLUS multiple other picks - - and the Skins already have spent some of those 2011 picks elsewhere. So, getting a stud college QB comes at the price of the draft.

ERGO, Donovan McNabb is the best available QB for the Redskins and he is now under contract for at least the next two or three seasons. That is GOOD.


2. The contract extension McNabb signed is NOT a budget buster. Please get the $78M figure out of your head. Donovan McNabb is not going to collect $78M from the Redskins under this contract any more than Fat Albert is going to collect his reported $100M from the Redskins under his contract. Yes, the team had to pony up front end cash and make some downstream guarantees in the contract, but the team has ways out when two things come together:

A. The economics dictate that the team move on from McNabb
B. The team has a comparable QB available to them.

This too is GOOD.


3. The Redskins' first round picks from the last two years (Williams and Orakpo) are developing very nicely. This is GOOD.


What these three things will allow the coaches and the front office to do is to build a team that will be a contender. They have stability where stability matters most and they have two young players who have "star potential" PLUS they both work at their games to improve.

There are lots of players who have great physical skills and who never make it big because they rely on those physical skills to carry them (cf. Devin Thomas) but Williams and Orakpo work on their games and their skills to get better. They will set an example for future high picks as they come into the organization. And that is why the Skins should not squander high draft picks; they have the basis of an envrionment to make high picks into highly productive players.

Check elsewhere for the next thread - - The BAD.

[SFREDSKIN]

My sleeper QB that I would have liked before he was shipped to Miami last year and is starting this week, isTyler Thigpen. As for the good:

Keiland Williams
Darrell Young

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

This is the first of three threads about the Skins - - The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.

Here is what is GOOD:

1. With the coach and the best available QB signed for multiple years, the Redskins have the basis to establish some offensive continuity. Read what I said; I did not say Donovan McNabb is the best QB in the league; he is not; I said he is the best QB available. I do not have access to every NFL contract but I believe that the top QBs available as free agents at the end of 2010 include:

Bruce Gradkowski
Jon Kitna
Patrick Ramsey
Alex Smith

Maybe there are a couple of others to add to that list - - but they are all of the same caliber. Even if you think Donovan McNabb is an overpaid stumblebum whose cardiovascular conditioning is suspect, you have to agree that he is a better QB for 2010 - 2011 than anyone on that list. And it really isn't a close call.

The Skins' alternative is to draft a college QB. With 4 wins in hand and probably a few more coming, the Skins will not have the top pick in the 2011 draft and may not have a top 5 pick. So, if you want this year's version of Sam Bradford/Matt Ryan/Matthew Stafford, you are going to have to "trade up". And to trade up, you have to give up your first round pick PLUS multiple other picks - - and the Skins already have spent some of those 2011 picks elsewhere. So, getting a stud college QB comes at the price of the draft.

ERGO, Donovan McNabb is the best available QB for the Redskins and he is now under contract for at least the next two or three seasons. That is GOOD.


2. The contract extension McNabb signed is NOT a budget buster. Please get the $78M figure out of your head. Donovan McNabb is not going to collect $78M from the Redskins under this contract any more than Fat Albert is going to collect his reported $100M from the Redskins under his contract. Yes, the team had to pony up front end cash and make some downstream guarantees in the contract, but the team has ways out when two things come together:

A. The economics dictate that the team move on from McNabb
B. The team has a comparable QB available to them.

This too is GOOD.


3. The Redskins' first round picks from the last two years (Williams and Orakpo) are developing very nicely. This is GOOD.


What these three things will allow the coaches and the front office to do is to build a team that will be a contender. They have stability where stability matters most and they have two young players who have "star potential" PLUS they both work at their games to improve.

There are lots of players who have great physical skills and who never make it big because they rely on those physical skills to carry them (cf. Devin Thomas) but Williams and Orakpo work on their games and their skills to get better. They will set an example for future high picks as they come into the organization. And that is why the Skins should not squander high draft picks; they have the basis of an envrionment to make high picks into highly productive players.

Check elsewhere for the next thread - - The BAD.

Bottom line is most team have MORE players like Williams and Orakpo than we do.

[SBXVII]

I keep looking at it this way,

Your right McNabb is not the "Best" QB with his over throws and dirt balls but he is a lot better then what is available. They talked about it on the Lavar radio show(lol) yesterday prior to the game. We beef up our OL and actually get OL who can play in a Zone blocking scheme similar to T.Williams and give McNabb more time to throw the ball and we'll be better off.

I'm humbling myself in saying I was one of the fans who said the issue was at WR, or RB, or TE, when in reality it's OL, and honestly maybe DL too. Get a better DL and a better pass rush and the QB will throw too early or get sacked. I'm not saying we don't need a WR but we definitly need to get better protection for McNabb to throw the ball, which then leads to why the coaching staff is not rolling McNabb out more or setting up more screens.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

The Eagles game is finally over.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

Bottom line is most team have MORE players like Williams and Orakpo than we do.

because he had to ...excuse me... Cerrato had to keep going out and picking up the flashy players; Archulleta, Lloyd, ARE, Taylor, etc. etc. At this point I'd scrap from the LG all the way to the RT. I'd start looking now at the OL college players. I'd pick up a RT at #1 and better Center at #2. Look at whatever else is needed in the later rounds and UFA's and FA's. It's time to get younger, healthier, and faster.

In the mean time CUT GALLOWAY NOW! bring Austin up from the PS to see if he's servicable at all, maybe cut R.Williams also and bring in someone else. At another site there was mention of a WR McNabb played with while in Philli who he had a great report with. The WR is healthy now after fighting cancer and is 100% according to his agent. Fill R.Williams spot with him.

[MTK]

We should all hope that DM works out here. A year under his belt in this system, an improved OL, some more weapons in the passing & running game, and DM will be fine.

[irish]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

We should all hope that DM works out here. A year under his belt in this system, an improved OL, some more weapons in the passing & running game, and DM will be fine.

I agree, DM is the least of this team's problems.

[Hog1]

DM is definately a good signing for the reasons mentioned.
And, who the hell else is available. I mean sure Patrick Ramsey is sweet thought, but no doubt he'll get snapped up by the savvy octogenarian talent evaluator, Al Davis?
AND on ESPN 980 John and Doc talking about the contract. According to them the SKins have the ability to retain the rights to DM after this year....or they could dump him with no strings attached for roughly 3.5m.....allegedly

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

We got our guy if we want him. Good things.

[30gut]

More of the good...

Chris Cooley and the underused Fred Davis 2 above average starting caliber TE (although Davis is woefully underused)

[SouperMeister]

Our kick coverage and kick return units continue to be among the best in the league. Last night featured a lot of kickoffs, and we consistently outplayed Philly's kick off teams. Yes, its a forgettable point during a blow out loss, but having a field position advantage from special teams can be huge when the games are close.