Rob Johnson to the Skins? hahahahahaha

[Fritz]

hahahahahaha

I would rather have an unknown.

[AgPete]

Question, where are the Redskins getting all this salary cap room? They blew a lot of it when Snyder took over. They're aggressive, can't fault them for that, but I think Snyder is playing fantasy football again with his contracts.

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by AgPete
Question, where are the Redskins getting all this salary cap room? They blew a lot of it when Snyder took over. They're aggressive, can't fault them for that, but I think Snyder is playing fantasy football again with his contracts.
A friend of mine asked me the same question. I'll have to look and see what their status was prior to free agency. They sure are signing a lot of guys.

Tarkus

[Tarkus]

Hmm, as of 2/18 they were 1.6 million over. Did they release a lot of guys?

Tarkus

[Tarkus]

dola, they also signed former Jets' kicker John Hall. Where are they getting all this money?

Tarkus

[Craptacular]

As of Feb 28th, the 'Skins were $4.8 mill under the cap.
ESPN article (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1510617.html)

[Fritz]

Skins "made" a boatload cutting davis and shade.

[Fritz]

dola.

proving a fool and his money....

[AgPete]

I think the biggest mistake they made was getting rid of Brad Johnson. Their defensive line was mediocre last year and the signings look more like stop gap measures than real improvement. I've watched Brandon Noble play for the Cowboys for a few years and while not many players play with more effort with their few god given talents, he's not the answer. Of course, if any team can depend on a stop gap defensive line and linebackers to do the job, it's Washington. I wonder how Trotter is doing with his injury? I would have saved some money for Boston if Spurrier is convinced his fun and gun can cut it in the NFL. Good improvement on the offensive line but what good does it do when you're depending on a second year quarterback and Florida leftovers at wide receivers? I feel the Canidate trade was a great move, I wish the Cowboys would have tried that. Much cheaper than Stephen Davis and he'll probably be just as good if he lives up to his potential. I think they might have boosted their team to the playoffs, especially with the lack of quality teams in a parity league, but they're still not good enough for the Superbowl and that's what these signings look like, an attempt to upgrade a few vital positions in hopes that it will put your team over the top. Only problem is they have so much salary cap damage, they have to win now and I don't think they're good enough to do it.

[cthomer5000]

I would honestly like to thank the Redskins for taking John Hall of our hands!

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
I would honestly like to thank the Redskins for taking John Hall of our hands!
Amen brother. Now maybe they get Hollis or draft Marler. Then maybe every kick won't be an adventure.

Tarkus

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Tarkus
Amen brother. Now maybe they get Hollis or draft Marler. Then maybe every kick won't be an adventure.

Tarkus

Hall really made everything exciting, I'll give him that. I finally started to hate him in 2000 (Al Groh's ill-fated season). I was at the Detroit game, and with a chance to win the game as time was about to expire, he shanked a kick like I've never seen. It was so far left I'm not sure it hit the endzone before it rolled out of bounds. I'll admit it was a windy day... but it looked like a coffin corner punt.

But the Redskins can fall back on the strong kickoff leg he used to have. :D

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
But the Redskins can fall back on the strong kickoff leg he used to have. :D
That was actually the biggest surprise about last season. He really did lose a lot of distance on kickoffs. Never did understand that.

Tarkus

[Craptacular]

The NFL coaches screwed with his technique. He'd boot kickoffs through the uprights at UW on a regular basis.

[Iceberg]

Originally posted by AgPete
Question, where are the Redskins getting all this salary cap room? They blew a lot of it when Snyder took over. They're aggressive, can't fault them for that, but I think Snyder is playing fantasy football again with his contracts.

I don't think they have really had to shell out that much cash for any of the guys they signed plus the aforementioned cuts.

As far as boston goes i think he is great and would love to see him in DC but they seem more interested in rocket Ismail.

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by Iceberg
I don't think they have really had to shell out that much cash for any of the guys they signed plus the aforementioned cuts.

That could be, but Thomas did cost them $28 mil over 7 years with a $7 mil signing bonus.

Tarkus

[kcchief19]

I don't know if this is Spurrier or Snyder. Snyder would be much more likely to go for names, and so far these guys are not "name" guys. Granted, they have a lot of holes, so they probably need to take the middle of the round approach and sign a lot of good guys instead of one or two great guys.

I think Snyder's hands are all over the rumored impending signing of The Rocket for sure though.

[Tarkus]

Well, I do find it a tad unusual that they signed four guards. Did they not have one semi-decent OG under contract?

Tarkus

[kcchief19]

Dola --

Back to my comment on the Bly signing, by jumping on these guys this early, they are probably overpaying, as evidenced by the Thomas bonus.

[Fritz]

From ESPN's Cut list

Player, Cap number, 2003 savings
RB Stephen Davis $11.429 million $7.714 million
S Sam Shade $2.707 million $1.6 million
TE Walter Rasby $688,533 $650,000
P Craig Jarrett $300,000 $300,000

[Dutch]

Rob Johnson drops back, he checks his receivers......he checks his receivers....he checks his receivers.....over the deafening crowd, he hears his coach and players and even opponents yelling, "Throw the damn...." And then there is a bright flash of light followed quickly by darkness.....and when Rob finally pulls his facemask out of the turf.....he realizes again that they just don't do 10 Mississippi counts in the pro's.

Oh well, one day he will get to the sidelines while the memory is still fresh to write that one down...

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by Dutch
he realizes again that they just don't do 10 Mississippi counts in the pro's.

Oh well, one day he will get to the sidelines while the memory is still fresh to write that one down...
:D :D

Tarkus

[rkmsuf]

[QUOTE]:03 PT: Updating previous reports, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports PK John Hall's new deal with the Washington Redskins is a five-year contract worth $7.13 million and the deal includes a $1.6 million signing bonus.
QUOTE]

That's cooky talk. Hall is nothing but average...They would have been better served to try and lock up Edinger long term...

[AgPete]

ROFL @ Dutch

he checks his receivers.....he checks his receivers.....he checks his receivers LOL :D

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by rkmsuf
[QUOTE]:03 PT: Updating previous reports, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports PK John Hall's new deal with the Washington Redskins is a five-year contract worth $7.13 million and the deal includes a $1.6 million signing bonus.
QUOTE]

That's cooky talk. Hall is nothing but average...They would have been better served to try and lock up Edinger long term...

wow. that really is overpaying. He's worth league minimum. I really think this signing made Jets fans happier than Redskins fans.


There now also interested in Tom Tupa ....

The Redskins do know that they have access to other team's films, right? :(

[rkmsuf]

Peter King's take:

Print the Super Bowl tickets!

Let me start by saying that I like Washington owner Dan Snyder's excitement and verve about the NFL's Hot Stove League. In acquiring eight free agents and a ninth player (Trung Canidate) via trade since the free-agent signing period began last Friday, the Redskins have taken steps toward catching one division foe they're close to (the Giants) and another they haven't been able to touch recently (the Eagles). But let me also say that only two of their acquisitions are rock-solid, risk-free picks: Randy Thomas, an above-average NFL guard, and one my favorite defensive tackles, ex-Cowboy Brandon Noble. Washington is about to lose its best defensive lineman, the quixotic Daryl Gardener, and as much as I like Noble, he's no Gardener in terms of stopping the run. The Redskins still are thin at receiver (and it's a good thing the Giants saved them from acquiring the unreliable Ike Hilliard by re-signing Hilliard on Sunday) and might sign Rocket Ismail, but he's hardly Mr. Impact. Ismail will be 34 this year, and he hasn't had a great season since 1999. What Washington did was summed up best by Tony Kornheiser in Monday's Washington Post: "These are the best of times for the Washington Redskins -- when the games are being played on paper."

The most interesting three storylines of the Redskins' splurge:


CANIDATE. Strange trade, a risky trade. I've thought about this a lot, and I like the move -- but only if the Redskins don't start imagining that Canidate, acquired from St. Louis on Friday for guard David Loverne, is Tiki Barber. As excited as Snyder gets, I'm sure he has visions of a similarly productive back dancing in his head. Because Washington cut Loverne, the Rams receive a fourth-round pick for Canidate, essentially, with Loverne thrown in. The upside: Canidate is signed for the next two years at very nice cap numbers of $840,000 and $922,000. He runs also 4.3 40-yard dash.

Now that Washington head coach Steve Spurrier isn't an NFL rookie anymore, he enters the 2003 offseason knowing what he wants: Speed, and lots of it. He feels his was a plodding offense last year, and he has an explosive question mark of a running back. "We've got a home run hitter in the backfield," said Washington offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. The downside: Canidate was known almost as much for being injured and fumbling the ball as he was for his 40-times in St. Louis. Third-round pick Lamar Gordon also passed him on the Rams depth chart last fall. In three seasons, Canidate had one great day, a 195-yard rushing performance against the Jets.

The Redskins are leaning internally toward starting Canidate, which I might do, too. But I certainly wouldn't rely on a guy who has averaged 32.6 carries a season through only three years in the league. Look for Washington to pair Canidate and Ladell Betts in a running back-by-committee plan to replace the masher they released last week, Stephen Davis. Why do I like it? Low risk. They can let go of Canidate at some point, if need be, without hurting the cap.

THE MONEY. Not including Sunday's haul of four lesser lights -- Rob Johnson, John Hall, Lennie Friedman, Tre Johnson -- Washington spent $12.3 million in bonuses (future possible cap-eatings, I mean). I guess if they were going to get Thomas, they had to pay dumb money -- $7 million to sign, $28 million over four years; most NFL folks will tell you it's too much to spend six percent of your salary cap on a guard, no matter how good he is. If Reagan Upshaw is a good starting defensive end, he's worth the $2 million to sign; if he's the hot-tempered, oft-hard-to-handle guy he was in Oakland, he won't be worth it. Noble, the hardest-working player on anyone's roster, is a great signing for the money ($1.8 bonus, four years, $6.5 million total). Guard Dave Fiore will be a good fit at guard if he can stay healthy, which of course is the reason the 49ers let him walk. They didn't think he could. In all, the Redskins spent a lot of money on players with questionable futures. But at least they spread it out over lots of players. The Giants and Cowboys gave $10 million apiece to sign to good, question! ab! le but promising left tackles Luke Petitgout and Flozell Adams.

JOHN HALL. The Redskins are investing about $1.5 million per year in Hall. I don't like this signing. Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff is one of the best in the game, and he liked Hall. But I ran into Westhoff at the NFL scouting combine last week, and I was asking him about kickers in the draft (he was mostly unimpressed) when we started talking about Hall. He asked me a rhetorical question that I didn't have to answer: "When John misses a kick, are you surprised?" That's the thing about Hall. He has a better leg than anyone the Redskins have had, but he's a lifetime .733 percent kicker. Last season, 23 NFL kickers had a better percentage. I don't care if he kicks off the 4-yard line consistently, or whatever he'll do. In the long run, here's how you measure a kicker: Five times a year, they have a huge kick in the fourth quarter or overtime, a 46-yarder from the right hash with the game on the line. He had better make four or five of those. Hall's history is that he misses too many makeable ones.

The Redskins are better this morning. Good for Snyder. He's proactive, and not stupidly, the way he was with Deion Sanders and Jeff George and some of his memorable early gaffes. But my only prediction about their haul is that there are still two better teams in the NFC East.

[wade moore]

Originally posted by Tarkus
Well, I do find it a tad unusual that they signed four guards. Did they not have one semi-decent OG under contract?

Tarkus

In one word, No. Keep in mind though, one of the guys they signed (Tre Johnson) actually was one of the guys on their roster last year..

[Iceberg]

Yeah wade is right and johnson and fiore are each health gambles anyways so they count as about one half of a guard each.

[Subby]

Boy oh boy do I agree with Fritzy about Johnson. I am hoping against hope that a) Ramsey doesn't get injured or b) if Johnson DOES have to play, he somehow flourishes under Spurrier's tutelage.

I was initially excited about the signing of Hall because we have had such a miserable parade of bastards at that position since Chip Lohmiller left town. Hall is a big guy that I was under the impression could crush kickoffs and until I see actual stats, I will blissfully stick with that notion. What stats I did see show Hall is an average field goal kicker. Luckily Spurrier eschews field goals and likes to go for it on fourth down!

Anyone who criticizes the offensive line signings is nitpicking. Randy Thomas is a huge addition - and Fiore is solid. Tre Johnson gives them depth (something which has been sorely lacking), while Friedman can backup, or challenge to start, at Center.

Anyway - I would have liked to have kept Darryl Gardener, but I think his back is suspect enough that paying him his asking price would have backfired.

I thought the Candidate acquisition was a little suprising - I was under the impression that Skins were set at the position with Betts and Watson. I realize Candidate is something of an enigma, but I am excited to see what he can do behind a great line.

Anyway - other than the Rob Johnson signing, I am ecstatic about the moves. I think they have spent prudently, addressing nuts and bolts needs rather than trying to be splashy like in 2000 (fuck you, Jeff George).

God knows they are looking better than the Dolphins.

[Noop]

Where you been Subby?


noop

[Bee]

It will be interesting to see if the QB shifting continues next year. If so, it will be a long season for skin fans.