On with some news you may or may not know about…
Five Redskins are having surgery now that the season is over. John Keim of the Washington Examiner reports that tight end Chris Cooley had arthroscopic surgery yesterday.
He also writes that strong safety LaRon Landry and Casey Rabach (both right shoulder) and free safety Kareem Moore (right knee) are also going under the knife. Defensive end Kedric Golston going to have a surgery for a hernia problem.
Head coach Mike Shanahan is going to keep the entire coaching staff he has in place. That’s fine with me though some would argue that both special teams coach, Danny Smith, and defensive backs coach, Bob Slowik, should go. I disagree. Besides the fact that the team needs stability (and stability is helped along by a lack of change), these two guys’ records speak for themselves.
Many people equate (former Pittsburgh Steeler, then Redskin and now Steeler again) Antwaan Randle El’s ineffective punt returning over last season with Smith’s special teams. In fact, where Smith’s groups shine has frequently been in coverage. Can't you just hear those hard hits by Lorenzo Alexander and Mike Sellers?
Beside the fact that the special teams coach is such a unique personality and his players seem to love playing for him, his groups have generally been held in high regard throughout the league and are usually in the top ten in the NFL in different special teams’ categories. Last year, his guys finished third in kickoff return average allowed (19.1-yard average) and sixth in punt return average allowed (6.9-yard average). The Redskins were one of only two teams to finish in the top six in both categories.
In 2008, Smith’s kickoff return unit finished third in the NFC and sixth in the NFL in average starting field position (29.0-yard line). Also, Smith’s coverage unit finished sixth in the NFL as the average drive for Washington’s opponents started on the 25.7-yard line, all according to redskins.com.
In 2007, the Redskins’ kickoff return units ranked fourth in the NFL and second in the NFC in average starting field position (30.8-yard line).
Bob Slowik’s ‘good-ol’-boy’ type of personality might rub some people wrong but it’s the players that count. He was in Denver with Shanahan from 2005 – 2008 and in that time, his DBs helped the club yield the eighth-lowest opponent passer rating (77.9) in the NFL according to his bio on redskins.com. Also, cornerback Champ Bailey – traded to Denver for Clinton Portis – and safety John Lynch both earned Pro Bowl appearances from 2005 – 2007 under the coach. Actually, since Slowik has been coaching in the NFL (since 1993), six of his players have been to Hawaii 11 times.
The Redskins have seven picks in the draft at this point, including the tenth pick in the first round (I don’t think they have any picks in the third or fourth round but that could change). By the way, had the team lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks ago, they would have the sixth pick. I’ll take the win.
Allen was creative last year with trades and you never know what draft-day tricks he might come up with for the Burgundy & Gold.
The 2011 NFL draft will begin on Thursday April 28th and go through the 30th, regardless of the status of the CBA according to Mark Maese of the Washington Post. Here is the order for the top 20 picks currently:
1. Carolina Panthers (2-14), 2. Denver Broncos (4-12), 3. Buffalo Bills (4-12), 4. Cincinnati Bengals (4-12), 5. Arizona Cardinals (5-11), 6. Cleveland Browns (5-11), 7. San Francisco 49ers (6-10), 8. Tennessee Titans (6-10), 9. Dallas Cowboys (6-10), 10. Washington Redskins (6-10), 11. Houston Texans (6-10), 12. Minnesota Vikings (6-10), 13. Detroit Lions (6-10), 14. St. Louis Rams (7-9), 15. Miami Dolphins (7-9), 16. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8), 17. Oakland Raiders (8-8), 18. San Diego Chargers (9-7), 19. New York Giants (10-6) and 20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
There is never any lack of speculation and opinion out there about what position Washington should use on that first pick and, of course, a lot depends on what happens with quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman. So far, Shanahan won’t commit one way or another but has said that he would look at every position that is available in April. There are so many positions that need to either be upgraded or have depth added… quarterback probably, and both offensive and defensive lines at the very least.
The free agents on the team are several and varied. Quarterback Rex Grossman, wide out Santana Moss, linebacker Rocky McIntosh, cornerback Carlos Rogers, right tackle Jammal Brown, defensive end Kedric Golston, cornerback Phillip Buchanon and safety Reed Doughty are just some of the more well-known players whose contracts are up. In my opinion, a few of those should be resigned, especially Moss but others as well.
I am sorry to say that one of the players that does not feel like he’ll be back next season is linebacker/former defensive end Andre Carter. With the conversion to the 3-4 scheme, Carter was himself converted to linebacker this season. Because he struggled early on and only began to feel comfortable very recently, he feels the team will not pick up the option to extend his contract.
Carter is melancholy about leaving Washington.
“It is tough. There’s so much history here, and I’m so appreciative of the guys that are here. Phillip Daniels bringing me in, Renaldo Wynn, Joe Salave'a, Cornelius Griffin. Those were the guys on the defensive front and we’ve had a lot of great battles together,” Carter said according to Mike Jones of TBD.com. “The run that we made in 2007 was just such a great part of my career. It’s a lot of great memories, but the game of football is just going to keep on continuing. That’s life. … My wife and myself, we made a lot of great friends on and off the field and we’ll continue to maintain the relationships that I’ve gained. It’s no telling what the future holds. But I’m very appreciative of the media, the owner, Dan Snyder, bringing me in and Greg Blache, Gregg Williams, I could name so many guys off the back of my head. I’m very grateful for this experience.”
With Carter over 30-years old and the coach talking about heading towards younger players, he could be correct in his prediction of not being re-signed.
“We’d like to have guys on the younger side.” Shanahan said during his Monday press conference.
Onward and upward. The off-season approacheth.
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