Could the Redskins 2011 Draft Make Up for Lost Millions?

Ryan Kerrigan (left)

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan made a lot of good decisions last season and he made a few that weren’t so good. Some of those not-so-good decisions contributed to a situation in which a player basically received a $31 million gift from the team. While I think if handled differently, those millions might have ended up as the intended paycheck for services rendered, it was the coach’s first year here. Also, he had nothing to do with bringing the player under discussion to Washington. I shall refrain from criticizing the man.

After watching the way Shanahan handled this 2011 NFL Draft, I am even less inclined to judge.

The Redskins' coach did just about what I expected him to do, both in terms of maneuvering trades to get more picks and in the positions he drafted.

By trading back with several teams throughout the event, Shanahan was able to double the amount of players drafted from the original allotment and so add some much-needed depth to the team. When it was all said and done, Shanahan had made deals with six different teams and Washington ended up with the most draft picks it has had since 1985. Well done.

This team must get better on defense to compete (they plummeted to a ranking of 31^st last season). Shanahan addressed that need and others. He focused on both sides of the ball by drafting six defensive players (two backs, four linemen), three wide receivers (one of which is also a return specialist), two running backs, and an offensive lineman.

I give Shanahan & Co. a high passing grade for the event. One of the things I noticed was the emphasis on character drafted into his locker room. Many of the draftees’ scouting reports list intangibles like “hard working” and “team leader.”

Ryan Kerrigan (DE/OLB, Purdue), the Redskins’ first round draft pick, has strengths of “Team leader” and “Intelligent with solid work ethic” listed on WalterFootball.com. Even better is, “Person of high character. Outstanding work ethic on and off the field. Named 2010 team captain. Received team's Pit Bull Award (exemplified and sustained tenacity and intense play) during 2009 spring practices. Named team's MVP in 2009. Three-time Academic All Big Ten” on another website.

This youngster sounds like someone Joe Gibbs would love.

The great thing is that this type of narrative is typical for several of the rookies.  For instance, there is:

Jarvis Jenkins, DL, Clemson (Round 2, 41^st overall) – “Good motor... Disciplined,” “Team captain. Improving as a leader and is learning to trust his coaching more as he matures.”

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (Round 3, 79^th overall) – “Good character” and “Tough kid with good intangibles,”  “Great work ethic. Will pay the price. Matured during career at Miami. One of the most improved players on the team in 2009…” “…continues to improve in 2010 due to hard work.”

Roy Helu, RB, Nebraska (Round 4, 105^th overall) – “High character, respected by teammates,” “Has taken the leadership reigns offensively this past off-season. Hard worker both on and off the field. Active in community service.”

DeJon Gomes, DB, Nebraska (Round 5, 146^th overall) – “Active in the community and charity work,” ”Accountable and well-respected by teammates and coaches. A film rat and puts in the necessary time to be successful.”

Evan Royster, RB, Penn State (Round 6, 177^th overall) – “…not the type that is boisterous or a ‘chest beater’ preferring to let his performance on the field speak volumes for his… ability,” “…tireless work ethic,” “…quiet warrior,”  “Few young players carry themselves off the field like he does, making family and staff proud to be part of his life on the football field and away from the game.”

Maurice Hurt, OL, Florida (Round 7, 217^th overall) –“Respectful to teammates and coaches. Self-motivated and will work to improve as a football player. Passionate about football.”

Markus White, DE, Florida State (Round 7, 224^th overall) – “Earned captain honors for seven games in 2010 and was voted a permanent team captain after the season. Has worked hard to improve as a football player since arriving to the program in 2008. Has very good football character.”

Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia (Round 7, 253^rd overall) – “Developed into the leader and pace setter along the defensive line. Selected as a team captain during senior campaign. Awarded the John Russell award by the coaches during his junior season (2009) for his leadership skills.”

Considering the problem that Shanahan had last season with the afore-referenced defensive lineman, it’s no surprise that he would go out of his way to draft high character guys into his locker room.

The team basically gave a LOT of money to a player that made the most minimal of contributions to the team possible while still getting the check. Perhaps, with the character that these new rookies possess, they will make up for some of the missing effort from last year. Could youth combined with character be that "thing" that could have gotten ten more yards or possibly three more points last season? Could that have been the difference between winning and losing a few of those close games?

There are a lot of great guys wearing the burgundy and gold right now and I am not insinuating that any of them (save one) gave less than all they had last season. But there were off-the-field distractions that could subconsciously affect the hardest of workers. There was the issue of the wear and tear over the years on our guys that must be factored into the equation of wins vs. losses.

I will not predict any sort of record for the coming season at this point and obviously, we don't know how many of the rookies will make the team. I will say, however that the intangibles, youth and talent that some of these young recruits bring to the table, added to the character already in the locker room, could mean that the 2011 Washington Redskins just might end up over .500.  This, my fellow fans, constitutes a winning season.

Hail.

Washington Redskins: Santana Moss Is Best in Burgundy and Gold

Washington Redskins wide out Santana Moss might possibly have worn the burgundy and gold for the last time. Becoming a free agent in a little under 48 hours, reports assert that the Redskins are not going to re-sign Moss to a contract this off-season.

This is not good. Not that head coach Mike Shanahan checks in with me every day but, the guy has given too much to let him go without an argument.

Looking back on Moss’s time in Washington, there are plenty of reasons to give him another contract.

1)      The state of the NFL. In an off-season that will focus on the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, salaries and cap space will be guarded and even a willing spender like Redskins owner Dan Snyder could keep his cash close at hand.

Santana Moss has renegotiated his contract every year since 2006 to free up salary cap space on the team. It is certainly within his right to test the free agent market but having a productive player who has shown a willingness to help out the team in these uncertain times deserves consideration.

2)      Moss works hard. The former Miami Hurricane has only missed six games in nine seasons. He has been consistent for Washington over the years, not complaining and continuing to produce under new coaches and new systems.

Even more importantly to die-hard Redskins fans, Moss always… ALWAYS shows up to play the Dallas Cowboys.

3)      Moss has character and gets along with his teammates. He has remained sane and reasonable for the Redskins during seasons fraught with trauma that no fan or coach could have envisioned. His teammates recognize this in him and appreciate it.

"I don't think Santana gets as much credit as he's due," center Casey Rabach said according to David Elfin. "He had that one Pro Bowl season, but he means so much more to this team. He's the go-to guy. He's the big-play guy. A lot of people say maybe he should be the No. 2 guy on another team, but the guy just catches ball after ball and make tremendous plays for us. The guy works hard. He puts in his time. He cares about winning football."

4)      Speaking of a 'go-to guy,' Moss can play. In 2010, Moss had a career season, not only playing in all 16 games but catching 1,115 yards worth of passes and scoring 36 points. Those catches and points were a hot commodity given the problems at the quarterback position and a new system. These issues make Moss’s accomplishments even more impressive.

In 2010, he was the number three ranked wide receiver in the NFL behind only Roddy White (Atlanta) and Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis).

For the record, Moss has made five All-Pro teams in his career and a Pro Bowl. He is ranked 63rd in single-season career receiving yards (out of 248 positions).

In his six years in Washington, Moss has played 92 games, starting in all, caught 442 passes for 6,142 yards (13.9 yards-per-catch) and made 33 touchdowns.

5)      Despite several losing seasons, Moss wants to stay in Washington. In my opinion, this loyalty is commendable, especially in light of the some of the administrative shenanigans he has witnessed. He must see potential in the new regime and coaching staff, and he considers himself a Washington Redskin.

"I just feel like once I became a Redskin, I felt like it was meant for me to be here," Moss said according to Matt Terl. "Once I got that opportunity to come here, you know, coming into the league in 2001, I heard that's where I was going anyway. The whole week leading up to it, they had me under Washington, Washington, Washington. For whatever reason, the Jets got me. And when I got a chance to come anyway, I was like, hey, maybe it was meant. And when the career has went the way it went here, when it comes to just having the success I've had here, you know, you kind of say, well this must be the team for me."

6)      Even with the free agent wide receivers out there: Randy Moss, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Vincent Jackson, Steve Smith and Santonio Holmes to name a few, Moss should still remain with the team. There is room for any one of these guys AND Moss. The Shanahans found him to be as valuable in the slot as he is anywhere else on the field. His route running and ability to separate from defensive backs is a thing of beauty in my humble opinion and even if the Redskins bring in an 8-foot tall receiver, Moss will continue to make important plays on the field.

OK. Cliché time. This is the National Football League. It’s a business, blah, blah, blah. Coaches, general managers, owners, scouts, etc. do what they feel is best for the team when it comes to trading or releasing players. When a veteran player has old injuries that continue to pop up, when a player has done more damage to his relationship with his coach than can be repaired or when a younger player has simply outplayed a veteran to the point where there is not enough room left for that veteran in the same position, well then… trades or releases must be made – obviously.

There have been cuts or trades made in Washington that I have never forgiven. When the Redskins let safety Ryan Clark get away after the 2005 season, I almost left the fold (especially considering what they paid Adam Archuleta and how badly he failed). It is not as if Clark was not playing well. His contributions to the Redskins went beyond intercepting a Donovan McNabb pass late in an important game, helping the Redskins go on to the playoffs. Anyone who knows much about the late Sean Taylor knows the impact Clark had on Taylor’s life, development and maturity.

Dissecting the reasons behind the releasing of former Redskins players like defensive end Renaldo Wynn, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin, special teams standout/running back Rock Cartwright and quarterback Jason Campbell result in logic that does, in fact, penetrate the brain. The moves were understandable. When cornerback Fred Smoot was cut last year, I understood why but I hated it because Smoot was important to the team in ways that did not always translate on the field.

Santana Moss has it all. Regardless of his 31 years, he should not go the way of Clark, Smoot, Cartwright or Campbell. A player with his talent and experience in the second year of a proven offensive system will be valuable to the team on and off the field. The Redskins should negotiate a contract worthy of him and keep him on the team.

Besides, he looks much better in great in burgundy and gold than say, silver and black.

Hail.