bulldog Posted July 21, 2002 Share Posted July 21, 2002 from blurbs in today's Post: good news: 1. The Redskns are considering bringing in Darryl Gardener for a look see on the DL. The team has no established depth behind the starters. 2. Patrick Ramsey will likely spend the first year watching and learning. Good decision. Rookies rarely put up good numbers in the NFL and the loss of confidence some experience is often more problematic than any technical/physical barriers. 3. The Redskins are still looking to acquire a veteran guard to play next to Chris Samuels. At least there is the recognition that a move has to be made here at some point. 4. Marvin Lewis has been working Donovan Arp and Ifeanyi Ohalete into his plans for the defense this offseason. These players must have some definite promise and may get a chance to be contributors. Terrell is not an awful player, but we didn't get many big plays from the safeties last season. Arp is now 293, up from 282 from last season. Bad News: 1. The Redskins are NOT interested and will not sign either Ben Coleman or Ray Brown at OG. With Coleman it may be a combination of the money he wants and his chronic knee problems. With Brown, who knows? He is 39 but I was under the impression the team was looking for a one year answer at this point, with no younger capable players available left to sign in free agency? 2. The Redskins seem to be penciling in Betts as an immediate contributor as a backup to Davis and third down option. While this is not bad news for him, I am a little disappointed that Kenny Watson and Robert Gillespie appear to show so little potential for filling the third down role. I anticipated that Betts would be the primary ballcarrier if Davis went down, but was hoping that either Watson or Gillespie would show enough to become the change of pace back. 3. Fred Smoot and Champ Bailey remain the leading candidates to take over the punt return duties. Having either corner double as a returner is a mistake in my mind. It used to be you saw a lot of top players also taking on a return role in the NFL, but after the injury to Sehorn and the turf toe suffered by Deion Sanders (cumulative effect of returns on the carpet) most teams don't place their core players in harm's way anymore. Gibbs always had a designated return man in Nelms, Mitchell or for a stretch, Ricky Sanders. None were top position players when they were returning kicks. Green was used only in games that decided the division or playoff outcomes. My hope is that Reidel Anthony or Justin Skaggs seizes the return spot by the end of the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathByLinebacker Posted July 21, 2002 Share Posted July 21, 2002 I really don't want to see Champ on returns even though he'd probably score once or twice. Spurrier had Lito Sheppard (Eagles #1 pick) doing returns last year though, so I guess he doesn't see it the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted July 21, 2002 Share Posted July 21, 2002 Well since we are going with either guard that could step in immediately and upgrade the spot, I wonder what they plan on doing since we didnt draft the Guard I wanted in the first place. Hopefully a DMac or Skaggs will do the return duties. I know both players want to be primetimelike which will push the next contract into the bling bling dimension but we need to look at the big picture. And that pic shows two bookend corners forcing QBs to option 3 instead of our corners on IR for achilles,toe andknee injuries from returning kicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish Posted July 21, 2002 Share Posted July 21, 2002 Yep, I'm totally against having ANY of our CBs returning punts. Next you'll hear that Ramsey will be returning kickoffs! 2 words: Jason Sehorn! Case closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 I thought we cut Donovan Arp the other day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posse81 Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 I was a little startled to read in the WP that a few of Gardener's teamates lobbied for his release...I would be in a favor of taking a strong look at him but thats a definite red flag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 Forget Gardner. He's a wreck. He has a bad back, a bad attitude, and wants a 2.5 million dollar signing bonus. Don't even look in his direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty dread Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 Bringing in Gardner is good news? I'd rather wait and see what else comes up on the waiver wire. Gardner is a lazy ***, his teammates practically booted him off the team, alot of guys went to Wanstadt and said get rid of this guy, he's a cancer. I know the Skins need some depth, but they do not need a guy like this. Bad move if they bring him in, plus he's had some serious back problems and is known as a head case. I can see not being interested in Coleman, his knees are grinding bone and he's not a good pass protector. Ray Brown would be a good stop gap if you ask me, well worth signing to a one year deal. Bailey and Smoot should not even be considered to return kicks. Jacquez Green is a capable return man, along with Skaggs, Anthony, or any of the other backup WR's. Lewis better speak up and say hands off when it comes to Bailey and Smoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 Keeping Smoot and Champ on the sidelines for return duties is a good idea. Not only will it protect them from injury, but it will also let D-mac and Skaggs show their stuff and hopefully earn a roster spot. I guess if Champ or Smoot are head and shoulders above all the others in that department, then we'd have to go with them, but I doubt that's the case. It's rare a player, no matter how good they are, breaks one anyway. The percentages are much larger in favor of Smoot or Champ getting injured than them running one back for a gamebreaking TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaudry Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 Why do you guys think that punt returners get injured more often? Does anybody have any numbers about it? Jason Seahorn was an exception. That's like saying flee-flickers are dangerous because quarterbacks break their legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 Sehorn broke his leg on a kickoff return and they are a little more violent overall than punt returns. I AM against using a starter to return kickoffs and I would prefer a non-starter return punts as well but more for continuity's sake than risk of injury. A guy who regularly returns punts will know what to look for from his blockers and potentially has a better chance of hitting the big return. Champ, being a little bigger, might be a little harder to bring down but I'd rather have Darrell or a receiver returning punts than Smoot or Bailey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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