The Duckett move may not be bad

[robotfire]

I feel that this opinion may just be original enough to earn its own topic, since I haven't seen anybody that shares it.

A third rounder. That's a good round, and a lot of good players have come out of that round. For the most part, you're not going to get many stars. On the other hand, you will probably get a contributor (special teams, most likely).

For our third round pick of the 2007 NFL draft, we pick TJ Duckett.

Bad: You could get some good talent in the third round.

Good: You probably really won't... A third round pick (depending on where in the third round it is) is not really worth that much. Certainly Duckett is worth more. TJ Duckett IS good talent. He hasn't displayed it much here, but most third rounders aren't huge contributors in their first year, either. You can't ignore what he's done at the NFL level already.

Bad: We signed him for ONE YEAR!

Good: Gibbs has been quoted as saying that Duckett was more than just a one-year move. Contracts are a funny thing. A guy can sign one for 7 years and play for 1. Likewise, a guy can sign for 1 year and end up playing 7. Our front office has said that Duckett was more than just a one-year move. I would be astonished if he wasn't a Redskin next year.

Bad: But with the emergence of Ladell Betts, we don't NEED him!

Good: How can that be looked at as a bad thing? First of all, nobody was predicting this kind of season for Betts. Second, depth at the running back position is important (as can be proven by Portis's injury).

In other words, how would you have felt if we got a guy like Duckett in the third round via the normal route (drafting him)? I say it wasn't a bad move. Most teams would jump at a third round pick like that! And he's still pretty young, with pretty low mileage.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

You are satisfied with 40 career carries from a third-rounder?

[WHALEN]

It wouldn't be that bad if we didn't need depth elsewhere like corner, safety ,o-line and d-line.We could have used that pick to fill one of those needs and been alot better off. I think Portis Betts and Cartwright is an awesome backfield leaving little if no room for Duckett.

[fwo40]

If we don't resign him, it was a bad move plain and simple.

You gave up a 3rd round pick to keep a guy on your bench for one season. Not smart in any way shape or form.

You don't trade for players for one season as insurance and then not even use them for their purpose when guys go down. You don't need to trade for a guy who's going to ride the pine even when the guys in front of him go down. Could've just stayed with Rock for that.

This was a move made by a team with a win now philosphy at all costs, however it has backfired again...and once again we have lost a draft pick for virtually nothing.

[Cooley4President]

You are satisfied with 40 career carries from a third-rounder?

Yeah, that's all we're going to get. He won't be back next year, we can't have a 3rd string back on the roster at the salary he'd get in the offseason. It was a panic move when Portis went down, and another example of us overpaying for a player whose team wanted him gone anyway.

[robotfire]

It wouldn't be that bad if we didn't need depth elsewhere like corner, safety ,o-line and d-line.We could have used that pick to fill one of those needs and been alot better off. I think Portis Betts and Cartwright is an awesome backfield leaving little if no room for Duckett.

What kind of cornerback or safety do you think we could get in the third round? The third round isn't necessarily for starters. He's good value for the trade, I think.

[SkinsNatsFan]

Gibbs has been quoted as saying that Duckett was more than just a one-year move

Our front office has said that Duckett was more than just a one-year move.

I haven't seen quotes from Joe Gibbs or the front office saying this. Do you have a source for these?

[MeNoRevs]

What kind of cornerback or safety do you think we could get in the third round? The third round isn't necessarily for starters. He's good value for the trade, I think.

If yiou look at the recent history of 3rd rounders, you would be quite suprised how many quality NFL players have come from that round. Your percentage is not as high to get one in that round as compared to the 1st or 2nd, but its still a nice pick to have.

[BLEED-B&G]

What kind of cornerback or safety do you think we could get in the third round? The third round isn't necessarily for starters. He's good value for the trade, I think.

that is ridiculous, good players can be found in any round. We blew our chance at a potential star player for nothing. Duckett will be gone after this year, there is no way he will resign and our coaches wouldn't know what to do with him if he did. It's obvious they haven't figured out how to use him so far and I doubt they will. It is blatently obvious that our FO sees no value in draft picks.

[robotfire]

You are satisfied with 40 career carries from a third-rounder?

In his first year with the team? Yes. He's not a superstar, and he never will be. But he is a good power back who brings something new to the table. When he first got here, we thought this move was brilliant. The insurance theory wasn't that popular until later on in the season, when the team tanked. The only reason it persists is because Duckett's deal hasn't been extended yet. Give it time, and it will happen.

When you rewrite the story, our front office looks like idiots. But when you take it for what it's worth, we got good talent out of a third round pick from a guy who I sincerely think will be here next year. That's not a bad move.

As a disclaimer, if I'm wrong and he's not here next year, it was obviously a stupid move. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY doubt he won't be here next year.

[robotfire]

that is ridiculous, good players can be found in any round.

That's true, and I agree. Good players can also be found working at grocery stores (Kurt Warner), but they're harder to find. Here's the third round list of 2006: http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/round?round=3&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfldraft%2fdraft%2ftracker%2fround%3fround%3d3

[MeNoRevs]

In his first year with the team? Yes. He's not a superstar, and he never will be. But he is a good power back who brings something new to the table. When he first got here, we thought this move was brilliant. The insurance theory wasn't that popular until later on in the season, when the team tanked. The only reason it persists is because Duckett's deal hasn't been extended yet. Give it time, and it will happen.

When you rewrite the story, our front office looks like idiots. But when you take it for what it's worth, we got good talent out of a third round pick from a guy who I sincerely think will be here next year. That's not a bad move.

As a disclaimer, if I'm wrong and he's not here next year, it was obviously a stupid move. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY doubt he won't be here next year.

What is TJ Duckett used for? You say he is a good Power Back? When have you seen him in his 30 carries use his power to break a tackle, or get in the endzone?

[mcterry7]

I think this looks like a bad deal now because Betts has been able to stay healthy. At the time of the trade Portis was hurt and Betts has had some durability issues. It was a high price to pay for insurance, but if Betts would have gotten injured then people would be singing the praises of this trade. Also, if this season did not turn out the way it did in the win/loss column, people would feel differently about this trade.

[TheDarb]

The Duckett trade was horrible when it was made, is horrible now, and will be considered horrible in the future. I can't believe there's even a debate about this.

Why would Duckett sign with us to be 3rd string? He's going to go someplace where he has an opportunity to play and disappoint (again).

[EersSkins05]

What kind of cornerback or safety do you think we could get in the third round? The third round isn't necessarily for starters. He's good value for the trade, I think.

Notable 3rd round draft picks in the last 4 years that are starters:

Steve Smith

Casey Raubach

Brian Westbrook

Jason Witten

Nate Burleson

Derrick Dockery

Kevan Barlow

Ricky Manning

Chris Brown

Chris Simms

Chris Cooley

Frank Gore

Alex Smith (TE)

Chris Henry

There's two stallworts of the Redskins line and our star tight end in there, you'll notice.

This is why everyone is raising such a stink about spending a 3rd round pick to get a guy for 1 season- there is serious talent in the third round.

[NicholSkin]

But I REALLY REALLY REALLY doubt he won't be here next year.

I really really doubt he wants to be back here next year. What possible incentive would he have. Only if they give him a boat load of money, and that would be a waste.

[Riggo#44]

If the Skins sign him I say fine, ok move. Third round picks are hit-and-miss. We might have found another Cooley level player, or another Lloyd Harrison/Rashaud Bauman.

[nonniey]

Bad: We signed him for ONE YEAR!

.....Good: Gibbs has been quoted as saying that Duckett was more than just a one-year move. Contracts are a funny thing. A guy can sign one for 7 years and play for 1. Likewise, a guy can sign for 1 year and end up playing 7. Our front office has said that Duckett was more than just a one-year move. I would be astonished if he wasn't a Redskin next year......

QUOTE]

Well I believe the rest of us will be astonished if he was a Redskin next year. Duckett is a free agent looking to maximize his carries. He wants to get a chance to start. So his options are to move on to a team that has bigger RB needs, while getting a raise or staying with the Redskins as the third string RB and almost certainly get fewer carries and less pay to boot.

[robotfire]

I haven't seen quotes from Joe Gibbs or the front office saying this. Do you have a source for these?

I saw him say that in a press conference, and I can't find the quote. But I SWEAR I heard Gibbs say that Duckett was part of a long-term plan. He was responding to people who said that Duckett was just an insurance policy.

[fwo40]

Here's another problem...the resigning (however unlikely) of Duckett isn't a clear win for us either.

After resigning betts, we then have Portis, Betts, Rock, and either Broughton or White....the latter of which are unknown...but also seem to have a similar Duckett type body...and would take presumably the same role.

That's too many bodies and if Duckett resigns...too much money spent on one position.

At least with the 3rd round pick we could try to address another area.

Bottom line is that yes to a degree the draft is a crapshoot...and that's exactly why you need more picks not less....b/c if you have more opportunities your odds for finding decent players increase.

Instead we give up an opportunity to improve to get a 3rd/4th string RB who could be cheaply and maybe abley replaced by guys on our current practice squad.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[Chump Bailey]

In his first year with the team? Yes. He's not a superstar, and he never will be. But he is a good power back who brings something new to the table. When he first got here, we thought this move was brilliant. The insurance theory wasn't that popular until later on in the season, when the team tanked. The only reason it persists is because Duckett's deal hasn't been extended yet. Give it time, and it will happen.

When you rewrite the story, our front office looks like idiots. But when you take it for what it's worth, we got good talent out of a third round pick from a guy who I sincerely think will be here next year. That's not a bad move.

As a disclaimer, if I'm wrong and he's not here next year, it was obviously a stupid move. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY doubt he won't be here next year.

Wise move putting in the disclaimer. I think you're going to need it;)

That aside, you're right that when the deal was made, what - in week two of the season ; the deal was for the most part lauded. In hindsight it looks like a horrid error in judgement and it also showed a large lack of faith on the part of Betts and Rock - of whom it is obviously now apparent that both could have gotten the job done...

[Morneblade]

In his first year with the team? Yes. He's not a superstar, and he never will be. But he is a good power back who brings something new to the table. When he first got here, we thought this move was brilliant. The insurance theory wasn't that popular until later on in the season, when the team tanked. The only reason it persists is because Duckett's deal hasn't been extended yet. Give it time, and it will happen.

When you rewrite the story, our front office looks like idiots. But when you take it for what it's worth, we got good talent out of a third round pick from a guy who I sincerely think will be here next year. That's not a bad move.

As a disclaimer, if I'm wrong and he's not here next year, it was obviously a stupid move. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY doubt he won't be here next year.

Why do you think he will be here? Do you think he even WANTS to be here after he languished in the bench the whole season?! He's going to be third string here. THRID. He's going to want to at least have a chance to play, and it wont be here. And he's going to want to get paid, and I hope our FO WONT do that because he is going to have zero production. He'll go elsewhere, and I dont blame him. Besides, I'd rather have Sellers as our "Heavy Jumbo" back anyways.

[CooleyKnight]

What kind of cornerback or safety do you think we could get in the third round? The third round isn't necessarily for starters. He's good value for the trade, I think.

True the 3rd round is not neccessarily for starters but there is a chance at least. We all know some of the success stories of late round picks so I am not even going to mention anyone in particular. By keeping TJ however we KNOW that all we are getting is a third string RB without the potential to take the starting reigns from players ahead of him. Our team needs help in other places so at this point (although not an option) I would much rather have a 3rd round draft pick than TJ.

[KingGibbs]

TJ Duckett's final chapter as a Redskin has not been written.

Back then it was an idea trade because of the uncertainty of Portis' status. But, to give up a third round and possibly get bumped down in the 1st round for a guy they never used properly to begin with makes this a horrible, horrible trade. They could've saved that pick and their position in the 1st round (which is subject to change) and let Rock see more carries and Sellars be the short yardage back. All in all that whole debacle was just that, a debacle.

[cougarskins]

We were suppose to be a Superbowl team. When Portis dislocated his shoulder everyone was worried he might not play well all season (which is what happened). Betts to a lot of people here was always injured, and not that good, certainly not able to carry us at running back.

We made the quick trade for Duckett and overpaid because we thought he might go elsewhere even to the Eagles. Obviously the front office thought the draft picks were worth it to maybe save the superbown season.

We were on a win now path. Who knew who would have been released later and gotten for no picks. By trading draft picks we knew Duckett would be here.

It looks stupid now because our team self distructed in all areas.

Now the reluctance to play him to his strenghts is another matter.