APB Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 Hey folks, First time posting after a couple of years of lurking. Anyway, I keep seeing posts and references to our need for a deep threat, a big-play receiver, someone to stretch the defense, etc., but I haven't yet seen anyone mention Russell. That is the role he was supposed to fill when he was drafted. Have people forgotten about him or are you just skeptical about a speedster's ability to come back from a serious knee injury and contribute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 I would guess that skeptical would be the choice of many here. That, and he hasnt proven anything in the NFL as of yet. Russell coming back to 100% and giving the Skins a deep threat next year would be like them getting an extra draft pick and using it wisely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius J. Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 He's definately been mentioned in several posts. But we can't expect him to be anything more than a number 4 reciever. Even when healthy. He'll do a lot to change the face of our 4 wide reciever set and may come in in some situations as a number 3, but we need a speedster who can take some pressure off gardner, and russell is most likely not that answer. -DB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 I don't think anyone is writting Russell off, certainly I haven't. But at the same time Cliff was a #3 pick who had some questions coming out of school about his hands and his polish as a route runner. So, I doubt that he is going to be the single answer at wide receiver we are looking for, at least not right away. The Skins need a true playmaker and #1 receiver. Whether we get that player in the draft or via free agency I don't know yet, although given the money situation it is likely to be more the former. I also see the Skins bringing in a veteran receiver who has produced in the NFL to help with the progression of the youngsters. One of the failings this year is that the older receivers the team had coming into training camp........Doering, Green, Lockett, etc.... were not players that had produced at this level and had limited ability. our younger players were left to basically learn how to play on their own with no role models at all. that should not have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 Knee injuries can take a couple of years to completely recover from. And even then, he may never get back 100% of the speed he had before the injury. Until he has a chance to prove something in Camp or on the field, I will view him as Derek "Hokie" Smith... a phantom of hope and aspiration that will never materialize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APB Posted December 10, 2002 Author Share Posted December 10, 2002 Obviously he hasn't proven anything yet, and obviously there will be questions about his health and durability when he comes back. But, I think the team would be much better off rolling the dice with him than bringing in a free agent or drafting another receiver on day one of the draft. Russell will have had a full year to recover from the injury and should be fully recovered, and there is no reason to assume he will have lost any of his speed. (Westbrook, as I recall, actually came back faster after his knee injury.) He will have had a year to digest the play book and will certainly be in a better position to contribute than any rookie and almost any free agent--Florida products being the exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 the only way the Skins roll the dice is actually by depending upon Russell and the others to rapidly improve from very raw beginnings and ignore acquiring the immediate impact player at WR. I don't think Spurrier is going to fall into that trap again. He wants more bullets in the gun for next season and will spend what he has to get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 Russell is a project. With luck he can be a good roll player next year but anything else is unlikely. Time to draft a top notch WR in round 1. If Russell develops into a hidden gem so much the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 When he was drafted, he was considered a project, raw talent, good speed, questionable hands. He is a "wait and see" player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydevil Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 he was a project to begin with, I am not excepting much from him for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Skins Fan Posted December 10, 2002 Share Posted December 10, 2002 I think he'll recover and get his speed back by end of training camp. He also showed better hands in early practices than coaches were expecting. The problem is that he suffers freak injuries. Call him Tinkertoy Russell. So like Paulina Porizkova and Michelle Pfeiffer, you invite Russell to the party. Maybe you get lucky. But you don't count on getting lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APB Posted December 11, 2002 Author Share Posted December 11, 2002 I don't know. I'm still not entirely convinced that we need to run out and draft another stud like Michael Westbrook or Desmond Howard. I think the current corps of receivers has shown that under the right circumstances they can perform at a high level. Those circumstances include: a QB that can get them the ball (Ramsey), a QB that has time to throw (?), a complete understanding by all parties of the playbook, and someone (anyone) who has the speed to make the defense think twice. (Note to SS: A consistent running game would help too.) With the number of holes this team has to fill, we'll have to roll the dice somewhere. Will that be the OL, DL, safety, RB, or WR? Over the past several years, the Redskins have consistently rolled the dice and lost. Looking at the relative positions of those and other areas of weakness, I hope the front office shows some patience with the WR's we've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsThug Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 There are alot of nuances to learn at WR: how to get off blocks, how to run precise routes, how to read a hot defense, how to block downfield, etc. It'll be a couple of years for him to crack the starting lineup under the best of circumstances. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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