This HAS to be said ... Draft Day One (Now Two) M.E.T.

[fansince62]

Yup! 2 of the top WRs and the top TE is a very nice first day haul. I like these picks for a lot of reasons. WRs are always a risk in the draft, but we've doubled our odds by taking 2. We now have several tall targets for Campbell, who has struggled overthrowing our smaller receivers from the beginning. I also think we'll see Moss step up his level of intensity after apparently taking last offseason off and playing with very low focus for half of last season. Thomas is a fast playmaker and Kelly is a big, physical guy who can go over the middle. Those 2 matched up with Moss and El is very exciting, and Davis makes a great back up to Cooley. Lots of offensive weapons to develop. I think it's great!

again...and I'm not disappointed in the selctions...we have no idea if we have really drafted any playmakers at all. in fact, I owuldn't be surprised if the real steal in all of this lands up being Davis...both as a player and potential trade bate several years from now. both Thomas and Kelley have weaknesses that will need to be worked on at this level. Like you...I hope they pan out so we finally have some stability at this position and can then go do what all true Championship teams do....build rock solid foundations on the lines.

[RabidFan]

People also must remember that by moving into the 2nd round we saved money as well....thus saving cap money....and having money to spend on FA post June 1 cuts...where we can always get some OL/DL/DB if need be for depth.

[RSimports]

when the second selection was made I was like WTF? We don't need another tight end, we have Chris Cooley. But, after sleeping off a good amount of beer and reading this thread what we did made a lot of sense. We still have six picks and will find some good develoble talent in the later rounds. Great thread!

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[Zen-like Todd]

People also must remember that by moving into the 2nd round we saved money as well....thus saving cap money....and having money to spend on FA post June 1 cuts...where we can always get some OL/DL/DB if need be for depth.

IMHO, 2nd round picks are the best bang for the buck, particularly in this draft. Starting level talent without the big money contracts.

[mudhog]

We're putting a huge emphasis on Jason Campbell's development now. We were coming dangerously close to running in place in terms of JC's progression due to bad wr acquisitions (Patton, Lloyd)...and we HAVE to stop relying on literally pulling receivers off the street in mid-season if we truly want to develop Campbell into a franchise QB. Bringing in the likes of Todd Pinkston during training camp showed just how desperate we became in this area.

:applause: Dead freakin right bro.

Feed campbell, give him some targets, coach him on his look-down and release and we will see some potent offense this year. I have soo much faith in this man being a great QB.

Hail

[GSF]

again...and I'm not disappointed in the selctions...we have no idea if we have really drafted any playmakers at all. in fact, I owuldn't be surprised if the real steal in all of this lands up being Davis...both as a player and potential trade bate several years from now. both Thomas and Kelley have weaknesses that will need to be worked on at this level. Like you...I hope they pan out so we finally have some stability at this position and can then go do what all true Championship teams do....build rock solid foundations on the lines.

You're right there are no guarantees with any of those guys we drafted, which is part of the reason I like the draft. Our odds of getting playmakers are greatly increased considering all 3 of these guys made tons of plays in college.

I agree with you about the lines, I was really hoping we'd get Albert somehow, but I don't think we're as bad off there as we were at WR. I think they'll look for a bunch of blue collar guys with our remaining 6 picks. Bugel will find a couple of hogs to coach up, and hopefully they'll get a decent dlineman. After that maybe a corner and a safety.

[posse87]

Nice Thread. Well stated. At first, I must confess that I found three pass catchers with our first 3 picks pretty currious. Particularly another starting caliber TE who compares to Cooley. The more I hear about 2 TE sets in this WCO the more the idea of drafting him in the second round is palatable. Here is a link to a thread that compares Kelly and Thomas head to head. Very nice read:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7982020/Head-2-Head:-Kelly-vs.-Thomas

I wish I would hear the "medical experts" on this site stop talking about Kelly's knee. His knee had surgery after his Sophmore season, but he sufferd a deep tissue bruise of his thigh in the fiesta bowl, which can take a while to recover from but has no real long term consequence. There is absolutely nothing wrong, structurally, with the knee. We do need to go heavy on the lines in the second day. So far I like that we added three playmakers in the passing game and 1 in the return game with our first three picks. Particularly with the fact that we are implementing a WCO.

[coyote4848]

I'm warming to these picks.....

I still come from the philosophy that you build in the trenches first and work out with Skill players.

But Thomas is a steal and Kelly also addresses size and red zone issues.

After Albert, there really isn't a Guard or Center in the higher than late thrid round caliber anyway.

Good thread helps make more sense.

Whyd we throw a screen pass?

Why did we always throw so many damn screen passes?

My guess is small receivers who arent exactly running routes over the middle.

I agree with you. It's taking me some time to climb on board with this, but, I'm definately feeling a little better about it now. Good thread.

I hope Vinny has his eye on a sleeper DE in the lower rounds.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Nice Thread. Well stated. At first, I must confess that I found three pass catchers with our first 3 picks pretty currious. Particularly another starting caliber TE who compares to Cooley. The more I hear about 2 TE sets in this WCO the more the idea of drafting him in the second round is palatable. Here is a link to a thread that compares Kelly and Thomas head to head. Very nice read:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7982020/Head-2-Head:-Kelly-vs.-Thomas

"Conclusion

Kelly has the size and skill to become one of the elite wide receivers at the next level. If he's able to stay healthy and ends up in a favorable situation, look for him to be a perennial Pro Bowler. Thomas is an intriguing athletic wide receiver with a lot of upside. The scary part is that he's still learning the game and performed extremely well during his lone season as a starting WR. He's not a polished receiver yet, but he's close, and his ability to get vertical and catch the ball consistently excites scouts.

In three years, I expect Kelly to be a physical presence on the outside who will emerge as a team's No. 1 WR, while Thomas will develop into one of the game's elite game breakers."

Great article, thanks for posting that...and to think, we got BOTH of these guys. Jeebus. :applause:

[Jesus, Mary & Joe Gibbs]

Anybody else think Randle El will be cut after June 1st?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Anybody else think Randle El will be cut after June 1st?

:laugh: ...Um, no.

[posse87]

:laugh: ...Um, no.

Absolutely, no way ARE is released. These two new WR's are going to be on the cheap as 2nd's. Are will finally be what he is supposed to be, an open field specialist who can play the slot as well as add gadget plays.

I fully agree with your earlier post that we are now speeding along Campbell's development and giving no excuses for lack of receiving options. If we can add line depth and secondary depth in the later rounds, I will be happy with this draft. I think Cerrato is a good talent evaluator, overall. A lot of the things he gets blamed for are not necessarily his fault.

[ddub52]

nice thread dude, I totally agree...I was a bit frustrated at first when we pick up essentially three receivers, and no linemen whatsoever, but I really think that these guys are going to make a big impact next year

-paul.

I have the same feelings. Its like starting over fresh. New weapons, new coach, and new system.

[Valenski]

(Taking a risk on this one ... But I did my research.)

How soon we forget Redskins fans. In 2007 The Washington Redskins finished the year 9-7. Out of those seven losses, we could have won six of them. SIX. They were heartbreakers ... they were throw something at the TV, almost burst into tears, are you kidding me? how did we just lose that f-ing ball game? ... gut wrenching losses.

Three examples:

Week Three: Giants 24, Redskins 17.

It was over when ...

The Giants stuffed Redskins running back Ladell Betts at the goal line on third-and fourth down in the final minute to secure a 24-17 road victory.

Redskins squander three attempts inside the goal line and lose a game they clearly should have won. Most of you will blame this on the o-line. Me, Ill credit the Super Bowl Champion D-line. The same D-line that won the G-Men the Super Bowl. Without a big target, the Redskins cant throw inside the five yard line. Theres no fade route in our playbook. Throw Cooley, Davis, Kelly, and Thomas out there ... Someones catching a pass in the end zone.

Week Six: Packers 17, Redskins 13

It was over when ...

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell's pass to Ladell Betts on fourth-and-1 went for a zero gain and Green Bay took over on downs with just under seven minutes remaining. Washington got the ball back twice more but failed to pick up a single first down in those drives.

Heres a fun one. A game the Redskins were CLEARLY the better team. Except one glaring weakness. NO RECEIVERS. Go take a gander at the box score. Cooley shreds the Packers. The receivers are shut down by two very good Packer corners and the Redskins lose a very winnable game. So what if we had two Chris Cooley's out there? Maybe our receivers are shut down, but you have Fred Davis and Chris Cooley getting open at will. Campbell has two safety nets as opposed to one. Our defense didn't lose us this one. Santana Moss and our receivers ( or lack thereof) did.

Week 11: Cowboys 28 Redskins 23

It was over when ...

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell bypassed an open running lane and tried to force a pass into Antwaan Randle El that was intercepted by Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman with less than two minutes remaining. The pick sealed Dallas' 28-23 victory.

Remember this one, Campbell threw the ball all over the field to the tune of 348 yards. TO torched us, yet at the end of the day, we are in the red zone with a shot to win. Through the course of a game there are a ton of things that can be the difference in a win or a loss. But regardless of what happened, we were in the red zone, the game within our grasp. Campbell throws it ... maybe he should have run ... but hes a quarterback. QB's throw the ball. With no target, no one is open, he throws it to 5'11 Randle El and its picked off. BALL GAME. What if Campbell is scrambling around while Fred Davis, Chris Cooley, Devin Thomas, and Malcom Kelly are running routes. Maybe the pass isnt perfect, but theres a descent chance that your big receiver will make a play for the ball. Ever seen Romo sits to pee throw a pass that maybe he shouldnt have? Because I see it all the time. His receivers make him better. Our quarterback didn't just throw for 350 yards and suddenly fall apart in the red zone ... he had no one to throw too.

...

All season long Jason Campbell moved the ball up and down the field, only to be turned away in the red zone. Blown opportunity after blown opportunity. We need defensive depth yes ... but not like we need offensive playmakers. Despite the fact that our offense cost us game after game, everyone is screaming for Calais Campbell (who by the way has been nothing more than mediocre his last two years and Kiper bashed him.)

So we took a tight end unexpectedly. Fred Davis and Chris Cooley on the field at the same time ... try defending that opposing defenses. So we took two wide receivers. GOOD. Two big receivers, and two small quick receivers is called a real offense. Something we haven't seen in a long long time.

SkinsNoles21 ... theres such a thing as too many weapons!

To this I say ... seriously? The Redskins are so stacked with weapons we don't have room for more? Give me a break. I guess the Pats have "too many weapons." Three big targets is exactly what the dr. ordered for this team.

But SkinsNoles21, most of you will say, what about the o-line? Who cares about the weapons we add if we can't pass protect. Our o-line is old, and struggling.

So I guess I am forgetting about that right? Wrong.

You are forgetting about Joe Bugel.

Buges develops offensive lineman like Simon Cowell develops pop stars that aren't good. Why draft an o-lineman in the second round when you have SIX remaining draft picks, including three in the seventh round. Tomorrow the Skins will address the offensive line depth by drafting lineman and letting Joe Bugel work his magic. After the draft the Redskins will sign a bunch of free agents ... out of that group ... an o-lineman will likely emerge.

We have holes, yes ... but find me a team that doesnt. I'll tell you right now its not our defense that has cost us year in and year out. Its our offense. We put a lot into 6'5 big armed Jason Campbell and giving him three big targets is a beautiful thing. Our defense time and time again has kept this team in contention.

It's time for the offense to return the favor.

(Mel Kiper agrees with me ... just said we are day one winners.)

Excellent read and a GREAT thread!!!!

[[[ghost]]]

If our receivers can be anything like a Cooley on the edge, than our Offense just made huge strides.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Great thread. Let's not forget that we had to sign K. McCardell and R. Caldwell just to have healthy bodies in the receiving corps. Moss got hurt, ARE missed a game (I think), Thrash was the #3, B. Lloyd...(ugh). The WR corps was thin, small and hurt all year. Getting more big guys is good. Now lets just hope they work out...

[SkinsNoles21]

All these posts bashing the o-line depth. What did we do with the first pick of the day? Exactly what I said we would do.

We took a monster o-lineman who played tackle in college and will likely play guard at the next level. This guy is huge, and the perfect type of talent for Joe Bugel to get his hands on.

Samuels, Jansen, Rabach, Kendall, Thomas.

With two young guys backing up ... Heyer (tackle) and our new rook (guard.)

I bet we snag one or two more in either the seventh round or through undrafted free agents.

[gortiz]

6'-4", 6'-4", 6'-3", 6'-2"

:point2sky that's a sight for sore eyes :point2sky

[angel2]

I said this about the Redskins' team in earlier posts this year prior to the draft. The Skins will always have problems scoring in the red zone because their WRs are too short. They have relied too much on Moss and REL to put the ball in the end zone.

We now have some good size weapons to counter the physical DBs we will encounter. Zorn has done his homework in disecting the Skins obvious short comings. I would have preferred Sweed over Kelly, but the Skins must realize something that Malcom offers that Sweed can't match.

Day one was a steal for us and our offense should be the better because of it.

[allskins]

Very good post! I agree. Can't wait for the season to start.

[Fifty Gut]

There were 10 teams that drafted an Offensive Lineman on the 1st Day! And what about drafting a Defensive stud to help anchor that line? Oh well, now I could sit back and see how many of our draft picks we'll eventually cut, before the season begins!

Pessimism is no way to enjoy the offseason. Yeah, there were many tackles taken in the first, and many teams reached for average players because they play tackle (see Atlanta's trade with us). If the DE class this season was anything special is up for debate. And when it comes to a defensive stud to help anchor our line, who outside the top 2 taken (in the top 10) were worth drafting on the first day?

I think we underestimated our needs as fans entering this draft and the team is doing the best it can with talent available.

[Jumbo]

Edited to keep it rolling..I know some feel our new CB is a reach, but the more I look at our group so far...pretty damn happy with the effort...just gotta keep the effort at this level the rest of the way. Make sure you check out Vinny's comments on redskins.com

[fansince62]

All these posts bashing the o-line depth. What did we do with the first pick of the day? Exactly what I said we would do.

We took a monster o-lineman who played tackle in college and will likely play guard at the next level. This guy is huge, and the perfect type of talent for Joe Bugel to get his hands on.

Samuels, Jansen, Rabach, Kendall, Thomas.

With two young guys backing up ... Heyer (tackle) and our new rook (guard.)

I bet we snag one or two more in either the seventh round or through undrafted free agents.

You're right! Superbowl here we come! The Skins should open their own jewelry shop!!!!

[JimmyConway]

Great thread. I've felt this way since the Zorn hire. I love how the 'half-empty' folks can't really argue with any of this.

[paulb3rd]

Great points. We need weapons. You are so correct.