GrimReaper21 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 In a seemingly minor move that might have major implications later this summer, the Washington Redskins on Thursday bolstered their interior defensive line, ESPN.com has learned, by agreeing with unrestricted free agent tackle Bernard Holsey on a contract. The one-year deal is for a base salary of $535,000, the minimum salary for a veteran of Holsey's tenure in the league. The six-year veteran, who played in nine games for New England in 2002, worked out for team officials and coaches Thursday morning. The Redskins also signed quarterback Gibran Hamdan of the University of Indiana, to a three-year contract. Holsey, 29, is the third free agent tackle acquired by the Redskins this offseason. He is currently scheduled to vie for the No. 4 tackle spot behind starters Dan Wilkinson and Brandon Noble and top reserve Jermaine Haley, but that status could change. The Redskins have been attempting to reach agreement with Wilkinson on a reworked deal that would lower his salary cap charge for 2003 but allow him, through incentives, to make back the difference in any pay cut he took. Wilkinson has balked and, for now, the team likely will not press the issue. But if Haley demonstrates he is capable of starting -- or, in a scenario for which Redskins officials are hoping, a veteran tackle is released by another team -- there is a chance that Wilkinson would be released outright. Washington personnel officials for weeks have been carefully studying league rosters, attempting to ascertain what veteran tackles might be released at some point in preseason. In stints with the New York Giants (1996-99), Indianapolis Colts (2000) and Patriots (2002), Holsey played in 89 games with 17 starts. He has 104 tackles, 6½ sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defensed. His best season came in 2000, when he started in 13 games for the Colts. The former Duke standout also affords Washington some flexibility, since he can move outside and provide some snaps at end, on occasion. http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1585222.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom [Giants fan] Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Holsey is nothing outstanding BUT he will certainly add solid depth to your DLine giving the starters a breather once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fansince62 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 duke football?!!!!......geeeezzzzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Even Madder Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Another warm body for camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Bolster????? lol..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimReaper21 Posted July 25, 2003 Author Share Posted July 25, 2003 I gurantee Holsey makes the team. This is the exact thing people said last year when Carl Powell was signed. Another body for camp. And he had an impact on the D. He will make the team as a swingman like powell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyward72 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Is the death knoll for Big Daddy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Tom knows a little more about Holsey than any of us having watched him with the Giants for four years. I can't say this move excites me all that much, but, as with Zellner, if he turns out to be our fourth option at defensive tackle that's acceptable. I'm just wondering how many lineman we expect to keep this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Originally posted by Skyward72 Is the death knoll for Big Daddy? I wouldnt start nailing the coffin of Wilky yet. Out of all the guys we have playing DT for the Skins so far, he's the one with the most talent. My take on this is that you cannot have enough depth at DT, especially when your starters are nothing spectacular to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachey79 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Will the team keep BDW, l.jackson, b.jackson, cowsette, haley, noble, upshaw, smith, greg scott, cecere, wynn, zellner, and this new guy?? I dont think so, then who doesnt make it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Originally posted by Lachey79 Will the team keep BDW, l.jackson, b.jackson, cowsette, haley, noble, upshaw, smith, greg scott, cecere, wynn, zellner, and this new guy?? I dont think so, then who doesnt make it?? Well heres the thing. Your probably going to keep at least 3 DT for a rotation, since none of them are skilled/dominate enough to play a full game by temselves. The you are going to keep at least 3 DE (Wynn, Upshaw and Smith) Now whoever plays the best in camp will earn a spot on the roster. I just dont see us carrying more than 8 DL this year tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W&M Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Question to the audiance, did we have the necessary cap rom this year to cut Big Daddy before June 1 and take the entire cap hit this year? Kind of like what Marty did with Stubby? I know we have a good bit of room right now, particarly when some of our young cheap guys displace some of the Veteran Camp fodder (who fall into the top 51 salaries). It just would have been nice to use any cap room this year to soak up some future Dead cap space. But if not, then I hope Big Daddy's off-season dedication makes him worthy of his salary on the field this year. For Big Daddy, this is essentially a contract year, because he's not keeping his deal ... or anything close to it, next year. Besides, I guess there are better ways to use our available cap space this year. Champ still needs a new deal. And LaVar is going to need one too. Perhaps for one of these guys, some of their signing bonus can be turned into a roster bonus (only impacting this cap year), which would help down the line some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 I have a couple of friends who are fins fans and they love Haley. They swear up and down he can and should be a starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 The lighter, faster, more physically fit Big Daddy should have no worries accepting an incentive laden contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Even Madder Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 I gurantee Holsey makes the team. This is the exact thing people said last year when Carl Powell was signed. Another body for camp. And he had an impact on the D. He will make the team as a swingman like powell. Different situation. Powell really came on at the end of the year for the Bears and caught the Skin's attention. Holsey finished last season with a whimper. His only contributions came in the first couple of games last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNorth Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Originally posted by Johnny Punani I have a couple of friends who are fins fans and they love Haley. They swear up and down he can and should be a starter. From what I've seen of Haley I agree, lets all remember that he was buried behind one of the top DL when he entered the league after playeing in the CFL for 1-2 yrs, but he eventually earned playing time. Would not surprise me if Haley is starting by mid season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Haley is in more ways than one this year's Powell. Like Powell, he's a late bloomer. Like Powell, fans of his former team had very complimentary things to say about him as a player. The real difference is Powell hardly played at all before coming here. Haley has been a starter for the Miami defense and their primary reserve the last three years. He's got a legitimate chance to start here and he does fill the same approximate role as Noble, but he has more interior burst to his game, meaning he gets ok penetration even against doubles in the games I've seen him play. Nunn knows a lot about this guy as well, so targeting him in free agency was probably driven largely by Nunn, and therefore the coaching staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesome Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 If Haley is as good as some say he is, I say we cut Big Daddy b/c we need every cent for Champ and Lavar, and don't forget Samuels. Haley was a starter for a very good Miami defense for two years and from what I've heard -- don't watch a lot of Dolphins games --has been a solid contributor. That's good enough for me. Everyone has been saying that Fat Daddy has slimmed down and is in better shape than he's been during the last couple years. Hopefully that should mean some improvement b/c I thought he was terrible last year. But, unless he flashes something special and is considerably better than Haley, I say cut his ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Even Madder Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Haley had about 10 starts in 3 years. He's considered to be a high-motor run stuffer in the middle. He was originally a 7th round draft pick out of the CFL, and the Dolphins let him go because they picked up Jeff Zgonina from the Rams, and because Haley wants more playing time. Haley has never demonstrated, however, that he's capable of playing at Wilkinson's level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Haley and Wilkinson are different sorts of players and the sort of player Haley is we already have in Noble. Wilkinson is still a guy who offers substantially more penetration and problems in the backfield than Haley has or could. Wilkinson doesn't make a lot of plays because he lacks lateral quickness to finish what he starts in many ways, but, in all, Wilkinson is a good player who isn't going to be replaced by Haley. Noble might. We tend to forget that Wilkinson has been an alternate to the Pro Bowl a few times since being in Washington. His best year was 2001 where for the final 10 or 11 weeks he was as disruptive a player as there was at that position in the NFL. He was constantly blowing plays up and forcing teams to adjust to his penetration, allowing others to make plays around him for what was, over a 10 or 11 week period the best defense we've seen here since the 70s maybe. It's THAT Wilkinson who could, as Gardener did last year when Wilkinson fell back in his play, be a force in the middle that allows other areas to excel. He was that player just two years ago. Haley at his best would be more of a bowling ball in the middle who will occupy blockers and get occasionally good push up the middle though not as a guy who really can make a difference I don't think. Wilkinson may not be that guy either anymore, but, he has shown he can be that guy at various points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 the Skins are going to have to do better than Holsey and even a Keith Traylor if they are going to cut Wilkinson. the team needs to acquire a legit DT who can step in and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom [Giants fan] Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 True bulldog but the four years Holsey was with the Giants, I never once said, oh no, here comes Holsey, what a decline. He is very serviceable if not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 agreed. but I think Wilkinson is better than serviceable. With a two gapper next to him in Noble I think you will see better upfield pressure and disruptiveness from #95 in 2003 if given a chance. He knows he is playing for a contract elsewhere in 2004 and that should give him additional motivation as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 And, I think BDW brings that "continuity" thing, too. There are some good reasons to keep him. Some reasons why he may be worth more to us than he is elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 What about Haley's DUI ? Is that resolved or is it still a question mark ? And regarding Holsey, he seems a bit small for an interior DL. He's listed at 285. I like to see my DT's at least 300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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