NFL.com: Shanahan Preaches Patience as Redskins Rebuilding Continues

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

everyone says we need more talents on the outside but we currently have like ten recievers on the roster and of those 10 five entered the league in the last two years and two of the other ones are under 30. That's not a lot of development time

I like what I see in that young buck Stallworth.

[MrJL]

everyone says we need more talents on the outside but we currently have like ten recievers on the roster and of those 10 five entered the league in the last two years and two of the other ones are under 30. That's not a lot of development time

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

everyone says we need more talents on the outside but we currently have like ten recievers on the roster and of those 10 five entered the league in the last two years and two of the other ones are under 30. That's not a lot of development time

I like what I see in that young buck Stallworth.

[Crazy Levi]

Herschel Walker was a veteran player. The Vikings traded for a player, not a pick. BIG difference.

I'll repeat -

A trade like this will give the other team our next 5 best draft prospects. In return we'll get one draft prospect.

A trade like that would be suicide. We cannot afford to keep allowing OTHER teams to get better at our expense. We've been doing that for years and it's NEVER worked. It's interesting how many people have convinced themselves that for some reason, this time it will.

I don't mind trading up for a QB. But there has to be a sane limit to it. Or else we are destroying this team for years to come. Again.

Some of you folks should read up on this. I thought we were all tired of the Skins being laughingstocks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herschel_Walker_trade

[TSO]

TSO, I get your larger point but this part is very full of hyperbole. "Nothing short of amazing?" In the end, fairly or unfairly, you get defined by your record. Shanallen are building the right way, but to expect people to characterize two consecutive double-digit loss seasons as "amazing" is equally absurd. With those results of course people are going to have some criticism.

And we'll be very, very good even without an elite QB.......define "very, very good." To me that's 11-5 territory. "We'll be great in no time if we manage to nab an elite QB?" Great is 12-4 or above. Even Luck and RG3 are probably going to have a bit of a learning curve adjusting to the NFL. Expecting immediate results is setting yourself for disappointment.

In the end, your record must be looked in context. In fact, the whole "you are your record" is hyperbole itself. It's true only to the extent of the present, but takes no account as to what pieces are in place that can be built upon for the future.

I honestly don't believe there's any hyperbole in what I've said. Hear me out.

Our record has a lot more to do with the kind of depth we've had previous to Shanahan coming in and what he inherited. He's tried to get us a franchise QB (McNabb) to hold over until a young one is picked, but that failed. He went with Rex/Beck instead of simply taking a QB for the sake of it (Gabbert) when everyone trashed him for it and now we're seeing a pretty solid Rex who can put up points at QB while Gabbert is proving to not have been worth a 10th pick in the draft and has legitimate questions as to whether or not he can even play QB at this level. As for Rex, sure, I get that he's way too turnover prone and he's going to hurt us at points during every game, but I'm also not naive and narrow-minded enough to see the fact that he's also benefited us in a big way as well. We're consistently scoring over 20 points a game the last 6 weeks and when has that ever happened for us in the last decade? There is no doubt he can move the ball and help us score points.

And, to me, "very, very good" is more in the range of 10-6. Even 9-7 if our losses were all close against competitive teams and our wins included ones where we took it to the poor teams. Everything must be looked at in context. I have the same view of "great" as you do, 12-4 or better.

To me, your putting too much emphasis on the signal-caller (and that's not saying you're entirely wrong to do so, only a bit). I get how important a QB is. I understand how the rules of the game have changed. That being said, we've all just witnessed just how good this team can be in the last 6 weeks when our running game is clicking. We've been able to keep defense's honest and be dynamic on offense all with an average (talent-wise) QB running the offense. So, yeah, I get the whole learning curve for the rookie thing but if we can keep our running game going with a solid free agency and a solid draft like last offseason's, as I've stated, by upgrading certain spots as well as keeping continuity in the areas that are already optimal; I don't see a guy like RG3 or Luck having any issue in keeping the transition smooth since they both are more skilled.

In fact, RG3's ability to run effectively alone is enough reason to warrant optimism that any negative affect derived from his lack of knowledge of the offense will be minimized. He can use his legs to create plays Rex can't, which will negate the plays Rex may have been able to make due to knowledge RG3 has to grow into with experience.

[RFKFedEx]

Trade up for a pick and you're selling me hope. I'm not buying hope anymore after having lived through the Snyderatto 2000s. I know substance when I see it and its starting to happen here whether people like it or not. Trading away the future on a can't miss prospect will piss away all of the foundation Shanallen has built two years. We have a nice system in place to groom a QB, we don't need to wreck it now trying to land a dream boy at QB.

Why are people suddenly doubting the harm of trading picks after what we've been through?

[Bang]

Walker was a proven NFL player at the time, Luck and RG3 are not. Walker was a good NFL player, but not great. He brought hope just like Luck and RG3, all based on dominance at the NCAA level.

What are you smoking?

Herschel Walker led the Generals to two USFL titles!

Your analysis is on.. that trade was a joke when it happened.. everyone except Minnesota knew they gave up WAY too much.. we look at it now and the draft picks really stand out, not just for who they got with those picks, but the Cowboys also pretty much showed the league why draft picks were so valuable with that trade.

Not to mention, the Vikings also gave up four players, and 3 of them were starters.

In that one move, the Cowboys set their franchise up for ten years, and the Vikings went RIGHT into the dumper.

Frankly, Jimmy Johnson should be in the Hall of Fame because of it. (he did win two Super Bowls, but he set them up right then and there.)

This trade ought to be held as an example for all who want to get rid of our next 3 firsts, 2 seconds, Orakpo, williams, davis, etc... to move up for one guy.

It's never worth that much, no matter how big a reputation the player has.

~Bang

[MrJL]

I like what I see in that young buck Stallworth.

I was actually talking Anderson and Armstrong. Stallworth is 31

[KCClybun]

Has no one considered the prospect that trading up to the first pick might not bankrupt us with picks?

I'm not advocating trading a whole draft to get our guy. But I think we could trade up and not kill ourselves. We just need to keep our second round pick.

Right now, we've got every pick in the draft and then some. Thanks to 'Los deciding not to be butt anymore, I think we're probably looking at a fourth round compensatory pick.

I think the best course of action would be to trade our 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and then a 1st/2nd (perferably a second) and 3rd and maybe a late round pick in 2012. And I know that sounds like a lot, but...hear me out.

I think we're going to lose to Philly. I don't want to lose to Philly. I want to annihilate them, draft position be damned, but...I think we lose to Philly. We more or less guarantee ourselves a top 5 pick at that point; if we lose, I don't think we can pick lower than like, six or seven. So the cost of moving up to number one is going to be somewhat reduced because we don't have to move up a bunch to do it.

Keeping our second round pick is key. For one, we need to pick a player in the second round. And secondly, it would enable us to do just what we did this year; trade down. If we land in the number 5 spot, and someone wants to come up, we can trade down. If we get a good offer, we'll regain our third round pick. From there, if we want to further trade down, we can regain the fourth round pick we lost. But remember, we have an extra four from the Campbell trade anyway, so we'd already have a fourth round pick, and a potential compensatory pick in that round.

So, we end up getting our first round quarterback. We keep our second and trade down enough to regain our third. If all goes right, 'Los deciding to actually play football will get us a compensatory fourth round pick. We should have an extra pick from the McNabb trade (though that might depend on the Hightower trade), and really, once you move into the later rounds, it's a lot easier to move around with those late round picks.

It's a long shot, but there are ways to move up in the draft and still wind up with most if not all the draft picks you had. Especially with how wonky 5th, 6th and 7th round compensatory draft picks work...

[RFKFedEx]

What are you smoking? Herschel Walker led the Generals to two USFL titles!

Which only added to his lure by the time he landed with Cowboys in 1986. The USFL days helped fuel the trade for him in 89. Hope in Herschel was sold not once, but twice at the NFL level. A trade the farm for a QB deal in this draft could be the next Herschel Walkeresque deal.

Minnesota could be on the winning end this time if someone is foolish enough to give it all to them.

[IrepDC]

I was skeptical of Shanahan at first. I felt like we were still acquiring players/coaches that had success elsewhere in hopes that some would carry over to us, and while I haven't agreed with all of Shanahan's decisions, I do see that he has this team headed in the right direction. He has my backing going forward for the next few years. He's earned my trust and my faith that he and his son will turn this team around.

[professor21]

'This is not gonna happen overnight. You hire me for five years, you're gonna have to give us that time.'

amen. we may not have a winning team for the past decade but this team feels different and way younger than the past 10 years. lets stick with it and hopefully next year we'll go 9-7 at worst!

but first lets get a top QB please!

[BeefJerky]

No doubt we have to have patience. This team is headed in the right direction, I for one am excited for next year. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[mbws]

What are you smoking?

Herschel Walker led the Generals to two USFL titles!

~Bang

I assume your smiley means this was a joke right? I mean we both know this is not true.

[pilsburypgh]

I like to say that last years draft was the best draft the Redskins has had in ten years. Yes, they passed on a QB, but looking at who they were able to draft and the holes that Shannahan was able to fill make me believe he's taking the team in the right direction.. Yes a mistake was made on McNabb, but hey I'll admit that when it was announced I thought it was a great move. A coach can plan for injuries and Shannahan did that by drafting Helu and signing Hightower. When Hightower went down Helu was ready to step up. I believe that the 2012 draft will be just as good. Shannahan will pick with value in mind. We may see them trade back like we saw last year and get more draft picks. We all need to remember, that Tom Brady was a 5th round QB.

finding Tom Brady in round 5 happens like every 1000 years..lol I wouldnt bank on it.

[Thinking Skins]

Getting rid of players like 'Los. I don't care what he's doing in SF, he didn't want to be here and warranted being let go.

Los didn't want to be here because of the environment put forth by the franchise - the very environment that Shanny acknowledged in the article as what he needed to change.

---------- Post added January-1st-2012 at 01:31 PM ----------

And that's fair Levi. In another thread recently TK made the good point (allusion) that Shanny will see what kind of holes we'll be able to fill in FA in March and early April and then make the analysis of what his strategy will be in regard to the draft. Either way, I'd like him to get the guy he feels most comfortable with.

If we do do the free agent approach, I hope its more similar to last year's than years past where we throw out the real big time contracts. Those things just make me cringe every time they happen. I'm not a big fan of free agency in general, but at least the small to mediocre contracts aren't as crippling or have the sense of entitlement that the big time ones do.

---------- Post added January-1st-2012 at 01:35 PM ----------

the advantage in building depth etc then getting the QB is the QB we have will be experienced and wont be so gun shy, then when the new QB comes in the OL and the peripherals will know the system, all the new QB has to do is watch and learn, then execute i am very pleased where the franchise is now MS has brought this club a long way in two years next march and april will define where we are going

The QB position is like many other positions. Some can come in immediately and start. Some take time to develop, and which is which doesn't depend on draft position. I think the more of a supporting cast we have around out QB - both in terms of offense and defense to supplement him helps him. And if he can get some chemistry with a Moss or a Cooley or a Hankerson, then its all for the better because it leads to him having more of a bail-out.

---------- Post added January-1st-2012 at 01:43 PM ----------

That was a nice article. I fully, 100% believe that Shanahan will have us contending at or before the five-year milestone. He's made far too many great personnel decisions in the first two off-seasons to believe otherwise. I really hope he's here for another contract after this one. After that time, I want him to remain the VP while someone (hopefully Kyle) takes over as the coach.

WOW. Thats an ambitious statement. You WANT Kyle to be the HC? I'm still grading his abilities as an OC, and in particular how he handles and respects different players. Even a second contract for Mike is a big assumption because I'm still wondering how much of this draft and depth building was on Allen vs Haslett vs Shanny. I mean, I'll give him props for this offseason, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. If he can manage to turn this place around (and I don't mean going from laughing stock to just a losing team, I mean a team that's legitimately challenging for the division in late December and winning division titles and playoff games), then I'll agree, but I'm nowhere near such a high praise status for Shanny.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

TS, by "wanting" those things, what I'm hoping for are that they are warranted. I am hoping that the offense becomes Texans-like over the next couple of years which would show me that Kyle knows what he's doing.

I believe that, from a continuity standpoint, no circumstance would be better than one where the Shanahans succeed and earn more time to coach and run this team.

[Thinking Skins]

no single position could better improve our team than qb. heck even if we had a good draft, like last year, without a qb, it's no good for us. might result in a 1 or 2 game swing.

however, we stand to gain a whole lot by improved play at the qb position and we are lined up as good as we'll probably be (during shannys contract) to get a qb.

also, for those of you against trading for luck/rg3.. it's going to cost just as much to trade up for an elite qb prospect in the future as it's going to cost now, maybe even more. if you think our team is continually getting better we might not even have a realistic chance to land an elite qb prospect in the future. now that we have a chance, we have to take it. and this is not shunning the "right way" of drafting.. regime changes are usually started with a highly graded qb prospect, and they often cost a lot. sure, there are plenty of instances where it doesnt cost a lot to get a solid qb, but it's the norm for the nfl.

I disagree.

All around the league, you see teams doing well without great QBs - SF this year is the prime example. KC last year is another example, same for Chicago. I can go on and on. Cincy with Dalton, the Jets, Denver, etc. We definitely need to replace Beck, and I'd LOVE to be able to get RGIII in this draft, but I have my limits as to what I'd be willing to give up for him. I think another valid option is just to continue to try to build a solid team and try to win with a non franchise type QB.

---------- Post added January-1st-2012 at 01:57 PM ----------

I think we can learn a lot from Shanahan's trade up for Cutler back in Denver and trade down instead of taking Gabbert. He is not scared to trade up for the right QB and will not just take someone for the sake of taking a QB. I really like the moves the past 2 years...can't wait for another solid offseason.

Remember a few years ago when Snyder/Vinny wanted to trade up for Sanchez? I think I remember him saying that he wouldn't trade future first round picks because we've done so well in the first round of the draft (given we traded a future first rounder when we drafted Campbell). I wonder if that "rule" is still in play under Shanny.

---------- Post added January-1st-2012 at 02:20 PM ----------

finding Tom Brady in round 5 happens like every 1000 years..lol I wouldnt bank on it.

Finding Brady happens once in a lifetime, but teams do find players like Romo sits to pee, Trent Green, Kurt Warner, Brian Griese, David Garrard, Matt Schaub, Rich Gannon, Marc Bulger, Brad Johnson, etc. I can go on and on. These players were all found later in the draft and had pretty good carreers, with super bowl QBs on there, several franchise QBs and guys who put up some of the top single season QB ratings over the last 20 years. So I wouldn't discount lower round picks just because everybody's not a Tom Brady.

If you ask could we have built a SB caliber team around Trent Green, I (and probably most Redskins fans) would say heck yeah. And that probably would have led to a lot less turnover in the last 10 years.

[JerseyGator]

Shanahan needs to practice what he preaches regarding the offense. They do need to get a good young QB for the future but this offense was a model of instability this year with its various injuries and personnel drug issues. With most back and healthy, they seem to have a lot of capable parts. OL needs depth though in the worst way.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

U C S D Skinsfans - best picture EVER! RGIII for QB. This would make the skins great for years to come.

Ok back to the article. I have complete faith in the organization. The skins are on the right track and just need a QB to get things done (and another good draft class). I think it's time to address the need for a better secondary soon which will help the defense tremendously.