The Redskins just a QB away from contending?...Some rival fans seem to think so.

[Pedro]

lol at the 'we need a qb, we need a qb, we need a qb'.

We know. We've tried, twice. We'll try again.

To win the SB we also need a good D, Teams and O sans the QB. Whilst we've been trying and failing at the QB part, we've been pretty damn good on the rest. So good in fact that we'll be able to afford to trade up better than anyone not the Browns, and there's the best prospect ever coming out. Oh and there's, imo, legitimate discussion as to who is the best QB this year. The two best prospects since? We are in a great place

[Redskins4ever]

Mike Shanahan has made mistake on top of mistake regarding the QB position. For one, he should have never traded for McNabb. Two, he should have kept Jason Campbell. And 3, he should have never viewed Grossman and Beck as a long term starter.

Dallas Cowboys fans are correct. With a potential addition of RG3 quarterbacking the Redskins, they should be very concerned.

[CrypticVillain]

its nice to see them concerned instead of laughing at us. however.... for those of you that remember when Sean was murdered....quite a few came here and created accounts only so they could offer condolences.... surprisingly there are some decent cowturd fans out there... they just have poor taste in football teams.

AND THEY ARE ALL IN TEXAS!!! It is these bandwagon hopping, jock ridding, nut holding fans here in DC that get on my nerves!!!

Seriously though, you can tell that we are in prime position to takeover the east. If we have a draft like last year, show's over.

[HigSkin]

Can't agrue with QB season stats like this:

Grossman - 20 INT's, 25 sacks and 6 fumbles.

[MrJL]

AND THEY ARE ALL IN TEXAS!!! It is these bandwagon hopping, jock ridding, nut holding fans here in DC that get on my nerves!!!

Seriously though, you can tell that we are in prime position to takeover the east. If we have a draft like last year, show's over.

Washington is kind of a transient town though.

[SWFLSkins]

With the WR's open the way they were and Rex over or under throwing deep balls the way he did no wonder opposing fans are afraid of what a good QB could do in DC.

[dswerdlw]

I'm all for trading up with Indy or STL. I'd love to see us take Luck, and I'm good with RG3. We need to bite the bullet and get not just a passable QB (Flynn), but a potential franchise QB. The rest of our problems (WR, DBs, OL depth) can be solved through free agency and late round picks.

[Main-Maine]

Because many of our fans are ignorant to how valuable the QB spot is and still think you can win in this league with THE HOGS and 70 CHIP!!~~

Exactly, because it's getting very old hearing that crap.

[Skinsinparadise]

You get a QB, by a mile that's the hard task. Then you can sign a Vincent Jackson or Colston type, a couple of guys on the line like a Myers or Nicks. And the offense should be in miles better shape.

[Hitman21ST]

I'm all for trading up with Indy or STL. I'd love to see us take Luck, and I'm good with RG3. We need to bite the bullet and get not just a passable QB (Flynn), but a potential franchise QB. The rest of our problems (WR, DBs, OL depth) can be solved through free agency and late round picks.

You'll be amazed to see how many of our "holes" aren't actually holes when we get a franchise QB.

Think about our defense: a lot of posters on here have been saying stuff like "the defense regressed" at the end of the year and "Orakpo and Kerrigan aren't having enough of an impact" and the like. However, a lot of that can be put on the offense not continually sustaining drives or jumping out to leads and forcing the defense into horrible situations. When we get a QB who can sustain drives and put points on the board, we'll start seeing the defense perform better (because they're not on the field as much) and our sack artists doing their thing (playing with a lead lets them pin their ears back more).

Or our sack numbers: Beck and Grossman are notorious for holding the ball too long and not being able to move in the pocket. When we get a QB who gets the ball out on time and has pocket awareness, the total sacks allowed will drop dramatically.

Amazingly, two of our holes have just disappeared, without addressing them directly.

[Main-Maine]

You get a QB, by a mile that's the hard task. Then you can sign a Vincent Jackson or Colston type, a couple of guys on the line like a Myers or Nicks. And the offense should be in miles better shape.

In addition to your point. Those same free agents would be more attracted to us if we had a franchise QB.

---------- Post added January-7th-2012 at 10:43 AM ----------

You'll be amazed to see how many of our "holes" aren't actually holes when we get a franchise QB.

Think about our defense: a lot of posters on here have been saying stuff like "the defense regressed" at the end of the year and "Orakpo and Kerrigan aren't having enough of an impact" and the like. However, a lot of that can be put on the offense not continually sustaining drives or jumping out to leads and forcing the defense into horrible situations. When we get a QB who can sustain drives and put points on the board, we'll start seeing the defense perform better (because they're not on the field as much) and our sack artists doing their thing (playing with a lead lets them pin their ears back more).

Or our sack numbers: Beck and Grossman are notorious for holding the ball too long and not being able to move in the pocket. When we get a QB who gets the ball out on time and has pocket awareness, the total sacks allowed will drop dramatically.

Amazingly, two of our holes have just disappeared, without addressing them directly.

Agreed with your entire post. The entire NFC east knows if we got a franchise QB the Redskins would be very dangerous because we could keep up with them in scoring, and not have the qb turn the ball over(Grossman stats). The entire NFCE have a franchise qb (Eli, Romo sits to pee, Vick) besides the Redskins.

I believe if we want to get back in the thick of things we need to draft a qb or we can wait four more years until we fix the OL, DL, WR, CB,DB like some Redskins fan want us to do.

[#98QBKiller]

I remember. They were actually the best fanbase in the NFC East during that time. Eagles were the worst but not as bad as the Seahawks. Dallas fans I've known, non-bandwagoners, have been the best or most civil of NFC East fans I've met.

I remember that. It really made me happy to see our fellow NFC East fans put football on the backburner and help us through that rough time as fans.

Fletch wants Luck

Sounds like London Fletcher agrees with Cali!

He was on NFL Network last night and emphasized how it's a quarterback driven league and that we really need one.

Sounds good to me

Fletch knows how much better this team could be with a good QB.

[No Excuses]

Story of this franchise for the last 10 years. Good to great defense, solid running game but no QB to take advantage of it.

I don't care if they trade the entire damn draft. Get RGIII or Andrew Luck on this team.

[skinfan2k]

A franchise QB in this league guarantees you 8 wins a season for 10 years in a row. You never see a franchise QB no matter how bad his team not win less than 7-8 games even in the worst year for injuries

[War Paint]

We should do everything we can to draft RG3 or Luck. We should also try to sign a stud WR in FA if available, like Vincent Jackson. Then use all of our remaining picks or cap space to get better depth at oline. We could be a very scary team if those things happen.

[Wyvern]

I probably am going to take some heat for offering a dissenting opinion -- but I don't think adding a rookie QB is going to vault the Redskins into the playoffs. Especially, if the Skins give up a basket-full of draft-picks and players to land that 1st or 2nd pick of the 2012 draft..

There just too many other needs. For example unless thngs turn out well for on some surgeries, the Skins 2012 defensive secondary might become a major concern, and that would create pressure the offense to generate points. I saw a lot of serious injuries to players the Skins are countring on for 2012 success. I wouldn't want to overlook there are few players who are just one failed drug test away from a years suspension.

So, in my opinion, it's going to take more than one kind of "Luck" to move this team up to the next level.

To be clear -- I do believe this team will need a franchise QB for the future. And I think this draft is a great opportunity to obtain a blue-chip QB to groom for the NFL as a candidate for that role. But from what I saw, Grossman did run the offense as effectively as we might expect a non-elite QB (or a talented rookie QB) might do. Maybe folks need to acknowledge that some of those INTs and turnovers had something to do with the offensive line, the unrealiable running game, and mediocre performance by the receiving corps gaining separation and fighting for contested passes.

Sure, QB is important -- and the Skins are going to need to upgrade, but it had better be balanced against sacrificing too much for the rebuild process for the problem areas I discuss above.

IMO, if you're really satisfied with the offensive line -- you're settling. (I have question-marks at 4 of the 5 positions.) And do you think Moss is going to be faster next year? Do the Skins really have a NT? How long does Fletcher keep going? Cooley, Landry, Lichtensteiger, Jenkins, Hankerson, Brown, .. the list of injury-related question-marks is long. ...And no rookie QB is going to provide all the answers.

I like the direction the team is going. And I suspect this will be a more active and constructive free-agency offseason. I suspect the draft will be fruitful and helpful down the road. And I think the Skins will be competitive in 2012 -- but not simply because they picked up a talented rookie QB. It will be because Shanahan/Allen found answers for many of those 2011 'questions' for those other crucial positions beside QB.

[wildbill1952]

Because many of our fans are ignorant to how valuable the QB spot is and still think you can win in this league with THE HOGS and 70 CHIP!!~~

And many think all you need is QB's, WR's, RB and TE's to have an offense that scores.

---------- Post added January-7th-2012 at 01:49 PM ----------

A franchise QB in this league guarantees you 8 wins a season for 10 years in a row. You never see a franchise QB no matter how bad his team not win less than 7-8 games even in the worst year for injuries

Sam Bradford? Cam Newton? Michael Vick?

Do teams make the franchise QB or does the QB make the team? Was Cassell a franchise QB when he won 11 games with the Pats and stopped being a franchise QB because he's now with the Chiefs. Same question, substitute Joe Montana. Franchise QB with 49ers, not so much with the Chiefs when he left, but the QB that replaced him, Steve Young, was not so franchise-ish when he played for the Buccaneers but became a franchise QB when he went to a very good 49ers team. The point being it was the same QB but different teams that determined how good the QB was. It was not the QB making the team great. A large part of the equation,yes. But the same QB you call "franchise" looks very poor when on a poor team without an offensive line, receivers, a running game, etc. Put Grossman on a better team (one with the Hogs for example and a 70-chip that works again and again) and voila, you will have a much better QB. Put Brady with a high school offensive line and the cheerleaders for receivers and he will suddenly be a very ordinary QB.

[Skinsinparadise]

In addition to your point. Those same free agents would be more attracted to us if we had a franchise QB.

Agree. Also my point is directed to the we need a supporting cast first crowd. Even playing with that line of thought, yeah we can get a supporting cast and QB all in one off season -- it doesn't have to be one or another.

[jflow78]

LOL

At this point, all of this scares me. People are getting their hopes up for RG3 and some other team may offer something that we can't match in a trade up. If we try to trade, no one will be surprised and I also think that with all of this talk of trading up to 1 or 2, the price is being driven up for those picks. I can name more than a few teams who really need a franchise QB, so we aren't the only ones in this position. I would be good in going for Luck or RG3, and a lot of other teams would be too.

What scares me most is having to go into next season with Grossman or Beck as the starter. I'm not so in love with any of the available QBs that I feel we MUST get one specific guy, I just feel like we really do NEED to upgrade at QB. If we can get Luck or Grffin, great. If we can't get one of those guys and we can get Flynn, great. If there happens to be someone else who won't turn the ball over 2 times a game and will only manage games, our running game is better and our defense is good enough, that should improve us 3-4 games alone.

I'd rather get our guy, but if we can't I don't feel like we can come out of this offseason without a better QB. That's the biggest "must have" this offseason, IMO.

[RWJ]

JMO and be respectful with my input:) but I like Joe Webb from the Vikes. I hope a backup plan of Shanahan's, if he can't trade up for RGIII, IF he officially announces he's going Pro, is to trade a pick for Webb. Yes, he has played very limited BUT when he plays the Vikes OF steps it up. He gives you the dimensions of RGIII with his ability to scramble and has a hell of an arm.

[Skinsinparadise]

I probably am going to take some heat for offering a dissenting opinion -- but I don't think adding a rookie QB is going to vault the Redskins into the playoffs. .

With this teams long hibernation from being a consistent contender which ironically coincided with us not having a dangerous passing game in a passing league, I don't think most of us are jazzed for example about RG 3 because we see him as an immediate fix for 2012, but a long term franchise QB who would hopefully make us a perennial contender and eventual Superbowl winner.

But from what I saw, Grossman did run the offense as effectively as we might expect a non-elite QB (or a talented rookie QB) might do. Maybe folks need to acknowledge that some of those INTs and turnovers had something to do with the offensive line, the unrealiable running game, and mediocre performance by the receiving corps gaining separation and fighting for contested passes.

It would be one thing if Rex's turnover issues was an aberration for his career but it isn't. Hard for me to imagine that Rex's weaknesses with the Skins were heavily shaped by his supporting cast and its just a coincidence that it happened to be the same stuff that has plagued his career thus far. Also, Rex stunk in some games where the running game was on fire like the game against the Rams. Yeah I get you aren't lauding Rex big here, but yeah I do think he's a liability at that position. And I can't see why we can't upgrade the O line and receiving corp and the Qb position all at once? It looks like a good free agent year in particular for WR.

[MrJL]

Exactly, because it's getting very old hearing that crap.

As a person who's been against doing whatever it takes as some people want to get a franchise QB, I like the running game but the reason why I counter claims about QBs, because most of the people calling for a QB seem to have no faith in the Skins front office anywhere else. It's like they can't do anything right, except acquire a superstar QB. It's kind of a warped logic and it's why I'd like to build a team, then put a QB in the driver's seat.

---------- Post added January-7th-2012 at 02:04 PM ----------

What scares me most is having to go into next season with Grossman or Beck as the starter. I'm not so in love with any of the available QBs that I feel we MUST get one specific guy, I just feel like we really do NEED to upgrade at QB. If we can get Luck or Grffin, great. If we can't get one of those guys and we can get Flynn, great. If there happens to be someone else who won't turn the ball over 2 times a game and will only manage games, our running game is better and our defense is good enough, that should improve us 3-4 games alone.

I'd rather get our guy, but if we can't I don't feel like we can come out of this offseason without a better QB. That's the biggest "must have" this offseason, IMO.

Beck won't be the starter. Jonathan Crompton has a better chance of starting for our team next year than Beck does even playing on it. He had his chance

[jflow78]

Beck won't be the starter. Jonathan Crompton has a better chance of starting for our team next year than Beck does even playing on it. He had his chance

Sad as it is, I'd feel better if Crompton WERE our starter, if the alternative is Beck or Grossman. Heck, I'd be happier bringing in a new guy every week to tryout than having either of these guys starting next year.

[Main-Maine]

And many think all you need is QB's, WR's, RB and TE's to have an offense that scores.

---------- Post added January-7th-2012 at 01:49 PM ----------

Sam Bradford? Cam Newton? Michael Vick?

What do you think we need that is more important than a Qb?

I guess you want us to wait another six years to get all the pieces, before we even take a shot at the QB position?

I wonder, while we draft for those position what to do once players get older, and some have career ending injuries, and losing player to FA maybe?

I see, we should just keep going in circles trying to fix six position before we even try to fix that one important position.

Although, that one position can cover alot of those deficiency. If you need proof look and Indy.

I strongly believe we need to build around a QB or continue watching qb's like Grossman, Jason Campbell, Patrick Ramsey...etc.

Hopefuly you got the picutre.

[Skinsinparadise]

As a person who's been against doing whatever it takes as some people want to get a franchise QB, I like the running game but the reason why I counter claims about QBs, because most of the people calling for a QB seem to have no faith in the Skins front office anywhere else. It's like they can't do anything right, except acquire a superstar QB. It's kind of a warped logic and it's why I'd like to build a team, then put a QB in the driver's seat.

I have faith in the Redskins FO but I don't think the team can reinvent the game -- currently its a QB driven league, the teams who are successful primarily have stud to very good QB with SF being the exception but will see how far SF goes in the playoffs. Sneaking into the playoffs years ago with Brunnel and Todd Collins, I don't think scared anybody, and we made quick exits.

We've had strong O lines, strong running games, strong defenses -- at different periods during these 2 decades of mostly gloom and doom. What's the one thing we haven't had? A strong passing game. It's like in baseball, when the Yankees for years threw money at building a strong lineup but had mediocre starting pitching -- even though it was becoming more and more clear that starting pitching is the most critical component of winning the World Series -- all of a sudden, they build a rotation: David Cone, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, David Wells and they are unstoppable.

We've had strong O lines when these guys were at their peak -- Samuels, Thomas, Rabach, Dockery, Jansen. Portis was a very good RB. Stephen Davis, too. Gregg Williams' defenses were pretty good. What haven't we pulled off? A passing game. The idea of heck, you know what, lets instead of trying a project at QB or an old veteran -- lets go after one of those guys who has elite talent and can likely be a franchise guy so we might be able to compete with the big boys who have elite passing games for the first time since 1991 -- seems to make a lot of sense to me.

It's not hard to find a good OG in the third round. You got guys like V. Jackson, Colston, etc who are free agents. If we go for a QB, it doesn't shut down the rest of our off season.