PFT: Cooley’s options could include a return to the Redskins

[KCClybun]

It'd be interesting to see happen, but I think it's unlikely. I don't think Cooley is going to resign with the Skins, unless an injury causes it, until the point comes where he resigns for a day to retire a skin.

Ultimately, I can't blame the skins FOR releasing him. I disagree with the choice from an organizational stand point, but I understand and can't blame them for it. I do blame them for how they went about the release if the near inevitability of it was as great as our insiders were suggesting all this time. I find it a sad mark on our organization, and a sad continuation of a poor organizational stance and mentality despite attempts to portray otherwise, with regards to its treatment of it's long time or homegrown players that they wait until the 4th game of the preseason, after having him play negligably as TE this preseason, to release him and then declare its to "allow him a chance to start somewhere". If it was as inevitable as it was made out to be they should've released him in the off season and given him a legitimate and more realistic shot at catching on with another team.

Chris wanted to stay.

It's that simple. Chris Cooley wanted to be afforded every opportunity to STAY a Washington Redskin. He didn't want to go somewhere else. For Chris, it was being a Redskin, or probably not being anything else.

So Bruce and Mike allowed him to compete. And he didn't do bad in practice or bad in games or bad at all, but he didn't do enough to over take Fred Davis, he couldn't do enough to make himself a better blocking option than Paulsen, and he didn't present the big play opportunity that Paul might possess.

But Cooley wanted the chance to make THIS team, so they kept him. They tried to get him some work at fullback/H-back, tried to find a spot where he'd fit. But ultimately they couldn't.

So Cooley got cut after he competed and worked to stay on the team, rather than being cut in the offseason (at which point people would've been complaining about him getting cut before he got a chance to compete anyway).

And the truth is always worse than the lie. The truth was, Cooley's performance, injury history and his money dictated that he get cut. At least with the lie, if Cooley does decide he wants to play, Shanahan is sending him off with an endorsement that he deserves to start elsewhere. Much better than saying "Cooley couldn't win the competition and he was too expensive so he had to go."

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Chris wanted to stay.

It's that simple. Chris Cooley wanted to be afforded every opportunity to STAY a Washington Redskin. He didn't want to go somewhere else. For Chris, it was being a Redskin, or probably not being anything else.

That shouldn't matter, though.

If--IF--Shanahan had next to zero desire to keep Cooley on the team, then not only do they waste his time, but also their own. We could have had another player here to evaluate, another guy like Baker to discover among the crowd...

Then again, I don't believe for a second that the only reason Cooley remained on the roster through training camp was just out of some loyalty to let the player think he might make the team..."We're gonna cut him, but bless his heart, he wants so badly to stay with the Skins...let's let him hang around for a few weeks.." ..Nah, I think it's as simple as they wanted Cooley to prove himself worthy of a roster spot because if he could do that, they could use him. I doubt their minds were made up on the matter, either way.

[ZRagone]

Chris wanted to stay.

It's that simple. Chris Cooley wanted to be afforded every opportunity to STAY a Washington Redskin. He didn't want to go somewhere else. For Chris, it was being a Redskin, or probably not being anything else.

I understand that. However, the question is if there was ever a realistic shot, at his salary, that he'd be able to stay a Washington Redskins. According to our insiders, it was a all but a certainty that he was going to be released unless he not only magically got healthy, but somehow actually turned back the hands of time and became faster then he'd been for years. If the Shanahan/Allen regime went to him and laid it out that he had almost no shot of making the team, and he still said "no problem, keep me as long as you can" then I'd have less of an issue. I don't honestly believe such a conversation is likely personally.

If I believed there was a legitimate shot, without a serious setback for another TE or a miracle of health on his behalf, that he was going to have better than a 10% shot at making this team then I'd likely feel differently. However, given the insight from our insiders all off-season long...I don't think that was the case and based on what I expect form coaches in general and what Cooley's also stated, I don't believe that the front office likely painted an accurate picture of how much of a significant longshot it was of him being kept even as a 3rd TE option.

I am not "other people", I don't speak for them nor do they speak for my complaining. Had he been released in the off-season and the "wants to start" line was thrown out, you wouldn't have complaints on this issue from me. I'd have suggested I disagreed with the decision, as I do now, but that I'd understand it and in that case at least I'd feel they were being a bit more fair to a player if his honest desire was to "start" in this league.

I don't believe the line though when it's trotted out after 3 pre-season games, when he's been being played largely at FB, as the "reason 'for his release. If that was the reason for his release it would not jive with "wanting every chance to make this team". If his desire was to make this team, and he's being released at this point, then it's not because "he wants to start" it's because he couldn't make this team as a 3rd TE.

I agree with your statement as to why he got cut. His injury history wasn't different now then it was in the off season. His performance wasn't likely to magically improve to a point better then it was when he was last healthy, which was indicated by insiders as still likely not good enough, and the options to change up his money weren't any different then than now. Which goes back to my point about the near inevitability of it. I have no problem with Shanahan doing the normal coach speak to give him an out and to try and make it less painful to get to a new place. I have an issue with it needing to get to that point if things went down as they appear to have, which admittedly is uncertain at this point and likely unable to be made certain.

[TheLongshot]

He seems to have been caught in a numbers crunch, but the number was 53 instead of millions.

I dont think he was released to save money, but a roster spot. ;(

This. When you try to do an honest assessment of the 53, there really isn't a roster spot for Cooley, unless you want to cut loose a young, promising player. You look at TE, FB and WR, and you see players that you'd prefer to keep on your roster for the long term over another year or two from Cooley. Perhaps the most reasonable argument is that you could cut Paul and keep Cooley, but it doesn't seem to be the direction the team wants to go in.

As for him coming back, I don't think it is likely, outside of injury. This wouldn't have happened now unless it was intened to be for good. If it was a money issue, it would have been handled a long time ago. The fact it happened now is because they talked and came to an agreement about his future with the team.

[DirtyGunz8]

BANG! none of the tight ends set the world on fire this preseason, but I wonder if that was by design

Exactly. Plus with Niles Paul not really being impressive in the preseason and Davis 1 strike away, it wouldn't hurt to have some insurance.

[jnhay]

Logan Paulson played a big role too although I felt his dual FB/TE roles would have ensured him a spot.

From what I understand, Paulsen is clearly the best blocker. So he's always had his niche. It had to be a question of whether Cooley's salary/age/talent were still worth more than Paul.

[TheLongshot]

If I believed there was a legitimate shot, without a serious setback for another TE or a miracle of health on his behalf, that he was going to have better than a 10% shot at making this team then I'd likely feel differently. However, given the insight from our insiders all off-season long...I don't think that was the case and based on what I expect form coaches in general and what Cooley's also stated, I don't believe that the front office likely painted an accurate picture of how much of a significant longshot it was of him being kept even as a 3rd TE option.

I don't know if it is quite as open and shut as that, when it was far from a certanty that Paul could make the conversion. Also, injuries do happen, which opens opportunities.

That being said, I think Cooley did get an honest opportunity to try to make the team. Whether he was capable of it is beside the point.

[skins2victory]

It's never been a question of money.

It's always been a question of an ageing, injury hit guy no longer being able to do what this scheme asks of him. Specifically in terms of speed and athleticism. If he could still contribute, he wouldn't be gone, regardless of salary.

Hail.

Go watch the video on redskins.com where Coach addresses the media about Cooley's release. Coach seems to disagree with your statement. Coach says the reason for his release is because Cooley wants to start on a team, and the redskins are going to allow him to test the market to see if there is a starting job available for him.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Go watch the video on redskins.com where Coach addresses the media about Cooley's release. Coach seems to disagree with your statement. Coach says the reason for his release is because Cooley wants to start on a team, and the redskins are going to allow him to test the market to see if there is a starting job available for him.

And I'd say Coach is being very diplomatic and saying the right things on this day.

But regardless, whatever you or I or anyone else thinks, it's al a moot point now as his time has ended here.

Hail.

[redskindan07]

I guarantee that if Cooley blew away the other TE's in training camp that he would still be on the roster. He is not the same player anymore

[Califan007 The Constipated]

And I'd say Coach is being very diplomatic and saying the right things on this day.

But regardless, whatever you or I or anyone else thinks, it's al a moot point now as his time has ended here.

Hail.

I was thinking that, too...but I'm not as sure anymore. "Graceful exit" seemed obvious at first, but when reading Shanahan's quotes about he and Cooley having "conversations" (that he refured to go into) and then basically saying "Bottom line, Cooley wants to be a starter and we're gonna give him that chance" makes me think a "What are your goals?" talk between Cooley and Shanahan took place, maybe more than once.

Maybe it was a convo about how Paul AND Paulsen were both gonna cut into his playing time if he stayed...dunno. (by the way, exactly how fast IS Paulsen? lol)

[pjfootballer]

I'm about 99.9% sure he isn't coming back.

[mossomo]

My vote: diplomacy. Cooley isn't coming back.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

..... (by the way, exactly how fast IS Paulsen? lol)

Dunno'. But he's not exactly a receiving TE so his blocking skills are far more important. Particularly with this line, and protecting that dude we've invested so heavily in.

Hail.

[Est.1974]

Shanny is being diplomatic & has timed this about right. Get the emotion & drama over before final cuts.

And why insult Cooley by putting him out there with a load of potential scrubs against Tampa when the decision has already been made.

[kingdaddy]

With our sudden depth at WR, with Morgan, Briscoe and Hankerson being tall, I wouldn't be surprised if we kept 7 WR's and used one of them at TE in redzone packages to create yet more matchup problems for defenses. I have to believe these coaches are dreading the decision of whom to let go at WR and maybe Shanny will look into seeing how he can use another one of them as a hybrid type player like he's doing with Paul.

[Rypien1191]

He's not coming back... theyre not gonna treat a guy like Cooley like a PS guy they pick up and dump as they see fit depending on the week.

[brasi]

There is just something wrong with thinking about a Redskins team that doesn't have Cooley on it.

[BraveWarrior]

It's times like these that we get reminded that the NFL is more about the business than the game of football. But we've all seen beloved players come and go countless times before. I really hated when Darrell Green retired, but that's in the past now. Of course, in that situation, it was fortunate that it never came down to Green being released.

[bedlamVR]

Chris wanted to stay.

It's that simple. Chris Cooley wanted to be afforded every opportunity to STAY a Washington Redskin. He didn't want to go somewhere else. For Chris, it was being a Redskin, or probably not being anything else.

So Bruce and Mike allowed him to compete. And he didn't do bad in practice or bad in games or bad at all, but he didn't do enough to over take Fred Davis, he couldn't do enough to make himself a better blocking option than Paulsen, and he didn't present the big play opportunity that Paul might possess.

But Cooley wanted the chance to make THIS team, so they kept him. They tried to get him some work at fullback/H-back, tried to find a spot where he'd fit. But ultimately they couldn't.

So Cooley got cut after he competed and worked to stay on the team, rather than being cut in the offseason (at which point people would've been complaining about him getting cut before he got a chance to compete anyway).

And the truth is always worse than the lie. The truth was, Cooley's performance, injury history and his money dictated that he get cut. At least with the lie, if Cooley does decide he wants to play, Shanahan is sending him off with an endorsement that he deserves to start elsewhere. Much better than saying "Cooley couldn't win the competition and he was too expensive so he had to go."

I think i have to agree with everything you said . In the preseason games I watched it was like last year Cooley looked slow compared to everyone else, but last season there was the benefit of the doubt because he was hurt, this year was the same .

I am 99.9% sure Cooley is not coming back and i really think this was his last roll of the dice . He must know that he is not getting any younger, the fact he still has no agent says a lot to me . I am 90% sure he is not going anywhere else either . It was the Redskins or nothing, and i think his reference to this being his last day as a Redskin for now, is maybe more of a hint of a future roll with the company, a future roll not including pads .

Its a sad day but one that was going to happen sooner or later, and i have to give the Shanahans props for not releasing him with everyone else giving him a day in the spot light to leave with some dignity and giving him every chance to make the team . No one can say he never had a chance ...

[Santana_89]

Samuels,Portis, Sellers now Cooley it is the end of an era for me. I became a Redskins fan in 2005 when Santana became a member of b&g nation. No one in my family was ever a Redskins fan that I can recall...my youngest son and I are still the lone wolves. I have watched every Redskins game since then and the 2005 season will always be golden for me.

Portis, Sellers,Cooley,Santana even Brunell. The Oline with Jansen, Thomas, Dockery,Samuels. The defense w/ Sean T, Marcus Washington, Ryan Clark, Springs,Los, Walt Harris, Wynn,C Griff, Salavea. Even more than CP retiring last week today's announcement is bittersweet.

While I'm looking forward to the future with RGlll,Garcon,Morgan,Hank,Davis,Orakpo,Kerrigan,&etc. The Gibbs 2.0 teams will always have a huge part of my heart.

Fare the well Captain Chaos.:point2sky

[Aireskoi]

Their conversation in my mind:

Coach: Well Chris, you did stay healthy.

Chris: I'm so glad, I'm ready to play.

Coach: We can't pay you that money as a back-up.

Chris: I'm a starter.

Coach: Fred is the starter, not you. We want you to stay but not for that money.

Chris: I want to stay but I'm not playing for minimum, I am starting caliber.

Coach: We'll release you to see your value, just give us first refusal.

Chris: Fine, but I want a press conference in case I don't come back.

Coach: That's the least I could do.

See you after week 1 so we don't have to guarantee anything.

I think he'll be back, but you never know who may offer him a job.

[Rocky52Mc]

It's never been a question of money.

It's always been a question of an ageing, injury hit guy no longer being able to do what this scheme asks of him. Specifically in terms of speed and athleticism. If he could still contribute, he wouldn't be gone, regardless of salary.

Hail.

Never been a question of money? When our cap room is non-existent and we're facing a second penalty of 18 million next year? You don't think that makes his aging or lack of starting ability here all that more stand-out-ish? He wanted to start, whether here or elsewhere, but in the NFL. And the Redskins can't afford a backup at 4million.

[stevej3658]

A sad day in my opionion to be a Redskins fan. I've been a diehard Skins fan for 40 + years and I don't believe I've ever uttered those words. Even when the Skins were down, way down did I ever say it's a sad, sad day to be a Redskins fan. Thanks for all the memories chris c.

[NeverSurrender]

Im very upset about this... Chris was a great tight end and always gave everything he had for us. I know he really wanted to be a part of our future with RG3 and you could see it in his press conference. I dont think that Niles Paul show much of anything this preseason and I dont see how he supplanted Cooley.... Oh wait he is fast...... Shanny you better show me something with this move because this guy deserved to be a skin till the end. Flame on I dont care.