Hats off to the Draft team, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen 2013

[LD0506]

Look...they are doing a good job. But they also lucked into drafting maybe the best rookie QB since Marino. There is no planning that accounts for that.

It's better to be lucky than good sometimes.

Really just writing that off to luck? You don't think that pros who have spent their whole lives in football considered the thought of targeting a QB in a draft that had at least two first rate prospects? I know Griffin burst on the scene for us fans, but somehow I doubt it was a total shock for the professionals. They clearly chose not to take a QB the year before when one was desperately needed, so that was just a "Well we will just buy a lottery ticket next year" move? I don't accept that.

[RandyHolt]

I am glad we didnt go after a WR, They take too long to develop internally. And seem to get injured. Why not go with a big beast like Reed instead.

---------- Post added April-29th-2013 at 10:00 AM ----------

I think one of the most important things is that our FO understands the pulse of the league. The days of dominant, shut down defenses are over imho. What you want are pass rushers and play makers. You can't shut down elite NFL offenses anymore. Just look at the scores in last year's playoffs. What you want is a defense that has the ability to make game changing plays. And we are most definitely making a concerted effort to add game changing play makers to this roster. This was a high risk draft to be sure. But the potential payoff is well worth that risk imo.

This!

I had been trying to find a way to sum up the draft, without focusing on a particular players skills.

Again, great post.

Welcome to the new NFL. It was first on my radar 2 years ago, when all the playoff teams had a 4000 yd passer. Well, everyone but Tebow of course. Look at New England all these years. The rest of the league is finally catching up.

[Burgold]

Really just writing that off to luck? You don't think that pros who have spent their whole lives in football considered the thought of targeting a QB in a draft that had at least two first rate prospects? I know Griffin burst on the scene for us fans, but somehow I doubt it was a total shock for the professionals. They clearly chose not to take a QB the year before when one was desperately needed, so that was just a "Well we will just buy a lottery ticket next year" move? I don't accept that.

Not to mention the foresight to not pick a QB for a year even though they knew we'd be stuck with Grossman and Beck. I think they looked ahead and saw Luke, Griffin, Barkley, Jones, Cousins and said.... Okay, let's get screamed at for not taking Gabbert. We will wait on RGIII.

[LittleTinyUnbornBaby]

No matter what some fans think of Shanny, I just wanted to take this time to thank him for all he has done for this franchise, and I have not agreed with all of it, but so far everything he has done that we thought was wrong or right, has come out positive in the end. Thanks for the players you have drafted so far, most of which have worked out, and the players that were brought in. Thanks for treating Haynesworth like crap and getting him out of here and so on and on.

We are actually going to be known as a great drafting team, which is amazing since we were terrible for so many years, for years to come and I thank Bruce and Mike for that!

Congratulations on another successful draft fellas!

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Really just writing that off to luck? You don't think that pros who have spent their whole lives in football considered the thought of targeting a QB in a draft that had at least two first rate prospects? I know Griffin burst on the scene for us fans, but somehow I doubt it was a total shock for the professionals. They clearly chose not to take a QB the year before when one was desperately needed, so that was just a "Well we will just buy a lottery ticket next year" move? I don't accept that.

Exactly. This wasn't a case like with Brady or even Romo sits to pee, low round/UDFA players who suddenly showed they could produce and lead the team to wins. Belichick got lucky. Not Shanahan.

[BobGriffin]

I can't remember the last time I was so genuinely excited about EVERY pick. We finally got that little quick **** that can hurt you in the run pass and return game. We got a Alfred Morris clone in case he gets hurt or gassed. We got a hell of a pass rusher that teams doubled when healthy instead of the 1st and 2nd round picks from the same line. We got a movable athletic chest piece tight end and 3 plus sized athletic ball hawks all with out a first round pick ? HELL YES

[The Diesel]

Exactly. This wasn't a case like with Brady or even Romo sits to pee, low round/UDFA players who suddenly showed they could produce and lead the team to wins. Belichick got lucky. Not Shanahan.

And it didn't "fall in their lap" anyway. They had to make a heavily analyzed, much criticized blockbuster trade just to have the opportunity to draft him. That was a huge gamble, and that's not even addressing the overhaul of an offense to best capitalize on the player's unique talents.

[dcdiscokid]

year 5- collect underpants

year 6- ?????

year 7- profit!

Hahaha, was thinking the same thing!

[LD0506]

And it didn't "fall in their lap" anyway. They had to make a heavily analyzed, much criticized blockbuster trade just to have the opportunity to draft him. That was a huge gamble, and that's not even addressing the overhaul of an offense to best capitalize on the player's unique talents.

Another good point, some people act like Shanahan slipped and accidentally got a horseshoe lodged in the dark, but when you look at the moves made since they took over the GoodShipLollygag there is a clear pattern of growth and improvement across the board, a step-by-step plan that seems obvious now, one that they stuck to in spite of all the teeth-gnashing and hair-pulling from the shortsighted elements in the fanbase.

I said it years back, Shanahan doesn't give a rats ass what people say and I thank God for that. He is precisely the guy we needed here for so long, for the team, for the owner and for us fans.

[Redskins Ruckus]

It's great to see a professional front office! More importantly, I think credit needs to go to Dan Snyder. Follow my logic. He finally learned after all of these years that he needs to rely on his Head Coach and General Manager. Seriously. We need to acknowledge that he wised up a bit

[Rexx1240]

Feels really good to say I'm a Redskin fan and not be ridiculed. The Redskins as a team are no longer apart of the laughing stock group of teams around the league; on the contrary actually a good landing spot for FAs. Most FA probably weren't beating down the door to get to Washington this off season because of our well-publicized salary cap situation. Next season I expect that to change.

What round would Kirk have gone in this draft if the other teams knew what they know now.

Mid to late First.

[SKINSFAN87]

Congratulations to Mike and Bruce, even though they got a BS grade of C+ from Mel Kiper for their draft picks, I would give them a A because of what they did. I know they didn't need to draft a running back but when you get into the later rounds that is about the only position that you can possibly get some value out of that may make your team. I love what they did! HTTR

[skinsmarydu]

Super happy about every pick. We filled the holes on defense and got some backup for Alfred.

Can't wait for the season to start!

Hail!

[SWFLSkins]

Look...they are doing a good job. But they also lucked into drafting maybe the best rookie QB since Marino. There is no planning that accounts for that.

It's better to be lucky than good sometimes.

The harder I work the luckier I get. And that was my point for this thread it is not all the draft, it is the team and the aura surrounding it now, it is an atmosphere of winning. Bruce, Mike and the FO that Snyder put in place has done an incredible job of righting the ship that was seemingly run aground over and over again.

[Commander PK]

The Redskins are now what we wanted them to be in every way imaginable. I've been a happy fan since Shanahan made an example of Fat Albert.

I knew then that the culture was changing for the better.

---------- Post added April-29th-2013 at 03:51 PM ----------

Look...they are doing a good job. But they also lucked into drafting maybe the best rookie QB since Marino. There is no planning that accounts for that.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[SWFLSkins]

Another good point, some people act like Shanahan slipped and accidentally got a horseshoe lodged in the dark, but when you look at the moves made since they took over the GoodShipLollygag there is a clear pattern of growth and improvement across the board, a step-by-step plan that seems obvious now, one that they stuck to in spite of all the teeth-gnashing and hair-pulling from the shortsighted elements in the fanbase.

I said it years back, Shanahan doesn't give a rats ass what people say and I thank God for that. He is precisely the guy we needed here for so long, for the team, for the owner and for us fans.

Marty might have been the closest thing to that but I don't think Snyder was ready to relinquish control a that point. Obviously GibbsII was close, but considering all the fail that surrounded the team before Mike got here he has done a masterful job when you look at the palette he had and the painting he has created.

[wilburmarshall]

This draft was extremely important for the franchise. W/ the cap hits and the traded draft picks, the Skins needed to find starters w/ their draft picks. They did not; they found boom-or-bust picks. They left starters on the board in favor for the chance of lightning striking. Every pick has question marks.

[WellsHTTR]

This draft was extremely important for the franchise. W/ the cap hits and the traded draft picks, the Skins needed to find starters w/ their draft picks. They did not; they found boom-or-bust picks. They left starters on the board in favor for the chance of lightning striking. Every pick has question marks.

There are no sure-fire starters left after about the second round. Every pick after that is boom-or-bust for any team. But rather than settle for capable but low-ceiling guys, they took calculated risks on high-ceiling guys. That's how you find starters in later rounds: by taking chances. Playing it safe in later rounds gives you little more than depth, which we already have.

[LD0506]

I sure am glad someone is willing to temper expectations with a rational, realistic outlook............

[wilburmarshall]

There are no sure-fire starters left after about the second round. Every pick after that is boom-or-bust for any team. But rather than settle for capable but low-ceiling guys, they took calculated risks on high-ceiling guys. That's how you find starters in later rounds: by taking chances. Playing it safe in later rounds gives you little more than depth, which we already have.

I agree that w/ late rd picks, it is a good strategy to find diamonds in the rough, but I am talking about the first 4 rounds. This was a deep draft. There were starters to be had into the 4th rd. Players like WR Markus Wheaton, Keenan Allen, Terrance Williams, LB Arthur Brown, OL Barrett Jones, S D.J. Swearinger and DT Brandon Williams would have all been starters, or contributors for this team. Instead of finding 3 starters w/ the their first 3 picks, the Skins found players that need to be coached to fix problems that might keep them from staying in the league.

Like I have said in previous posts, there is a chance that the Skins will end up w/ 4 starters out of this group in a couple of years, which will be great, but I feel that the Skins could ill afford to take as many chances as they did.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Luck is what happens when Peyton Manning gets injured.

RGIII is what happens when you make Rex Grossman your starting quarterback.

[WellsHTTR]

I agree that w/ late rd picks, it is a good strategy to find diamonds in the rough, but I am talking about the first 4 rounds. This was a deep draft. There were starters to be had into the 4th rd. Players like WR Markus Wheaton, Keenan Allen, Terrance Williams, LB Arthur Brown, OL Barrett Jones, S D.J. Swearinger and DT Brandon Williams would have all been starters, or contributors for this team. Instead of finding 3 starters w/ the their first 3 picks, the Skins found players that need to be coached to fix problems that might keep them from staying in the league.

Like I have said in previous posts, there is a chance that the Skins will end up w/ 4 starters out of this group in a couple of years, which will be great, but I feel that the Skins could ill afford to take as many chances as they did.

None of the guys you named is a Week 1 starter. Starting potential, sure--just like the guys we ultimately chose.

I agree with you that we should have been looking for starters in this draft, and not just solid backups. My point is that to find starters after the second round, you generally have to take high-talent guys with flaws. After all, the only reason high-talent guys fall to later rounds is because they have flaws, but they get chosen by teams who believe those flaws are fixable.

Think of it as a numbers game. You have to play the odds. You're far more likely to emerge from a draft with 3-4 long term starters if you take calculated risks with each later-round pick, than if you "play it safe" and take solid but unremarkable players instead.

[wilburmarshall]

None of the guys you named is a Week 1 starter. Starting potential, sure--just like the guys we ultimately chose.

I agree with you that we should have been looking for starters in this draft, and not just solid backups. My point is that to find starters after the second round, you generally have to take high-talent guys with flaws. After all, the only reason high-talent guys fall to later rounds is because they have flaws, but they get chosen by teams who believe those flaws are fixable.

Think of it as a numbers game. You have to play the odds. You're far more likely to emerge from a draft with 3-4 long term starters if you take calculated risks with each later-round pick, than if you "play it safe" and take solid but unremarkable players instead.

I guess we just disagree. I feel that all the guys I named, besides Wheaton & Williams, would have a great chance of starting for us in week 1.

Brown & Williams are projected to start for the defending SB Champions, who also happen to be one of the favorites to win next year.

[Commander PK]

RGIII is what happens when you make Rex Grossman your starting quarterback.

My impression of this statement is that you believe there was a better alternative than Rex on the team? Should they have stuck with McNabb, even though it was obvious it wasn't going to work? It takes time to build a team, and everyone knew that McNabb or Grossman was not the long-term solution at QB for this team. Hypothetically, even if we don't get RG3 and get a different signal caller, it's still possible this team has some level of success by now with a different QB. There is more than one way to win.

The bottom line is the organization successfully identified a rare prospect, and had balls enough to trade a king's ransom to get him. A move which has thus far has appeared to be nothing short of brilliant. They deserve a ton of credit for this.

[cakmoney61]

This draft shows potential, but history shows not all will make the 53 for various reasons. Just have to wait and see, but I do like the fact that they took chances on some players hoping they will pan out instead of simply taking a safe pick.

As a team gets stronger and stronger less drafted players will make the team because there is virtually no room on the roster for them (at least as starters) (see the 2012 49ers). That's why I love this draft so much. The Redskins got high caliber talent at positions of need without reaching for them.

I don't think the Skins are there yet but it's going to get harder and harder over the next few years to start or even make it on their 53-man roster because holes are rapidly being plugged. It will simply be a matter of replacing aging players, injured players, or free agents that went to other teams.

A franchise or close to a franchise QB, however, remains the key and catalyst to being a consistently great team. Thankfully, we have one!