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The Bruce Allen, AJ Smith connection and relationship


posse87

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If AJ had some serious input on who we select I think that would change dramatically.

 

But I'd want him nowhere near the negotiations.  Those San Diego teams were stacked.  It was Marty and Norv coaching that led to their demise. 

So very true.  My hope is that the pyramid structure looks something like this:

 

Top: Allen

2nd Level Draft: AJ Smith /Campbell

2nd Level NFL Players: Brown

3rd Level: Scouts

 

IF that is the case then I think we are set up to do some great things in terms of talent acquisition.

 

If Snyder or Gruden or Haslett or other coaches are anywhere near that list I will be sad.

Well Morroco Brown has had a few interviews around the league over the years but they for the most part are lateral moves and Dan keeps upping his pay. Campbell from what we have heard has had largely good draft boards and have been mostly ignored.

True story.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of why are we not busting $$ to be on the cutting edge of analytics, outside the box thinking in terms of player development, etc.

 

Things like % of players drafted per round that are successful, crossed with their salary at contracts 1, 2, and 3.  Come up with a strategy that says you should draft X position at Y round and then look for X positions at Y age in FA to provide the most bang for you buck against the cap.

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One thing that has always amazed me with this franchise is that our scouting and front office department is not the best in the business.

 

It's one of the few areas that there are no restrictions on time, size, and pay.  

 

And thats what I used to say that made me question how much Snyder wanted to win. What I always got was that he wanted to be involved and thought that from reading a magazine and/or going to a few interviews to see players he likes, that he could do adequate scouting. We had one of the smallest and lowest budgeted scouting departments in the league.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/29/with-redskins-since-01-scott-campbell-has-earned-m/?page=all

 

When Shanahan and Allen first met with Campbell and asked how the scouting department could be improved, Campbell was armed with a suggestion. Washington was one of the few teams that did not belong to one of the NFL’s scouting co-operatives. Joining one “was the first thing on my list,” Campbell said.

Shanahan was shocked the Redskins were not members of any, so with his full support they joined BLESTO (Bears-Lions-Eagles-Steelers Talent Organization, named for the founding members) right after the 2010 draft. The membership fee is approximately $100,000, a relatively small amount for one of the world’s highest-grossing sports franchises.

I'm actually very interested in knowing what exactly AJ Smith's role of the team is. This is much more refreshing then hearing the typical Haslett hate, Danny leaks, and RG3 Debate threads. I always thought we were keeping AJ Smith on payroll to take over at Player evaluator duties when Shanny got canned. Doesn't seem to be the case, but I wonder what the extent of his role is here. Why hasn't he taken a job elsewhere? I'm sure there are plenty of teams who would take him on even with his less than stellar people skills.

 

I mean given his record you may be correct, but there are a number of former GMs who are looking for work. Plus he's like 65 which isn't so young.

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Bruce Allen is great at contracts, saavy with the media, very good with personal relationships but doesn't really have a great track record with talent evaluation.

 

AJ Smith put together what most would say was the most talented team in football, but was terrible with the media and personal relationships.  

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I'm curious as to how we are coming up with a conclusion that he is a horrible people person?  I truly don't believe anyone knows anything about AJ Smith's tenure at the Chargers besides VJax.  Because he let VJax go or an aging Tomlinson?  Nobody seems to remember VJax treating the Chargers like absolute trash because they wouldn't give him top 3 WR money (and just continuously getting DUIs.)?  Regardless VJax could careless about anything except who was giving him the most cash.  Can't even make a case for Tomlinson, he was purging a player who was on the downside of his career and got so butt hurt because of it.  Maybe its because of Norv?  Doesn't really make any sense to blame Norv, he had a better record then Mike Shanahan.  I'll leave my thoughts of AJ as to a wait and see approach, but by no means can we come to conclusion that he is an asshole because a former player is butthurt or another could careless about the word team.

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I'm curious as to how we are coming up with a conclusion that he is a horrible people person?  I truly don't believe anyone knows anything about AJ Smith's tenure at the Chargers besides VJax.  Because he let VJax go or an aging Tomlinson?  Nobody seems to remember VJax treating the Chargers like absolute trash because they wouldn't give him top 3 WR money (and just continuously getting DUIs.)?  Regardless VJax could careless about anything except who was giving him the most cash.  Can't even make a case for Tomlinson, he was purging a player who was on the downside of his career and got so butt hurt because of it.  Maybe its because of Norv?  Doesn't really make any sense to blame Norv, he had a better record then Mike Shanahan.  I'll leave my thoughts of AJ as to a wait and see approach, but by no means can we come to conclusion that he is an asshole because a former player is butthurt or another could careless about the word team.

I don't anybody is basing this perception on VJax's opinion. It's been widely reported from reporters close to the team. Even Marty said he never got an explanation of why he was fired bc Smith wouldn't talk to him.

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This is a somewhat interesting relationship. Both guys complement each other very well; each making up for the other guy's flaws. 

 

Bruce Allen is awesome with the fans and media yet has an underwhelming track record with personnel decisions. Then you have AJ Smith, a good talent evaluator yet severely lacking in the people-skills portion of being a GM.

 

I read on Redskins.com that AJ Smith still resides in Southern California, so I can't imagine he's a regular at Redskins Park.

 

I kinda like it.

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