The 2015 free agent haul at the halfway point

[justice98]

Wouldn't you have to say it's been a disappointment so far in terms of impact? Probably the best free agent pickup has been Culliver, and he's missed half the games. Not blaming anybody for injuries, but it's a fact.

We claim we have better depth, particularly on the DL, but with Pot Roast, Paea, and Francois added to the DL, we're 30th in the league against the run and don't get pressure on the QB. Everyone seems to act like Gallette was the savior in terms of pass rush, but we don't really know if he'd have made a difference.

Paea

Knighton

Johnson

Culliver

Francois

Gallette

Through 7 games, IMO, not really seeing any return.

[redskinss]

Sometimes you cant just go by numbers on paper.

You wanna see a return look no farther than the last 2 minutes of our last contest.

[skinny21]

Wouldn't you have to say it's been a disappointment so far in terms of impact? Probably the best free agent pickup has been Culliver, and he's missed half the games. Not blaming anybody for injuries, but it's a fact.

We claim we have better depth, particularly on the DL, but with Pot Roast, Paea, and Francois added to the DL, we're 30th in the league against the run and don't get pressure on the QB. Everyone seems to act like Gallette was the savior in terms of pass rush, but we don't really know if he'd have made a difference.

Paea

Knighton

Johnson

Culliver

Francois

Gallette

Through 7 games, IMO, not really seeing any return.

Do Blackmon and Hopkins count?

I like T. Robinson, but he's like a Rock Cartwright type of player... really hoping Johnson can step up his game and improve the position. I'm not down in the dumps regarding our DL - scheme and lack of discipline/execution seems more the issue than talent. Gotta fix the missed tackles though (Keenan and Goldson). Similar to S, I hope Preston can up his game and take over the starter role because Murphy ain't giving us much.

[justice98]

Sometimes you cant just go by numbers on paper.

You wanna see a return look no farther than the last 2 minutes of our last contest.

How many of these players in question were even on the field then though? This is only a discussion about the contributions of the 2015 free agents. Not the draft picks, holdovers, or trades.

Do Blackmon and Hopkins count?

I guess technically they would, but Blackmon's probably only here for another week or two.

[DC9]

Paea

Knighton

Johnson

Culliver

Francois

Gallette

 

Paea has been solid.  In my opinion he was never going to unseat Baker, but Baker has been underutilized for years by Has.

 

Knighton has been worth every penny.  We just don't have the horses around him yet. 

 

Johnson has been a let down.

 

Culliver has been good when he is on the field and healthy.

 

RJF has been solid.  He was always going to be a rotational guy and he has been good as just that. 

 

Gallette, we'll never know.

 

 

I think we've done well.  Especially with the defensive linemen. 

 

I suspect this team is much better with Gallette, though.

[redskinss]

How many of these players in question were even on the field then though? This is only a discussion about the contributions of the 2015 free agents. Not the draft picks, holdovers, or trades.

Im pretty sure pot roast was, the others i honestly dont remember i was just referring to a stout goal lone stand in defense of our d line, but i agree its worthy of discussion.

[Wildbunny]

Paea

Knighton

Johnson

Culliver

Francois

Gallette

Through 7 games, IMO, not really seeing any return.

 

Maybe we're not, but you're also forgetting Goldson on this list (whom I wasn't a fan of, and has been doing good so far).

 

Still, if I put this list into perspective with what we had before:

Bowen, Cofield, Merryweather, Orakpo, Amerson, and the ghost we had at FS last year whose name escapes me...

 

We've improved, no matter what you may imply. Our Run D woes lately have more to do with our D scheme than players talent I think. With so many injuries in the secondary, we're playing more pass D than run D. And if not for some big runs with missed assignements or missed tackles, we're doing pretty good.

 

Also, Knighton is no fake, his job is not to make stats, it's about eating people. And he's pretty good at it.

[pjfootballer]

How many of these players in question were even on the field then though? This is only a discussion about the contributions of the 2015 free agents. Not the draft picks, holdovers, or trades.

I guess technically they would, but Blackmon's probably only here for another week or two.

I doubt that. They'd cut one of the younger players and resign them to the practice squad after clearing waivers.

[ZRagone]

Paea has been solid.  In my opinion he was never going to unseat Baker, but Baker has been underutilized for years by Has.

 

Knighton has been worth every penny.  We just don't have the horses around him yet. 

 

Johnson has been a let down.

 

Culliver has been good when he is on the field and healthy.

 

RJF has been solid.  He was always going to be a rotational guy and he has been good as just that. 

 

Gallette, we'll never know.

I think DC9 hit it all above. The only change would be that I think RJF has been solid verging on good, while Paea has been solid verging on lackluster. I don't think one is playing significantly better than the other, but the nature of the contracts each got is what has me leaning one way or another.

[pjfootballer]

I think a lot of these guys were brought in to be place holders for Scot's future draft picks. You only get so many picks a year and with how horrid of a roster we had, McC could only do "so much." With that said, I think he did more in one draft than we'd done the last 5 years. He bought some of these guys in to play so we go from god awful to just awful or mediocre. I belice he has a plan in place and this is just the first step.

[justice98]

They didn't sign Paea to get supplanted by Baker so early in the season. And he was supposed to be a good pass rusher from the DE spot, but haven't seen much of that.

I think DC9 hit it all above. The only change would be that I think RJF has been solid verging on good, while Paea has been solid verging on lackluster. I don't think one is playing significantly better than the other, but the nature of the contracts each got is what has me leaning one way or another.

RJF I'm actually fine with, because he's one of the few that was signed for a role and plays that role to expectation.

Knighton's ok, good, not great, but if they went another route after the season, I don't think it'd make much difference.

I'm just not seeing what everyone is seeing in Paea. He's been underwhelming and his snaps have been decreasing.

[GhostofAlvinWalton]

Why do people continue to site the DL for the reason the rushing DEF sucks?  Just watch the games.  Missed tackles by LB and S is what is inflating the rushing numbers.  When a RB hits a hole and a S/LB runs up and either #1. misses a tackle, #2. takes a bad angle and don't get a hand on him, or #3. fills the wrong gap...how is that on the DL???

[Warhead36]

DL signings have been good. Our run D issues have been due to the LBs and Safeties.

[CTskin]

Paea- huge disappointment. And we have him signed for another 3 years @ I believe $5M/yr. No bueno.

Knighton- Has been fine, but really hasn't been the disrupter I thought we were getting. One year deal, so he may gone next year

Goldson- Has been solid, but his contract will be something like $8m next year, so he will be gone if we can't re-negotiate

Johnson- Though he would be a stud, boy was I wrong

Culliver- Has been good when on the field. I assume he is back this week? If there's ever a game we need him, it's this one

 

We invested too much in our D for it to be so bad. Look at our run game and why it doesn't work- our interior OL gets blown back 3 yards off the snap. I expected this out of Knighton/Paea/Hatcher and I've seen nothing close. The first two games of this season were apparently just a big tease

[superozman]

Paea - He's been doing his job.  No issues with him.  Did not expect, and no one should have, him to be a star or anything.

 

Knighton -  my goodness has he been phenomenal.  Stud clogging the middle.  HIs job isn't sacks.

 

Culliver - Health is killing him.

 

RJF - See Paea

 

Galette - Oh i wish we had him healthy.  might be a better defense...

[Wildbunny]

 

Knighton- Has been fine, but really hasn't been the disrupter I thought we were getting. One year deal, so he may gone next year

 

[NickyJ]

I never understood the hype for Paea or Johnson. Both seem like they do their job without anything flashy; not necessarily a bad thing, just nothing to get excited over. It seemed like Johnson had higher expectations just because he was with the Seahawks.

[abdcskins]

I've never heard any of their names mentioned during a game.  Just saying.

 

All I remember from Culliver is that dropped interception he had.  Right through his hands.  Other than that he has been injured.  So yeah...not much of an impact.

[SemperFi Skins]

speaking of free agents... we should drop one of the young guys to fill the empty PS role (trey williams) and sign Brandon Spikes to solidify this run defense... He's much better than Perry Riley/Compton and probably even better than Keenan Robinson.

 

Sure, he had some off field trouble and was suspended for the first 4 games, but its now week 9. He's a legit run stuffer and thumper. 6'2 255lbs. 28 years old. Vet minimum, prove it deal.. The next year you have a nasty rotation of Gilette/Kerrigan, P. Smith/Murphy, K Rob/Spikes with Riley and Compton as the backups at ILB

[Bonez3]

Find me a game where knighton wasn't double teamed on half of the run plays... I would love to lock him into 4 year deal yesterday.

 

Cully seems to be right in his prime, good report out of practice today and has balled when healthy this year. Exactly the kind of CB you want t to begin to build elite secondary. He'd be great as a #2-#3 guy with Breeland and another blue chip in the draft. 

 

D line has falling off some in last month, but September was phenomenal. Need Paea to flash more. RJF has been better than expected. I woulda guessed opposite beginning of season. RJF has earned his paycheck.

 

Goldson (not a FA, I know) and Johnson have disappointed. I keep hearing reports how Goldson is a locker room leader, I guess thats good. But his game play has been below average IMO, both in run and pass. Frankly, the best safety has been our rookie CB Jarret or Robinson.

 

All in all... very pleased, defintely no 'busts'

[Skinsinparadise]

I'd include the low cost trades in the mix: Carrier and Goldson.  And, Hopkins.

 

Goldson -- good trade

Carrier -- good trade

Hopkins -- good signing

Pot Roast -- we got him cheap so that's good -- If you listen to Cooley, he's mixed about him at best.  I'll go with mixed.

Pea -- hasn't been a bust but hasn't broken out either, for the money he's being paid he should be better IMO than a decent backup.  So bad signing so far IMO.

Francois -- I hear he's a locker room leader and seems to be a decent sub.  Good signing.

J. Johnson -- they paid him very little.  Good special teams player, disappointment at safety.  mixed.

Culliver -- seems like a shut down corner type when healthy.  To be determined.

 

McCloughan himself says FA is just as much a crap shoot as the draft and its not how you build a winning team long term.  I think he's done good but he'd probably say himself, FA signings working or nor working isn't what will make the team in the long run.  On that note he's done a good job not strapping us with Cerrato style big cap hits for years moving forward. 

 

McCloughan's claim to fame isn't striking gold with FA but killing it with the draft.  I'd say it looks like a great draft at the moment and a better than average FA crop.

[Renegade7]

Getting an actually 3-4 DLine in one offseason after years of toying around with it set the tone for the future of the franchise.

[Darrell Green Fan]

I'd include the low cost trades in the mix: Carrier and Goldson.  And, Hopkins.

 

Goldson -- good trade

Carrier -- good trade

Hopkins -- good signing

Pot Roast -- we got him cheap so that's good -- If you listen to Cooley, he's mixed about him at best.  I'll go with mixed.

Pea -- hasn't been a bust but hasn't broken out either, for the money he's being paid he should be better IMO than a decent backup.  So bad signing so far IMO.

Francois -- I hear he's a locker room leader and seems to be a decent sub.  Good signing.

J. Johnson -- they paid him very little.  Good special teams player, disappointment at safety.  mixed.

Culliver -- seems like a shut down corner type when healthy.  To be determined.

 

This is how I see it as well. Shocked Pae is getting love. We are paying him $5 million for 8 plays a game and very little impact. LOL that this signing has worked out. Same with Knighton. Sure he is double teamed, every NT in the league is double teamed. Dude got fired from his last team and is playing for a contract, I expected better effort and more of an impact. Cooley is spot on, he is up and down. Culliver was my favorite signing and played well when healthy. J Johnson was a big disappointment, shame he hasn't been able to beat out T Robinson who has been just north of terrible.

I'm still in the tank for GMSM and his draft was solid. But as another poster said they invested a lot in the defense and the returns just aren't there, at least not yet.

[LD0506]

It feels like some of the assessments here are because of our record, not critical analysis of the players involved, but compared to the wrist slashing before the season began, I can handle these convos all day long.

 

Signing several FAs is a stopgap move, Scot had to staunch the bleeding first, and he did that fairly well, but it's still just a patch. There's no honest way to tell what this team looks like after a couple more drafts/offseason additions, etc., so most of this talk is very subjective/ very shortterm.

 

All in all I am pleased with the job the FO has done, more than players added they have changed attitudes, atmosphere around the team. Guys are playing harder, playing the whole game, and looking more like a pro franchise than we have seen in quite awhile. You've got quite a few different players on D along with a revamped coaching staff, it might be a little foolish to expect that it would all just mesh seamlessly.

 

Sitting @ 3-4 when so many weren't expecting 3 wins all year ain't that bad. Beyond the W/L if you watched the team, actually critically watched (and of course, knew what you were seeing) there is a lot of improvement. Injuries are a part of the game but dammit we'd be seeing a very different squad if it wasn't a MASH unit.

 

Johnson might be my biggest gripe considering he can't seem to play his way into games. Pot Roast has been stalwart, a major addition there. Culliver is a tease, get healthy and show us somethin' CC! Most of the rest might be gone soon, just gotta ride it out

 

 

[TheCoach22]

Jury out on all of them, I hope the back half of the season post-bye we see more. I still think Bareynis figuring out how to rotate the DL personally. Baker needs to be in there a lot, Kedric Golston needs to go kick rocks... Other than that, I think he has to figure out how to get these guys snaps at the most opportune times. Pot Roast is doing what he is suppose to do... Pea is the closest thing to a disappointment so far.

CC is a player, we need him healthy and eventually on the same field as Breeland.

Also, the noise at Redskins' Park has subsided and I think the closeness of this group is a big reason why. They are all over DC together and seem to really care about each other. This is encouraging and a tribute to Scot. I think thy is why Junior Gallette will payoff next year, he was welcomed by the guys in the locker room and wand to be a part of it. These hints don't show up on the stat line, but it is refreshing and will equal success down the road.