NYDN: Lion in winter - Snyder is still king of the offseason

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Lion in winter

Snyder is still king of the offseason

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/story/168831p-147477c.html

Daniel Snyder

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, the undisputed annual champion of the offseason, is off to a questionable start trying to defend his title.

This is usually Snyder's time of the year - it's September through December that has given the Redskins problems. You can't buy the Super Bowl.

Snyder raided the Jets last year, handing out $24 million in signing bonuses to Laveranues Coles, Randy Thomas, Chad Morton and John Hall, and went 5-11, one game worse than the Jets, and his overmatched coach, Steve Spurrier, quit on him.

He then made the best move since he bought the team in '99 when he brought Joe Gibbs back to Washington, making him the highest paid coach in NFL history with a five-year $28.5 million deal.

That was only the beginning for Snyder. As usual, the most action in the NFL this time of year is in Washington. That doesn't mean the Redskins will be in the Super Bowl any time soon. It only means they are still the most intriguing team when no games are being played and that Snyder will have his bankers on early alert once free agency opens Wednesday as he's expected to make quick strikes again.

Hiring Gibbs, a Washington legend, restores credibility to the franchise that has one playoff victory since Gibbs quit after the 1992 season. But with Mark Brunell on the way, the Clinton Portis-Champ Bailey deal all but done, and Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse perhaps in the on-deck circle, Snyder continues to try and build with parts from other teams.

After cutting four players last week, including ex-Giant Jessie Armstead, and once they get Bailey's $6.8 million off their salary cap, the Redskins may be around $18 million under the cap, which will make the free-spending Snyder awfully popular.

Kearse, a premier pass rusher when healthy, is familiar with Skins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was Tennessee's defensive coordinator in Kearse's first two years in the NFL.

Giants defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin is high on the Redskins' free-agent list.

Seahawks CB Shawn Springs could be Bailey's replacement. "I know the first two moves everybody's been talking about have been on offense, but we've got a whole plan laid out on defense," Gibbs said.

Gibbs' offensive formula for winning Super Bowls is with veteran quarterbacks and a workhorse running back. And those are the first two moves Snyder is making for him:

Brunell is getting an $8.6 million signing bonus as part of his seven-year $43.8 million deal. The Skins are giving a third-round pick to the Jags. Brunell has been banged up the last few years and hasn't looked like he has much left. Gibbs would have been better off sticking with Patrick Ramsey, who now wants out. Ramsey is a tough, young guy with a huge upside. But Gibbs won Super Bowls with Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien and has always been secure surrounding himself with veterans. In this case, Ramsey is better than Brunell.

Portis has played only two years and is one of the top three backs in the league, rushing for more than 1,500 yards each year. It's still harder to find a shutdown corner like Bailey. But the Skins couldn't get Bailey signed - he turned down a nine-year $55 million deal including a $14.75 million signing bonus - and the Broncos were not inclined to rip up the last two years of Portis' deal that had bargain basement salaries of $380,000 and $455,000 remaining. Portis could have been a camp holdout and the Redskins obviously decided not to force Bailey to play for the franchise number. Portis will get a new deal with the Skins before training camp and Bailey is finalizing a six-year, $53 million contract with Denver that will include $18 million to sign. It's ridiculous that the Redskins are also sending a second-round pick to Denver. Why would Denver trade Portis? Mike Shanahan probably feels he can plug any back into his system and get 1,000 yards. Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson and Portis have done it. None were first-round picks. But Portis is a special talent. Gibbs will give him the ball plenty. Each team will miss the player they are giving up but desperately needs the player they're getting. It will be easier for Shanahan to replace Portis' yards than for Gibbs to replace Bailey's cover skills.

As usual, the Redskins are dominating the offseason.

Something for nothing

Considering how disruptive Terrell Owens has been, the 49ers had no intention of re-signing him before the void-out controversy last week. And now that he's their property again - unless Owens wins a grievance - the Niners will certainly trade him and perhaps get an unexpected first-round pick. The last three years of his contract, at $5.3 million, $5.9 million and $6.5 million, remain intact. Any team that trades for him would want to renegotiate for cap purposes and he will probably still end up with a big signing bonus, but maybe not the $15 million he could have gotten as a free agent. Owens has lost the ability to control his own destiny and won't be nearly as attractive to teams like the Eagles and Ravens because he will now cost a draft pick. ... The Keyshawn Johnson-Joey Galloway trade could be announced Wednesday, reuniting Johnson with his favorite coach, Bill Parcells. Johnson has always exonerated Parcells, then the Jets GM, for the deal that sent him to Tampa in 2000. Instead, he wrongly put all the blame on coach Al Groh. That trade never happens without Parcells' endorsement. Parcells may have said he just presented the options to Groh and Jets owner Woody Johnson, but he totally supported the trade. Now you have to wonder how long it will be before Johnson is complaining to Parcells that he needs to bring in Vinny Testaverde because Quincy Carter can't get him the ball.

Late hits

The Dolphins overpaid, giving up a conditional second-round pick in '05 to the Eagles for third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley, who was 4-1 starting for Donovan NcNabb in 2002 but didn't throw a pass last year. Is Feeley an upgrade over Jay Fiedler? He's basically an unknown. The Dolphins couldn't get Mark Brunell or Patrick Ramsey, bailed out on the Drew Henson derby and felt compelled to make a QB move. Dave Wannstedt still wants Fiedler on the team. Fashion note in Miami: Ricky Williams has cut off his trademark dreadlocks and is going with the bald look.

The Ravens need insurance just in case Jamal Lewis' legal problems make him unavailable. Free agent RB Thomas Jones, picked two spots after Lewis in the first round in 2000, resurrected his career in Tampa last year and would be a good signing for Baltimore.

Top 10 unrestricted free agents

Peyton Manning has been franchised by the Colts. Terrell Owens didn't file to become a free agent in time. Chris McAlister, Charles Woodson and Julian Peterson were also franchised. That has left the unrestricted free agent class thin. Here's the top 10:

1. Jevon Kearse, DE, Titans

2. Warren Sapp, DT, Bucs

3. Grant Wistrom, DE, Rams

4. Antoine Winfield, CB, Bills

5. Shawn Springs, Seahawks

6. Damien Woody, C, Patriots

7. Troy Vincent, CB, Eagles

8. Darrell Jackson, WR, Seahawks

9. Thomas Jones, RB, Bucs

10. Ted Washington, DT, Pats

Originally published on February 28, 2004