The Real Offseason

[@DCGoldPants]

I've noticed over the past few days that information about the Redskins is running a tad dry and we're all starting to grab at thin air here.

I think because of the expansion draft, the trades, the real draft that we've been alittle spoiled. Today is May 6th and I think our team will make little to no moves between now and June 1st with the exception of restructured contracts.

So, for the next 3 weeks that I feel our real offseason will last I've been thinking about the potential of this team compared to teams of the past few years. I think our D minus a DT could be the best we've had in a long time and especially with the coaching they've got so I won't break them down.

The O I am starting to get worried about. Is Shane Mathews the answer or just a stopgap until Ramsey has a year or two under Ball Coach? What about Sage? could he really step up or is that just a pipedream? The OL is only stable at the tackles, Moore will play center but I don't know how well.

The WR's are a HUGE question mark with the exception of Lockett who was consistent when throw too last year (mostly when/if we threw on 3rd downs) and the Running Game will be solid as always.

So, after June 1st here are our biggest needs in my eyes

tied for 1st- OL & DT

2nd- Safety

3rd- play making special teams return guy (if we don't already have him)

anyway, just some random thoughts.

[Wacky Ralph]

Originally posted by Bufford

Is Shane Mathews the answer or just a stopgap until Ramsey has a year or two under Ball Coach?

Is Shane Mathews the answer???? YES!!!!!!

But only if the question is, "Who is a cruddy, lousy, no-good, stinky, sucky, loser Quarterback, Alec????"

Look at the quarterback situation in Chicago. THEY CUT HIM. And now he's our starter. Yay. Why am I not jumping for joy????

If Shane Mathews became a free agent tomorrow, I don't think there's another team in football that would want him as their starter. If we wanted to trade him, I don't think we'd even get a 6th rounder for him. Sorry, Shane. Maybe you're a nice guy. Maybe you don't beat old people with a rolled up newspaper or set fire to puppies, but you're not a good starting quarterback. You're not an average starting quarterback. You're either the very worst or one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, based on your ability, past performance, and upside.

The best thing Mathews and Danny Wonderful can do for us is to serve as assistant coaches and help Ramsey develop.

[@DCGoldPants]

I think there are teams that could use Shane as their starter. Maybe not today but if he went to Cincy before Gus...that would of happened....maybe even Baltimore or KC.

That's why I said Stopgap.

[Wacky Ralph]

Cincy doesn't count as a real team. They're an XFL team that continues to play in the NFL. They're the 17 year old kid with a fake ID, trying to get a drink at the bar.

BTW, I'd take Gus over Shane. And I think Gus would've done a much better job in Chicago than Mathews.

[@DCGoldPants]

fine fine, however...he has the most and best starts on anyone on our roster...and he knows the system. That bumps him from a 6.0 to a 7.0 in my book.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

I expect Shane to do well here. He certainly did well in his appearances for Chicago, and now he will benefit from being re-united with Spurrier and his system.

If we have a problem with our passing game, it will because of lack of talent at WR. However, people will blame those problems on other "causes", such as:

-- Spurrier's system isn't working in the NFL

-- The Redskins don't have any good QBs

-- The Redskin line isn't protecting the QB well enough

What won't be seen, because it will take place off-camera or won't be identified as the problem, is a set of WRs who are not getting open enough or not catching the ball enough.

In my opinion, there's not a receiver on our roster who would make a #3 receiver on most playoff teams. If we are to be a playoff team, that needs to change.

Geoff

[Wacky Ralph]

If Shane did "well" in Chicago, they would've kept him on their team. It's not like he lost a roster spot to Joe Montana, Jr.

Mathews is a stopgap and nothing more. After Ramsey learns the offense, Mathews will either be cut from the team or holding a clipboard.

[@DCGoldPants]

Shane did alright when he filled in but Jim Miller just did better and that team is loyal to their starters. Chris Chandler is better than Shane and just as cheap, that is why he was cut.

[SonnyJ]

I wouldn't take Gus over Shane in a Spurrier offense.

Gus has a stronger arm than Shane, but that's about it. Standing tough in the pocket, reading defenses, going through progressions, and deciphering multiple options are not hallmarks of Gus. Unfortunately, those attributes are required in a Spurrier offense.

Methinks he would be a disaster playing for Spurrier.:gus:

[Wacky Ralph]

Originally posted by SonnyJ

Methinks he would be a disaster playing for Spurrier.:gus:

I think Gus would be a disaster playing anywhere without nerf walls. But I'd still take him over Mathews. Gus CAN play at a high level every now and then. Mathews is simply a scrub. He's a backup. At best he'll teach Ramsey the Spurrier system quickly and get off the field.

[@DCGoldPants]

I remember I wanted to like Gus so much until I saw his parents wearing black redskins jerseys that were really steelers ones with his name and number on them. Then I hated the bum!

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by Wacky Ralph

If Shane did "well" in Chicago, they would've kept him on their team. It's not like he lost a roster spot to Joe Montana, Jr.

Mathews is a stopgap and nothing more. After Ramsey learns the offense, Mathews will either be cut from the team or holding a clipboard.

Shane did well for Chicago, and was a much higher percentage passer than anyone we've had at QB for the Skins since Brad Johnson. Shane was responsible for two "miracle" come-from-behind wins over San Francisco and Cleveland last year. He had previously lost his starting job to Miller due to injury, and didn't regain it because Miller did well. The situation was somewhat similar to Bledsoe losing his job to Tom Brady after injury.

In my opinion, Shane was cut by Chicago as a scapegoat for losing to the Eagles. But if you review that game, Shane didn't "lose" that game, he just didn't find a way to win it. A special-teams turnover put the Bears in the hole, and Shane was not able to overcome that. It's not like he went out there and started throwing INTs and threw the game away.

Lots of teams find scapegoats after Superbowl losses. I remember Buffalo ended up cutting its kicker after he missed a potential game-winner against the Giants. He was a good kicker, but the karma of the team required someone to be booted off the island.

The main problem I can see with Matthews is that he gets injured a lot. Other than that, he should be a good caretaker at QB until Ramsey develops.

Geoff

[Rat_Boy]

Yea.

While I don't concider Shane to be a world beater, to call him the worst FA QB is ludicrous.

Dern. We should have just signed Tony Banks.

[@DCGoldPants]

Doug Williams wouldn't of started for a lot of teams either.

[Wacky Ralph]

Originally posted by Rat_Boy

While I don't concider Shane to be a world beater, to call him the worst FA QB is ludicrous.

I'm not calling him the WORST free agent QB. He's good enough to be a second stringer on most teams in the NFL. But based on his ability, upside, and past performance, he's either the worst STARTING quarterback or one of the worst in the NFL.

I'm not trying to be a jerk about this. I wish he was good. He just isn't. Nobody was willing to trade for the guy and he was cut by Chicago because they wanted to replace him as their second stringer for a better player. That's not a ringing endorsement, folks.

[Awesome]

Gus over Shane???

We are talking about our old friend Gus Ferotte right?

Wow, you are Wacky

[Skins24]

We should have just signed Tony Banks.

That name isn't forbidden yet!?

But based on his ability, upside, and past performance, he's either the worst STARTING quarterback or one of the worst in the NFL

Well, look who he played for...Chicago.

They weren't exactly what you call "a good team" until last year.

Matthews had no one!

He's now on a team where he has an all pro running back, WRs, and a great defense. Plus he's now in the system that he shined in. He'll do fine.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by rskin24

He's now on a team where he has an all pro running back, WRs, and a great defense.

But he's not throwing to the defense, the all-pro back isn't known for pass catching, and the WRs must be the worst roster in the NFL.

Shane will succeed if we add a good WR, and fail without one. The failure won't be his responsibility, but the team's.

I still think Spurrier and Snyder/Mendes will land another WR. I think Spurrier's being quiet about it because the team doesn't have much budget left, and he doesn't want to negotiate from a position of perceived desperation.

Geoff

[SonnyJ]

But I'd still take him over Mathews. Gus CAN play at a high level every now and then.

He can also play absolutely dreadful now and again.

Basically, Gus is just fine if the play call is the correct one and just requires him to drop back w/o pressure and fire the ball to a designated spot. Playing for a Norv or a Shanahan/Kubiak, who make good play calls and don't require many options to the routes, he is servicable in a backup capacity. And please don't let him feel pressure, because this will cause him to go fetal.:shootinth

But Spurrier's offense requires pre-snap reads and on-the-fly adjustments, along with courage to take a hit and get right back up.

Matthews has demonstrated, albeit at the collegiate offense, that he can have some success in this style of offense. I've no doubt that Gus would get snowed under in short order.

[cowboykilla]

I think the thing that's been touched on, but not gone into deeply is the fact that nobody wanted brady, warner, etc either. I mean, this is a familiar offense, a good environment for Shane, and who's to say the guy wont flourish?

Those hating on Gus, all I have to say is, he's been to the playoffs, rather deep into them. So the guy can play.

[@DCGoldPants]

Gus was deep in the playoffs? when? with Denver? Didn't they get bounced early?

[CounterTre]

Sorry Wacky but I just don't agree at all. Shane was more than competent in Chicago last season, and barring injury would probably still be the starter there. No way is he even close to as bad as Tony Banks and Quincy Carter or Fernott. The guy had two AWESOME games in huge come from behind wins last year, not something "scrubs" do.

No way do I take Fernott over him. Gus had the same problems Banks did, a good cannon arm and no ability to analyze a D and checkdown from the primary receiver. They both lock in and throw regardless of the coverage. Jeff George has a lot of talent, but based on production, Mathews smokes him. Mathews is like Dilfer. Not spectacular when you break down his skills, but the guy just wins ballgames.

Using his getting cut and not traded for by other teams doesn't hold water either. He wasn't going to be traded for when everyone and their brother knew he was a cap casualty after the Chandler signing. In addition, Chicago recognized that he had game and could find a starters job elsewhere and cut him loose. Only an idiot would have traded for him, so that isn't necessarily a reflection of his talent or performance, merely a reflection of the timing near the draft and June cuts.

[Wacky Ralph]

Well, I'm getting shouted down by everyone, so I'll tuck my tail behind my legs and leave for higher ground. Just like an Italian in combat!!!

IMHO, when you examine his past perfomance, overall ability, and upside, Mathews is either the worst or one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and any future he might have in this league is as a backup. Regardless if he played for Washington, Dallas, Detroit, or Arizona, that's my opinion.

There are 32 teams in the NFL, right??? Well, 31, since the Bengals aren't really a team. So, the 16th best QB would be about average, right??? I'm sorry, guys, but Shane Mathews is nowhere near being the 16th best QB in the NFL. He's well, well, WELL below average. Just because he's wearing our jersey doesn't make him a good player.

But if you guys want to believe differently, that's cool. Anything is possible, as long as you don't have to rely on the Italian military.

[cowboykilla]

Wasn't that game with the Ravens a divisional game?

[@DCGoldPants]

they got bounced in the 1st round during the wildcard weekend in Baltimore I think.