What a difference a day can make.

It’s now reported via ESPN that the Redskins are due to give up $36 million in cap space over the next two years as part of sanctions dolled out by the league for violations committed by Washington and Dallas in the uncapped year.

While the league isn’t officially deeming the cap reductions as violations but rather recent additions to the league’s new agreement with the players association, they sure don’t seem anything like rewards.

This is an especially huge blow for the Redskins given the power play the front office just orchestrated to move up to the No. 2 spot in the draft most recently occupied by the St. Louis Rams.

It’s no secret that the ‘Skins are locked in on Robert Griffin III and relinquished a healthy bounty of draft picks in order to do so. For the majority of those who decried the move up to get RG3, it was the large amount of cap space at the ‘Skins disposal that was going to help balance out the scales.

Consider the olive branch now half as green.

The Redskins, who have been targeting guard Carl Nicks and big-play wideout Vincent Jackson, are now faced with a tough decision: Which area of the offense – Receivers or O-line – requires the most TLC heading into the Summer?

It’s not an easy call to make given the Redskins’ lack of a big-play out wide and a constant shuffling of personnel along the front five.

This being a passer’s league, and all, it’s hard not to get excited about Jackson. He’s a big, explosive target that makes opposing secondaries weep. Speaking of weeping, many of us in D.C. have been doing a lot of that for over a decade as we’ve waited for a large, fleet-footed receiver to dress his talents in burgundy and gold.

Part of me thinks that a lot of this is Michael Westbrook’s fault.

Of course, inserting a talented guard like Nicks would be more than helpful, as well. Especially when you consider Trent Williams’ recent troubles and Kory Lichtensteiger rehabbing from a torn ACL. If we’re selling the farm for the most recent Heisman winner, then we’d better make sure he’s protected. Like, Fort Knox protected.

I’m struggling to make the call though. Griffin III needs weapons just as much as he needs defenses. The thing about RGIII, though, is that he has the ability to make big plays outside of the pocket on his own. To think that we’ll soon have a quarterback capable of improvisation is confounding on an elemental level.

With Santana Moss noticeably declining, The Redskins options out on the perimeter aren’t exactly encouraging. Sure, there is young talent in Niles Paul and Leonard Hankerson but if there’s anything we learned from the Thomas/Kelly incident of 2008, it’s that some receivers just aren’t destined to pan out.

The Redskins will still have a little over $16 million to play with this offseason. That’s not Scrooge McDuck money but it’s better than nothing and it may just be enough to sign either Jackson or Nicks.

It may require yet another flip of the coin.

The New Orleans Saints have slapped the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees - Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The New Orleans Saints have slapped the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees, guaranteeing the 2011 offensive player of the year will spend next season raking in, at minimum, a healthy $14.4 million while decked out in the black and gold.

By utilizing its exclusive negotiating rights versus the generic franchise tag, which would allow other teams to negotiate with Brees but require that they provide New Orleans draft pick compensation should they sign him away, the Saints have dashed the foolish fantasies of many NFL fans hoping a scorned ‘Breesus’ might become their football savior.

In recent days the ongoing drama in the Big Easy has even had some Washington Redskins fans wondering whether Brees could be the answer to the ongoing and dependably depressing quarterback carousel in the nation’s capital.

Alas, it (always) was not to be. But the Saints’ inability to reach an agreement with Brees — reports have the two sides about $5 million apart in annual salary figures — could end up benefitting the Redskins.

The Saints have several players in addition to Brees set to become free agents, including guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston, who just so happen to play the Redskins’ two offensive positions of greatest need, excluding quarterback.

Had the Saints signed Brees to a long-term contract, they could have worked out the deal to make it cap-friendly in the short term, allowing them to re-sign some of their other pending free agents.  Even if it couldn’t come to terms with Nicks or Colston, the team would still have had its franchise tag to use on either player.

Now, in all likelihood, both Nicks and Colston will hit free agency, and either would give the Redskins’ offense a tremendous boost.

Nicks is regarded as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the NFL, if not the best. To secure his services, it would likely take a contract north of the six-year, $51 million deal signed last year by New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins, the league’s highest paid interior lineman.

The Redskins are expected to have about $40 million in salary cap space once free agency begins March 13. Would it be wise to shell out $8.5 million or more in annual salary on a guard? The Redskins began the 2011 season with a starting offensive line making less than $10.5 million combined, $7.85 million of which went to left tackle Trent Williams alone. Though they recently re-signed center Will Montgomery to a four-year, $12 million contract, the Skins could stand to invest a little in the guys entrusted with protecting the team’s most important investment: whoever the next quarterback is (RGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIII).

It would also be hard to find a safer signing than Nicks — he’s 26, in his prime, and has never missed a game in four NFL seasons. He’s the definition of an elite free agent, one that plenty of teams will be anxious to sign. If there were ever a free agent whom Dan Snyder could open his wallet for and not engender criticism, Nicks could be the one.

As for Colston, he would be part of a pretty darn good class of free agent wide receivers that includes Vincent Jackson, Wes Welker, Pierre Garcon, Dwayne Bowe, Mario Manningham and Steve Johnson. He’s also the kind of big-bodied receiver that the Redskins have lacked for a seeming eternity, one that can bail out his quarterback and win jump balls, especially in the end zone, where Washington’s lousy offense becomes anemic.

Among the receivers set to become free agents, Jackson is considered the best, but Colston isn’t far behind, having recorded 1,000 yards receiving five times in six seasons. At 28, he will likely fetch a five-to-seven year contract worth $8-to-$10 million per season. Would he be worth that kind of scratch to the Skins? Perhaps, but Colston will likely exit his prime years halfway through his next contract, which is something whichever team signs him will have to consider and be willing to live with.

If I had to choose between Nicks and Colston, I’d go with the younger, better Nicks. But the Skins will have the cap room to sign both and, if they go all in on a certain Heisman-winning quarterback on draft day (plzplzplzplzplzplzplz), might have to rely on free agency to fill holes elsewhere on the roster.

Statistics are courtesy of NFL.com. You can follow Riggo’s Rag (@RiggosRag) on Twitter!

Shanahan will look to stay happy in 2012

This offseason promises to be a hectic one in Washington, and right now our future is leaning on Mike Shanahan. He is the one in control (as is Bruce Allen), and he is the one who will be making most of the changes, cuts, trades, and drafts. It’s obvious that Shanny will be under a ton of pressure, and many are wondering what he will do. Unfortunatly, nobody except the coach himself knows, and that is why I’ll throw in a different look at it. No, I am not a coach or manager, but after years of watching the Redskins, I have an idea of what will happen. This is what I would do, if I was Mike Shanahan:

1) Find a way to Pick up Manning without a loss: Most of the Redskins Nation want a QB in the first round or the draft, but in order to get RG3, we’d have to TRADE (which means to get rid of valuable possessions) up. If the Colts get Andrew Luck, there is a good chance that Manning will become a free agent. This is someone who could help the Redskins win now, and help teach a younger QB for the future

2) Get a new offensive Coordinator: It may make family gatherings awkward, but Mike needs to relieve his son Kyle from play-calling duties. It eventually got better, but Kyle’s 2011 season was rocky. Bringing in a fresh-face like Jim Caldwell or another former head coach could have a BIG PAY-OFF. (more…)