Redskins Offseason: 6 Things that Need to Happen
By Chris West
Dec 7, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams (71) blocks against the St. Louis Rams at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
6) Assess what we already have to work with.
There are many quality players on the Redskins who can fit many different systems. Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan, and Keenan Robinson are talented enough to play well in any system.
Alfred Morris, Jordan Reed, Bashaud Breeland, David Amerson and Darrel Young are also very talented players. They are worth fitting into your system in a way that maximizes their abilities.
Robert Griffin III, Chris Baker, and Perry Riley are talented players who are worth keeping until you see if they can fit into what systems the team runs. Griffin in particular, is a QB who may be worth adapting your system around.
Phillip Thomas, Will Compton, Trent Murphy, Ryan Grant, Silas Redd, Chris Thompson, Morgan Moses and Spencer Long are all young players that need to be developed within the system. Developing players like these is what will determine the success of a franchise.
DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jason Hatcher, and Barry Cofield are higher priced veterans who must fit the system or be let go when it best suits the salary cap. All Redskin’s fans remeber over-paying for Albert Haynesworth. Well the biggest debacle was when the defense was changed to a 3-4 alignment which did not fit Haynesworth style of play at all.
The Haynesworth signing had many lessons to teach the franchise. A) Don’t overpay for free agents, B) Don’t bring in free agents and hire a new coach with differing systems so that the free agent is useless, C) Work from the top down so the players always fit the system.
There are other players the Redskins should keep, but only if they fit into the systems run by the coaches. DeAngelo Hall is coming back from injury and if he recovers, he would be very useful. Kirk Cousins, Niles Paul, Andre Roberts, Kory Lichtensteiger, Shawn Lauvao and others could be kept if used properly.
Developing what they have and finding new talent will determine the success of our HC and GM and our Redskins.