Washington Redskins GM Scot McCloughan: Culture Shock
By Donny Starr
Washington Redskins GM Scot McCloughan didn’t fit the team dynamic. That’s why it’s so easy to drop him from off-season planning.
Scot McCloughan entered a world of urgency. He came from worlds of patience, where organizations put their trust and efforts into his vision and were rewarded in the long run. Then there is the Redskins organization, a place where you get your shot to be a hero or stay long enough to see yourself become the villain. That is McCloughan’s story. He arrived with his philosophies on draft picks. He introduced a system of measure for players based on a year’s performance.
This isn’t what the Redskins wanted. They wanted a problem solver. If the defense is suspect, fix it. If the quarterback is suspect, get another. Patience? What is this patience you speak of? The Redskins have lost that skill set. Don’t fool yourself. If the Redskins were patient, we wouldn’t watch as top receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson walk out the door. Kirk Cousins would have the contract he deserves, and we’d still have Alfred Morris. The 2016 team, with new leadership would be the playoff team of 2017. We know that’s not going to happen. Why? Because the Redskins organization is not patient. Who knows what it took to get head coach Jay Gruden a contract extension.
Scot McCloughan is the victim of culture shock. He’s asked them to do something they haven’t done since the Joe Gibbs area: Wait for success. In an era where quantifiable results are king, McCloughan is the dinosaur. During his two years the Redskins have managed 9-7 and 8-7 seasons. It has been the little things keeping them out the playoffs. I’m thinking he probably entered the off season the way he did last year: Get good players regardless of position. If that’s the case, it’s no surprise he’s been missing in action. He may have just realized he’s not the guy for the job.