Redskins Reality Checks: The future is looking murky

1. Reality Is, the Redskins’ culture needs an overhaul.

Bruce Allen may be the most hated team president in sports. He certainly is the most hated team president in Redskins’ history. And, I believe, rightfully so. While he has accomplished some very important things during his tenure in DC (like navigating the unfair salary cap penalties), the vast majority of his major decisions have backfired.

To name a few, the Donovan McNabb trade, the picks traded for RGIII, the choice not to lock Kirk Cousins up for mid-level money in 2015, the choice not to trade Cousins in the summer of 2017 once it was clear a long-term deal was off the table, the hiring and subsequent botched firing of Scot McCloughan, and most recently, the decision to claim Reuben Foster without doing due diligence and then hiding behind Doug Williams when the firestorm came as a result.

There have been reports of the Redskins being among the least prepared teams for contract negotiations, among the worst organizations as relates to the medical staff and recovery center, and among the worst for the game-day experience.

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With Alex Smith’s unfortunate injury, the Redskins are facing major, franchise-altering, decisions this offseason, and they can’t afford to allow Bruce Allen to lead through those decisions, given his poor track record with major decisions for this organization.

There is no single thing outside of winning that would have a greater impact on fan morale than for Dan Snyder to let Bruce Allen go, and to hand the reins of the football operation over to Kyle Smith. The perfect team structure moving forward: Eric Schaffer, Team President, Brian LaFemina, SVP of Business Operations, Doug Williams, SVP of football operations, Kyle Smith, General Manager, and an all-new team medical and training staff hired from whichever team has had the least injuries the last three years.

Prediction: You don’t go broke betting on the Redskins to do the dumb thing. Snyder will talk himself into keeping Allen around due to his assumption that Allen’s connections will help make the best stadium deal. The decision will be about money, not about winning back fans or the long-term viability of the football team.