Redskins: Five takeaways from Day One of legal tampering
By Ian Cummings
No. 5 – These aren’t your typical Redskins
If you’re freaking out because the Redskins didn’t make their trademark splash signing on Day One of free agency, don’t. It’s really premature to react too positively or negatively to any moves, and while it is a little discouraging to see the brunt of the action drone on without the Redskins, it’s not a sign of underperformance.
In the past, the Redskins have often been compelled to be heavy players in free agency, and the returns gleaned from that annual investment cycle never quite made it worthwhile. Free agency woes were a staple of the 2000s in Washington, as well as Bruce Allen’s tenure with the team, and the themes were common across those eras: Impatience, unawareness, bad investments, and a lack of cohesiveness.
Yes, Ron Rivera’s Redskins didn’t make the headlines with their haul yesterday. But that’s not a bad thing. Rivera is quickly showing that he’s not going to carelessly shell out money for a player who might not be a good fit, simply because the market demands it. The Redskins’ strategy feels more calculated than normal. And while that’s less exciting and less poignant, it’s ultimately a positive development for long-term growth.