The Redskins and Free Agency from 2010 – 2017

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January 31, 2018

by Steve Thomas

A few weeks ago, I did a study of the success of the Redskins drafts over the past several years, grouped by those attributed to Mike Shanahan, Scot McCloughan, and Bruce Allen, respectively (click here to read it again).  Some of you agreed and and liked the last column, and some of you called me names.  Either way, it was enough to motivate me to write part II – a study of the free agency success and failures of each Redskins leader.

First, as was the case in my draft study, I have assigned responsibility for each free agency class as follows:

  • Mike Shanahan: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  • Bruce Allen: 2014, 2017
  • Scot McCloughan: 2015, 2016

As was true with the draft column, the problem with this setup is that it may or may not be entirely fair and/or accurate to give each man credit for these free agency classes as I’ve set out.  It’s likely that the evaluation of free agents by the Redskins is a collaborative effort involving the scouting department, the coaching staff, and the senior person (i.e., Shanahan, Allen, McCloughan).  Despite that, the Redskins have definitively gone through the “Shanahan era” with Shanahan as the public face of football operations, the “McCloughan era”, with Scot billed as the principal “football expert”, and then two separate years of Allen flying solo as the clear authority, with 2018 right around the corner. Regarding 2017, Scot McCloughan was fired on March 9, 2017, which was the same day the 2017 league year started.  While McCloughan’s scouting without a doubt had an impact on free agency decisions made subsequent to his departure, the fact is that Bruce Allen was the sole decision maker for 2017.  I therefore think it’s fair to evaluate these free agency classes in this manner.  You may like it, not like it, or think this entire exercise isn’t worthwhile for the reasons I cited above.  Take it for what you will.

In terms of methodology, there’s no good way to objectively quantify the success of a free agency class, so all we can do is take a look at free agency signings and departures for each relevant year and make a subjective evaluation of each class.

Finally, in order to keep the scope somewhat in check (hint: this is a long one, even for me), this column will not address undrafted free agent signings.  That subject might be worthy of a third iteration in this series, if enough of you tell me that you would like to see it.

Shanahan Era[1]

2010

This is a list of the Redskins free agency moves for the 2010 offseason, which was Mike Shanahan’s first year in Washington:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
QB Donovan McNabb QB Jason Campbell
QB Rex Grossman QB Todd Collins
RB Larry Johnson RB Quinton Ganther
RB Willie Parker RB Rock Cartwright
WR Mike Furrey WR Antwan Randle El
OT Jammal Brown OT Chris Samuels
OT Artis Hicks G Randy Thomas
DE/DT Adam Carriker NT Anthony Montgomery
NT Ma’ake Kemoeatu CB Fred Smoot
NT Howard Green P Hunter Smith
CB Phillip Buchanon
P Josh Bidwell
  • Home runs: none
  • Clear Busts: McNabb

Looking at the list of additions, none of the players signed in 2010 became long-term starters for the Redskins or received any sort of league recognition during their time in Washington.  Donovan McNabb must be considered the biggest and most obvious failure after infamously lasting only one controversy-filled season in DC.  Despite signing a 6 year, $89M contract in November, 2010, he was traded to Minnesota before the 2011 season.

We can easily identify the other clear, but minor, misses: Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, Mike Furrey, and Howard Green did not make the team.

The remainder of the acquisitions had varying degrees of success.  Of these players, Adam Carriker and Jammal Brown were probably the most successful acquisitions, but also saw their careers cut short at the beginning of new long contracts.  Carriker started 31 games during the 2010 and 2011 seasons; however, he played just 2 games in 2012 after signing a 4 year, $20M contract with $5.7M in guarantees, before injuries effectively ended his career.  Brown was acquired via trade in 2010, and then signed a 5 year, $27.5M contract with a $5.5M signing bonus.  He started 26 of 32 games in 2 seasons before injuries finally caught up with him in 2012.  Both of these players could have been critical players for the team going forward had they stayed healthy, although one could argue that the Redskins should have been aware of the injury potential for both men prior to giving them new contracts.

Rex Grossman, who played on 1 year contracts in DC, started 16 games between 2010 – 2012 before departing for Cleveland in 2014.  Phillip Buchanon played in 16 games, starting 5, in 2010, but was suspended for 4 games for violation of the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy, and then spent almost all of 2011 on injured reserve.  Ma’ake Kemoeatu played one season and was released.

The bottom line is that none of the players acquired in 2010 became critical pieces for the future.  Similarly, none of the players who left the team had successful, long follow-on careers with new teams, and were thus not missed opportunities by the team.  Overall, this free agency year was not a rousing success.

2011

The Mike Shanahan-led Redskins made the following moves in the 2011 offseason:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
RB Tim Hightower QB Donovan McNabb
WR Jabar Gaffney RB Clinton Portis
OT Sean Locklear OT Stephon Heyer
G/C Chris Chester G Derrick Dockery
DE/DT Stephen Bowen G Mike Williams
NT Barry Cofield C Casey Rabach
CB Josh Wilson DE Jeremy Jarmon
FS O.J. Atogwe DT Albert Haynesworth
P Sav Rocca DE/DT Vonnie Holliday
DE/DT Phillip Daniels
NT Ma’ake Kemoeatu
DE/OLB Andre Carter
CB Carlos Rogers
P Josh Bidwell
  • Home runs: none
  • Clear Busts: Atogwe

Chris Chester and Stephen Bowen, and to a lesser extent Barry Cofield, were fairly successful free agency acquisitions, despite the fact that none of these players actually completed their contracts with the team.  Chester (5 year contract signed in 2011, $20M, $4M signing bonus) started all 64 games in the 2011 through 2014 seasons before his release before the final year of his contract.  Bowen signed a 5 year, $27.5M contract in 2011 that included a $7.5M signing bonus, and started 42 of 64 games between 2011 and 2014.  Like Chester, he was released prior to the final year of his contract after an injury-plagued 2014.  Washington gave Cofield a 6 year, $36M contract in 2011, including a $9M signing bonus.  He started 51 games between 2011 and 2014, including all 48 games between 2011 and 2013. He was released in February, 2015, after also suffering significant injuries in the 2014 season.  That having been said, all three of these players were given very large contracts, and thus merely met those expectations, barely.  None of these players ever achieved any sort of recognition while with the Redskins.

The one huge misfire in this class was O.J. Atogwe, who signed a 5 year, $26M contract in 2011 but started just 8 games and was released one year later. The remainder of the 2011 class were mediocre signings, with no other huge busts, but no additional long-term success stories.  Tim Hightower, who signed two one year contracts with the Redskins, showed potential early in the 2011 before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season.  He was cut in the 2012 preseason after the emergence of Alfred Morris.  Jabar Gaffney started in 2011 but was released prior to the 2012 season.

Of all of players who left the Redskins in 2011, CB Carlos Rogers had the most subsequent success, playing 3 more seasons with the 49ers and a final year in Oakland.  Andre Carter also played two additional years.  I cannot honestly fault the Redskins for letting either player go, even despite Rogers’ relative success in San Francisco.  None of the other departing players had significant post-Redskins success.

Overall, the 2011 free agency class was significantly more productive for the Redskins than the 2010 class, but the Redskins also paid a significant amount of money to these players.

2012

The Redskins 2012 free agency period went like this:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
WR Pierre Garcon WR Jabar Gaffney
WR Josh Morgan WR Donte Stallworth
ILB Jonathan Goff DE/DT Kedric Golston
CB Cedric Griffin OLB Rocky McIntosh
S Tanard Jackson SS LaRon Landry
S Brandon Meriweather FS O.J. Atogwe
K Neil Rackers
  • Home runs: Garcon
  • Clear Busts: Jackson

Pierre Garcon proved to be one of the best free agent signings by the Redskins in years despite his 5 year, $42M contract. Garcon started 72 games over his 5 years with the team, performing like a classic “#1 WR” during that time, including a 113 catch season in 2013.  The Redskins chose to let him leave for San Francisco after the 2016 season, but the issue appeared to be related to salary demands, not performance.

I consider Tanard Jackson to be a major bust despite only signing a modest 1 year contract.  Jackson, who had been a quality player when he was on the field and came to Washington with big expectations, immediately ran afoul of the NFL’s drug policy and never played a game for the Redskins.  Jonathan Goff and Neil Rackers did not make the team and were misses.

The rest of these players – Morgan, Griffin, Meriweather – completed their contracts in relatively mediocrity.  Of those, only Meriweather was re-signed.

Of the 6 veterans who were released, none of them had any significant post-Washington on the field accomplishments, and thus cannot be considered to be “mistaken releases” by the Redskins.

2013

In the final year of the Mike Shanahan era, the Redskins made the following free agency moves:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
WR Devery Henderson OT Jammal Brown
WR Donte Stallworth DE/OLB Lorenzo Alexander
OT Jeremy Trueblood CB Cedric Griffin
DE Darryl Tapp CB D.J. Johnson
CB E.J. Biggers S Madieu Williams
  • Home runs: none
  • Clear busts: none
  • Mistaken release: Alexander

Of the five free agents signed in 2013, only E.J. Biggers (1 yr, $1.5M contract) could be considered even a modest success.  Biggers played in all 16 games in 2013, starting 5, and was rewarded with a new 1 year deal in 2014.  Tapp signed a 1 year, $865K contract and played 11 games for the Redskins in 2013, but was not re-signed.  Henderson, Trueblood, and Stallworth were all given small contracts, but none made the team.

The most notable occurrence in 2013 was the Redskins’ failure to re-sign Lorenzo Alexander, a Pro Bowler in 2012, instead choosing to let him leave for Arizona for a 3 year, $4.62M contract.  Alexander was released by the Cardinals in 2015, but has played in the NFL ever since leaving Washington and made the 2017 Pro Bowl again for Buffalo. Jammal Brown retired, and neither Griffin, Johnson, nor Williams had significant post-Washington NFL accomplishments.

Bruce Allen Era

2014

This is the list of the veterans the Redskins signed and released in the 2014 offseason:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
QB Colt McCoy WR Josh Morgan
WR Desean Jackson TE Richard Quinn
WR Andre Roberts C/G Will Montgomery
OT Bruce Campbell DE/DT Adam Carriker
G Shawn Lauvao DE/OLB Darryl Tapp
G Mike McGlynn ILB London Fletcher
DE/DT Jason Hatcher CB Josh Wilson
DE/DT Clifton Geathers P Sav Rocca
ILB Daryl Sharpton
ILB Akeem Jordan
CB Tracy Porter
S Ryan Clark
S Brandon Meriweather
  • Home runs: Jackson
  • Clear busts: Roberts, Hatcher

2014 was an extremely active free agency year.  The star of this class was Desean Jackson, who essentially fell into the Redskins’ laps and signed a 4 year, $24M contract that automatically voided in the 4th year, thus essentially becoming a 3 year deal.  While in Washington, Jackson played in 40 of 48 games over three years, starting 37.  Despite some health problems, when on the field Jackson was one of the premier deep threats in the game, with 142 receptions, 19.0 average yards per reception, and 14 touchdowns.  Jackson departed for Tampa Bay in free agency due to salary demands, but was everything the Redskins hoped for when healthy.

Colt McCoy (1 year, $795K) and Shawn Lauvao (4 years, $17M) were both quality signings who filled their required roles.  Lauvoa, in particular, despite being criticized at times for his play, played in and started 41 of 64 games over 4 years.  He has proved worthy of his 4 year deal.

Andre Roberts was signed to a 4 year, $16M contract, but was cut after only 2 years after producing only 47 catches in 25 games played and generally did not live up to expectations and is thus a “bust”.  Jason Hatcher came to Washington with huge expectations after notching 11 sacks for Dallas in 2013.  He signed a 4 year, $27.5M contract and started 27 of 32 games, but only posted 7.5 sacks in two years before his year after the 2016 season.  Hatcher was supposed to be a bedrock of the defensive line, and while he was a starter and decent performer, he failed to live up to his contract or expectations. For that reason, I classified him as a bust.

The minor misses: Bruce Campbell signed a small contract but failed his physical a day later. Mike McGlynn signed a 2 year, $2.7M contract, but did not make the team.  Daryl Sharpton also signed for a small contract, but was placed on injured reserve during preseason and never played a regular season game for the Redskins. Akeem Jordan signed a 3 year, $1.118M contract, but played in only 2 games and was waived in November, 2014.  Finally, Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather were both older veterans with good reputations, but both signed small money one year deals, started for the Redskins, but were not re-signed.  2014 was Meriweather’s last of 3 seasons with the Redskins.  For that reason, I do not consider Clark or Meriweather to be successes or busts.

Finally, none of the players who the team let go in the 2014 offseason had significant post-Redskins accomplishments in the NFL, and thus did not represent mistaken releases by the team.

2017

The Redskins accomplished the following in the 2017 free agency period under Bruce Allen:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
WR Terrelle Pryor WR Pierre Garcon
WR Brian Quick WR Desean Jackson
DT Terrell McClain C Kory Lichtensteiger
DT Stacy McGee C John Sullivan
OLB Chris Carter DT Chris Baker
ILB Zach Brown DT Ricky Jean-Francois
S D.J. Swearinger
  • Home runs: Brown, Swearinger
  • Clear busts: Pryor

Analysis of this most recent free agency class is incomplete, but fairly simple in some ways. D.J. Swearinger (3 years, $13.5M, $6M guaranteed at signing) thusfar appears to be one of the best, if not the best, free agency signing by the Redskins of this entire 2010 – 2017 period.  He was outstanding all year, becoming a team captain and defensive leader in just his first season with the team.  Zach Brown was also a home run given his relatively small cost and one year deal ($2.3M).  Brown delivered in terms of production, with 84 tackles in 13 games.

Terrelle Pryor? Bust, due to the enormous expectations with which he came to Washington, despite him only being on a one year contract (although I personally think he still has potential).  He didn’t produce and then was placed on injured reserve.

Chris Carter was a relatively low cost acquisition and performed his role fairly well.

I will reserve judgment on both Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee, who were both given large contracts (4 years, $21M and 5 years, $25M, respectively).  Neither player excelled, particularly, but both were at least adequate in their first year here and have several years remaining on their contracts to prove their worth.

The Redskins let several prominent free agents leave this past season, including star wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson and defensive tackle Chris Baker.  Garcon and Jackson, in particular, had tough years in 2017, but only time will tell if the Redskins made a mistake with any of those three players.

Scot McCloughan Era  

2015

This was the Redskins 2015 free agency period:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
DE/DT Stephen Paea RB Roy Helu
DE/DT Ricky Jean-Francois WR Leonard Hankerson
NT Terrance Knighton OT Tyler Polumbus
CB Chris Culliver G Chris Chester
S Dashon Goldson DE/DT Jarvis Jenkins
S Jeron Johnson DE/DT Stephen Bowen
NT Barry Cofield
DE/OLB Brian Orakpo
CB E.J. Biggers
S Brandon Meriweather
S Ryan Clark
  • Home runs: None
  • Clear busts: Paea, Culliver, Goldson
  • Mistaken releases: Orakpo

This particular free agency class was probably the least successful of all of the years evaluated in this study.  None of these players were “home run” signings, and with the exception of Jean-Francois and Goldson, even provided much value.

Stephen Paea signed a 4 year, $21M contract that included a $5M signing bonus, but only played 11 games, starting 1, and produced just 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks before he was cut.  Chris Culliver (4 years, $32M) arrived from San Francisco with a certain amount of fanfare as a supposed McCloughan favorite, but played only 6 games after being suspended for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, and then tore his ACL and MCL.  He was cut prior to the 2016 season.  Dashon Goldson was traded to Washington prior to year 3 of a 5 year, $41.25M contract given to him by Tampa Bay.  Despite some thought that Goldson might be the long-awaited post-Sean Taylor answer at free safety, he was cut after just one season.

Terrence Knighton signed a small one year contract, had minimal production, and was not re-signed.  Ricky Jean-Francois signed a 3 year, $9M contract but was cut after year two.

In my view, the Redskins made a mistake in letting Brian Orakpo leave Washington for the Titans.  Orakpo has started all 48 games in three seasons in Tennessee, and has 34.5 sacks and 106 tackles.  This is a tough call because Orakpo is currently playing under a 4 year, $31M contract, which would be a significant salary cap burden.

2016

The chart below shows the Redskins 2016 free agency signings and veteran releases:

Veteran Additions Veteran Losses
Position Name Position Name
TE Vernon Davis QB Robert Griffin
DE/DT Kendall Reyes RB Alfred Morris
CB Josh Norman DE/DT Jason Hatcher
CB Greg Toler ILB Keenan Robinson
S David Bruton CB Chris Culliver
S Dashon Goldson
S Trenton Robinson
  • Home runs: Davis, Norman
  • Clear busts: Bruton
  • Mistaken release: Morris

It should go without saying that Vernon Davis was and continues to be a godsend for Washington.  He played the 2016 season on a 1 year, $2.4M contract, but was subsequently rewarded with a 3 year, $15M deal this past offseason.  Davis has produced 87 catches and 5 touchdowns in his two seasons in Washington, and has generally been an outstanding addition to the team.  Josh Norman came to Washington with great fanfare and a large 5 year, $75M contract.  Norman has generally lived up to his billing as a #1 corner, with the exception of a portion of 2017, so at this point, I have labeled him as a “home run”.  That status could be subject to change depending on what happens this coming year.

David Bruton signed a 3 year, $9.15M contract but was cut after only one year, and was thus a “clear bust” by my subjective definition.

Greg Toler played under a small one year contract and was not re-signed.  Kendall Reyes signed a 1 year, $2.5M contract but was released prior to the season.

Of the players lost in free agency, only Alfred Morris and Keenan Robinson had significant post-Redskins accomplishes, so far.  Morris, despite his steady decline after his 2012 season, has still been more consistent and produced more in Dallas than those who the Redskins brought in to replace him, so this was a mistake. While Robinson may the potential to go on to significant post-Redskins accomplishments it is too early to determine whether the Redskins erred in letting him leave.

Conclusion

What can we conclude from this study?  Truthfully, the most important conclusion is that the Redskins have been consistently unsuccessful in free agency regardless of who has been in charge.  Mike Shanahan only found 1 big success in free agency in Pierre Garcon, but spectacularly flamed out on Donovan McNabb and O.J. Atogwe and let Lorenzo Alexander leave.  Scot McCloughan probably had the worst free agency year of any year in 2015 and missed on letting Alfred Morris leave, but signed both Vernon Davis and Josh Norman in 2016.  Bruce Allen achieved similarly mediocre results (assuming you are like me and are going to assign the credit/blame for 2017 to him).  The bottom line is that, objectively, despite his reputation and standing amongst the fanbase, Scot McCloughan did not achieve results that were noticeably better than either Mike Shanahan or Bruce Allen.  It appears as though none of these men were particularly successful in free agency, which shouldn’t be a surprise given the overall performance of the team.

Do you have thoughts?  Leave us a comment below.

 

 

[1] All free agency signings and losses in this column are courtesy of www.walterfootball.com unless otherwise noted.  All statistical performance data courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com.  All contract data courtesy of www.spotrac.com or The Hog Sty’s salary cap chart at www.thehogsty.com.

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