Everyone Stay Calm

March 23, 20108

by Alex Zeese

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Despite all the talk from Doug Williams earlier in the season about the team being way more active in free agency this offseason than they were the last few years, it seems like things are still business as usual at Redskins park, or at least things look similar to what we have seen in the last four or five years. There’s no need to continue to get worked up over this situation.

At this point the Redskins are not going to sign any kind of big impact players, mostly because there are no great top of the roster starters left on the free agent market. We got Paul Richardson, he is going to be a starter, and that’s going to be it for big name free agents in 2018. We’re past that point in the season and we are no longer that team that throws silly money around, anyway. At this point the blockbusters are all done. The team is now at the five dollar movie bin of free agency – there are still plenty of good finds, but it’s not going to be a splashy acquisition. Sure, a player like Hankins might still sign on, sure, or Junior Galette may yet come back, but neither are going to be outrageous deals. The Skins are probably not going to break the bank for either of them.

Here’s what I wonder, and stay with me on this: is the team is holding off on any signings because they really want those supplemental draft picks next season? If you weren’t aware, 4 is the max a team can get, and the way it looks right now, Washington might be in line for all 4. Is this a kind of weird offseason guru move that the Skins have never done historically? If that is the plan, I like it.

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I am still a person who would rather the Redskins build through the draft more often, so if this is a bit of long term draft strategy on the part of Bruce Allen, than I’m thrilled by that. The Redskins historically are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to getting supplemental draft picks. Of course, I also recognize that we’re giving up former draft picks to get more, but the general idea is replacement of departing talent with cheaper versions who have potential.

This has been how the Redskins have operated the last five years. We don’t traditionally bring in a big name free agent, unless someone like Desean Jackson or Josh Norman unexpectedly becomes available. The Redskins simply prefer to go after average guys who can fill a hole for one or two seasons as they try and focus on drafting and grooming talent. For us fans, yes it is a bit dull, but if you look at the end results, things have been way better the last few years because of it. Do you really want to see the return of Vinny tossing out contracts like stuffed animals at the state fair? Would you rather hear about Redskins One frantically jetting around the country in search of the next Fat Albert?

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I didn’t think so. What they’re doing now is better, trust me.

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