Stay the Course Redskins Fans
November 2, 2017
by Richard Rogers
The NFL trade deadline has come and gone Redskins fans, and that’s probably a good thing for our beloved burgundy and gold. I know the temptation of wanting to make moves as other teams around us seemingly are positioning themselves to get better fast. The Eagles are already a good team and the class of the NFC, and they added a very good running back in Jay Ajayi. The San Francisco 49ers stunned the NFL world with a shrewd deal that sent a 2018 2nd round pick to New England for Jimmy Garoppolo. The NFL is funny that way. Most had Kyle Shanahan lurking until the offseason waiting to pounce on Kirk Cousins as soon as he told the Redskins to kick rocks. Perhaps they got tired of the shenanigans, and chose the smart, cheaper route in an effort to continue to rebuild.
The Redskins did not make a splash, not even a puddle. There were rumors that they were looking for WR help, but nothing became of it. The fact is we probably didn’t have any healthy, talented players to trade, and perhaps that was blessing. Consider this Redskins fans. Before the unprecedent rash of injuries, this was a good, maybe very good team. Our defense was markedly better including an interior pass rush we haven’t seen in two decades. Rookies, second and third year players were major contributors. I mean, go back and look at Montae Nicholson’s scouting report. He was called a “project free agent” who “had nothing to contribute at the NFL level”. The kid seems like a player to me if he can keep himself in one piece.
Hopefully your stomach doesn’t get queasy, but think back to years gone by. Remember the picks we used to give away like candy on Halloween? Remember knee-jerk personnel moves by Vinny Cerrato (notice how I used “jerk” and “Cerrato” in the same sentence?) by sending a 2nd round pick to Miami for Jason Taylor? Thankfully those days are long gone.
Redskins fans, stay the course! This is a good, young team when healthy. We have eight draft picks next year, a good amount of cap cash even if we do sign Kirk Cousins, and what seems like a good haul in last year’s draft class. You’re blind if you can’t see that our coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball has improved. Young bucks like Preston Smith, Matt Ioannidis and Kendall Fuller make our future look bright. This team still has needs. It’s finally time for this team to go high and get a legit RB. They still need WR help. Let me rephrase. They need a true #1 WR option. They need to begin to think about the future at left tackle, and right guard. The Redskins need a blocking TE in the worst way. Another stud defensive end is needed and inside linebacker is also a need. And yes, and yet again, safety help is a must, although Swearinger has been the best we’ve had in years.
I wouldn’t tinker much with this car. Just keep building. At some point the bill will come due on the quarterback situation. That will be the difference between this team being a contender sooner, rather than later. I will not debate the do we or do we not pay Kirk question. That’s been done ad nauseum. I will just say the most important decision that will define Bruce Allen’s tenure here will be the quarterback situation. Some may disagree and say the stadium deal, but I say no. Bruce Allen is disliked by many, and hate by some, even more than Dan Snyder. Allen botched the early Cousins negotiations and fired the only real GM we had since Casserly, so the clock is ticking on Bruce. It’s weird, because the product on the field continues to improve yet the organization still can’t seem to get out of its own way.
At any rate, it’ll all play itself out. We just need to stay the course. Continue to build through the draft and sprinkle in a few key free agents. More Zach Browns please! A month ago, many of us sat up and paid attention to this team. Injuries, not dysfunction, is what ails this team. But it’s not over. These last 10 games will be interesting. Can Jay Gruden continue to navigate this team through rough waters or will the rudder break sending us into yet another season in the abyss? It remains to be seen.
For now, stay the course and enjoy watching our practice squad players and rookies have a turn at it.