NFC East: Sean Taylor
Breakfast links: Skins not going quietly?
Dallas Cowboys
ESPNDallas.com's draft preview series focuses on Wisconsin's Peter Konz, who's the No. 1 center in the draft and actually what the Cowboys really need on the offensive line but might be a reach, value-wise, at No. 14 in the first round. Lots of people calling for the Cowboys to take Stanford guard David DeCastro with that pick, but center was a real weak spot last year and they have quite a number of guards on the roster all of a sudden. I wonder if it makes sense to deal back and try to get a center.
Mac Engel thinks the Cowboys should trade for Tim Tebow. I think Mac's argument is unsound. It is based, as are so many unsound Cowboys-related argument, on the tired premise that "Yeah, Tony Romo is really good, but they haven't won with him," as though Romo were supposed to magically appear on the field and tackle the Giants fullbacks who were all jumping over Terence Newman on New Year's Day. The Cowboys have a plan, and it appears to be a good one, and I can't see a legitimate way in which Tebow fits into it. Especially if he's going to cost draft picks.
New York Giants
Victor Cruz has a new agent, but Mike Garafolo cautions us not to worry that this means he'll make an ugly scene about his contract anytime soon. Cruz would like to make more money and cash in on the monster year he just had, and he's said as much publicly. But the Giants have told him he must wait in line behind more pressing priorities, and he seems content to do that.
After having training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., last year due to the lockout, the Giants will return to their regular training camp home in Albany, N.Y., this year, and Albany is psyched.
Philadelphia Eagles
So, while we're on the topic, Rich Hofmann thinks the Eagles would be wise to at least consider Tebow. He's not the first to bring this up, and while I maintain that the Eagles don't need to throw the Tebow circus on top of everything else they already have going on this year, you can't entirely rule out the possibility that they do it anyway, against my sage advice. You know Andy Reid is always at least intrigued when a new quarterback hits the market, and the people who run the Eagles are thorough enough that they've surely at least discussed how it might work. I dispute the notion that Tebow could plug right into the Eagles' offense because he's left-handed and likes to run and is therefore a similar player to Michael Vick. I do not think they are, in fact, similar players, and I believe the Eagles would have to totally overhaul their offense if Vick were to suffer an injury and Tebow had to play. But look at it this way: Nobody imagined the Eagles signing Vick three years ago when he got out of jail, and once they did, no one could figure out how they planned to use him. So, stranger things have happened -- and worked out all right -- with the Eagles.
The re-signing of guard Evan Mathis is a popular move among Eagles fans, and not just because of how well Mathis played in 2011. The fans also like Mathis' personality.
Washington Redskins
Mark Maske reports that the Redskins are considering challenging the NFL's decision to strip them of $36 million in salary-cap room due to the way they structured contracts in the uncapped 2010 season. The challenge would be through arbitration, not through an antitrust lawsuit, and Mark reports that the Cowboys (who lost $10 million in cap space for the same ridiculous reason) could join them in seeking arbitration. I still don't know if they'll do this, or how likely it would be to work given the way the CBA is worded. But it's clear the Redskins are upset, as they should be, and haven't yet let this go, as they shouldn't.
John Keim thinks back to the early days of LaRon Landry's time in Washington, when he and the late Sean Taylor looked as though they'd make for one of the most fearsome safety tandems in the league, and wonders what might have been.
Oh, and since I know you're counting — the pedometer says I took 22,031 steps Thursday, bringing the total to 78,896 — or about 37.4 miles. All of them for you. Every single one of them for you. Even the ones that got me free gumbo from the 2013 New Orleans Super Bowl host committee. Which was awesome. I seriously wish you all could have enjoyed it with me.
Anyway, links.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor says the Giants' pregame talk puts them at risk of being a punch line if they lose Sunday. I guess. Still doubt Tom Brady needs bulletin-board material for motivation to win as many Super Bowls as Terry Bradshaw won. Also, I think I think the Giants will win. But predictions come out... you know... later.
Jerry Reese thinks it's funny that his team won 10 regular-season games last year and missed the playoffs, won nine regular-season games this year and reached the Super Bowl and now people think he's smarter than he was then. This is the rare thing on which Jerry and I agree. I also think that's funny.
Philadelphia Eagles
Sam Donellon thinks Juan Castillo is in a no-win situation. I think Sam would be right if media and fan perception were the ultimate judge of the success of a team and a coach. But since it's not -- and since Castillo's employers, who like him, will ultimately make the call on whether he was responsible for the Eagles' 2012 successes or failures -- I think Castillo has a chance to win and win big.
Sheil has a look at Luke Kuechly, who'd be a pretty sweet pick for the Eagles at No. 15 in the draft this April if he's still there.
Dallas Cowboys
Jean-Jacques thinks the Hall of Fame needs Charles Haley in order to consider itself complete. We'll find out Saturday if the Hall voters feel the same way.
Michael Irvin believes that Dez Bryant will eventually be the best receiver in the NFL. That would be pretty awesome for the Cowboys if that happened.
Washington Redskins
Kyle Shanahan says his opinion on Rex Grossman hasn't changed since a year ago. I guess that's... good? Or bad? I don't know. Still pretty sure they need to upgrade.
Nathan Fenno writes that Sean Taylor's friends and family still await justice.
NFC East links: QB competition in Dallas?
ESPNDallas.com continues its Draft Watch series by taking a look at Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi.
Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett believes the Cowboys should have an open competition at quarterback between Tony Romo and Jon Kitna.
The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor believes Cowboys coach Jason Garrett will get at least three years to prove himself to Jerry Jones.
New York Giants
Giants CEO John Mara's request to be taken off a jury for a hearing on a drug trial was denied. He will be a fourth alternate.
Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look at the Giants draft needs, focusing on wide receiver.
Zach Berman of The Star-Ledger writes the Giants backfield is one of the many remaining questions for New York.
Giants guard Rich Seubert isn't too worried with this lockout business for now, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
Philadelphia Eagles
Now responsible for his own health insurance payments, Eagles kicker David Akers is paying a steep $2,400 a month, reports Philly.com's Ashley Fox.
Philly.com's Jeff McLane wonders: Is the Eagles' defense too small?
Washington Redskins
Eric Rivera Jr., who is accused of shooting and killing former Redskins star Sean Taylor, wants the media barred from a key hearing.
It's "business as usual" for Redskins season ticket holders if they want to keep their seats. They have until May 1 to pay up.
A fence in front of Donovan McNabb's Washington-area home was destroyed by a hit-and-run driver on Saturday night, reports USA Today's Sean Leahy.
"I don't think there's any question about it," Shanahan said. "He's got such a strong will. It all depends on does he come back a hundred percent? Does he want to come back and play? He's got that inner drive that most people don't have. He wants to compete. But obviously, he's got to get well."
Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs may have been Portis' biggest supporter over the years. He once became emotional while explaining to me how fearless Portis was on game days. But the issue that coaches and fans had with Portis over the years was his unwillingness to commit to the team during the offseason. He often returned to Miami instead of participating in the club's conditioning program. And that may have caught up with him in recent years. Portis stayed in Washington this past offseason to prove his commitment to Shanahan, but he still ended up on the IR for the second time in the past three seasons.
Mike Wise of the Post has a good column Thursday talking about how Portis grew up after losing his close friend and teammate, Sean Taylor. I've taken issue with some of the things Portis has done during his Skins career, such as calling out quarterback Jason Campbell, but the leadership he showed in the aftermath of Taylor's death was pretty remarkable. And that will be a big part of his legacy in Washington.
Beastlines: Cowboys-Redskins must see
In the latest installment of his "Proving Ground" series, ESPNDallas.com's Tim McMahon looks at receiver Kevin Ogletree.
The Dallas Morning News' Sam Farmer gives us 10 Cowboys players to keep an eye on.
In case you missed it: A recap of Jerry Jones on HBO's "Entourage."
NFL.com's Michael Lombardi asks: "Do the Cowboys really believe David Buehler can make a pressure kick in December?"
New York Giants
Longtime New York Yankees and New York Giants public address announcer, Bob Sheppard, died Sunday at the age of 99.
The New York Post has some quotes from Giants president John Mara on Sheppard.
Philadelphia Eagles
Because of the travel restrictions placed on him, Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick was forced to miss his own golf tournament in Atlanta.
Although they have issued strong denials, Yahoo! Sports' Charles Robinson tweeted a high-ranking Eagles official said cutting Vick is "absolutely" still on the table.
The Eagles are one of many teams checking out undrafted BYU running back Harvey Unga.
Philly.com's Sheil Kapadia takes a look at the Eagles' blitz production.
Washington Redskins
The Gainsville Sun's Kevin Brockway thinks Cowboys at Redskins is one of the must-see games of Week 1. He writes: "Don't be surprised if the Shan-McNabb duo turn around the Redskins quicker then expected."
The Orlando Sentinel ranks former Redkins safety Sean Taylor 19th on its list of greatest Miami players of all time.
Comcast's Redskins blogger Rich Tandler takes a point-counterpoint look at Washington running back Clinton Portis.
While discussing his relationship with the late Sean Taylor, Portis decided to call out Arrington for his actions at the funeral. The Washington Post has the full transcript and you can also read Arrington's response via Twitter.
"I lost a lot of respect for LaVar at that moment, speaking at Sean's funeral," said Portis during an interview with 106.7 The Fan in Washington. "To get up, I really thought that was, um, I don't know what you call that. LaVar ain't know Sean like that. For the people who did, seeing how LaVar was going to portray -- I remember me and Sean was going to jump LaVar, you know, for throwing pie at Sean's face his rookie year and trying to haze Sean and be the tough guy. He felt like it was a joke. We didn't like that [expletive]. For all the attention LaVar claim and that him and Sean was cool -- they wasn't cool. Sean ain't [expletive] with LaVar. Sometime, people should stop ... I don't think you should do that. If you cool with somebody or you know somebody, you knew 'em. Don't go and portray. Set out an image like this is your buddy, this is your pal -- like you all hung, when you all really didn't. I don't think that's fair, man."
If you listen to the entire interview, Portis wasn't even asked about Arrington. The former linebacker's name was mentioned in passing during the interview and Portis decided to take aim. Just a very odd rant.
Redskins can relate to Bengals' sorrow
Taylor was away from his teammates at the time of his death because he was recovering from an injury. I think the fact that he hadn't been around his teammates as much as usual made it harder for them to accept what had happened. Because Henry was on injured reserve and wasn't required to be around his teammates all the time, I'm sure they're going through something similar.
Redskins players such as former University of Miami stars Clinton Portis and Santana Moss took it harder than anyone because of the special bond that players from The U enjoy. Moss was having a difficult season and he was almost inconsolable after Taylor's death.
Taylor, 24 at the time of his death, was a more accomplished player than Henry. And he didn't have a particularly troubled past -- as some people portrayed it to be at the time. One of the most important things that former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs did was allow his players time to grieve. He encouraged everyone to talk about Taylor. I recall hearing that safeties coach Steve Jackson could barely make it through team meetings. But all the tears from the coaches definitely brought the team closer together.
After a last-second loss to the Bills, the team flew to attend Taylor's funeral. Todd Collins had become the quarterback because of an injury to Jason Campbell. The Redskins went on an improbable winning streak and somehow made the playoffs. I know they used their pain and their love for Taylor to drive them during those weeks. I always think it seems trite, and even downright insensitive, when we immediately start talking about how teams are going to rally around a tragic situation. I don't look it at that way. But I do think the Redskins played with more passion the rest of the way in order to honor their fallen teammate.
It was one of Gibbs' finest moments in a Hall of Fame career. He let players see him grieving -- and that was important. It let them know that it was OK to open up to each other and put a voice to what they were feeling. With the death of Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's wife, Vikki, and now this tragedy, the Bengals are a team that has seen a ridiculous amount of adversity. I think this is a group that performs at a high level no matter what the circumstances.
But I do think that the Bengals will face a lot of things this week and next that are nearly impossible to prepare for. I think coach Marvin Lewis would be wise to give Gibbs a call. He's one of the few coaches out there who could relate to how Lewis is feeling right now.
"I know he was a changed man, so this hurt me," Andrews said. "I know there were some negative things in his past, but he did an amazing turnaround in the last year and a half. Once the team signed him back, you could see it in his face that he was glad to be back and ready to restart his career and do the right things for his family and the team."
Added Pope: "It's just kind of hard to believe. Contrary to what everybody believed, he had a good heart. Everybody wants to judge people, but everybody gets into trouble in your life. He genuinely made a conscious effort, not only for himself, but also for his kids, to turn his life around. Cincinnati stuck with him and he was really doing that."
Obviously, there are a lot of folks in the Redskins organization who can relate to what the Bengals are going through today. The shocking death of Sean Taylor two years ago is still fresh in the minds of his former teammates. I remember how former coach Joe Gibbs allowed his players time to grieve in the weeks after Taylor's death. It's not like he'd ever prepared for something like that, but Gibbs made a huge impact on his players by grieving in front of them. This thought that football coaches and players have to remain stoic and tough at all times was dismissed and the Redskins bonded like never before.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
The four NFC East teams have shut down operations until training camp, but that's not going to stop us from corresponding. You've broken the elusive 5,000-question barrier, in part, because I can't bring myself to delete your insightful (and encouraging) e-mail. With that in mind, let's get right to it.
Matt in Lancaster, Pa., has the first word: Do you see the Iggles making any more moves before camp? Or do they just wait to see where they stand after camp? The rumor mill has the "Edge" coming to Philly, not sure if that's a good fit for him. Safety was the other position of worry, but sounds like they are happy with Demps. Fly Eagles Fly!
Mosley: Matt, the closest The Edge will come to Philly is in late September at Giants Stadium. That's when U2 shows up in East Rutherford, N.J. Oh wait, you must be talking about the former Pro Bowl running back, Edgerrin James. I agree that he's not a good fit for that offense. Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy are instinctive runners who only need a small crease to find yardage. James has obviously lost a step and I don't think he'd be happy as a third-string running back. I hear the Redskins might have an opening, though. And I think Quintin Demps will win the job in Philly. Do we think the Eagles are the first team in league history to have two Quintins? Someone please look that up.
Lisse in Sao Paulo, Brazil is concerned about the Cowboys' receiving corps: You think that Miles Austin can beat out Patrick Crayton for the second WR spot in training camp?
Mosley: I think everyone in Sao Paulo is wondering about this training camp battle. I think Austin will be given every opportunity to be the No. 2 receiver. But Austin already has his sights on being the No. 1 guy. I'm serious. He's a very humble person, but in his mind, the goal is to be just as productive, if not more, than Roy Williams. And I think that's a worthy goal. It's not like he's being disrespectful. I just know that he's not ruling out becoming the No. 1 receiver --and I think that's the sort of competitive mindset the Cowboys need.
Big Kev in Jersey wants to talk about our recent Eli Manning vs. Philip Rivers debate: Hey Matt I heard you square off against Bill Williamson on the debate on Philip Rivers and Eli. Here are some stats to back your comment up about Rivers level of competition -- especially in his division. In his division, six games, 1,607 yards, 13 tds and six interceptions. Out of division (non-playoff teams), he had five games, 1,235 yards, 12 tds, three interceptions and he was 7-4 agains non-playoff teams last year.
Last point to what your opponent about how San Diego got the better deal because they got 3 Pro Bowlers [Rivers, Merriman, Kaeding]. My take on that is I highly doubt GMs and owners go into the draft with a game plan of who gets the most Pro Bowlers. Their goal as I can imagine is to acquire players to help win a championship and to get a quarterback that will lead them to that. Which the Giants did and so far the Chargers haven't. Case closed, we got the better deal. Sorry for the long comment, I just got tired of people putting Rivers on such a high pedestal. Let me know what you think.
Mosley: Big Kev, we appreciate the research. I tried to keep numbers out of the argument -- except the "one" Manning's wearing on his finger. That's the ultimate scoreboard, but you're right to point out that Rivers has amassed excellent numbers against inferior competition. Would he have similar numbers if he was going up against the Cowboys, Redskins and Eagles a combined six times? I don't think so either.
Ryan S. from Cincinnati has a Giants question: Matt, I check your blog often. Keep it up. Now for my question: Is there anything else of note about the G-men other than their wide-receiver situation? It seems like that's all anybody ever talks about regarding their off-season.
Mosley: Thanks for the kind words, Ryan. I think wide receiver is the biggest concern, but you also have to wonder how long it will take Michael Boley to recover from hip surgery. He was an important acquisition and I think it will take him some time to grasp the Giants' philosophy on defense. I'm also curious to see how that backup running back situation plays out. You have several talented candidates, but I'm not sure anyone's ready to pick up where Derrick Ward left off. Also, keep your eye on the new defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan. He has big shoes to fill. Steve Spagnuolo had a tremendous feel for what to call during games.
Doug in New York has a question about Mathias Kiwanuka: Hey Matt! First of all, you CLEARLY won that Eli-Rivers debate regardless of what the moderator said. My question is, now that Osi Umenyiora is back, how exactly will Mathias Kiwanuka fit into the Giants' defense?
Mosley: Doug, thanks for your support. That particular moderator has been out to get me for years. It's being handled internally. Oh, but I'm kidding of course. I think the return of Umenyiora will make Kiwanuka a lot more effective. He'll play the same role that Tuck played on the 2007 Super Bowl team. And when Tuck moves inside on third down at times, Kiwanuka will replace him on the outside. He'll be in on about 10-15 fewer plays per game, which should help keep him fresh.
105 degrees in Austin actually overnighted this question: If the Cowboys had taken Rhett Bomar with his NCAA infractions, would he have been mentioned as another character-issue player? With New York, I haven't seen that discussed.
Mosley: It's a fair question. In Bomar's case, I don't think it would've generated much more talk. He was paid for work he didn't perform at the University of Oklahoma. He's not the first kid to go down that road -- and he's certainly not the last. I don't think you're reading about it much in New York because the guy paid dearly for that decision. He had to transfer to Sam Houston and play in relative obscurity. But he flourished at the school and earned the right to be drafted. People in Dallas are very familiar with his story since he's from nearby Grand Prairie.
So I don't think it would've been a big deal at all. The Cowboys obviously liked former Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee more as a player.
Jason from Arlington, Va., wonders why the late Sean Taylor wasn't mentioned in the all-decade discussion: For this special edition all-decade week that has been on the ESPN NFL homepage, not one of the seven articles mentioned Sean Taylor. That's appalling.It makes this feature a complete and utter joke. This is why I go to SI.com over ESPN.com. I understand a lot of people's reasoning, "He wasn't in the league long enough blah blah blah", fine. But you have to admit that his death was such a memorable football moment in this decade, and you writers just skipped right by it. Now I am not even going to go into the fact that the Redskins were basically non-existent on these lists (with good reason, not that good this decade), but Taylor's skill and sadly his death transcended the Skins. For shame.
Mosley: Jason, I totally understand and share your respect for Taylor's shortened career. But there were several tremendous players who were left off the list. It's certainly not a perfect list. It was designed to create a lot of discussion -- and that's what happened. Regarding Taylor, if you look back at the NFC East blog, you'll see at least a couple mentions of him. I totally agree that he would've been right in the mix if not for his tragic death. Remarkable players such as John Lynch and Brian Dawkins didn't make the all-decade team at safety. But again, I respect your passion, for both the Redskins and Taylor.
Brad from Coquille, Ore. is feeling good about the Skins: Hi Matt. So here I am, a devout Redskins fan. I look at their schedule (is it just me, or is this schedule almost a do-over of last year?) and I see teams that beat them last year by close margins. And I'm thinking that thier upgrades in D and a small improvement on O could put this team, with this schedule, at 11-5 or even 12-4. Am I delusional?
Mosley: No, but you're gaining on it! Actually, the Skins seemed headed for at least 10-6 last season before the bottom fell out in the second half. If they can stack up some wins early and stay healthy late, you definitely have a chance to go 10-6. But that December schedule scares me. I think 9-7 is the more likely outcome. But let me show up at training camp and see what I think after that.
Tsbein has a solid question about NFC Beast quarterbacks -- and my travel schedule: Which QB is under the most pressure in the NFC East? McNabb to win the SB within two years now that he has weapons, Eli to prove he doesn't need Plax, Romo to prove he doesn't need T.O. and can win in Dec./Jan. or Campbell to prove that the Skins don't need to get a another QB? Bonus: Do you plan to visit each team's training camp or are you leaving it to E. Dubs and Sal Pal?
Mosley: In terms of whose job's on the line, I think you have to go with Jason Campbell. He'll be in the final year of his contract. Eli Manning's heading into the final year of his contract, but I'd be shocked if something's not done before the season. It might even happen during this dead period. Manning would sort of like it that way.
But I think Romo will face the most scrutiny. He's not going to lose his job if the Cowboys miss the playoffs, but his reputation would take a beating. Actually, though, he could play really well -- and the Cowboys could miss the playoffs. We don't know how this Roy Williams thing will turn out. And I'd be a little worried on defense about the inexperience at the cornerback position. So only one quarterback's job is truly hanging in the balance, but I think Romo will face the most pressure. There's the built-in pressure of playing quarterback for the Cowboys. And then there's all the hype surrounding Romo. I think the spotlight will be on him more than any quarterback in the division.
And I'll be visiting all four camps. My plan is to make the drive to San Antonio and spend Aug. 5-7 with the Cowboys before going on my Northeast tour Aug. 10-17. I'll be hanging with Sal Pal and Werder along the way. They've both contributed to this blog in the past, and that won't change. Looking forward to spending a couple days in August in Sal Pal's swimming pool.
Thanks guys! Let's do it again soon (next Saturday). And could someone give me props for not mentioning a certain wide receiver's name?
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
I've always known Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs was a class act, but he drove that point home after finding out Friday he was being released from the club.
"They did what's best for the team, and I'm happy for them," Springs said in a telephone conversation. "I'm going to miss my friends there, but as long as it makes the team better, I understand. I'm a true fan of the sport."
Now you don't hear that every day. Springs has been a consistent performer and he helped jump-start last season's 6-2 record. His position was sacrificed to make room under the salary cap for Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall, but you can't replace the guy's character. Watching him continue to play while his father, Ron, lay in a coma in a Dallas hospital was pretty remarkable. He did it as a tribute to his father. And now there's an outside chance he could finish his career with his dad's team, the Cowboys.
Financially, the move makes sense for the Redskins. But the Redskins will certainly miss Springs' physical style on the field and his leadership in the locker room. The bond that was formed in the aftermath of Sean Taylor's death is something these players will always have.
Cerrato keeping Redskins' plans under wraps
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
As far as NFL executives go, the Redskins' Vinny Cerrato is normally about the closest thing to an open book as you'll find. When his position as owner Daniel Snyder's right-hand man was eliminated by coach Marty Schottenheimer in 2001, Cerrato took his gift of the gab to ESPN, where he served as a college football analyst.
But before Snyder could even deliver the news that Schottenheimer was fired after one season, Cerrato was back on the payroll. The two have been inseparable ever since, which is something that annoys a lot of Redskins fans. Coaches come and go, but Cerrato is the one constant.
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| Andy Lyons/Getty Images | |
| Second-round picks Fred Davis and Devin Thomas have yet to contribute much on the field. |
He's now the executive vice president of football operations and he's led a delegation of coaches and scouts to the NFL combine this week in Indianapolis. I visited with him for about 20 minutes Thursday, although I did most of the visiting. Unlike our conversations in the past, Cerrato seemed determined not to shed any light on which direction the Redskins might go in free agency and the draft.
Cerrato asked whether Giants general manager Jerry Reese had pulled back the curtain on his plans for Plaxico Burress. I quickly informed him that Reese had e-mailed the plan over that very morning.
Cerrato's sick of hearing the same questions, but they're not going away anytime soon. When you draft two wide receivers and a tight end in the second round of the 2008 draft and they combine to do virtually nothing, the questions come from every direction. Devin Thomas has game-breaking speed, but his work ethic came into question last year. Malcolm Kelly had a knee injury and tight end Fred Davis out of USC seems like somewhat of a flake. Cerrato defended the draft picks, but he's also challenged each of them.
"You can't panic," he said. "The two receivers missed all of training camp. Malcolm had the knee injury. Devin and Fred will improve a lot. But I've told them them that our improvement as a team depends a lot on how they do this offseason. I'm putting the pressure on those guys."
Most people were relieved to see the Redskins bypass all the wild-spending in free agency to build through the draft last April. But out of nine picks, seventh-rounder Chris Horton was the only player to make a significant impact. On the surface, it looks like the Redskins grossly overestimated the core group of players that helped them make an emotional playoff run following Sean Taylor's tragic death in 2007.
Over the last eight years, the Redskins haven't made drafting offensive and defensive linemen a major priority. It's hard to believe they have drafted only four interior linemen in the first four rounds of the draft since 2000. And that's a large reason they now have the oldest offensive line in the NFL.
You can talk about the quarterback and the lack of a pass rush all you want, but this team's collapse in the second half of last season coincided with the breakdown of the offensive line. Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels, a former first-round pick, suffered a season-ending injury and veteran players such as Jon Jansen, Randy Thomas and Pete Kendall appeared to wear down. Kendall is an unrestricted free agent and coach Jim Zorn revealed Thursday that Thomas recently underwent surgery for a neck injury.
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But since this league's all about the quarterback, it's important to note that Jason Campbell is entering the final year of his contract. He would like the security of an extension this offseason, but the Redskins aren't showing any interest in making that happen. I reminded Cerrato (not that he needed it) how Jerry Jones ended up paying Tony Romo an extra $10 million or so because the quarterback played so well early in a contract year. And the Cardinals are now dealing with a similar issue with Kurt Warner. Still, Cerrato told me the Redskins don't feel any pressure to extend Campbell at this point.
"He made some strides last year," Cerrato said of Campbell. "He cut down his turnovers. I thought he made great strides with that."
But I've spent enough time with Campbell to know that he functions best when he believes the organization is completely behind him. The fact the Redskins aren't even considering an extension will be weighing on his mind as he enters t
he 2009 season. I know it was something that bothered Romo in 2007, but he used it as motivation and ended up sticking it to Jones, who didn't mind that much since the Cowboys were winning games.
Cerrato said he's talked to the agents for all of the team's unrestricted free agents. He didn't come out and say it, but it's pretty obvious that re-signing free-agent cornerback DeAngelo Hall is a major priority. Cerrato confirmed that he will meet with Hall's agent at the combine to discuss a long-term deal. But with corners such as the Colts' Kelvin Hayden receiving lucrative deals already, there's really no hope of Hall giving the Redskins a hometown discount.
"We're going to meet with his people," Cerrato said. "He played really well for us last year."
On the surface, it doesn't look like the Redskins have the salary cap space to do anything dramatic in free agency, but Cerrato said the team is in position to be relatively aggressive.
"We'll have room to do things," he said. "We've moved some things around to put us in position."
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| AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez | |
| Many mock drafts have the Redskins selecting Texas DE Brian Orakpo with the No. 13 pick. |
Of all the things that go into the combine, Cerrato said he values the interview sessions the most. The Redskins normally have six or seven people sitting in the room, and they used to bring in a psychologist. Cerrato said that quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Brady Quinn were two of the best interviews he's observed.
"I like the interviews because it's sort of an unknown," Cerrato said. "But the most important thing in the whole process is the film. That's where you gather a lot of the information."
Cerrato said the best combine workout he's ever seen involved former Notre Dame safety Tom Carter, who had 18 interceptions for the Redskins from 1993-96. He said Carter had a 42-inch vertical and ran a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash.
Cerrato's hoping he can find someone with similar ability in the No. 13 spot. The Redskins could end up taking an offensive lineman or a pass-rusher. He said this draft has a lot of "tweeners" at defensive end and outside linebacker. Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo keeps showing up on mock drafts at 13, but Cerrato wasn't about to tip his hand.
With only four picks in April's draft, though, the Redskins don't have much margin for error.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley New York Giants (10-1) at Washington Redskins (7-4), 1 p.m. ET
Huge game for the Redskins after watching the Cowboys improve to 8-4 Thursday. The Giants are the best team in football, though, and coach Tom Coughlin doesn't allow for letdowns. The Giants got that loss out of the way against Cleveland and haven't looked back.
The Redskins are a completely different team than the one that opened the season in the Meadowlands. The Giants feasted on Jim Zorn's West Coast offense and did a nice job of taking running back Clinton Portis out of the game. Jason Campbell has been up and down since that game, but he's certainly capable of burning you if given enough time in the pocket.
Expect Zorn to commit to the running game from the start. Everything in this offense feeds off Portis' success on the ground. The Giants are the sixth-best rushing defense in the league heading into Sunday. They'll have to survive what should be a huge emotional wave from the Redskins early. The late Sean Taylor will be inducted into the Ring of Fame before the game. Zorn wants his players to absorb the special moment and then re-focus on playing.
Both teams have some key injuries. For the Giants, Plaxico Burress and Brandon Jacobs are still banged up. And you should keep an eye on Fred Robbins' shoulder injury. He's a big part of that elite defensive line. The Redskins might have to go without middle linebacker London Fletcher and defensive end Andre Carter, who both have foot injuries. Linebacker Marcus Washington has already been ruled out.
Carter actually went through some drills in Thursday's practice, but Fletcher didn't do anything. It would be a big surprise, though, if Fletcher sits out. He's one of the most durable players in the league and he's played through pain before. Plus, he's the emotional leader for this defense.
I think this is the type of game that could hinge on a big play on special teams. Rock Cartwright does a really nice job in all phases of special teams for the Redskins. But Domenik Hixon is the Giants player who can absolutely take over a game.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Redskins running back Clinton Portis was probably closer to Sean Taylor than anyone else on the Redskins' roster. Earlier today, he talked to the New York media about the one-year anniversary of Taylor's death:
Did you expect the Redskins to do what they are doing for Sean this weekend?
Clinton Portis: I think this is a great organization, and I think Sean did a lot for this organization, and I think Mr. [Dan] Snyder is doing the right thing in honoring Sean for everything that Sean brought to this organization and the effect that he has had around the world. I mean how could you not?
Could you put it into perspective? Has it been a long year, or has it flown by since that happened?
CP: It is, but it isn't. I think time flies by, but you come up with memories and you come up with the appreciation of a person, man, that never can really be taken away from you. You don't look at it as the time, 'Oh man, he has been gone a year.' I think that the true fans and the true friends of Sean it doesn't take all of a sudden a one-year anniversary to realize Sean is gone. I think in your everyday activities and everyday duty you realize Sean is not around and you miss him so it doesn't take a year anniversary where the whole world is paying attention. I think every day I think of the situation.
Is it weird to have players on the team this year that didn't know him?
CP: Yeah it is, but I think those other guys are aware of him. The players who weren't on the team at the time being around now were able to get the appreciation of Sean through the players that were. The players who were in the league and around and even the players who weren't in the NFL, they had the opportunity to watch Sean and see what Sean meant.
How did you change as a person after that?
CP: I think I just became a more appreciative person. Try to enjoy the people around me and try to make the best out of all the situations and leave an effect, a positive effect, on the people that I come in contact with.
Redskins announce memorial for Taylor
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Earlier today, the Redskins invited fans to visit a special memorial for Sean Taylor at FedEx Field on Thursday, the one-year anniversary of his tragic death. The memorial will be located outside the main ticket office, between Gates A and H. The Redskins will practice Thursday at Redskins Park, but there will not be a public memorial at that location.
Prior to the game against the Giants on Sunday, Taylor will become the 43rd player in club history inducted into the Ring of Fame. The ceremony will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. ET, so fans are encouraged to arrive early. There will be a video tribute featuring messages from Taylor's teammates and family members. All sales of Sean Taylor merchandise Sunday will benefit the Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund.
If you're unable to attend the game, you can watch it on redskins.com. And if you haven't seen this video, it's pretty amazing.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
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It's hard to believe that a year has passed since Sean Taylor's death. Teammates and coaches who knew him -- and some who didn't -- have spent part of this week talking about Taylor's life and legacy.
Coach Jim Zorn brought pictures of Taylor into a team meeting last week to let his players know it's OK to stop and reflect on their fallen teammate. A Redskins source told me last night that the club is planning to honor Taylor at Redskins Park on Thursday -- the one-year anniversary of his death.
We'll have more details on that later in the day. On Sunday, Taylor will be inducted into the Redskins Ring of Fame. It's been a very emotional week in Washington, and it will only get tougher tomorrow as players and coaches remember what it felt like at this time last year.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
