Making Offseason Plans

With the NFL Combine now finished and free agency starting in just over 24 hours, it's time for me to finally unveil what I'd do with this team if I was owner and general manager. I now have an idea of who I want to draft and who will go where, so before everything falls into place in reality, I'll reveal what I'd do if given the opportunity.

Priorities

1. Revamp both lines. It' s been far too long since we've invested in any position on both lines via the draft and the time is now. This team has to get younger, especially in the trenches, and cannot afford to go another year without addressing the issue. This year's draft needs to be devoted to improving the core of this team and injecting some youth.

2. Cut dead weight. There are far too many past-prime, overpaid players on this team and cuts need to be made. I doubt there is a trade market for most of the players we need to jettison, so without belaboring the issue, it's time to just part ways and move forward, addition by subtraction.

3. Keep the quarterback position open. If Jason Campbell is really the future of this franchise, he should have no problem holding off a 37-year-old who has only played a handful of games in the last decade and last year's sixth-round pick. If Colt Brennan is the gun-slinging, swag-dripping rockstar many think he is, then he should emerge and find his way onto the field. Training camp would begin fresh, with nothing settled on the QB depth chart and everything to play for.

4. Hold onto draft picks and plan for the future. A single trade should not be made this offseason that results in us losing draft picks. Everything should be done in free agency and the draft. This team must keep picks to stay young, cost-effective and developing. That plan starts immediately with no more back-breaking, salary-cap-crippling aquisitions that set the organization back three or four years.

Salary Cap and Cuts

This team is over the salary cap every year and instead of learning from their mistakes or cutting our free agent blunders, the front office always just restructures contracts of aging players, guaranteeing them more money upfront and extending their contracts so money can be spread over a longer period of time. Going into next year, we are again over the cap and need to make cuts to sign draft picks and any free agents brought in. The front office has already restructured Andre Carter, Antwaan Randle El and Chris Samuels, saving close to $10 million in cap space for next year, but mortgaging the future for the present. Let's call it even with the restructuring and the figure over the cap and say the Redskins are now breaking even.

I would start at the top of the payroll and work my way down, looking to cut anyone whose pay doesn't match their production or whomever cannot perform at a high level anymore. The players cut, in order of money saved:

$8.5 million-Jason Taylor
$6 million-Shawn Springs
$4.5 million-Marcus Washington
$2.3 million-Phillip Daniels
$845,000-James Thrash
$535,000-Ryan Plackemeier
$535,000-Will Montgomery
$535,000-D'Anthony Batiste
$460,000-Alex Buzbee
An immediate savings of $24.21 million towards the cap.

That $24+ million will be used to sign a couple necessary free agents, our draft picks and re-sign our own free agents.

Re-Signings

Before free agency, we'd have the opportunity to retain our own players before they hit the open market. The list of players I'd bring back:

DeAngelo Hall CB
Demetric Evans DE
Kedric Golston DT
Anthony Montgomery DT
Ethan Albright LS
Alfred Fincher LB
Khary Campbell LB
Reed Doughty SS
Pete Kendall OG

Of that group, only Hall would command serious money and a long-term deal. The rest would provide good depth and special teams contributions, not to mention they would come cheap.

Free Agency

Channing Crowder LB
Mike Furrey WR

While there are some big time players out there, it would be nice to remain quiet in free agency. However, there are some intriguing prospects that could fill holes left by salary cap casualties. Offensive and defensive lines are a concern, as well as strongside linebacker.

However, attempting to stay away from the free agent disasters of the past, the only real consideration I'd give to signing an immediate starter is linebacker Channing Crowder. He has been a tackling machine and has a nasty attitude that would fit perfectly with the NFC East. He is durable and versatile, giving us the option to put him at strongside in the 4-3 as opposed to the inside role he was playing in Miami's 3-4. He's reliable, energetic and has a clean record off the field.

Mike Furrey is a solid possession receiver who could help out when needed, especially if Malcolm Kelly can't get on the field again. Furrey is a poor man's Wes Welker, small with average speed, but runs great routes and isn't scared to get hit.

The Draft

The Skins only have first-, third-, fifth- and sixth-round picks in the draft, so it's important to key in on what's important and where you can get the most value. While both lines are a priority, reaching for a player can hurt if you pass on a superstar. That said, I wouldn't touch the skill positions of this team, unless someone amazing fell to me. The secondary on this team is set, the running backs are fine for another year, the quarterback needs to be given another year, and three pass catchers were taken in last year's draft. We'd draft:

1. Michael Oher-OT, Ole Miss
3. Kraig Urbik-OG, Wisconsin
5. Jasper Brinkley-LB, South Carolina
6. Mitch King-DE/DT, Iowa

The Redskins are in a bit of a tough spot at #13. The ideal pick would be offensive lineman Eugene Monroe from Virginia, but he'll likely be a top two pick. Baylor's Jason Smith could also be a consideration at right tackle, but will likely be gone, as will Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and Texas' defensive end Brian Orakpo.

Oher is a little bit risky, but has the physical skillset to play at the next level. Mix that with line coach Joe Bugel's know-how, and I think he'll be solid. Bugel made undrafted Stephon Heyer into the starter at right tackle last year, so you can imagine what the possibilities are with a first-round pick.

Urbik is a roughneck who can provide interior help in the run game. Last year's third-round pick Chad Rinehart doesn't appear to be ready for the NFL yet, so he can't be counted on to start next year. Urbik should have the opportunity to start at left guard with Pete Kendall aging and arthritic.

Brinkley is one of the largest linebackers you'll ever see. He checks in at about 270-275 lbs. playing middle linebacker. His size could allow him to move to strongside on running downs and he can lay a serious hit. Brinkley and H.B. Blades could be interchangeable as backups on the inside and outside and could be the future of the corps.

King would hope to be the utility guy on the defensive line. At around 280 lbs., he's not a genuine defensive tackle, but could play inside on passing downs to rush the quarterback. However, being that big could make him a run stuffer on the end, allowing linebackers to roam free. Best case scenario, he'd be a Justin Tuck-type for the Skins, worst case, he's another young body to throw in the mix.

Roster Breakdown

Offense

QB: (open competition)
Starter: Jason Campbell
Backups: #2 Colt Brennan/#3 Todd Collins

FB:
Mike Sellers

RB:
Starter: Clinton Portis
Backups: Ladell Betts/Rock Cartwright

LT:
Starter: Chris Samuels
Backup: Stephon Heyer

LG:
Starter: Kraig Urbik
Backup: Pete Kendall

C:
Starter: Casey Rabach
Backup: Training camp battle

RG:
Starter: Randy Thomas
Backup: Chad Rinehart

RT:
Starter: Michael Oher
Backup: Jon Jansen

TE:
Starter: Chris Cooley
Backups: Todd Yoder, Fred Davis

WR 1:
Starter: Santana Moss
Backup: Malcolm Kelly

WR 2:
Starter: Devin Thomas
Backup: Antwaan Randle El

Slot WRs: Antwaan Randle El, Malcolm Kelly, Mike Furrey

Defense

RE:
Starter: Andre Carter
Backup: Chris Wilson/Rob Jackson

DT:
Starter: Cornelius Griffin
Backups: Kedric Golston/Lorenzo Alexander

DT:
Starter: Anthony Montgomery
Backups: Kedric Golston/Mitch King

LE:
Starter: Demetric Evans
Backup: Mitch King/Rob Jackson

WLB:
Starter: Rocky McIntosh
Backups: H.B. Blades/Alfred Fincher

MLB:
Starter: London Fletcher
Backups: H.B. Blades/Jasper Brinkley

SLB:
Starter: Channing Crowder
Backups: Khary Campbell/Jasper Brinkley

CB 1:
Starter: Carlos Rogers
Backup: Fred Smoot

CB 2:
Starter: DeAngelo Hall
Backup: J.T. Tryon

Nickel CB: Fred Smoot

FS:
Starter: LaRon Landry
Backup: Kareem Moore

SS:
Starter: Chris Horton
Backup: Reed Doughty

Returners:
Kickoffs: Rock Cartwright
Punts: Dominique Dorsey

Kicker: Open competition
Punter: Open competition

Of course, this process isn't complete and this team is still a couple years away from not just being a contender, but molded in a different way, with a new mindset. The following year, a few more big contracts would have to be dumped and more draft picks would have to go into the lines. However, this is just the start. The overhaul isn't finished and would continue though the years. It would also give some young, late-round picks the opportunity to step up and see some legitimate playing time, possibly being the next Chris Horton as an absolute draft steal.

The blueprint has been laid out. Starting inside and moving our way out will keep this team young and deep, adding pieces over the years to get us to the next level.

Possible Silver Lining in the Jason Taylor Trade

As free agency approaches and teams assess their needs for the upcoming season, many franchises find themselves looking for cap space to make moves and cutting players with hefty, undesirable contracts to make their wish lists possible. The Washington Redskins annually fall into that category, and have begun the process by restructuring the contracts of defensive end Andre Carter and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, freeing up around $4 million in cap room for next season. However, those moves alone do not get the Redskins under the salary cap and cuts or more restructurings will be necessary to comply.

Washington has a handful of aging players whose absorbitant contracts are not matching the production expected from them on the field. At the forefront of that list is defensive end Jason Taylor. While Taylor more than likely will be headed to the Hall of Fame, he is also headed towards 35, and will make $8.5 million dollars next season despite missing most of last year with knee and calf injuries. Taylor will be the second highest-paid player on the roster, $800,000 behind Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samules.

Taylor was acquired from the Miami Dolphins when starting defensive end Phillip Daniels tore his ACL the first day of training camp. That afternoon, Washington sent a 2009 second-round draft pick, as well as a sixth-round pick in 2010. However, because Taylor was brought in via trade, the Redskins can cut him without taking on any dead cap from his contract. Taylor is scheduled to make $8.5 million next year, but by cutting him, the Redskins could save all of the $8.5 million and use that money elsewhere.

While I know many Redskins fans were not supporters of the Taylor trade, myself included, there is a chance for redemption. Look at it this way, by cutting Taylor right now, the Redskins traded second- and sixth-round picks for $8.5 million in free agency money. Washington does need to get younger as a whole, so trading away draft picks isn't the right direction to take, but what's done is done so putting the best spin on it helps.

Jason Taylor has been a phenomenal player for the last decade, but the Redskins traded for him in the twilight of his career and it's time to cut its losses. Using his salary in free agency to bring in two or three players at positions of need will be much more valuable than overpaying a player past his prime for one last go-round.

I Love Steve Spurrier

After reviewing Lane Kiffin's less than stellar start at Tennessee, I got to thinking about the comments made by opposing SEC coaches about him and the overall trash talking done around the league. The first person that comes to mind is Steve Spurrier. Without a doubt, he is the ultimate coach when it comes to the gift of gab. I'm a huge Washington Redskins and Florida Gators fan, as well as an alumnus from the University of South Carolina. I have followed him my whole life and have loved him at each of those coaching stops.

Paying homage to "The Ole Ball Coach," here are some of my favorite quotes from "The Visor":

On Florida beating Tennessee every year, resulting in the Vols multiple Citrus Bowl appearances in the 90s: "You can't spell Citrus without UT."

On Peyton Manning returning to Tennessee for his senior year: "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year, he wanted to be a 3-time Citrus Bowl MVP."

On Florida State's lack of institutional control with their players: "You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes University."

On a fire in an Auburn dorm room that burned, among other things, 20 books: "The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored in yet."

On whether Florida would beat Georgia that particular season: "I don't know. Is Ray Goff still the head coach there?" (Spurrier was 6-0 against Goff, often referring to him as Ray Goof)

On Florida's 52-17 victory over Georgia in Athens, 1995: "We knew coming in nobody had scored 50 against them here, so that's what we wanted to do. This may be the only time in our lifetime that Florida plays here, so we wanted to make it memorable for the Gators."

On Georgia's recruiting after a 45-13 win in 1991 over the Bulldogs: "Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don't understand that. What happens to them?"

Regarding his nickname for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: "The Swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." (Hence, "The Swamp" was born)

On recruiting from the state of Alabama during the Crimson Tide's era of scholarship violations: "In 12 years at Florida, I don't think we ever signed a kid from the state of Alabama. Of course, we found out later that the scholarships they were giving out at Alabama were worth a whole lot more than ours."

On whether coaching would be more difficult in the NFL than college: "Yes, because there are no Vanderbilts in the NFL."

After beating Mississippi State 52-0: "Their pass defense was number one in the nation coming in, but it won't be going out."

After winning the SEC championship: "This is our annual team picture."

After beating Ohio State in the national championship in both football and basketball: "We've kind of turned Ohio State into Runner-Up U, haven't we?"

After being called "classless" by North Carolina coach Mack Brown for bringing his Duke team back onto the field for a team photo in front of the scoreboard after a win in Chapel Hill: "Why? I've got a better record on that field than he does."

Finally the best story I've ever heard about Spurrier and his recruiting, taken from his biography by Bill Chastain:

"McGriff went to a weight-lifting competition held at the school where he encountered Spurrier.

'Steve didn't like weight-lifting at all,' McGriff said. 'I didn't know he was going to be there. We show up at the same time. I see him in his casual way.'

Spurrier: Hey, how you been, whatcha gonna do? You gonna watch this weight-lifting thing? You like that?
McGriff: No, I don't really, I like to work out and all that, but I don't know that I want to watch this competition. But I'm going to do it, because that's what the guy's doing and he's going to see me.
Spurrier: Then whatcha gonna do?
McGriff: Well, hopefully, I'll see him, then I'll be back at the school tomorrow.
Spurrier: Well, I really don't like this stuff. Whatcha wearing a tie for?
McGriff: Well, I won't wear this to every high school. If I'm in Pahokee, I don't have this on. Or if I go to Tampa Plant High School, I don't have this on. But I'm here at Cardinal Mooney.
Spurrier: I don't like to wear ties. I don't know, I don't think I'm going to watch this stuff. I'll see you in a little while.

Spurrier retrieved his workout clothes from his car and changed in the Cardinal Mooney locker room.

'He goes out there with the Cardinal Mooney baseball team and starts shagging flies,' McGriff said. 'He doesn't see shit for the weight-lifting thing. So the great part of the story is, somehow he's got his car keys, but he stayed out shagging flies for so long that he gets locked out from his clothes. He can't get them out. Well, he had a home visit that night. He goes to this boy's home. Shows up, he'd been sweating, because it's May, it's hot. He doesn't have a shirt on. This boy comes home and there's Steve Spurrier sitting on his couch, on a towel, no shirt on, drinking a beer with the guy's dad. And of course, I know Steve, and I'm laughing my brains out the next day when Steve is telling me this story. Then I see somebody else who confirmed the story. Well, I'm working my butt off to sign my guy. I don't sign him. You think Steve signed his guy? He did.'"

Kiffin Volunteers to be an Idiot

Without coaching a single game yet, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin has bull's eyes coming at him from all different directions. After attempting to turn the current national champions in for cheating and trying to raid every rivals' coaching staff, Kiffin has now committed several NCAA recruiting violations and stirred up some serious ill will for Citrus, I mean Rocky, Top.

The problems started for Kiffin the first day he got the job. South Carolina head coach, the master of trash talk, Steve Spurrier, suggested Kiffin might have committed a recruiting violation by calling a recruit before he was authorized to do so by the NCAA. Kiffin says he was authorized to make phone calls, and did so to his prized recruit, top-ranked receiver Marlon Brown, who eventually committed to Georgia. Ouch.

Since then, Kiffin has made several more missteps. Kiffin said Florida head coach Urban Meyer cheated in the recruiting process by contacting wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson while he was on an official visit to Tennessee. Kiffin made two mistakes on that public announcement:

1. What Urban Meyer did was not a recruiting violation.
2. What Kiffin did by talking about it in public was a violation.

"Coach Kiffin has violated the Southeastern Conference Code of Ethics," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. "SEC Bylaw 10.5.1 clearly states that coaches and administrators shall refrain from directed public criticism of other member institutions, their staffs or players."

Not only did Kiffin not know the rules of violations by falsely accusing another coach, he ended up committing a violation himself. Ouch.

Later that week, Tennessee announced it was going to self-report more violations committed by Kiffin to avoid further punishment from the NCAA. The first of the new wrongdoings was during a recruiting visit at Tennessee where nine recruits participated in a mock press conference at the university's media center. The second violation was the use of a fog machine for a recruit's entrance to Neyland Stadium. Both of these violated NCAA recruiting rules, which prohibit simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits. Ouch.

The week after that, Kiffin ran into trouble again for referring to an unsigned recruit by name on a local Knoxville radio show. Kiffin talked about Bryce Brown, a Rivals.com five-star running back, who reneged on his verbal commitment to the University of Miami and is considering playing professionally in Canada before going to the NFL. What made it worse was before asking questions, the radio host told Kiffin he couldn't refer to specific recruits by name. Ouch.

Not only has Kiffin shot himself in the foot several times, he has also made quick enemies with some of his top competitors. After Spurrier's recruiting accusations, Kiffin lured Spurrier's brother-in-law, David Reaves, off the South Carolina staff to Tennessee. The Ole' Ball Coach certainly won't forget about that one.

Despite accusing Florida of cheating, Kiffin allegedly went after the Gators' receivers coach, Billy Gonzales, while Florida was preparing for the national championship game. However, Gonzales did not take the job. Ouch.

Kiffin then went after Forbes magazine's most powerful man in sports, Alabama head coach Nick Saban, hiring Lance Thompson, one of Alabama's best recruiters. Maybe Thompson can go over the rules with Kiffin one more time. Saban has since asked all of his committed recruits to not take visits to Tennessee.

Finally, Georgia head coach Mark Richt bested Kiffin once again. Not only did he snag Marlon Brown, Tennessee's number one recruit, he also kept one of the Bulldogs' best recruiters from going to Knoxville. Kiffin offered recruiter Rodney Garner a $400,000 bonus to join the Volunteers, but he turned it down, choosing to stay in Athens. Ouch.

Kiffin can try all he wants to bring some excitement to Rocky Top, even if it means ruffling a few feathers while rebuilding the program. However, he needs to understand what he's doing in the big picture. He has now made himself the biggest target in the SEC next year, and he doesn't really have the firepower to thwart the attack. We've seen what Urban Meyer can do when he wants to seek revenge. We've seen how motivated Mark Richt can get his team. We've seen how surgical Nick Saban can be when the Tide rolls. Next year, Tennessee goes to the Swamp and Tuscaloosa. Georgia and South Carolina will come to Knoxville. Don't expect any house warming gifts.