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.