Redskins gearing up for another offseason of horizontal moves

Today’s report from Jason La Canfora at NFL Network that the Redskins may be firing up Redskins One in preparation for a record showing at the beginning of NFL free agency isn’t really breaking news. I think most insiders around the league expect the team to be active this offseason, considering the combination of a large pool of free agents and numerous needs for the Redskins across the board. However, the list that La Canfora offered was a little puzzling. For years, fans have been clamoring for a big receiver to complement Santana Moss (who is a free agent in his own right), and so the Redskins answer to that is…Santonio Holmes? Last year, the Redskins clearly were trying to plug square pegs into round holes with their transition to the 3-4. So the Redskins answer is to sign Kris Jenkins and/or Barry Cofield, two defensive tackles who have played the majority of their careers as penetrating 3-techniques in a 4-3? Haven’t we already tried to turn a 4-3 tackle into a 3-4 nose (I’m sure there was someone…)? The remainder of the list makes sense (Marshall Yanda would be a huge upgrade at guard, as would Cullen Jenkins as a starting end opposite Adam Carriker). The potential re-signing of Rex Grossman should surprise no one, and the news that the team will pursue Philip Buchanon to play opposite DeAngelo Hall (instead of blindly turning the starting job over to the unproven Kevin Barnes) is encouraging.

However, haven’t we seen this movie before? The Redskins, facing needs at numerous positions, spend and overpay in free agency, burying us underneath the cap? Look, I think the Redskins need to spend some money this offseason, because otherwise they are facing the possibility of being just dreadful. However, with the team not drafting a quarterback (which I think was a smart move, given the talent available where they were picking), it almost sends a signal that this is going to be a rebuilding year. If you’re going into the season with the tandem of Grossman and Beck under center, you can’t realistically have your expectations set at much more than being .500 (and even that is with your Redskins goggles on). So why go out and spend all this money, as if you were one piece away from a championship? To me it just sends mixed signals. It’s like the team is hedging its bets, something it has done well for the past ten years, a main cause of their continued mediocrity. How about for once, you take your lumps? Realize that the previous however many head coaches have dug the team a hole. Plug in a few players that you can get at a decent value, and take your 4-12 beating this year. I know it’ll be tough for the fans, but it has to be done. Look at the Capitals. They were dreadful for a couple of years, before getting the No. 1 overall pick, and rebuilding around that player. Now I don’t have to tell you Redskins fans that there is a pretty good option there in next year’s draft. Why not take that route? It’s starting to show results for the Nationals, who have suddenly become a feisty, competitive squad with loads of young talent on the way. The Wizards are trying to do the same around John Wall and several other talented young players. Heck, at this point, we might as well call this strategy the “D.C. Blueprint.” Step 1: Become an embarrassment to your league for a couple of years. Step 2: Select once-in-a-generation talent with the No. 1 overall pick (alright, classifying Wall in that category may be a stretch, but work with me). Step 3: Continue to add young pieces in future drafts, accumulating draft picks, and using this influx of talent to acquire more assets. Step 4 (which we may be seeing now with the Capitals): add select grizzled veterans to give the team the proverbial “edge” necessary to win come crunch-time. Step 5: Victory Parade!

If I were to classify each of our teams, I would say the Capitals are in Step 4, the Nationals and Wizards are in Step 3 (with the Nationals significantly further along), and the Redskins are in continued denial that they aren’t near Step 5. It’s sad, because if someone could just fax them a copy of this blueprint, they could easily be in Step 3 by 2013. But instead, we Redskins fans will have to settle for one exciting day when free agency opens. Enjoy it, because it may just be the best day of the year for Redskins fans. Unless of course we beat Dallas. Then that trumps everything.