Catch and Release? Red Snapper

oafusp · Post by **oafusp** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:45 pm

Why haven't we resigned Ethan Albright?

You'd think it would be an easy signing.

Ethan Albright, LS
Known for his bright red hair, Albright has quietly served as the team's long snapper on punts and field goals for the last four seasons. In a job that gets little notice unless something goes wrong, Albright has been steady and reliable during his tenure in Washington.

http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=5902

This is as exciting as the recent "kickers" thread....my bad!

Jeff Rhodes · Post by **Jeff Rhodes** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:54 pm

Albright's reliable and I like having him around. Still, it's a little inefficient to use a roster spot for someone who only handles long snaps.

If it comes to that, I think Cooley can also snap.

oafusp · Post by **oafusp** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 6:16 pm

Ahh, just heard the Skins re-signed the Snapper.

Next subject...

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:03 pm

Easy to overlook, but you just have to love a long snapper who you never hear about. i think Albright has been perfect since arriving in Washington.

... another good signing... not glitzy, but a solid role player... and another signing that keeps a larger nucleus of players together.

fredp45 · Post by **fredp45** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:47 pm

Boss

amen to keeping most of our team together...I'd like to see us have 12 new guys...no more..less if possible.

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:05 pm

Jeff Rhodes wrote:Albright's reliable and I like having him around. Still, it's a little inefficient to use a roster spot for someone who only handles long snaps.

If it comes to that, I think ey can also snap.

Why do you say so? Does he have a history of ever snapping? :-k

oafusp · Post by **oafusp** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:07 pm

hatsOFF2gibbs wrote:
Jeff Rhodes wrote:Albright's reliable and I like having him around. Still, it's a little inefficient to use a roster spot for someone who only handles long snaps.

If it comes to that, I think ey can also snap.

Why do you say so? Does he have a history of ever snapping?

Actually he does, he was a long snapper in college (Utah)

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:16 pm

I see. Yeah...I don't really follow college sports at all. Nice to know that we could have a back-up!

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:18 pm

Just to throw in my two cents on the Long Snapper...
Who knows what might've been in '99 if not for...well, you know.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:05 am

actually, Jon Jansen is the backup long snapper.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:41 am

Jeff Rhodes wrote:Albright's reliable and I like having him around. Still, it's a little inefficient to use a roster spot for someone who only handles long snaps.

While you are certainly entitled to your opinion... the NFL disagrees with you. They even selected long snappers to the pro bowl this year. They were classed 'need' players and were not an official voted position, but there is talk of that as well.

Most teams have someone dedicated to long snapping...

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:43 am

For more information, you can check out agent Kevin Gold's website. Here is a grid of the NFL's long snappers from his website:

http://www.longsnap.com/prosgrid.asp

Skins71 · Post by **Skins71** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:46 am

If I am not mistaken doesn't Rabach also handle those duties as well.

curveball · Post by **curveball** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:13 pm

Deep snappers are only important if you don't have a good one.

Teams lose games every year, sometimes even in the playoffs, with just one bad snap. Don't you remember the infamous low snap/non-call on pass interfence that evetually determined how the whole playoffs shook out?

Dallas pays Jeff Robinson over a million a year and I don't think that's to catch his two passes each season. Parcells has even commented that he's the only underpayed player on the team.

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:18 pm

curveball wrote:Deep snappers are only important if you don't have a good one.

Teams lose games every year, sometimes even in the playoffs, with just one bad snap. Don't you remember the infamous low snap/non-call on pass interfence that evetually determined how the whole playoffs shook out?

Dallas pays Jeff Robinson over a million a year and I don't think that's to catch his two passes each season. Parcells has even commented that he's the only underpayed player on the team.

I agree with curveball (whaaattt??!) As time has passed, NFL teams have found that 'giving up' a roster spot is well worth it in order to never worry about the snap on a field goal attempt or punt. One bad snap on a punt almost always leads to 3 (or 7) points for the other team, and a bad snap on a field goal takes away a potential three points from your own. Those bad snaps seem to always happen at the worst of times, too. . . (thanks TC for bringing up the not-quite-healed wound from '99

)

In the same way, teams are finding it worth the roster spot to sign up a "backup" kicker who actually specializes in long kicks (rather than accuracy). It's much more worth the team's roster spot to consistently place teams on their own 20 after a kickoff than to have an extra backup O-lineman. Hall doesn't have the greatest leg on kickoffs, I kind of wish that the Skins would pick up a 'long kicker.'

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:13 pm

The Washington Redskins completed the signing of long snapper Ethan Albright on Thursday.

Albright played in all 16 games last season and was flawless as the Redskins' long snapper. He has been a staple on the Redskins special teams units with his consistency, accuracy and experienced leadership.

The 6-5, 265-pounder, easily identified around Redskins Park, by his bright red hair, is a dependable veteran, having played in 154 games, including a current nine-year streak in which he has not missed a contest.

Known as one of the NFL's best and most reliable long snappers, Albright has also made his share of plays on kickoff and punt coverage units, contributing 49 tackles during his career. He had four special teams tackles in 2004.

Albright joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 1994. He spent the first half of that season on the Dolphins practice squad before being released and finishing the year on Green Bay's practice squad. He rejoined the Dolphins in 1995, appearing in 10 games, before moving on to Buffalo (1996-2000) and now with Washington (2001-present).

Albright has appeared in 154 games in his career.

http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=6009

oafusp · Post by **oafusp** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:15 pm

curveball wrote:Deep snappers are only important if you don't have a good one.