disturbing article

skinsfan1 · Post by **skinsfan1** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 1:20 am

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... Apr20.html

Ill Winds Blowing Just Before the Draft

By Mike Wise
Thursday, April 21, 2005; Page D01

Let's see if we get this straight: Joe Gibbs says Patrick Ramsey is his starting quarterback next season. But the coach and president of Washington's professional football team was in Alabama on Tuesday, seeing if Auburn's Jason Campbell might be worth the 25th pick in Saturday's NFL draft. Ramsey is his man, Gibbs said -- even though he won't discount plucking a college quarterback this weekend.

Great. Beautiful.

Quarterback Patrick Ramsey regained the starting role in midseason, but is it his to keep? (Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)
• The Redskins acquire the 25th overall pick from the Broncos.
• News Graphic: Okay, what do the Redskins do now?
• The Redskins may trade first-round pick for experienced corner.
• The Redskins are pursuing alternative sources for players.
• The Redskins will face the Cowboys on a Monday night.
• LaVar Arrington is angry over how the team has handled his injury.
Just what the Redskins need in this mess of an offseason -- yet another quarterback controversy.

The franchise that gave you Sonny vs. Billy, Doug vs. Jay, Gus's Head vs. Dried Cement and Brad vs. Jeff invites you to weigh in on its latest quandary:

Patrick Ramsey or Jason Campbell?

This is, of course, highly speculative. But then, we're just mirroring the mood yesterday at Redskins Park, where Gibbs, Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato, and owner Daniel Snyder sat side by side, releasing honest and thoughtful subterfuge about the draft, and discussing the team's offseason chaos.

There was some strong clarification about the team's plans for Saturday. The more voices you heard in the practice facility auditorium and outside the glass doors of Redskins Park, the more you have to worry for Ramsey. Clinton Portis, the starting running back, did not exactly give his quarterback a vote of confidence.

"I think Mark was in an unfortunate situation last year where we did a lot of shuffling on the O-line, tight ends, everything," Portis said of Mark Brunell, the man benched in favor of Ramsey last season. "I really don't think Mark had a good opportunity. We were all under fire early in the season and Mark just got the blame.

"Pat stepped up at a much calmer time and he led this team. He put up numbers, we got a few wins out of it, but you know Pat did it with Jack [Burns] calling the plays, and we threw downfield. Mark never had that luxury, so coming into the season I think it's a battle. I think Mark's got something to prove, I think Pat's got something to prove and if we do draft a quarterback, then he's got to come in with something to prove, because you don't waste a first-round pick and not play."

If Ramsey were a confident Pro Bowler with a few playoff games behind him, maybe this would make sense. But isn't this the player who almost wanted out of town when Brunell was signed for $43 million last offseason? Gibbs seemed as if he was trying to tame Ramsey's downfield rambunctiousness and make him more of a thinking, hunt-and-peck quarterback. Maybe that continues, but does Ramsey need a rookie looking over his shoulder if the job is truly his? And if Campbell or another quarterback is chosen, does this demote Brunell to third string? Gibbs has made it clear he believes Brunell is going to be a key part of the Redskins organization next fall, and we took that to mean he would back up Ramsey. Are those plans shelved, too?

Some nutsy offseason for this crew, huh? Gibbs began the news conference by saying that, Redskins press releases notwithstanding, he and Cerrato and, by association, Snyder, were all on the same page. This probably explains why the team lost Fred Smoot and Antonio Pierce to free agency, why wide receiver Laveranues Coles departed angrily -- in a lateral-move trade at best -- for Santana Moss. This may also explain why neither Moss nor second-year safety Sean Taylor has reported for workouts, why Taylor won't even return a Hall of Fame coach's calls because he is upset with his contract. Or why LaVar Arrington, the face of the franchise until Gibbs came along, is upset with the team over his own contract and health issues.

Portis had his teammate's back yesterday, saying Taylor probably needed some time off after having to stomach a 6-10 season. Taylor, he said, just needs to "get away from football" for a while. "I would love to be in the Bahamas or Jamaica, but I'm here with y'all," the running back said. You think 20-year veteran Ray Brown was thinking that yesterday afternoon as he showered and left after his workout?

On top of the quarterback intrigue and the other brushfires, a premier free agent has yet to sign with the team in the last few months. Taking the counterintuitive route, this may be the only good sign at Redskins Park this spring. Yes, after annually hoisting the Lombardi Offseason Championship Trophy, perhaps Gibbs, Cerrato and Snyder have decided they need to spend less in the offseason and win more in the regular season.

Cerrato was even more pointed in his remarks, saying the Redskins would never draft a player who was not "smart and tough." Yet after another head-scratching day at headquarters, Cerrato said nothing about whether those qualities applied to the front office.

I don't like the way portis is sticking up for brunell.

This is also crazy.

Cerrato was even more pointed in his remarks, saying the Redskins would never draft a player who was not "smart and tough." Yet after another head-scratching day at headquarters, Cerrato said nothing about whether those qualities applied to the front office.

Hog Heaven · Post by **Hog Heaven** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:14 am

i THINK THE cAMBELL THING IS SMOKE SCREEN. wE WONT GET HIM

hkiss444 · Post by **hkiss444** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:39 am

If the Redskins do pick Campbell it will prove that this front office has no clue of what they are doing. I know this has been said over and over:
but you don't make a trade 5 days before the draft and have it leaked who you are planning on taking. And you don't take a QB that has the intelligence level of Heath Shuler, in the first round.

fleetus · Post by **fleetus** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:46 am

The only "disturbing" thing about that article is how he paraphrases everything we've all said on this forum. Lots of speculation, lots of questions, lots of head ruubbing :hmm:

He doesn't tell us a thing we don't already know. Saturday should reveal some answers at least, good or bad.

oafusp · Post by **oafusp** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:58 am

Redskins vs. Post

...the drama continues

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:03 pm

Tomorrow there will be a presser at REdskins Park.

"While the winds blowing don't feel well, they ARE NOT ill. Please report more responsibly."

skinsfan1 · Post by **skinsfan1** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 1:26 pm

But how does everyone feel about portis sticking up for brunell? He should back up pat i feel.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 1:29 pm

Of course he wants Brunell to start. Mark can't throw any more so he will have to hand it off every play.

fleetus · Post by **fleetus** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:06 pm

Portis is saying the same thing some of us were talking about in this thread a few days ago.

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... c&start=10

It's real easy to lump all of the Skins problems on one guy. I think what Portis said speaks volumes about why Gibbs took so long to pull Mark.

NikiH · Post by **NikiH** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:30 pm

I think nothing has changed. If you look back Gibbs said we will draft the best talent available when our pick comes up. He said we are NOT drafting to fill holes we are drafting the best we can get. I cannot believe these college educated journalists have not bothered to read his past comments before jumping head first into something they obviously know squat about!

REDEEMEDSKIN · Post by **REDEEMEDSKIN** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:43 pm

In another thread, a couple posters took refuge in the words of the Redskins Park receptionist, in order to dispell the notion of a Ramsey trade.

Now a "real" insider says Brunell never got a fair shake. I agree with him, and like my fellow posters in the aforementioned thread, I'm taking this insider's (Portis') word as truth.

I just knew Brunell couldn't be that awful.

I agree, this article raised some questions, most of which have been asked on this board. The only difference is that he gets paid to do so.

C'fieldSkin · Post by **C'fieldSkin** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:06 pm

We are on a three year plan, right? So if we draft Jason Campbell, we could sit him and play, it pains me to say this, Mark Brunell for a year and have Jason Campbell take over for the long haul in year 3 of Gibb's return. We could possibly start Jason Campbell a la Rothlisberger as a rookie. I hope Patrick is the starter next year, but this could be the way they decide to go. If we get a 1st or 2nd rounder for Patrick this could in the long run, help us out. The staff must not have faith in Ramsey's abilities to lead this team deep into the playoffs. I'm just trying to make sense of it all. Saturday can't get here soon enough.