Drafting Sean Taylor just makes no sense

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 10:22 am

We are not going to trade down, we have Winslow, Harris (who IS worthy of the 5th overall pick and might not be there if we trade down) and Taylor...

TE, DE/DT, FS... our biggest area of need? TE, by far. We have two tight ends who are BARELY serviceable. We have a decent, if unimpressive defensive line, and we have a promising saftey tandem.

Why then would we want to draft Sean Taylor? IMO he would be the worst choice out of the 3, sure he would be an upgrade, but in a position that is pretty well taken care of. The BEST choice we could make in the draft, and the one that will make us better the fastest in Kellen Winslow Jr. The second choice would be Tommie Harris, he could really help our defense... but Sean Taylor would be the absolute worst choice we could make.

Yes, Taylor is a great player, and I won't cry if we get him... but he will not have the impact of a Harris or a Winslow.

Skeletor · Post by **Skeletor** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 10:41 am

I disagree. I think Taylor is perhaps the best pick in the draft (50/50 with Gallery). He is a potential game changer. Look at what Roy Williams did for the Cowboys. I won't invoke Ronnie Lott here but a safety can be a difference maker.

Winslow may be a great talent, but Gibbs' offense values tight ends as blockers more than tight ends. It's a system that stresses protection first. There was a game against the Giants back in Gibbs' first run, where the Skins had picked up a Giant player off waivers the week of the game against NY. He guy told him the Giants don't bother covering Don Warren because they know the Skins don't throw to him. The Skins wound up throwing 10 passes to Warren that game. But the point is, the tight end is a glorified lineman in the offense. Even the H-back is blocker first, receiver second, runner a distant third.

The biggest need is clearly d-line but there aren't any elite athletes at DE or DT in this draft. Udeze, Smith, Harris would all be good starters, but they're no julius peppers. You could trade down and pick up an extra draft choice but you're missing the shot at a game changing athlete. Hopefully we won't be picking this high for a long, long time.

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 10:51 am

I disagree that there are no impact D-Linemen...

Tommie Harris is an excellent defensive lineman who is worthy of the 5th overall.

But like I said, Taylor is a good player, but he's simply not needed in Washington. We HAVE two pretty darned good safties.

Also, if we had Winslow, he would catch passes... that's what he's good at, that's how he'd be used. Besides, he's also a very good blocker, just because he can catch passes doesn't mean he's not a complete athelete.

But ALL these players Winslow, Taylor and Harris have GREAT attitudes and will give all they have on every play, and do anything to be the best. I think all the players are pretty much the same skill at their position, but we don't need a saftey. Drafting Taylor would hurt us now, but could pay off later. We'd be a better team with Winslow or Harris

skins75 · Post by **skins75** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:01 am

Tommie Harris is not worth the #5 pick. He isnt even the best DT in the Draft. Mark my words...Randy Starks will have a better NFL career than Harris. But I wouldnt take either with the #5. In fact if you are going to take a smaller DT (which Harris is) I would rather go after Darnell Dockett. The guy is a monster and with Joe Gibbs as his HC instead of Bobby Bowden (a total piece of crap) he will be a much better individual regarding his character issues. Overall Sean Taylor will probably make the most impact out of anyone in this draft. With Gibbs back in town we will not have the luxury of picking at the #5 spot for quite some time. If we stay at #5...it has to be Sean Taylor.

RedskinsFreak · Post by **RedskinsFreak** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:02 am

Well, Taylor makes much more sense if the report of "Redskins will not make offer to Ohalete" is true.

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4079

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... Apr15.html

"Washington Redskins reserve linebacker Antonio Pierce, a restricted free agent, is likely to sign an offer sheet with the Minnesota Vikings today, according to sources familiar with the situation. The deadline is 11:59 tonight to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. The Redskins would have until next Friday to match the offer and retain Pierce.

The Vikings spoke to Pierce's agent, Mitchell Frankel, yesterday about the prospective offer sheet, according to a source who requested anonymity. Because the fourth-year veteran is undrafted out of the University of Arizona, the Redskins wouldn't receive a draft pick if Pierce signed elsewhere.

Washington was forced to trade fullback Bryan Johnson to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round draft pick after matching his four-year, $4.1 million offer sheet because it took up too much cap space. To avoid the risk of losing wideout Darnerien McCants, the Redskins signed him to a new contract worth $4.5 million over three years. Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete isn't expected to receive an offer sheet."

Skeletor · Post by **Skeletor** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:06 am

You guys are misreading this Ohalete offer sheet statement. Its not that the Skins aren't going to sign him. He's a restricted free agent and they've made the tender needed to keep him.

Other teams have the option until midnight tonight to sign Iffy to an offer sheet, which the Skins would then have a week to match. But the Post is saying no other team is interested in Iffy, so no other team will sign him to an offer sheet. Iffy will be on the Skins' roster going into training camp.

RedskinsFreak · Post by **RedskinsFreak** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:18 am

Then what's the difference between the tender and this "offer sheet"? (does quick Google search) With the tender being done, the Redskins don't NEED to extend an offer sheet as well, right?

......

Oh, an offer sheet from ANOTHER team! :oops:

BigCarter28 · Post by **BigCarter28** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:22 am

our safteys arent good

Skeletor · Post by **Skeletor** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:32 am

The tender is what you offer to a restricted free agent on your own team.

The offer sheet is what you offer to a restricted free agent on another team.

McCants, Bryan Johnson, Iffy and Antonio Pierce got tenders from the Skins.

Bryan Johnson got an offer sheet from N.O., which the Skins matched, and then they traded him to Chicago.

Now, Antonio Pierce may be getting an offer sheet from Minnesota. Then the Skins have a week to match.

McCants was taken off the restricted free agent market when the Skins signed him to a longer term deal.

Iffy has received no offer sheets from other teams, so will come back on a one-year contract, then he will be a free agent at the end of this upcoming season, unless the Skins sign him to an extension before that.

BringThePain! · Post by **BringThePain!** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:32 am

Skinsfan55.....

You remember last year, the Jets traded both first rounders to the guy who was the next Warren Sapp? His name was Dewayne Robertson..... you know how good he did last year? Not very good at all.... In fact he was a bust.....

Your opinion is the Harris is worth the fifth pick in the first round pick.... But all the experts and everyone else.... none of them have picked out one Dominent DT or DE.... they all jump up and down rating boards including Harris....

D-lineman are so unpredictable coming out of college...

Do i have to mention, Lang, Bobby Wilson, Sean Gilbert, Dan Wilkinson....all used on our first round pick...

Personally i don't want to risk a 5th on a guy who could be a bust.... if we had the 12th or someother mid round pick i'd say go for it... but not at 5...

Winslow might be a good TE, but not in this system.... plus he's not what you would call a Gibbs type of guy.... we have enough weapons on offense to win.... do we not?

Look at what Roy Williams, and Ed Reed have done for there Defense's...... Taylor expected to be better than both of them..... it's dumb to go after need, when you could get an almost guaranteed star.....

Skeletor · Post by **Skeletor** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:00 pm

Actually, Sean Gilbert and Dan Wilkerson were acquired via trades. Big Daddy was actually the number one pick of the draft by the Bengals when he came out.

We got Sean Gilbert from the Rams, then shirked Carolina for a pair of first round picks...

But your points are all valid. If we stay at 5, we need to draft Taylor. I just wonder what might happen if Gallery were to slip to 5... Could the Skins ship Samuels to the Browns for pick #7? Then you could still draft Taylor, Winslow or one of the d-linemen...

BringThePain! · Post by **BringThePain!** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:06 pm

Skeletor wrote:Actually, Sean Gilbert and Dan Wilkerson were acquired via trades. Big Daddy was actually the number one pick of the draft by the Bengals when he came out.

We got Sean Gilbert from the Rams, then shirked Carolina for a pair of first round picks...

But your points are all valid. If we stay at 5, we need to draft Taylor. I just wonder what might happen if Gallery were to slip to 5... Could the Skins ship Samuels to the Browns for pick #7? Then you could still draft Taylor, Winslow or one of the d-linemen...

Well we did acquire them through a trade, but what we traded for Gilbert and Wilkinson where first round picks.... so esentially we used first round picks on them...

hkiss444 · Post by **hkiss444** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:04 pm

Taking Sean Taylor is the best thing the Skins can do. It's what all the "smart" execs do.
TAKE THE BEST AVAILABLE PLAYER when picking at the top of the draft.

I am still concerned about trading down for more picks given our history of poor drafts.

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:17 pm

Dewayne Robertson still has plenty of time, defensive linemen need time to improve.

Robertson will have an excellent NFL career, mark my words

BringThePain! · Post by **BringThePain!** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:24 pm

If they need time to improve, then why would we take a D-linemen w/ the 5th overall pick?

I thought your whole thing was that we need help now?

NC43Hog · Post by **NC43Hog** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 3:13 pm

The rule of thumb is take the best player available with that high a pick. Sean Taylor, if he is still around, will be the best player available and can step in and make an immediate impact. He will drop TE's like a bag a dirt.

IMO

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 3:15 pm

Makes perfect sense to me. Sorry my Skins Bro - I'd take Taylor in a heartbeat. And when he makes the Pro Bowl - I won't even say "I told you so." The dude is a STUD! He's almost 230 lbs!!! Runs a sub-4.5 40!!! And he's a superb athlete all around. I can't see any downside whatsoever in drafting this kid. He's not Ronnie Lott yet, but I think he's got all the tools to be one of the best Redskins of all-time. No BS - Sean Taylor is going to be a GREAT one. Mark it down!

Also, I'll take Wilfork before Harris - no offense. But Harris is more of a DE than DT. I like him alot - but Wilfork is the run-stopper, Warren-Sapp-without-the ego/mouth. I think Wilfork has more upside than Harris.

Just my opinion here fellas, not trying to pick a fight here.

Redskins4Life · Post by **Redskins4Life** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 3:21 pm

Two things to say....
1. Ifeanyi Ohalete and Matt Bowen are by no means "darned good safetys". They are "decent" safetys, but theyre not even CLOSE to what Sean Taylor is. They never ever will be.

2. TE is probably our biggest need... ON PAPER. Joe Gibbs does not use TE in his passing plays except for staying home to block on most plays. We have Coles, Gardner, McCants, and Jacobs to catch all the balls we need to have them catch. Gibbs' TE is a TE with GREAT blocking skills, and someone who does not demand the ball. KW is a GOOD blocker with the potential to be a great blocker but he WILL DEMAND THE BALL! Sean Taylor is a MUCH smarter upgrade, and even though K.Winslow JR. will be the next K.Winslow SR., Sean Taylor will be the next Ronnie Lott. We have pass catchers, but we don't have hard hitters with amazing coverage skills. Bottom Line: Sean Taylor is a much smarter pick for the Redskins.