Say goodbye to Rock...

dad23hogjrs · Post by **dad23hogjrs** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:13 pm

article is mainly about the kicking situation, but thrown in the last paragraph is the writing on the wall for Cartwright, and Possibly ARE if this kid works out. Most likely Rock as he clears space to release him, where as ARE eats space if released.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/f ... index.html

riggofan · Post by **riggofan** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:23 pm

Not sure I buy that. You think being the CFL special teams player of the year equates with being as good or better than Rock or ARE?

Most likely just an extra body for offseason training.

dad23hogjrs · Post by **dad23hogjrs** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:28 pm

I am not trying to buy the guys Jersey or anything...I just think it means they are trying to find a cheap way to alter our return game. May end up being this guy, may not. Either way, it does not look good for Rock's future with the team.

Also, I am not saying I think Rock should be gone, I like the guy's fire...he's our special teams captain. I am just reading between the lines with the move.

lowtharofthehill · Post by **lowtharofthehill** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:57 pm

There isn't much of a chance that Dominique Dorsey will beat out rock for a roster spot. He is only like 5'7 or something like that which is actually smaller than rock. He is just camp filler just like the kicker.

Don't read into buying a frozen dinner as replacing the cook.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:02 pm

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... 4&start=40

Isn't that what people said when we signed Jerome Mathis last year??

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:04 pm

lowtharofthehill wrote:There isn't much of a chance that Dominique Dorsey will beat out rock for a roster spot. He is only like 5'7 or something like that which is actually smaller than rock. He is just camp filler just like the kicker.

Don't read into buying a frozen dinner as replacing the cook.

They're the same height.

http://www.the-hogs.net/washington-redskins/roster.php

Jeff Rhodes · Post by **Jeff Rhodes** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:12 pm

I'm not convinced this means Rock will be leaving, either. But it wouldn't bother me if it did.

I'm sure Rock's a hard worker and a good guy, but I've never quite understood everyone's fascination with him. As a running back, he isn't big enough to be a lead blocker or short-yardage guy, and he isn't fast enough to be that change-of-pace guy the Redskins need. As a kick returner, I thought he personified Gibbs 2.0 in that he didn't fumble or make stupid mistakes, and he'd usually get positive yardage but wasn't much of a threat to bring one back all the way. A low-risk, low-reward type player.

Other than that, what's left? Wedge-buster on kick returns? You can find guys like that every day who'll work for the vet minimum.

If Dorsey can bring an element of speed and quickness to the running back position and return game, I think he'd be making a more important contribution than whatever Rock brings to the locker room.

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:49 pm

As far back as I can remember, Rock Cartwright's job has always been in jeopardy. It would take a heroic showing of someone on kick returns to replace the rock. I am not sure that will happen, because I'm sure that Rock has learned how to deal with adversity and show why we keep him year after year.

Jeff Rhodes · Post by **Jeff Rhodes** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:29 pm

We'll see how that goes. Given that Zorn was in his first year as a head coach last year, didn't have a full off-season and probably didn't have a real good feel for his personnel yet, I suspect he wanted to err on the side of caution and not make sweeping changes. I'm guessing that could change this year and he'll put more of his stamp on the team.

As I noted previously, I don't think Rock's a liability; I just wonder whether he's enough of an asset to warrant a roster spot. Everyone who's looked at the Redskins this off-season has concluded they would really benefit from a running back with more explosion than Portis and Betts. I don't have any idea whether Dorsey can be that guy, but the point is, whoever assumes that role, someone else has to go. If Dorsey (or someone else) can return kickoffs at least as well as Rock plus offer a home run threat out of the backfield, I'd have to think seriously about making a change.

Trample the Elderly · Post by **Trample the Elderly** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:52 pm

Rock's not going anywhere. We get more production out of Rock than ARE anyway. The should let him run more too.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:00 pm

Trample the Elderly wrote:Rock's not going anywhere. We get more production out of Rock than ARE anyway. The should let him run more too.

So, you enjoy 2 yard runs.

Rock is James Thrash with a regular job. Good guy, works hard, but very limited talent.

Like James Thrash, I don't understand why he's still on the team.

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:24 pm

If Rock could return punts in addition to kickoffs, and/or if he was actually a serviceable RB for a 1-2 punch system, then I'd say he's worth keeping around. But he's taking up too much roster space to only be doing one thing, IMO.

We could be using that spot to develop some talent for the eventuality of Portis' retirement/departure. Best case scenario, we get a repeat of 98/99: we lose a Terry Allen but gain a Stephen Davis.

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:36 pm

Irn-Bru wrote:Ifhe's taking up too much roster space

How much space can one guy take up? :lol:

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:36 pm

we lose a Terry Allen but gain a Stephen Davis

Remember when Davis' claim to fame was being the player who got beat up by Michael Westbrook?

broomboy · Post by **broomboy** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:49 pm

Being a Canadian living in Toronto I have seen Dorsey play and dude has very good speed and vision could beat rock.

Trample the Elderly · Post by **Trample the Elderly** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:17 pm

Countertrey wrote:
Trample the Elderly wrote:Rock's not going anywhere. We get more production out of Rock than ARE anyway. The should let him run more too.

So, you enjoy 2 yard runs.

Rock is James Thrash with a regular job. Good guy, works hard, but very limited talent.

Like James Thrash, I don't understand why he's still on the team.

Seeing how he only got the football once or twice, yeah. They put too much on Portis.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:29 pm

Rock is serviceable at KR. If he goes, oh well. If not, I'm not bothered.

He's the least of our concerns. PR needs to be addressed before KR imo.

aswas71788 · Post by **aswas71788** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:41 pm

i'm not going to get to excited about this guy. I have not seen many, if any, CFL "stars" make it in the NFL.

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:01 pm

I enjoy his fire, and I can easily close my eyes and see him coming at us in either Giant Blue or Philly Green...all ticked off.
The man is a special teams demon. Despite his designated position, I've never considered him as an RB.
Surely we have room on the team for a man like Cartwright, when we have room for a man like RandleEl.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:23 pm

tcwest10 wrote:I enjoy his fire, and I can easily close my eyes and see him coming at us in either Giant Blue or Philly Green...all ticked off.

So, let him. He can 21 yard kick return us to death...

Surely we have room on the team for a man like Cartwright, when we have room for a man like RandleEl

I'm not convinced there's really room for either of them...

PulpExposure · Post by **PulpExposure** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:13 pm

aswas71788 wrote:i'm not going to get to excited about this guy. I have not seen many, if any, CFL "stars" make it in the NFL.

Jeff Garcia has done pretty well for himself. And closer to home Mike Sellers...

Also, historically, you can look at Warren Moon and Joe Theismann.

Wahoo McDaniels · Post by **Wahoo McDaniels** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:45 pm

I have never been one for CFL players, except for the QBs, where young QBs who don't fit the NFL mold (Flutie, Moon, and Garcia) get a chance to play and learn how to read defenses rather than sit holding a clipboard and wearing a backwards baseball cap. But if Parcells' move to bring in the DE from the BC Lions works, it will be another sign of what having a guy who understands the game of football means to a player personnel shop. Do you doubt his track record at finding and developing pass rushers? LT (the real LT), Damarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Leonard Marshall, Willie McGinest, James Farrior were all Parcells guys.

What's even worse, if this guy pans out, is he is local...I believe he is from Maryland. Stay tuned...but I really am excited about our Special Teams player. He better turn out to be Steve Tasker for me to really care.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:00 am

Countertrey wrote:Rock is James Thrash with a regular job. Good guy, works hard, but very limited talent.

Like James Thrash, I don't understand why he's still on the team.

Maybe because they have shown production in special teams and somehow serviceable in a crunch?

I agree with you. I just do not feel that they are as hopeless as some seem to consider them. Show us improvements at both positions and I will be happy to join the crowd.

El Mexican · Post by **El Mexican** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:40 am

Rock has been here since the Spurrier era. He was drafted in 2002 in the SEVENTH round, so he has the blue-collar mentality every team should have in one or two key positions.

He is more than servicable and has a very decent average of 25.5 yards per kickoff return since taking over the spot. Only one TD, though. On the upside, he has only fumbled ONCE is KR duties since being drafted.

I say thats pretty good.

SkinsChic · Post by **SkinsChic** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:56 pm

Rock will be here!!!